The NASCAR garage has been buzzing with debates over the schedule’s mix of road courses and ovals, but one historic oval track stands out as a real question mark, not for its layout, but for brewing troubles that could upend everything. Rockingham Speedway, a 1-mile North Carolina gem that opened in 1965 and hosted Cup Series races for nearly four decades until 2004, carries massive significance as a fan favorite tied to legends like Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt. Its return after a long hiatus has sparked excitement, yet whispers of financial woes now cast a shadow over its role in the sport’s future. That uncertainty alone has teams and fans on edge, wondering if this iconic venue can hold its ground.

Adding to the stakes, Rockingham is locked in to host the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, formerly the Xfinity Series, and the Craftsman Truck Series on April 3-4, 2026, marking back-to-back Easter weekends of racing after a successful 2025 comeback. Richmond County Chair Rick Watkins highlighted this boost, noting in August 2025 that the prior year’s event “resulted in a reported economic impact of nearly $40 million for the region,” underscoring why the track matters so much to the community and NASCAR’s broader footprint. But as optimism builds around potential growth, like talks of a future Cup race, deeper issues threaten to derail it all. Now, a state investigation has launched around some money allocated to the track’s vendor, pulling the curtain back on potential cracks in the foundation.

State Probe Throws Rockingham’s NASCAR Return into Turmoil

Details from a recent Sports Business Journal X post by Adam Stern reveal how the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) stepped in to scrutinize a $375,000 grant tied to Rockingham Speedway, putting the entire 2026 NASCAR schedule at risk if unresolved. The probe, assigned to the SBI’s financial crimes unit, centers on allegations of misuse of public funds by Richmond County Commissioners, who approved the grant in a contentious 4-3 vote on August 21, 2025, to cover SAFER barriers installed for safety ahead of races.

“The North Carolina [State Bureau of Investigation] said it opened an investigation into the grant money that was allocated to a vendor of Rockingham Speedway from Richmond County Commissioners.” – @WSOCtv https://t.co/3i6UUTCvk0

— Adam Stern (@A_S12) September 9, 2025

This isn’t just paperwork shuffling; it’s a deep dive into whether county leaders bent rules on open meetings, conflicts of interest, and ethical standards, all sparked by Hamlet City Manager John Terziu’s sharp concerns. Without quick resolution, the track’s ability to guarantee race-ready conditions could crumble, forcing NASCAR to scramble for alternatives and leaving fans without their Easter tradition.

The investigation kicked off after Terziu fired off an email on August 22, 2025, to Attorney General Jeff Jackson, the State Ethics Commission, and State Rep. Ben Moss, demanding a probe into “serious legal, ethical, and constitutional concerns” over the grant to a private vendor for Rockingham. Terziu, frustrated by what he saw as favoritism toward the speedway at the expense of public safety needs like fire services in Hamlet, pointed to a rushed special meeting at the county airport that allegedly skipped proper notice and agenda postings, violating open meetings laws.

He argued the allocation bypassed required public hearings under state statutes for funding private businesses, especially since County Manager Bryan Land stood to gain from speedway revenue and Chair Rick Watkins signed the deal prematurely on August 19, before the full board vote. This backstory ties into broader tensions, as Terziu had pushed for more county support for Hamlet’s emergency responses outside city limits, handling 333 calls in 2025 alone amid growing risks from nearby developments like an Amazon data center, yet got stonewalled while the track got quick cash.

District Attorney Jamie Adams then looped in the SBI, leading to the formal review, with no major findings released yet, but the financial crimes focus signaling real worries about fraud or improper handling. SBI spokesman Chad Flowers cleared up a mix-up on September 8, 2025, confirming, “However, Flowers said the SBI is looking into a request by District Attorney Jamie Adams regarding allegations of financial violations by the Richmond County government and Board of Commissioners related to Rockingham Speedway.” This update came after initial confusion with a separate Hamlet police case, but it underscores the probe’s momentum, especially as former County Attorney Michael Newman resigned effective September 5, 2025, right after refuting Terziu’s claims.

Newman had shot back, saying Terziu “knows full well that the statute he cites has no application whatsoever,” insisting the grant fell under a different law without needing a hearing. His exit, framed by Chair Watkins as a shift to focus on his law firm, adds fuel to suspicions of deeper issues, leaving the board to pick a new attorney amid the scrutiny. For Rockingham, this means vendors and NASCAR partners are watching closely, as any proven wrongdoing could freeze funds and halt preparations for 2026.

As the SBI digs deeper, the grant’s role in stabilizing the track highlights just how fragile Rockingham’s revival was from the start.

$375K lifeline: Grant’s role in Rockingham’s near-rescue

Rockingham Speedway was staring down a $600,000 debt pileup that had vendors pulling back and NASCAR holding off on full commitments, making the $375,000 county grant a make-or-break move to keep the lights on. The track, owned by Rockingham Properties under Dan Lovenheim, had racked up unpaid bills from essential upgrades like those SAFER barriers, crucial for hosting high-speed events without safety lapses.

Without this infusion, the entire operation risked shutdown, stranding the 2026 O’Reilly Auto Parts and Craftsman Truck races and echoing the venue’s post-2004 struggles when it faded from the Cup calendar due to similar financial strains. County leaders saw it as an investment in the region’s economy, but the split vote showed not everyone bought in, with opponents like Commissioner Justin Dawkins griping about the opaque process over the track itself.

Chair Rick Watkins pushed hard for the deal, explaining it cleared the path for a potential sale to Track Enterprises and kept NASCAR in the picture. As motorsport journalist Adam Stern reported from Watkins, “Watkins said the action on Saturday saved NASCAR racing at the track next spring, and in the future, because NASCAR has expressed a real commitment to Rockingham, and I believe that there exists an opportunity for a Cup race in the very near future.”

This wasn’t hype; NASCAR had delayed its 2026 schedule release to let these talks wrap, a nod to the track’s pull after the 2025 races drew huge crowds and that $40 million economic hit. The grant paid off the barriers vendor directly, easing immediate pressures and buying time for ownership shifts, but it also spotlighted how reliant the speedway had become on public pockets amid years of neglect since its heyday.

The track’s spotty history, where past owners couldn’t sustain operations post-2004, led to ARCA and regional events only until the recent NASCAR revival. County Manager Bryan Land countered by projecting quick returns, estimating the investment could pay off in two years through more events and tourism, but the probe now questions if that math holds up under ethical scrutiny. For fans, it meant the difference between a thriving Easter weekend tradition and another lost chapter for “The Rock.”