Dover returning to Cup Series regular season, All-Star Race to North Wilkesboro

Dover Motor Speedway and North Wilkesboro Speedway will reverse course in 2027 as the NASCAR All-Star Race returns to the North Carolina short track. Speedway Motorsports confirmed Wednesday that Dover will return to a points-paying race in mid-May.

"Whether it's a points race, an All-Star Race or a Chase race, one thing never changes – we work for the fans," said Mike Tatoian, president and general manager of Dover Motor Speedway. "They are the heart of everything we do, and we're constantly looking for ways to make every visit to The Monster Mile more entertaining than the last. Our goal is to create memories that last a lifetime, and we can't wait to welcome everyone back next spring for another outstanding weekend on and off the track."

North Wilkesboro will be the host of the All-Star Race, which will fall near the end of the month of May. The two facilities held opposite roles this season, as the non-points All-Star Race was moved to Dover for the first time. 

North Wilkesboro hosted the All-Star Race for three seasons (2023-25) after its return to the NASCAR schedule. Next year, it will celebrate the 35th anniversary of “One Hot Night,” the inaugural All-Star Race from 1992.

“Thanks to Bruton Smith and Humpy Wheeler, ‘One Hot Night’ at Charlotte Motor Speedway was the first superspeedway NASCAR race under the lights, and that’s when I truly became a race fan,” said Speedway Motorsports President and CEO Marcus Smith. “There was electricity in the air, and an entire generation of race fans was captivated by it. We’ve seen the same excitement amongst fans at North Wilkesboro every day and night we’ve been on track since re-opening. It’s a pilgrimage every NASCAR fan should take, and now we have the biggest race week ever to look forward to for 2027.”

North Wilkesboro’s weekend will be a tripleheader for NASCAR as the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series joins the line-up. The Craftsman Truck Series will run on Friday, May 21, the O’Reilly Series on Saturday, May 22, and the All-Star Race on Sunday, May 23.

Here is the updated schedule: 

·      Saturday, Feb. 13 – Clash at Daytona

·      Wednesday, Feb. 17 – Daytona 500 qualifying

·      Thursday, Feb. 18 – Duels at Daytona

·      Sunday, Feb. 21 – Daytona 500

·      Sunday, Feb. 28 – EchoPark Speedway

·      Sunday, March 7 – Circuit of the Americas

·      Sunday, March 14 – Phoenix Raceway

·      Sunday, March 21 – Las Vegas Motor Speedway

·      Sunday, April 4 – Darlington Raceway

·      Sunday, April 11 – Bristol Motor Speedway

·      Sunday, April 18 – Martinsville Speedway

·      Sunday, April 25 – Talladega Superspeedway

·      Sunday, May 2 – Texas Motor Speedway

·      Sunday, May 16 – Dover Motor Speedway

·      Sunday, May 23 – North Wilkesboro Speedway (All-Star Race)

·      Sunday, July 4 – Iowa Speedway

·      Sunday, July 18 – EchoPark Speedway

·      Saturday, Aug. 14 – Bristol Motor Speedway

·      Saturday, Aug. 28 – Daytona International Speedway

·      Sunday, Sept. 5 – Darlington Raceway

·      Sunday, Sept. 26 – New Hampshire Motor Speedway

·      Sunday, Oct. 10 – Las Vegas Motor Speedway

·      Sunday, Oct. 24 – Phoenix Raceway 

·      Sunday, Oct. 31 – Talladega Superspeedway

·      Sunday, Nov. 7 – Martinsville Speedway

The Coca-Cola 600 should fall on Sunday, May 30. Watkins Glen will fall in September. The season will end on Nov. 14.