North Wilkesboro CARS race will feature several Cup drivers

Trackhouse’s Daniel Suarez and Ross Chastain are both entering the May 17 Late Model race which will be held leading up to the 2023 NASCAR All-Star Race weekend.

The pair join a field of CARS Tour regulars plus NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. and current Cup drivers Chase Briscoe and Kevin Harvick.

The last Cup Series race held at the newly renovated .625-mile oval was held in 1996 and won by Hall of Famer and current Hendrick Motorsports executive Jeff Gordon.

Suárez will drive the No. 99 Chevrolet for R and S Race Cars, a full-service race car facility, in South Boston, Va.

“I have never been to North Wilkesboro nor really spent much time driving a late model,” said Suárez, who became the first Mexican driver to win a Cup race with his victory last season at Sonoma, Calif.

“Every little bit helps. Plus, it is going to be a lot of fun going short track racing. Getting familiar with the track will help our program a lot.”

Chastain will drive the No. 28 Chevrolet for the Pinnacle Racing Group of Mooresville, N.C.

“They are paying $1 million dollars and giving out a beautiful trophy to win that (all-star) race so we are going to do everything we have to do to prepare for that night,” he said.

In January, the CARS Tour announced Earnhardt, Jeff Burton, Harvick and Trackhouse co-owner Justin Marks had partnered to acquire the series. CARS, which was formed in 2014 by Jack McNelly and built from the former Pro Cup Series, travels primarily on the East Coast of the United States and features two divisions: Pro Late Models and Late Model Stocks.