Chase Elliott will climb back into a race car on July 17 when he returns to North Wilkesboro Speedway behind the wheel of JR Motorsports’ iconic No. 8 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet.
What’s happening
JR Motorsports announced Tuesday that Elliott will drive the No. 8 in the CARS Late Model Stock Tour race at North Wilkesboro on July 17. It’s his first start for the team since 2015 and the first time he’s raced in the CARS Tour since 2021.
Why this matters for Chase Elliott
The one-off appearance lets Elliott revisit the track where his national-series career took off. He won four Xfinity Series races and the 2014 title as an 18-year-old rookie for JR Motorsports, becoming the series’ youngest champion ever.
What the No. 8 means to Elliott
The No. 8 carries extra weight. Dale Earnhardt Jr. made the number famous early in his Cup career, and JR Motorsports has kept it central to the organization. Elliott’s return gives fans a glimpse of the car that helped launch him into stardom.
How the weekend shapes up
Elliott will race at North Wilkesboro on Friday night before heading to Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 9 Chevrolet for the Cup Series’ Window World 450 the following weekend. The CARS Tour event also lets him scratch a short-track itch before Cup duties resume.