Here comes another domino for the NASCAR schedule. In April, the sport witnessed two exhilarating races at an iconic racetrack – Rockingham Speedway. Tyler Ankrum became the first driver to win a Truck Series race there since 2013. Then, the Xfinity Series race witnessed 17 lead changes before Jesse Love took the checkered flag, only to lose it to Sammy Smith in a post-race disqualification. Despite these dramatic elements of ‘The Rock’, the track now faces a deep dilemma.

The 2026 NASCAR schedule is partially out, drawing a flurry of responses from fans. Among the good changes are the addition of Chicagoland and Homestead-Miami’s return to the Cup Series. Another one is the return of Rockingham to Trucks and Xfinity. But while the latter is a heartwarming development, there are worries about the track’s long-term future.

A big dollar blip in the NASCAR schedule 

Constructed in the mid-1960s, Rockingham Speedway changed many hands. These hands were of the DeWitt family, Roger Penske, Speedway Motorsports Inc., and Andy Hillenburg. Throughout its journey, the 1.017-mile track has faced financial hurdles. It shut down before the start of the 21st century, and SMI put up the track for auction in 2007. It shut down again in 2014 due to economic troubles. Most recently, Dan Lovenheim acquired the 250-acre property in August 2018 for $2.8 million and played a role in its resurrection. A month after NASCAR’s return to the track in 2025, Lovenheim put up the property for sale.

But before Rockingham Speedway can envision its future both in terms of future owner and place in the NASCAR schedule, it faces a problem. Documents show that the track’s owner has additional unpaid bills from HVAC, sewer, and rental companies, amounting to more than $600,000. Journalist Steven Taranto revealed on X: “Rockingham Speedway’s owner reportedly faces $600k in unpaid bills and is asking Richmond County for $375k to cover the expense of installing SAFER barriers.” 

The Richmond County Board of Commissioners will hold a special meeting on Thursday afternoon to vote on Rockingham’s request for $375,000 “to help facilitate the completion of a transaction involving the Rockingham Speedway and future NASCAR events.” According to County Commissioner Jamie Gatherings, “We’re in a position where we have 36 hours to make a decision.” Yet the meeting may hold a tense debate, as there are other issues besides the track to allocate funds to. Gatherings emphasized the need for any county expenditure to benefit residents. Commissioner Jason Gainey prioritized upgrading homeless shelters and cleaning up the streets.

Although things look bleak in the debt frontier, Rockingham Speedway may have a potential buyer soon. Steven Taranto updated about that: “Track Enterprises’ Bob Sargent is conditionally interested in buying the Speedway.” Track Enterprises organized this year’s successful races. But before reaching a decision about a purchase, Sargent also stressed local government support.

While Rockingham’s NASCAR schedule hangs in uncertainty, the same cannot be said about another track.

Exposure to a new crowd

Well, 2025 itself had a healthy dose of new racetracks. From the NASCAR Cup Series visiting Mexico City to the Craftsman Truck Series returning to Lime Rock Park in Connecticut, the novel experiences are plenty. The NASCAR schedule is keeping up this trend for 2026 as well. Among the newest ventures is the Trucks’ visit to the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in February 2026. The Series will share the bill in its visit with the NTT IndyCar Series, which has opened its season on the 1.8-mile street course for the last four years. The Truck Series race should provide an extra level of exposure to a new motorsports crowd, one that is used to watching IndyCar stars on the track.

Jusan Hamilton, NASCAR managing director, competition operations, hyped up this new project. “We want to make sure that our development series are racing at track types that allow them to advance and be prepared for the Cup level. So, making sure we have a street race at the Truck Series level was something that we evaluated. Obviously, they have the first two street races they’ll have in their 30-year history, kicking off with the St. Pete Grand Prix, so it allows us to evaluate that market. Tampa/St. Pete is another huge media market. It’s also conducive for the Craftsman Truck Series teams to keep them on the East Coast for the early part of their season. It’s not a long trip for them to get down to Tampa, and it allows us to gain experience with another street course.”

With wild shuffles in line for the NASCAR schedule, the excitement for 2026 is already building up. Hopefully, Rockingham can also be part of that thrill.