The most recent NASCAR Cup Series winners at North Wilkesboro Speedway are a veritable who’s who of racing stars — not from the recent past, but from the sport’s 1990s heyday.

The fourth-most recent driver to earn checkers on the 5/8th-mile speedway? Dale Earnhardt.

Not Dale Earnhardt Jr., who never raced the Nos. 8 or 88 in a points race at the legendary facility, but his legendary father.

In the final race before the track gates were locked in October 1996, Jeff Gordon won after Hendrick teammate Terry Labonte did five months earlier. Before that, it was Mark Martin and Earnhardt, with the latter comfortably beating Gordon by nearly 13 1/2 seconds.

That’s a strong foursome of Hall of Famers.

Returning to the Cup schedule after three decades, NWS will host its first points-paying race in Sunday night’s Window World 450 in North Wilkesboro, N.C.

Earnhardt Jr. was instrumental in bringing the downhill-uphill track back to life in December 2019 when he wanted to clean it and scan it for the iRacing platform before the bullring just crumbled.

Then he contacted Marcus Smith, CEO of Speedway Motorsports Inc., about bringing the track the Staley family owned for nearly half a century back to life.

“I’m looking around and thinking, ‘This track is too far gone,'” Earnhardt Jr. said in 2023 of the cleanup project that involved mowing and weed-eating.

Less than four years after that restoration began, NASCAR awarded the track the 2023 All-Star Race, which Kyle Larson dominated by lapping half of the 24-car field and beating runner-up Bubba Wallace by almost five seconds.

Joey Logano claimed the exhibition race in 2024, one remembered more for Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Kyle Busch throwing fists behind the haulers. Christopher Bell was victorious last season.

Once ruined, the speedway has been transformed by a roots revival decades after it hosted its first event — a dirt race in 1947, before NASCAR was born.

The two-time Cup champ Larson is carrying the burden of an 0-for-44 slump, while Bell and Chris Buescher are also winless in 2026.

“Nobody knows what to expect going into North Wilkesboro with a full field and twice as long of a race,” said Bell, who last won at Bristol in September. “The track’s going to take a ton of rubber, and it’s going to change tremendously from the start of the race to the end of the race.

“The racing on track is going to be wild. I can’t imagine having a full field at North Wilkesboro Speedway for the first time in 30 years; it’s going to be something you don’t want to miss.”

Buescher said many factors will determine the first winner of a points race since Gordon’s triumph 30 years ago.

“It’s going to be a wild one. Pit road’s tight, that’s going to be a tricky part of it,” said Buescher, seventh in the standings. “But it’s such a cool racetrack with so much character, so much history to it.”

–Field Level Media

Englishman Todd Clements birdied four of his final six holes Friday to shoot 6-under-par 66 and build a two-shot lead at the Corales Puntacana Championship in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

Clements played the back nine first at Puntacana Resort and Club, and after birdieing Nos. 10 and 12 he converted nine pars in a row. He sank consecutive 7-footers for birdie at Nos. 4 and 5, tapped in another at the par-5 seventh and finished with a flourish at the par-3 ninth, holing a 21-foot putt from the back of the green.

At 13-under 131, Clements has a slight edge over Ben James (66), Gordon Sargent (67) and Johannes Veerman (67). Spaniard Alejandro Del Rey (68) is alone in fifth at 10 under.

“This game’s crazy,” said Clements, who was a co-leader after 18 holes. “I feel like my short game’s been up and down this year. I kind of have some good weeks — good days and bad days and I felt yesterday wasn’t such a good day around the green. Then just worked on a couple bits, spoke to my coach and yeah, kind of figured a little bit out and hit some much better shots today.”

Clements said his usual caddie was injured, so he had to hire a local caddie just an hour before his second-round tee time. He did not specify what kind of injury his caddie sustained.

“That kind of changed the routine of things, but out there taking ownership of everything I do kind of paid off today,” Clements said.

The 29-year-old normally plays on the DP World Tour in Europe and is in position for his first PGA Tour victory at the alternate event being played opposite the Open Championship.

