The NASCAR Cup Series returns to one of its most historic tracks for the Window World 450 on Sunday, July 19, at 7 p.m. ET on TNT Sports from North Wilkesboro, North Carolina.
Sunday, July 19, marks the first points-paying Cup Series race at North Wilkesboro since 1996, when Jeff Gordon won. The historic 0.625-mile short track returned to the NASCAR schedule for the All-Star Race in 2023 and was completely repaved later that year.
The race was originally scheduled for 400 laps before officials added 50 more, bringing the total distance to 450 laps and 281.25 miles. It’s the first points-paying 450-lap Cup race in North Wilkesboro history.
Sunday’s race is set to be a true test of endurance on a newly-paved track (2023) with plenty of history — the main calling card of this track.
Below, we’ll cover the history of North Wilkesboro Speedway, key track details, and our NASCAR Window World 450 picks for Sunday’s race, including top drivers to target on PrizePicks.
Make your NASCAR North Wilkesboro picks for the Window World 450 on PrizePicks!
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NASCAR North Wilkesboro Speedway History and Track Details
NASCAR returns to North Wilkesboro this Sunday, July 19, in what will truly be a special race given the rich history of the North Carolina track.
North Wilkesboro Speedway opened in 1947, one year before NASCAR was founded, and the track hosted its first NASCAR race on dirt in 1949. The track became a longtime stop on the Cup Series schedule before its final points-paying race in September 1996.
It’s hard to believe that we have come from a 2019 track cleanup to the Cup Series returning for the 2023 All-Star Race to this point. North Wilkesboro is the most recent track to be repaved. However, the surroundings still very-much have an old-speedway feel.
Until now, North Wilkesboro’s return has featured All-Star races (from 2023 to 2025) and lower-series racing. Sunday raises the stakes with NASCAR Cup Series points on the line, speeds reaching roughly 120 to 125 mph, and a Turn 3 bump that can quickly get a driver’s attention.
This track is a four-turn, 0.625-mile oval. With little uphill and downhill sections, tire-wear issues galore from all those bumps and grooves are very likely, especially in an endurance race.
The Window World 450 is broken into stages ending on Laps 80, 265 and 450. That creates an opening stage of 80 laps followed by two 185-lap stages to the checkered flag.
The early favorite to win the Window World 450 is Denny Hamlin, entering Sunday's race at 7:00 p.m. ET, according to PrizePicks Team Picks.
Hamlin currently has a 4.76x payout if he wins, meaning a correct $100 pick pays out $476 on PrizePicks Team Picks. Ryan Blaney, Christopher Bell and Kyle Larson are also among the leading contenders.
NASCAR Window World 450 Favorites to Win at North Wilkesboro Speedway
Ahead of Saturday’s qualifying session, here are the payouts for drivers to win the NASCAR Window World 450 at North Wilkesboro Speedway on PrizePicks.
The last NASCAR races at North Wilkesboro Speedway were the All-Star Races from 2023 to 2025, won by Kyle Larson (2023), Joey Logano (2024), and Christopher Bell (2025).
Make your NASCAR pick this week on a driver to win, finish podium, and more, and get paid if you’re right on PrizePicks Team Picks
Payout multipliers listed below indicate real-money earnings if your NASCAR predictions are correct; for example, 4x on a $100 entry pays $400 if correct on PrizePicks Team Picks — available in 35 states. “Yes” payouts represent a specific outcome occurring, whereas "No" payouts indicate the opposite.
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NASCAR Window World 450 Fastest Lap Favorites
The NASCAR Window World 450 qualifying will get started on Saturday evening at 6:10 p.m. ET in North Wilkesboro, N.C.
Kyle Larson set the fastest lap at 18.362 seconds (over 122 mph) during the 2024 All-Star Race at this track. However, it could be anyone’s guess who qualifies fastest.
On the repaved track, Ty Gibbs set a mark over 124 mph in a practice session. In practice, Gibbs used a softer tire compound that would wear down quickly on the ridges and bumps of North Wilkesboro.
