Bowman Gray Stadium

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Bowman Gray Stadium is a multi-use sports facility in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The complex consists of a 0.250 mi (0.402 km) paved oval short track and a gridiron football field. The complex has held various events since its opening in 1938, including motorsports events sanctioned by NASCAR and college football games for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons and the Winston-Salem State Rams. Bowman Gray Stadium is owned by the city of Winston-Salem and operated by both NASCAR and Winston-Salem State University for events. Built during the Great Depression, Bowman Gray Stadium opened in 1938, hosting football games and festivals in its first year. Auto racing made its first appearance the year after. After a short-lived attempt, racing was revived in 1947 when the dirt track around the football field was paved under promoter Lou Franco. Two years later, businessmen Bill France Sr. and Alvin Hawkins took over the stadium's racing promotions under the sanctioning body of NASCAR, with racing becoming a mainstay after NASCAR's rise in popularity. Over the following decades, the stadium's condition declined steadily. In 1990s and 2000s, a series of renovations were made to the stadium, improving its amenities and condition. In the 2020s, further renovations to the stadium were made, leading to the return of the NASCAR Cup Series after over 50 years of absence.