Long: Don’t judge North Wilkesboro’s future off All-Star Race

NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. — Fans along North Wilkesboro Speedway’s frontstretch grandstands stood as Kyle Larson completed his dominating run Sunday night.

Not since 1996 had the NASCAR Cup Series run at this historic track. The sport’s return was a week-long celebration that was part county fair, family reunion and tent revival. Only louder.

“I’ve never been to a NASCAR week where everybody was in such a good mood,” said Marcus Smith, chief executive officer of Speedway Motorsports, which owns the track.

If only the racing Sunday night could have been better and the finish more exciting. Larson won by 4.5 seconds after leading more than 70% of the 200-lap All-Star Race.

But don’t take what happened as a reason that the sport doesn’t need to come back to this track.

“A dominant performance should be celebrated as much as a close finish, in my eyes,” Chase Elliott said after his fifth-place finish. “They’re not always going to be barn burners and that’s OK.”

Joey Logano didn’t have the best night, finishing 10th, but he recognized what this event meant.

“Before a car hit the racetrack, it was a success for the sport,” he said.

While he struggled at times Sunday night, he also appreciated the challenge.

“You had to be a smart driver tonight, and I enjoyed that part of it,” Logano said. “There are so many races these days that the tire doesn’t wear out anymore and you can be a hammerhead and never pay the price. The smart racers don’t win as much. I like that this brought you back to your roots a lot.”

Erik Jones finished eighth and said fans got the true North Wilkesboro experience with a dominant winner.

“This is how it used to be,” he said. “If you go back and watch old races here, Geoff Bodine lapped the field (in 1994).