Dale Earnhardt Jr. might have retired from NASCAR racing, but somehow he remains an influential figure in the sport. He does not shy away from sharing his honest opinion on hot topics and debates regarding NASCAR. But he’s more than your regular sports pundit or analyst, as he does get things done. One of the prime examples of his recent efforts was the revival of the iconic short track at North Wilkesboro Speedway.

Junior didn’t pester the higher-ups at NASCAR in trying to breathe new life into the NWS. Rather, he just showed up at the track with farm equipment and initiated a major clean-up so the track could be scanned and virtually created for iRacing, a simulator video game popular among pro racers and amateurs.

The idea was to keep the track alive, at least in the virtual world. But, his efforts paid off as NASCAR took notice of the famed short-track situation and helped Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s cause to bring it back alive. Now the North Carolina racetrack hosts the NASCAR Cup Series All-Star race and other stock car racing events.

The former HMS driver took to his X account and shared his take on which racetracks he would like to be on iRacing next. “Three tracks I’d love to see come to @iRacing @FastestHalfMile @BerlinRaceway, A one-mile dirt oval.” However, the fans shared their popular pick in Salem Speedway. In the hope that the high-banked short-oval will share a similar fate as North Wilkesboro Speedway.

The .555-mile (0.893 km) long paved oval racetrack in Washington Township, Washington County, near Salem, Indiana, first opened in 1947. The very opening race on the track; known as the Open Wheel Sprint car back then saw a tragic curve as two drivers tragically lost their lives during the first lap on Turn 1 of the inaugural race.

Jack Shultz and Clay Corbitt’s cars collided on the backstretch, both vehicles flipped multiple times, and as a result, while the former lived 4 years or so after the accident, the latter passed away on his way to the hospital. The incident marked a somber beginning for the historic speedway; which was also termed as “Hills of Death” later by the journalists as this was not the only fatal crash at the track.

And, this is not the only Salem incident! Two years later, on July 24, 1949, a tragic crash involving Chick Barbo and Tommy Mattson occurred during an AAA “Big Car” race. Both drivers lost their lives in the devastating Turn 4 accident. The haunting image from this event is also preserved in the collection of Roger Zellner. Here’s the Turn 4

Not every new iRacing track recommendation will make it onto the NASCAR calendar, but Salem Speedway stood out for the fans. Despite a history marked by 11 dramatic incidents that took lives—including the July 1951 accident, the 1955 ARCA crash, and another dramatic winner’s tumble later that same year—the track hasn’t lost its allure. Fans are still passionately pushing for its revival, flooding Dale Jr. with requests to bring this iconic track back into the spotlight.

Fans demand Dale Earnhardt Jr to revive Salem Speedway

The Indiana-based racetrack is one of the oldest stock car racing venues. However, it didn’t have the best inaugural race event, as two drivers lost their lives when it was opened in 1947. After undergoing several changes, the venue hosted its only NASCAR event in 1973, the Grand National East Series, and since then has been home to USAC and ARCA races.

While the racetrack isn’t widely popular, such as the Auto Club or the Chicagoland, which have been snubbed by NASCAR. But fans were hoping that Dale Jr. could help put the high-banked oval track on the map. “@Salem_Speedwayis a must with the new street stocks. Please!” 

Even the social media handle of the Salem Speedway got active and tried to rally behind the fans’ request. In a desperate attempt to catch traction and attention, they put out a #tag. In response to Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s post on X, the speedway replied, “#scanSalem.”

Not only Salem, but this race fan had a list of Indiana racetracks that deserve recognition and a place on the iRacing Simulator. “Historical Indiana Tracks that need added to Iracing…Salem, Winchester & Anderson Speedway top list of asphalt. Bloomington, CircleCity, Terre Haute, GasCityI-69, Lawrenceburg, LincolnPark, Paragon, Tri-State, Brownstown & the StateFairgrounds 1 Miler top the dirt!” 

Salem Speedway has seen the likes of A.J. Foyt, Mario Andretti, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch, and Joey Logano compete at the historic long-paved oval track. Moreover, the track also holds the record for hosting the most number (106) of ARCA Series races since 1955. This was the reason the fan resorted to making a desperate plea to Dale Jr. for the track’s revival: “Please 🙏 Salem is a gem.”

The overwhelming suggestion by the fans caught Jr’s attention, and he acknowledged that he would push for Salem Speedway to be on the simulator, “Indeed.”

It is hard to see Dale Earnhardt Jr. script yet another feat in bringing this racetrack to life. However, being at the executive level at iRacing, he certainly can elevate the track’s presence and story in the virtual racing world.