COLUMN: Hickory Motor Speedway: Coolers, $7 burgers, piece of NASCAR history (2024)

Jason KoonHickory Daily Record

NEWTON — On July 6, hundreds of racing enthusiasts braved some of the hottest weather of the summer to cheer on their favorite racers at Hickory Motor Speedway.

Temperatures in the stands were still in the upper 80s when the first green flag flew. On the track, though, the temperatures were much higher, reaching close to 130 degrees earlier that afternoon.

Hickory Motor Speedway is not for everybody. Besides the heat, it’s noisy and the smell of car exhaust hangs in the air. But if you’re a racing fan, nothing beats seeing cars go fast in person at a local short track.

From a storied history to the best $7 burger I’ve had since inflation turned the dollar store into the five quarters store, here are four reasons to spend an evening at Hickory Motor Speedway.

A piece of racing history

Hickory Motor Speedway bills itself as “the birthplace of NASCAR stars.” Judging by the names on the wall at the speedway’s entrance, the claim isn’t just bluster.

Dale Earnhardt, Ned and Dale Jarrett, Bobby Allison, Harry Gant and Jack Ingram are just a few of the big names who raced at Hickory Motor Speedway.

It’s a track with a lot of history and a lot of recognition far beyond the Catawba Valley. That was evident last summer when the rejuvenated ASA Stars National Tour chose Hickory as one of its venues.

Old school racing

The facility underwent more than $500,000 worth of renovations last year. The bathrooms were upgraded and pit road was paved. Speedway General Manager Kevin Piercy said last year he would have liked to have upgraded the track, too, but the money wasn’t there. Fans and drivers don’t seem to mind. They like the track the way it has been for years.

It’s not an easy track to race on. The asphalt is aging and not as smooth as a lot of newer tracks. Drivers say the unforgiving asphalt forces them to dig deep and battle the track rather than rely solely on speed and engine power.

See the future of NASCAR

Former NASCAR Busch and Craftsman Truck series racer Marty Houston isn’t behind the wheel of a car at Hickory. But his son, Clark, is a track regular this season. Clark Houston is one of several young racers with family ties to NASCAR racing at Hickory right now.

Clark Houston is also the grandson of racing legend Tommy Houston.

There are also local drivers who are garnering national attention. Burke County teenager Landon S. Huffman landed a spot in Hoosier Racing Tire Brand Ambassador and Award program last winter. He is back at the track again this season. So is last year’s NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Division 1 National Rookie of the Year Michael Bumgarner. And the 2023 track champion, Kade Brown, finished the year at No. 2 in the NASCAR Roots National Power rankings.

The star-making capability of the track is not what it was back when it hosted Grand National and Busch series races. Still, you never know if the driver you’re cheering for in Hickory this summer might show up in a future Cup Series race.

Family tradition

For many Catawba Valley residents, a night at the track isn’t just about NASCAR history. The speedway holds a piece of their own personal history.

The speedway has also kept the prices on the nostalgic side. Admission is $14 for adults, pit passes are between $35 and $45, burgers are $7 and combos are $12. It’s definitely not 1950s pricing, but it’s a whole lot less than you’ll pay at a lot of other tracks.

The track still allows coolers, too. They have to be small coolers with no more than six alcoholic drinks and no wine or hard liquor.

There are promotions for kids and families. It’s nothing fancy — July 6 featured the first annual doughnut-eating contest. Race fans enjoyed watching who could get through a dozen donuts first before the racing action began.

Hickory Motor Speedway is located at 3130 U.S. Highway 70 in Newton.