The Wright Brand 250 is a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race that is held at North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Carolina. The race is held in May on the same weekend as the NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race which was moved to the track in 2023. The Truck Series previously raced at the track twice before it closed in 1996.[1]
 | |
 | |
| NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series | |
|---|---|
| Venue | North Wilkesboro Speedway |
| Location | North Wilkesboro, North Carolina |
| Corporate sponsor | Wright Brand Foods (owned by Tyson Foods) |
| First race | 1995 |
| Distance | 156.25 miles (251.46 kilometers) |
| Laps | 250 Stages 1 & 2: 70 laps Stage 3: 110 laps |
| Previous names | Lowe's 150 (1995) Lowe's 250 (1996) Tyson 250 (2023) |
| Most wins (driver) | All winning drivers have 1 |
| Most wins (team) | All winning drivers have 1 |
| Most wins (manufacturer) | Ford (2) |
| Circuit information | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Turns | 4 |
History
editIn 1995, the race was the Lowe's 150 and the race in 1996 was the Lowe's 250.
The first Truck Series race at North Wilkesboro in 1995 featured the return of Cup Series driver Ernie Irvan, who was not able to race for over a year after suffering an injury in the 1994 Cup Series race at Michigan in August. He entered the race to get re-acclimated to racing so he would be better prepared for the Cup Series race on the same weekend.[2] Mike Bliss would win that race. It was his first Truck Series win.
The 1996 race was lengthened from 150 laps to 250 laps. Full-time Cup Series driver Mark Martin would win the race. It was his first Truck Series win.[3] After this race, he would not enter another Truck Series race until the 2005 season-finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
On February 17, 2023, Tyson Foods was announced as the title sponsor for the 2023 race. The company was previously the title sponsor of the fall Cup Series race at North Wilkesboro from 1990 to 1996. After the track closed and became abandoned, their logo remained on the track's scoring pylon.[4]
On March 1, 2024, it was announced that Wright Brand Foods, which is owned by Tyson Foods, would be the title sponsor of the 2024 race.[5]
Past winners
edit| Year | Date | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Race distance | Race time | Average speed (mph) |
Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laps | Miles (km) | |||||||||
| 1995 | September 30 | 2 | Mike Bliss | Ultra Motorsports | Ford | 150 | 93.75 (150.876) | 0:58:31 | 96.126 | [6] |
| 1996 | September 28 | 99 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford (2) | 250 | 156.25 (251.46) | 1:50:02 | 85.201 | [7] |
| 1997 – 2022 |
Not held | |||||||||
| 2023 | May 20 | 7 | Kyle Larson | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet | 252* | 157.5 (253.471) | 2:17:25 | 68.769 | [8] |
| 2024 | May 18-19 | 11 | Corey Heim | Tricon Garage | Toyota | 250 | 156.25 (251.46) | 1:53:02 | 82.94 | [9] |
- 2023: Race extended due to a green–white–checker finish.
- 2024: Race was started on 18th but after the first stage it was postponed to the 19th due to the Track flooding.
Manufacturer wins
edit| # Wins | Make | Years Won |
|---|---|---|
| 2 |  Ford
|
1995, 1996 |
| 1 | Chevrolet
|
2023 |
 Toyota
|
2024 |
References
edit- ^ "NASCAR unveils 2023 schedule for its national series". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. September 14, 2022. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
- ^ Glick, Shav (October 1, 1995). "Irvan's Comeback Starts Well, but His Truck Can't Finish Job". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
- ^ "Martin beats Truck regulars". Tampa Bay Times. Times Publishing Company. September 29, 1996. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
- ^ "Tyson named sponsor for NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at North Wilkesboro". Jayski's Silly Season Site. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. February 17, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
- ^ "Wright Brand named entitlement sponsor of CRAFTSMAN Truck Series' Wright Brand 250 at North Wilkesboro Speedway". Jayski's Silly Season Site. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. March 1, 2024. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
- ^ "1995 Lowe's 150". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
- ^ "1996 Lowe's 250". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
- ^ "2023 Tyson 250". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
- ^ "2024 Wright Brand 250". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
External links
edit- North Wilkesboro Speedway race results at Racing-Reference