Dale Earnhardt Jr. recently made his intentions clear about saving Greenville Pickens Speedway. His call to preserve the historic NASCAR venue appears to be gaining support beyond the racing community.

One such voice is Alan Wilson, a candidate running for governor of South Carolina. Wilson believes the track is important not only to Pickens County but also to American motorsports history.

Earnhardt recently said that if the Speedway survives, the CARS Tour could return and that he would like to be among the first drivers to compete there.

Responding to Dale Jr.’s tweet, Wilson wrote on X: “Greenville-Pickens Speedway is part of South Carolina history. When Dale Jr. says he would be first in line to return, it shows just how important this track is to the heritage of American motorsports. We should do everything we can to preserve this historic landmark.”

Earnhardt has long pushed to preserve historic short tracks. In 2019, he supported efforts to revive North Wilkesboro Speedway and helped spark cleanup work at the track. NASCAR later returned to the venue with the All-Star Race in 2023.

The track has deep roots in NASCAR’s early days. Racing was held there as early as 1946, three years before NASCAR was founded. It also hosted horse racing when the surface was still dirt.

The track was paved in 1970. After several ownership changes, the facility now sits dormant, with its last race held in 2022.

However, the Pickens County Planning Commission rejected a proposal to demolish the racetrack and replace it with an industrial project that included a gas station and restaurant. Officials said the traffic studies were not strong enough and the long-term plans were unclear.

Developers can submit a revised proposal in two months. If new studies satisfy the Commission’s requirements, the track could still face demolition.

Still, there may be a path to preserving the historic venue.

The Speedway Can Still Be Saved

While little can happen until the next hearing in May, another possible path to saving the track has emerged. Local businessman Jackie Manley is reportedly close to securing a $4 million deal to purchase the property. Additional funding would be needed to restore the facility.

Speaking with Frontstretch, Manley said, “Just bring it back like the old days. All the people are there, and the kids can enjoy it. That’s how the sport grows.”

He added that he wants the track cleaned up and scanned for the iRacing simulator so fans can experience the historic layout.

With Earnhardt pushing for revival and Manley working on a purchase, Greenville-Pickens Speedway’s future remains unclear.

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Written by

Aaradhya Singh

Edited by

Pulkit Prabhav