Clean air is hard to find on short tracks like North Wilkesboro during the race and sometimes in practice, which could be a factor.
Here are the full NASCAR Window World 450 fastest lap payouts for Sunday’s race at North Wilkesboro for Sunday’s race at 7:00 p.m. ET on TNT.
NASCAR Window World 450 Predictions for North Wilkesboro Speedway
Ahead of Saturday’s qualifying, here are three of the top Window World 450 picks to target in the NASCAR race from the historic North Wilkesboro Speedway on Sunday.
Top PrizePicks NASCAR picks are headlined by three drivers: Ryan Blaney, Ty Gibbs, and Ross Chastain.
Ryan Blaney – 5.5 Finishing Position
Ryan Blaney to Win: Yes 5x | No 1.14x
Ryan Blaney Top 5 Finish: Yes 1.63x | No 2.08x
- Ryan Blaney has shown a ton of speed at North Wilkesboro. He was only 0.09 seconds slower than Kyle Larson’s fastest lap set at the 2024 All-Star Race.
- Blaney battled back at the spring race in Phoenix, despite several pit-stop issues to overtake Ty Gibbs with 10 laps to go and win.
- The last several races have seen Blaney’s pit crew improve from one of the lowest-ranked pit crews among drivers.
- The No. 12 car is fast, as Blaney dominated the race in Atlanta last week, leading 171 laps (65%) en route to victory.
- Blaney’s 107.1 driver rating is higher than Denny Hamlin and Ty Reddick over the last five races.
Add Ryan Blaney to your NASCAR Picks for the Window World 450 on PrizePicks
Ty Gibbs – 10.5 Finishing Position
Ty Gibbs to Finish Top 5: Yes 3.03x | No 1.25x
- Ty Gibbs finished fourth at the Phoenix race, despite his fastest lap being a mere 28 seconds flat – only Erik Jones (28.28) was slower of anyone in the Top 10.
- Gibbs won at Bristol Motor Speedway in April, which is also a short-track (0.533 miles).
- Gibbs set the fastest practice speed in 2024 at 124.001 mph and has shown a similar pace in subsequent tire test runs.
- The Joe Gibbs Racing driver sits fourth in the NASCAR points standings. That includes two Top-5 finishes in his previous three races at Atlanta and Sonoma.
Add Ty Gibbs to your NASCAR Picks for the Window World 450 on PrizePicks
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Ross Chastain – 14.5 Finishing Position
Ross Chastain to Finish Top 10: Yes 2.85x | No 1.31x
- Ross Chastain has been strong lately with five Top 16 results over his last six races.
- More recently, the Trackhouse Racing driver has performed much better in terms of driver rating (three times over 80).
- Over his last 11 short-track races (dating back to 2025), Chastain has a Top-10 result six times.
- Most recently, Chastain has finished 11th, 7th, and 3rd, all in non-points races.
Add Ross Chastain to your NASCAR Picks for the Window World 450 on PrizePicks
Make NASCAR Picks for North Wilkesboro Speedway on PrizePicks
Ladies and gentlemen, this North Wilkesboro Speedway is historic, and it’ll make for a unique race environment on Sunday night in the NASCAR Window World 450.
The legendary track, surroundings, and drive feel like a restored modified car. In its first points-paying race in 30 years, this will be great for fans and drivers alike. Flat short tracks like Phoenix, Richmond, and Martinsville come to mind as comparisons, but they have a slightly lower correlation.
The drivers who are best over the bump in Turn 3, the ups and downs, and the ridges in qualifying are going to thrive over the course of 450 laps.
Don’t wait until the drivers start their engines — make your NASCAR Window World 450 predictions on PrizePicks now and earn real money if you’re right.
There are unique picks on the NASCAR board for every race, including driver points and starting position; just pick at least two drivers to build your Lineup on PrizePicks. Or, make your picks on race winners on Team Picks, now available in 35 states!
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