NC 74 #2: First appeared in a June 2014 link under their proposed route changes page. NC 74 is confirmed in signing plans released in August 2014 for the segment of the northeastern Winston-Salem Beltway between I-40 Bus/US 421 at what will be Exit 12 north to US 158 Reidsville Rd.
I presume that NC 74 will remain signed on any completed segments of this part of the beltway until it connects to an actual interstate, presumably I-40. Currently the Oct 2014 STIP only has funding for the 3 mile segment described above.
This will give North Carolina a rare dynamic of having an I-74, a US 74, and a NC 74. Texas may be the only other state that has ever had this (69).

The first NC 74 was an original state highway that began at NC 15 (now just NC 73) Concord and headed east on today's NC 73 to Mt. Pleasant and Albemarle (used Old Concord Rd near Millingport and Main St through Albemarle), then NC 73 to Pee Dee. From there is used "Old NC 27" to Wadeville, then NC 109 to Troy, then NC 24-27 to Biscoe and Carthage before using Union Stage Rd and US 15-501 to end at NC 50 (current US 1) south of Tramway.
In 1927, NC 74 from Carthage to Tramway was renumbered as part of NC 75 (now US 15-501).

NC 74 east of Carthage

NC 75 replaces NC 74

In 1927 or 1928, NC 74 was extended west as new primary highway along today's McGill St, Poplar Tent Rd, a small bit of today's NC 73 and Mayes Rd to end at NC 26 (now NC 115) Caldwell.
In 1930, NC 74 was rerouted from Concord to Caldwell, using Mayes Rd and today's NC 73 all the way in to Concord.
About 1932, NC 74 was rerouted off of Old Concord Rd near Millingport and put on today's NC 73.
In 1933, NC 74 was extended north on US 21/NC 26 to Cornelius, then west as new primary routing to end at NC 271 (current NC 16) Triangle.
In 1934, NC 74 was rerouted away from Caldwell and instead over today's Davidson-Concord Rd to Davidson.
In late 1934, NC 74 was renumbered as NC 73 from Triangle to Pee Dee and NC 27 from Pee Dee to Carthage.

NC 74 original end at Concord

NC 74 extended to US 21

NC 74 straightened out west of Concord

NC 74 extended to NC 271

NC 73 replaces NC 74 on the western end

NC 74 Albemarle to Carthage

NC 27 extended to Carthage