- Cup Series drivers tested NASCAR’s new 750-horsepower engine package Tuesday at North Wilkesboro Speedway as fans filled the grandstands ahead of the July Window World 450
- Window World 450 weekend and single-day tickets can be purchased online at www.northwilkesborospeedway.com or by calling 336-844-4735
NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. (Jan. 13, 2026) – The sound of NASCAR engines returned to the North Carolina foothills Tuesday as NASCAR Cup Series drivers took part in a pivotal test session at North Wilkesboro Speedway, giving fans a rare look at a new 750-horsepower engine package that is expected to be used at nearly 20 tracks throughout the 2026 season.
The multi-team test also doubled as a unique fan experience, with the speedway opening its grandstands to spectators eager to get their racing fix ahead of the upcoming NASCAR season. Fans in attendance were given the special opportunity to purchase single-day tickets at the box office for the highly anticipated Window World 450, scheduled for July 19, 2026. Single-day tickets will go on sale to the general public on Wednesday.
The Window World 450 will mark the first points-earning NASCAR Cup Series race at North Wilkesboro Speedway since 1996, adding historic significance to Tuesday’s on-track activity. For teams, the test provided valuable data as NASCAR prepares to implement the new 750-horsepower package at select short tracks and road courses this season.
Here’s what drivers were saying at Tuesday’s test, with the 2026 season just around the corner:
Chris Buescher, RFK Racing
“Wilkesboro, for one, is a very racey track. We have moved around from the start of the day, where we had one and a half lanes in one and two and were just buried on the bottom in three and four. Right at the lunch break, that all opened up. The track itself lends itself to better racing. You probably don’t notice the power from the get-go, but at the tail end of the runs, with some of the falloff and the struggles in the car, I think that’s where you realize, ‘ok, I had more underneath us at the beginning of this run and I may be paying the price at this point.’ There’s no downside to it. This is a track, even though there’s new asphalt, I think you’ll see a little bit more change from it.”
Josh Berry, Wood Brothers Racing
“It’s a lot of fun. It’s a great facility. We’ve seen really good turnout from the fans each time we race here and I think some solid races. We’re excited to see it have a full-length race here – 400 laps here in the summer. I think it should put on a great show. Hopefully, we have a great turnout and a great race.
Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports
“I hope it’s for the better. I don’t see the power hurting the entertainment factor of the race. Hopefully, it allows us to have to peddle the cars at some point throughout a run. There’s a lot of grip out there today, I feel like. But even by the end of 40 laps, there’s a good bit of falloff even for the temperatures we have today. I would have to imagine, we come back here in the summer months, certainly it will be warmer than it is today. You combine that with a lot more cars being on the track and I do think there will be wear. Obviously, more power will impact that as well. Hopefully, we keep inching up on making these long runs more of a challenge.”
Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing
“This is big. This is valuable. Justin Marks and Trackhouse spend a lot of money and I think they would spend a lot more if we had more days like this. Selfishly, we’re competitors and we just want to do good. The best way to get better at racing is to go drive the car… Repeating something, as human beings, if we keep doing it with intention – not just cruising around in the wrong get – it’s super valuable. Justin (Marks) was here this morning, you know, the first real test of the year. He wanted to be here, smell it, see it, hear it. You really can’t put a dollar amount on it. I don’t pay the bills, but I don’t think Justin could either.”
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Hyak Motorsports
“Short tracks were somewhere we needed to get better at, no matter what the package was. So, throwing in new horsepower and a different package may help us figure it out, or at least get us closer to everybody else. The more horsepower, the better, yes. If we can continue in that direction, I do think Goodyear is doing a good job of bringing us tires that wear out and continuing to evolve them. I think all of us drivers and teams are on board with that. Pairing that with NASCAR adding horsepower, I think everything is moving in the right direction to get us even better racing.”
Erik Jones, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB
“As far as the power goes, I hope it makes it better. Hopefully gets us some more falloff and gives us some opportunity to save tires. We went to the soft tires at different places, but I don’t feel like it’s quite at the falloff that we need it to really race until we were super late in the run. We saw some falloff already today and it’s going to be forty degrees hotter probably when we get back here.”
TICKETS:
Single-day tickets will go on sale online beginning Wednesday, joining weekend ticket packages, premium options and camping already available for the Window World 450 weekend. With championship implications returning to one of NASCAR’s most storied venues, fans can look forward to a full race-day experience in July, highlighted by a pre-race concert from The Sawyer Brown Band as NASCAR’s return to North Wilkesboro continues to build momentum.
Fans can purchase weekend tickets, single-day tickets, premium ticket packages and camping to all Window World 450 events at www.northwilkesborospeedway.com or by calling 336-844-4735.
MORE INFO:
Fans can connect with North Wilkesboro Speedway and get the latest news regarding the 2025 NASCAR All-Star Race and all North Wilkesboro Speedway events by following on X and Instagram or by becoming a Facebook fan.