He’ll have to fend off a couple of 23-year-olds who are among the top players at their age. James turned pro this summer and Sargent did so last year following decorated college careers.

James is making his fifth start as a professional and has made the cut every time. In his pro debut, he led the RBC Canadian Open after 36 holes, shooting a second-round 63 before posting a 78 on Saturday and finishing tied for 54th.

James said he didn’t foresee such good results so early.

“But as I played, you know, I had the lead the first week and after three (more starts), now I’m coming out here to win, but we’ll see,” James said. “I’ve been playing nice and that’s just all I want to do is play two more nice rounds.”

Both he and Sargent posted bogey-free second rounds.

“Trying to make it as simple as possible, honestly,” Sargent said. I think it’s easy to try and do too much out here. Yeah, just going to play golf. You have so many opportunities this year playing 20-something events, so it’s like not putting too much pressure on yourself and just execute the shots you can.”

–Field Level Media

Poor air quality in Northeast Ohio postponed the series opener between the Cleveland Guardians and visiting Pittsburgh Pirates, forcing the teams to play a doubleheader Saturday.

Drifting smoke from the Canadian forest fires is expected to persist throughout the day/night twin bill, but the National Weather Service expects it to dissipate to safer levels for the players and fans.

In the rescheduled game at 1:10 p.m., Cleveland right-hander Gavin Williams (10-4, 3.81 ERA) takes on Pittsburgh right-hander Jared Jones (1-1, 4.37). That was the scheduled matchup Friday.

The Guardians will promote left-hander Logan T. Allen (0-0, 0.00 ERA) from Triple-A Columbus to pitch the 7:10 p.m. nightcap. The Pirates haven’t announced a Game 2 starter.

“We can’t control the weather. We can’t control Mother Nature,” Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said. “We’ve got to do what’s best and what’s smart for both teams and for the fans. It’s just not safe to be out in that environment if it’s not playable.”

The Guardians have won four straight and returned from the All-Star break in a virtual tie with the Chicago White Sox atop the American League Central. Pittsburgh, which will play its second doubleheader in eight days, sits two games out of the final National League wild-card spot.

“Let’s keep playing good baseball and we can revisit that in a month or two,” Pirates second baseman Brandon Lowe said. “I have no idea what the standings look like, but I know the feel in the clubhouse — and the way the game looks that we’re putting out there — looks really good.”

Pittsburgh entered the break with its best record in 10 years, three games above .500 after beating the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers three times in 30 hours.

The series featured a huge performance by rookie outfielder Esmerlyn Valdez, who had a three-homer, eight-RBI doubleheader. He hit .417 with nine RBIs over the set, raising his season numbers to .309 with 10 home runs and 27 RBIs in 94 at-bats.

“It’s been fun to be a part of, so we’ll keep it rolling,” said All-Star pitcher Paul Skenes, who is slated to start Sunday’s series finale. “We’re in a good spot and I’m super confident in our ability to show up after the break.

“There’s a lot of baseball left to play. It’s going to be a fun year.”

Jones starts for the first time since throwing six perfect innings against the Atlanta Braves on July 8, striking out eight before being lifted after just 77 pitches. He has never faced the Guardians.

Pirates manager Don Kelly admitted pulling Jones “sucks,” but wasn’t willing to overwork his surgically repaired pitching elbow. He remains under a limited pitch count.

“Coming off of surgery and everything, we just can’t push him,” Kelly said.

The Guardians counter with Williams, who is second in the AL in wins and third with 134 strikeouts and was arguably the biggest All-Star snub in the circuit. Williams will pitch against Pittsburgh for the first time.

Known as the “Big Rig,” he worked seven innings, recorded 11 strikeouts and gave up two runs in beating the Minnesota Twins on July 9. That win preceded a three-game road sweep of the Miami Marlins heading into the break.

“Hopefully we’ll come back fresh and ready to rock,” Cleveland rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter said.

Allen was a fixture in the Guardians’ rotation from 2023-2025, making 73 starts, but has only pitched four innings in relief for them this year. He is 1-0 with a 0.84 ERA in two career starts against Pittsburgh.

–Field Level Media