Possible 'moonshine cave' discovered under North Wilkesboro Speedway stands, Speedway Motorsports officials say

During cleaning and inspection last week, staff noticed cracks in concrete in section N. Crews began removing seats to evaluate damage and repair needs.

A 700-square-foot open area was discovered under the aging concrete.

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"When we began renovating and restoring North Wilkesboro Speedway in 2022, we'd often hear stories of how an old moonshine still was operated here on the property under the grandstands," said Steve Swift, senior vice president of operations and development at Speedway Motorsports. "Well, we haven't found a still (yet), but we've found a small cave and an interior wall that would have been the perfect location to not only make illegal liquor but to hide from the law as well. We don't know how people would have gotten in and out, but as we uncover more, there's no telling what we might find."

So far, about 600 seats have been removed from sections N and O, and Speedway Motorsports staff are evaluating the next steps for foundation repair and concrete replacement ahead of the May 14-19 NASCAR All-Star Race Week.

"Now we have a race before the race," Swift said. "The area that's been affected by the sinkhole is a frontstretch grandstand area with some of the best views of the track. We'll have a lot of work to get done before NASCAR All-Star Race Week."