“Not Only for Financial Reasons”: Legendary North Carolina Speedway Could Make a Grand Return After 19 Years

Since North Wilkesboro found its way back into the NASCAR schedule. more such legendary tracks have been pegged for similar comebacks. You can find one of those tracks in the terrains of North Carolina, a silent one-mile relic of NASCAR today. Once the jewel of the Richmond Country, the Rockingham Speedway has long forgotten the smell of burning rubber and the sound of firing engines. 19 years have gone by since it hosted its last race. But now, the track has taken a big step towards shaking its rust off.

In a recent meeting between the Finance Director, the Board of Commissioners, and other stakeholders, a mutual agreement was reached that spelled, NASCAR had to be brought back to “The Rock”.

Richmond County’s top brass agree that the goal is to bring NASCAR back to the Rockingham Speedway

In May 2022, the Department of Commerce funneled COVID recovery grants that totaled over $45 million to 17 venues in North Carolina. As part of this funding, the Rockingham Speedway received $9 million. With the money being utilized for different areas of improvement currently, the Board of Commissioners underlined on Tuesday that every dollar going to the Speedway must be used for it to be prepared for NASCAR. $3 million of the allotted funds is being used to re-pave the oval. A further $4.99 million is to be utilized in 17 particular areas in the track that don’t meet the promotion’s standards yet.

With the County’s Finance Director Cary Garner sharing information about the status of the federal grant, multiple commissioners expressed their views about the track’s purpose. “I want what we vote on…to go to that track and bring back NASCAR,” said Commissioner Andy Grooms, according to the Richmond County Daily Journal.

Vice Chairman Dr Rick Watkins added, “I think this board would agree that our number one goal here is to get NASCAR back in Rockingham.” The reappointed chairman Jeff Smart also said, “The obvious goal… [is] getting NASCAR back. Not only for financial reasons but for quality of life. Bring it back. Let’s bring racing back to the rock. That’s what we are doing this for.”

Though the track is not on the schedule for 2024, several key members of the racing community including star drivers have been pitching in their efforts to bring it back.

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Cup Series legends pitch for Rockingham’s return to the top

Similar to North Wilkesboro, the Rockingham Speedway lost its place in the top tier of NASCAR as the promotion undertook steps that would be meant for more profitable markets. Owing to the growth of the sport, the last time a Cup race was held at this oval was back in 2004. But over the last few years, many racing legends including Terry Labonte and Richard Petty have voiced their wishes to see the track back in action.

Speaking to AP news back this year, Labonte said, “I would love for someday to see Rockingham come back on the schedule. Maybe not run it every year, but enough to where you could rotate it on the schedule. I think the fans would really love it because it’s a great track.” While he did acknowledge that the location of the track in close vicinity to current Cup Series tracks doesn’t make it a very attractive prospect, the Wilkesboro return seemed to make him a believer.

Richard “King” Petty too expressed his desire to “The Richmond Observer” back in October. He said, “Eventually, I’d like to see Rockingham come back. To me, Rockingham was the racetrack that spectators can see all the way around, and it’s a very competitive racetrack,” Petty’s take was the track was great for both fans and drivers. Not so coincidentally, the speedway’s most winningest driver is Petty himself, with 11 victory lane visits.

Hopefully, the combined efforts of the county and the voices of NASCAR’s stars will prove effective in the Rockingham Speedway’s return to top series racing.

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