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North Wilkesboro Speedway. (Speedway Motorsports photo)

What To Watch For — May 19-21

Welcome returns is the theme for this race weekend as North Wilkesboro Speedway, the Belleville High Banks and Route 66 Raceway host signature events on this weekend’s racing calendar.

Month Of May

Th month of May at Indianapolis Motor Speedway hits its second week with four days of practice for the Indianapolis 500 beginning on Tuesday.

Thirty-four cars and drivers are entered in the 107th running of The Greatest Spectacle in Racing and the four days of practice lead into qualifying on Saturday and Sunday, with pole runs and bumping to take place on Sunday afternoon.

Remember, if the lap time goes down, the speed goes up.

All-Star Week

The NASCAR Cup Series will race at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway for the first time since 1996, headlining a full week of stock car racing at the recently renovated five-eighths-mile asphalt track.

Action began with the ASA STARS National Tour on Tuesday night and the CARS Tour on Wednesday. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series was scheduled for Saturday afternoon, with the NASCAR All-Star Race set for Sunday night.

Tickets were sold out months in advance for the $1 million-to-win return of Cup racing to North Wilkesboro.

Belleville Return

USAC will return to the Belleville High Banks in Kansas for the first time in six years for two nights of racing.

With rain outs having plagued both the USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget Series and the USAC Silver Crown Series, the doubleheader will serve as the season opener for both series.

The midgets will do battle on the quarter-mile oval on Friday and Saturday night, while the Silver Crown Series will practice on Friday and compete on the legendary high-banked half-mile track on Saturday night.

NHRA At Route 66

The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series will visit Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Ill., for the first time in four years this weekend.

The three-day event at the state-of-the-art drag strip also includes the Pro Stock All-Star Callout.

Ohio Sprints

After the High Limit Racing Series sprint cars were scheduled to open the week on Tuesday at Ohio’s Wayne County Speedway, the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series was to sweep through the Buckeye State with a doubleheader beginning Friday at Attica Raceway Park and wrapping up Saturday at Sharon Speedway.

All Stars Swing

The All Star Circuit of Champions sprint cars were set for their annual sweep through New York state with a trio events on tap at Outlaw Speedway, Fonda Speedway and Weedsport Speedway Friday through Sunday.

Dueling Late Model Series

The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series and the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Late Model Series will each be on the road this weekend with the Lucas series visiting 300 Raceway and 34 Raceway in Iowa, while the WoO LMS contingent makes a two-day swing through Pennsylvania with events at Marion Center Raceway and Port Royal Speedway.