The World Drag Racing Alliance (WDRA) and Wilkesboro Dragway will join forces, effective immediately, as the historic North Carolina facility has signed a multi-year sanction agreement to become part of the Alliance.
The Ellis family built the historic facility in 1955 as a quarter-mile dirt dragstrip with no return road. Seventy years later, David and Stacey Staten have taken control of North Carolina’s longest-running dragstrip with full intentions of continuing the track’s legacy. Several renovations are underway on the track and the facility buildings, with an opening day scheduled for March 1st. Racing will be held on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday to include various programs, such as grudge, no prep, bracket racing, daily driver, and test and tune events.
“Wilkesboro Dragway is very important to the North Carolina drag racing community,” said Josh Peake with the WDRA. “The track is going on seventy years now, and multiple generations of racing families have called Wilkesboro home. I appreciate David and Stacy Staten for placing their trust in the WDRA to help them with their new venture running the facility.
Wilkesboro racers will now have an opportunity to participate in the WDRA Summit Sportsman Drag Racing Series presented by SunCoast Performance in hopes of qualifying for the WDRA Summit World Championship event at Montgomery International Dragway at the end of the season. Team Wilkesboro Dragway will also be invited to compete during the WDRA Summit Southeast Bracket Finals presented by Laris Motorsports Insurance at GALOT Motorsports Park on October 2-5, 2025.
“We are very excited to join the WDRA family,” said Wilkesboro’s David Staten. “As new track managers, there is a lot to learn. WDRA has been easy to work with and a great resource for us.”
The facility and its racers can reap the rewards of being part of The Alliance through several exclusive discounts and benefits provided by WDRA marketing partners. More details can be found at https://www.racewdra.com/wdra-racer-benefits/. Racers can find information on obtaining a WDRA Summit Sportsman Drag Racing Series license by visiting https://www.racewdra.com/license/.
To find the latest information about the racetrack, follow the Wilkesboro Dragway 2025 Facebook page as the Staten family continues to provide updates.
This story was originally published on January 15, 2025. 
