Hickory Motor Speedway was built by Charlie Combs and opened in 1952 as a 0.5 mile dirt track in Newton, North Carolina. Gwyn Staley won the first race on May 18, 1952. The track was reconfigured to 0.4 miles in 1955, paved in 1967, and shortened to its current 0.363 miles in 1970.
Benny Yount purchased the facility in 1986 for $1 million and implemented renovations including improved fan amenities and concrete barriers. The track is known as The World’s Most Famous Short Track and Birthplace of the NASCAR Stars.
Located at 3130 Highway 70 SE in Newton, North Carolina, the 0.363-mile asphalt oval has a seating capacity of 9,600 and a standing capacity of 3,600.
Hickory Motor Speedway hosted 35 NASCAR Cup Series races from 1953 to 1971 and 42 NASCAR Busch Series races from 1982 to 1998. The track currently hosts NASCAR Whelen All-American Series weekly racing featuring Late Model Stocks, Limited Late Models, Street Stocks, Super Trucks, and Renegades. The facility hosts CARS Tour and SMART Modified Tour events. The ARCA Menards Series East added a 150 lap race to the schedule in 2026.
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