If the two nights of Late Model racing at the legendary North Wilkesboro Speedway on May 16-17 are lacking anything, well it certainly isn’t in the star-power department. Across both nights of racing with the CARS Tour and ASA STARS National Tour there are a ton of big names from the NASCAR world dipping their toes back into Late Model territory. Some are returning to their roots, while others are doing it for the very first time.

We’ll start with Tuesday night’s ASA STARS National Tour ECMD 150. The biggest Super Late Model national tour has 11 drivers with ties to NASCAR’s top three levels entered that night.

CHASE ELLIOTT (NASCAR Cup Series)

The biggest name among them has to be that of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion, Chase Elliott. For those that don’t remember, Elliott is quite the established Super Late Model racer. He’s won the Snowball Derby twice, plus the All-American 400, the Winchester 400, and the World Crown 300. Elliott also has a Super Late Model victory right here at North Wilkesboro Speedway. It came way back when he was just 14 years old, too.

ERIK JONES (NASCAR Cup Series)

Jones is no stranger to Super Late Model racing. In addition to his signature win over Kyle Busch in the 2012 Snowball Derby and a second win in the race a year later, Jones has also won the Winchester 400 three times and the Redbud 400. 

NOAH GRAGSON (NASCAR Cup Series)

Speaking of Snowball Derby winners, Jones' Legacy Motor Club teammate Noah Gragson has also won the prestigious Super Late Model race at Five Flags Speedway. He'll return to the Super Late Model ranks driving for Rette Jones Racing. 

DANIEL SUAREZ (NASCAR Cup Series)

The last remaining Cup driver on the ASA entry list is Daniel Suarez. The Trackhouse Racing driver is making his Super Late Model debut on Tuesday night. Suaurez will also compete in the CARS Tour Late Model Stock Car race on Wednesday. 

CHANDLER SMITH (NASCAR Xfinity Series)

Chandler Smith got his racing start running Pro and Super Late Models. He eventually also triumphed in the Snowball Derby in 2021. Smith is now full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with Kaulig Racing where he is already a winner. Smith won at Richmond last month.

TY MAJESKI (NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series)

There’s one more Snowball Derby champion from NASCAR’s top levels entered in Tuesday’s race, and that is Seymour, Wisconsin’s Ty Majeski. Majeski, who is full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with ThorSports Racing, finally won the Tom Dawson Trophy in 2020 in his seventh attempt. Majeski was one of the best Super Late Model drivers in the country before moving to NASCAR on a full-time basis. But he is still one to beat every time he gets the chance to make a start.

NASCAR TRUCK SERIES DRIVERS COMPETING IN ASA RACE

William Sawalich (Trucks), Johnny Sauter (Trucks), Derek Kraus (Xfinity), Carson Hocevar (Trucks), Sammy Smith (Xfinity), and Grant Enfinger (Trucks), are all also entered in Tuesday’s ASA STARS National Tour event.

Now we’ll turn our attention to Wednesday night’s Window World 125 for the Late Model Stock Cars of the CARS Tour, the division that played a key role in the resurrection of North Wilkesboro Speedway.

DALE EARNHARDT, JR. (NASCAR Cup Series)

There’s 10 current and former drivers from NASCAR’s top divisions entered in the 125-lap feature on Wednesday, and none bigger than Dale Earnhardt Jr. Let’s be honest, we don’t have to list off his career accomplishments, but we will anyway. The CARS Tour co-owner is a two-time Daytona 500 champion, 26-time Cup Series winner, two-time NASCAR Xfinity Series champion, and NASCAR Hall of Famer. He also finished third in this race last August.

Wednesday’s race also features a couple of NASCAR Cup Series champions in Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski.

KEVIN HARVICK (NASCAR Cup Series)

We’ll start with Harvick here first. The CARS Tour co-owner got his start in Late Model racing out west, and his crew chief, Rodney Childers, got his start in Late Model racing here on the east coast where he was one of the dominant drivers of the discipline. Harvick won the 2014 Cup Series title, and the 2007 Daytona 500 is just one of his 60 victories.

Behind the Scenes: Kevin Harvick's Late Model for North Wilkesboro

BRAD KESELOWSKI (NASCAR Cup Series)

Keselowski’s championship came two years before Harvick’s did when he beat Jimmie Johnson for the 2012 Cup Series title. The winner of the 35 Cup races has been dabbling in Late Model racing recently. He made a start in an ACT Tour-style car at the Vermont Governor’s Cup at the Thunder Road International Speedbowl last year. While Keselowski grew up running Super Late Models, Wednesday’s race will be his debut in a perimeter chassis Late Model Stock Car.

Keselowski won’t be the only one making his LMSC debut with the CARS Tour on Wednesday, though. 

ROSS CHASTAIN (NASCAR Cup Series)

NASCAR's new "Mr. Excitement" has plenty of Late Model experience under his belt, but Wednesday will be his Late Model Stock Car debut. Chastain will be racing for Pinnacle Racing Group out of Mooresville on Wednesday night. 

CHASE BRISCOE (NASCAR Cup Series)

Fellow Cup driver Chase Briscoe will be making his first career pavement Late Model start at North Wilkesboro Speedway. The Stewart-Haas Racing driver has played around at dirt tracks in recent years and will now join the fun on pavement. 

HARRISON BURTON (NASCAR Cup Series)

Burton is very familiar with late model racing, though he grew up racing a straight-rail chassis in the Pro and Super Late Model ranks. Burton won a CARS Tour race in 2017 in the now-defunct Super Late Model division, and has won prestigious SLM races such as the Rattler 250 and CRA SpeedFest 200.

NASCAR TRUCK SERIES DRIVERS COMPETING IN CARS TOUR RACE

William Sawalich (Trucks), Kaden Honeycutt (Trucks), and Tyler Ankrum (Trucks) are also entered in Wednesday’s Late Model Stock Car event.

Wednesday’s Pro Late Model race will also see a few drivers with NASCAR ties as Carson Hocevar and Corey Heim go for the win in the Crossroads Harley-Davidson 75. Rodney Sandstorm, also known as IMSA driver and multi-time Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona winner Jordan Taylor, will be making his pavement Late Model and oval racing debut as well. Sandstorm/Taylor is also a backup driver and driver coach for NASCAR’s “Garage 56” efforts at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June.

So there you have it. Across three races in two nights NASCAR fans can watch 21 of their favorite drivers compete with the best that pavement Late Model racing has to offer at the historic North Wilkesboro Speedway.

Tuesday’s ASA STARS National Tour ECMD 150 and Wednesday’s doubleheader for the CARS Tour Late Model Stock Cars and Pro Late Models will be broadcast live exclusively on FloRacing. Race fans can subscribe to FloRacing by clicking here.