“I think a Cup race could probably be really good here…It could make a great race.” When 18-time Cup Series race winner Kasey Kahne said these words, he did not foresee a grim turn of events. Kahne had raced at Rockingham Speedway before the Xfinity Series left the track in 2004. He did not miss its return to the schedule in 2025, racing alongside fresh Xfinity rivals. However, his Cup Series dream was recently at risk of getting chucked out – until authorities came to the rescue.

Rockingham Speedway opened in 1965, and since its inception, it has been Richmond County’s ‘crown jewel.’ Until 2004, the track hosted Cup Series races, won by motorsports legends like Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson. In order to usher in a new era of legends and keep it going, the county took steps accordingly for the track’s future.

Pulling NASCAR’s grassroots track out of a mess

Rockingham Speedway entered the 2025 Xfinity schedule in recent news, but conditionally. Like its previous financial troubles, which saw a rapid change of hands in track ownership, Rockingham faced a fresh debt this year. Documents showed that the track’s owner, Dan Lovenheim, had additional unpaid bills from HVAC, sewer, and rental companies, amounting to more than $600,000. While Track Enterprises, a potential buyer of the track, took up most of the outstanding expenses incurred and unpaid, Richmond County was asked to take up the rest. Rockingham requested the county $375,000 to secure its future in NASCAR. And the 0.94-mile short track’s wish was fulfilled.

Journalist Adam Stern shared a Richmond Observer article on X, covering the county’s approval. After a collective meeting with the Richmond board, Chairman Dr. Rick Watkins signed an agreement to support Rockingham Speedway’s troubles. They agreed to cover “the cost of the SAFER barriers with a direct vendor payment.” Dr. Watkins pointed out the logic behind this decision: “A lack of quick action on our part would result in losing the race at Rockingham.” NASCAR delayed releasing the schedule for the O’Reilly Auto Parts (currently Xfinity), Craftsman Truck, and ARCA series to allow the parties to reach an agreement.

As races in The Rock have helped the county to prosper financially, it made more sense to approve the grant. There has been a reported economic impact of nearly $40 million for the region, with neighboring Moore County seeing the lion’s share. Hence, Dr. Watkins continued, “It’s not uncommon for municipalities to get involved … and invest in professional sports facilities to boost economic impact,” Watkins said, pointing to the football and basketball venues in Charlotte. Watkins added, “And our ability to develop this type of relationship with NASCAR and Track Enterprises is going to yield dividends for us moving forward…and our work will impact the economic prosperity in Richmond County for years to come.”

Kasey Kahne‘s wish to witness the Cup Series again at The Rock may turn into reality. That is what Dr. Watkins stressed. He 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.”

Hence, NASCAR is returning to The Rock for another grand showdown next season. Additionally, another short track is also in line for an encore in 2026.

Capitalizing on a booming turnout

For NASCAR, grassroots racing always spells popularity. We saw the immense enthusiasm of fans at the Bowman Gray Stadium and Rockingham Speedway. Cheers and boos rocked the racetracks as Chase Elliott won the Cook Out Clash. When Jesse Love lost his well-fought victory at The Rock, there was a similar reception. The energy was visible at Lime Rock Park, where NASCAR Trucks raced for the first time since 2011. With an estimated number of 20,000 fans attending, it was billed as the largest event in modern track history. From a massive hauler parade rolling down town to Corey Heim dominating nearly every lap of the LIUNA 150 race, Lime Rock presented a great success.

NASCAR took that hint and pushed Lime Rock Park into its 2026 schedule. NASCAR managing director Jusan Hamilton shed light on returning to the picturesque Connecticut road course. He said, “We saw a great turnout at Lime Rock Park last year. That passionate New England fan base up there really came out strong for that one. Given that positive response, we’d like to keep building on that tradition of taking the Craftsman Truck Series to Lime Rock. We’ll continue to evaluate racing in different areas and use our support series as a method to do that. That’s always something that’s that we’re going to look at as we build the schedule.”

Therefore, NASCAR has secured multiple grassroots venues for its 2026 schedule. With The Rock back on track, let us see what the future holds for the famed racetrack.