Project Summary

Role: Concept Development · Visual Identity · Environmental & Print Design · Community Engagement

Location: Wilkes County, North Carolina

Context: Final “Identity” course project expanded through local collaboration

Tagline: “Birthplace of NASCAR”

North Wilkesboro Speedway was a cornerstone of NASCAR history — a rough-cut, red-clay cathedral of grassroots racing in the North Carolina foothills. This conceptual rebrand set out to honor that legacy while envisioning how the Speedway’s identity could evolve for a new generation of fans and sponsors.

Created as my final project in Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology's “Identity” course, it quickly transcended the classroom when local revival advocates took interest and encouraged refinements for presentation to Speedway ownership.

Reviving a NASCAR landmark through heritage-driven identity and community storytelling.

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Challenge

After decades of dormancy, the Speedway’s visual identity had fractured: no cohesive logo, inconsistent signage, and an aging public perception.

The challenge was to bridge nostalgia and progress — crafting a design system that celebrated Wilkes County’s moonshine-racing roots while positioning the track for modern sponsorship and fan engagement.

Historic references grounded the rebrand in authentic Appalachian culture.

Archival photography provided courtesy of Mod Squad Racing Media — capturing the texture and character that inspired this rebrand.

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Design Strategy

The new identity revives the Speedway’s original red-white palette — the color of barn siding, red-clay dust, and racing decals baked in the Carolina sun.

A brighter red replaces the darker Winston tone, giving the Speedway a sense of freshness while maintaining its nostalgic punch. This separates the identity from the tobacco company in a subtle way, but still provokes feelings of a, "blast from the past."

Typography draws from 1950s condensed sans-serifs, echoing hand-painted garage lettering and race-poster grit.

The rebrand pays tribute to the legends who built NASCAR from the backroads up — none more iconic than Junior Johnson, the Wilkes County native whose 1940 Ford coupe outran both rivals and revenuers. His spirit of ingenuity and grit became a cornerstone for the Speedway’s identity system.

The Coupe - raw craftsmanship and functional simplicity directly influenced the design’s geometry and finish — every line built for performance, not polish.

Texture and material choices reinforce the culture: distressed metals, woodgrain, and matte finishes convey heritage more than polish.

The Mason-Jar Monument was designed as a tongue-in-cheek tribute to the track’s moonshine lore — a visual metaphor for small-town pride and the roots of stock-car racing.

Tagline

“Birthplace of NASCAR,” is more than marketing — it’s history. Long before the first official NASCAR race, the hills of Wilkes County were alive with moonshine runners testing their souped-up Fords on the backroads that inspired early stock-car competition. Enoch Staley's North Wilkesboro Speedway became one of the sport’s first sanctioned tracks in 1947, helping transform outlaw grit into organized racing. That legacy — from bootleg coupes to checkered flags — this identity celebrates.

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Experience Design

The environmental concepts proposed new way-finding systems, track-side sponsor zones, and a museum-like experience celebrating NASCAR's pioneer figures.

Each design element was conceived to reignite local pride and draw a younger audience without losing authenticity.

Print Marketing

Print materials are intentionally tactile, honest, and proudly Southern. Each piece carries the same balance of nostalgia and modern craftsmanship: from heritage-inspired ticket stubs to sponsor pamphlets and stationery systems that blend tradition with precision. The result is a cohesive print suite that honors the Speedway’s grassroots legacy while presenting it with contemporary polish.

Community Engagement

The project’s momentum extended beyond the classroom. Social-media posts of the rebrand caught the attention of regional racing figures and journalists, sparking renewed conversations about North Wilkesboro Speedway’s future.

Around this time, I was contacted by both Steven Wilson, founder of Save The Speedway Inc., and Terri Parsons, widow of NASCAR Hall of Famer Benny Parsons. Terri and Steven had previously collaborated to bring an event to North Wilkesboro in 2010 and were again advocating for the track’s return to competition.

Terri — serving as Film Commissioner and an active member of the Wilkes County Chamber of Commerce—requested refined design mockups suitable for presentation to Speedway Motorsports Inc., led by CEO Marcus Smith. Her outreach connected my academic concept with the real-world advocacy of those preserving the Speedway’s legacy, offering firsthand insight into how design can support community identity, regional heritage, and storytelling within motorsports culture.

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Reflection & Summary

What began as a college identity assignment became a professional springboard into motorsports design.

This project taught me that design has the power to revive more than visuals—it can reawaken pride, history, and shared identity. The experience showed that even conceptual work can help drive real-world momentum for cultural landmarks. While the reopened Speedway ultimately pursued its own direction, this project built relationships that shaped my career and cemented my voice in the racing creative space.

Design can bring tracks back to life — sometimes literally.

The phrase “Birthplace of NASCAR” became more than a slogan — it was a compass for every design decision. It reminded me that identity design isn’t just about logos; it’s about tracing modern energy back to the dirt, grease, and stories that started it all.

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