Rockingham Speedway facts for kids
| The Rock | |
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D-shaped Oval (1965–present)
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| Location | Rockingham, North Carolina |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (UTC−4 DST) |
| Coordinates | 34°58′27.05″N 79°36′37.51″W / 34.9741806°N 79.6104194°W |
| Capacity | 34,500 |
| Owner | Rockingham Properties LLC. (August 2018–present) BK Rock Holdings (May 2016–August 2018) Vets-Help.org (January 2015–July 2015) Andy Hillenburg (October 2007–January 2015) Speedway Motorsports (May 2004–October 2007) International Speedway Corporation (1999–May 2004) |
| Opened | October 31, 1965 |
| Former names | North Carolina Motor Speedway (1965–1996) North Carolina Speedway (1997–2007) |
| Major events | Current: SMART Modified Tour (2024) Former: NASCAR Winston Cup Series Subway 400 (1966–2004) Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400 (1965–2003) NASCAR Busch Series Goody's Headache Powder 200 (1982–1986, 1988–2004) Target House 200 (1984–2003) NASCAR Camping World Truck Series North Carolina Education Lottery 200 (2012–2013) ARCA Menards Series (2008–2010) NASCAR K&N Pro Series East (1987–1992, 2012) X-1R Pro Cup Series (2008–2011) |
| D-shaped Oval (1965–present) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 1.017 mi (1.636 km) |
| Turns | 4 |
| Banking | Turns – 22 and 25 degrees Straights – 8 degrees |
| Race lap record | 0:27.927 ( Jeff Burton, Ford Taurus, 1999, NASCAR Cup) |
| Road Course (1965–present) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 1.6 mi (2.575 km) |
| Turns | 8 |
| Banking | Straights 8°, T1 22°, T2 25°, RC 0° |
| Little Rock (2008–present) | |
| Surface | Asphalt with concrete in turns |
| Length | 0.526 mi (0.847 km) |
| Banking | 12 degrees Straights – 2 degrees |
Rockingham Speedway, also called The Rock, is a famous racetrack located near Rockingham, North Carolina. It used to be known as North Carolina Motor Speedway and later North Carolina Speedway. This track has hosted many exciting races, including those from the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
The track first opened on October 31, 1965, as a flat, one-mile oval. In 1969, it was changed to a D-shaped oval with high banks, making it just over one mile long. In 1997, the track joined with Penske Motorsports and was renamed "North Carolina Speedway." The infield road course was also updated. Until 2013, it was home to a driving school. The track was often used for filming movies and TV shows. Today, The Rock is being updated to host big racing events and festivals again.
Contents
History of Rockingham Speedway
Building the Track
Rockingham Speedway, originally called North Carolina Motor Speedway, was created by Harold Brasington and Bill Land. Brasington had experience building the Darlington Raceway, which was NASCAR's first super-speedway. Bill Land owned the land. They worked together to find money for the project. A local lawyer, Elsie Webb, helped them gather supporters. They also sold shares to local people for $1 each, and at one point, about 1,000 people owned a part of the track.
The speedway was built as a one-mile oval with flat turns. It opened on October 31, 1965, with its first race, the American 500. This was a 500-lap, 500-mile NASCAR Grand National Series race. Curtis Turner won the race, driving at an average speed of 101.942 miles per hour. About 35,000 people watched Turner lead for 239 laps and win by 11 seconds. He took home $13,090. Many NASCAR legends, like Cale Yarborough, Richard Petty, and Ned Jarrett, raced that day.
The speedway hosted two Grand National races each year until 2004. These races changed names over time, but they were usually held in late February or early March, and then again in late October.
Changes and Challenges (1999–2007)
In 1999, International Speedway Corporation (ISC) bought the speedway. In 2004, one of its two main NASCAR races was moved to another track in California. This happened because fewer people were coming to races at Rockingham. The track was left with only one race date, in late February. This was not a popular time for fans because the weather could be bad.
Many thought the track's last race was coming soon. On February 22, 2004, Rockingham hosted its final NASCAR Cup Series race, the Subway 400. Matt Kenseth won by a tiny 0.010 seconds over rookie Kasey Kahne. This was one of the closest finishes in NASCAR history.
Later, ISC sold Rockingham Speedway to Speedway Motorsports (SMI). As part of the deal, SMI agreed not to host any NASCAR events at the track while they owned it. Rockingham Speedway then joined other tracks that were no longer part of the NASCAR circuit.
Fans often praised Rockingham for its exciting races and great views for spectators. For example, one race in 1981 had 37 official lead changes! However, the track did not get many updates over the years. It fell behind other facilities that kept modernizing.
New Ownership and Events (2007–2018)
On October 2, 2007, Speedway Motorsports put the track up for auction. Andy Hillenburg bought it for $4.4 million.
In 2008, Rockingham Speedway started hosting the ARCA Re/Max Series race, called the American 200. This became the main event at the track after it reopened. Rockingham also hosted the Carolina 200 for the CARS Pro Cup Series.
On September 7, 2011, it was announced that Rockingham would host a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race for the first time. The race, called the Good Sam Roadside Assistance 200, took place on April 15, 2012. North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue said the race would help the local economy.
In 2014, the Truck Series did not return due to money problems. In 2016, a group called BK Rock Holdings bought Rockingham Speedway for $3 million.
The Rock's Future (2018–Present)
Rockingham Properties LLC bought the track on August 30, 2018. Just four days later, they announced that racing would return to the track soon. North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper suggested giving $8 million of state money to fix up the facility. The plan was to rename it "The Rock Speedway and Entertainment Complex."
On December 12, 2020, MB Drift hosted a drift event at Rockingham Speedway. This was the first motorsports event there in several years, bringing new life to the track. More drift events have been held since then. Stock car racing was planned to return in 2021, but the race was canceled due to a tire shortage.
On November 18, 2021, Governor Roy Cooper signed a state budget that gave $40 million to three race tracks, including Rockingham Speedway. Justin Jones, a vice president at Rockingham Speedway, said they plan to repave the track and add lights to both the main track and the smaller "Little Rock" track. Their goal is to bring back NASCAR, ARCA, and other types of racing.
On April 22, 2023, the first "Sunrise 2 Sunrise" Festival, or "S2S Fest," was held at The Rock.
Testing at the Track
In the mid-2000s, Rockingham became a popular place for NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series teams to test their cars. NASCAR had rules about testing at active tracks, so teams used Rockingham because it was no longer on the main race schedule. The track surface is rough, which makes tires wear out quickly. This was useful for teams to practice for tracks like Darlington and Atlanta, which also cause a lot of tire wear.
In 2006, new rules limited testing at active tracks. This made testing at Rockingham even more important. Teams used the track to test the new "Car of Tomorrow" (COT) when it was announced for 2007.
Drivers like Elliott Sadler and Greg Biffle talked about testing the COT at Rockingham. They wanted to make sure the cars could handle the bumpy track and rough surface.
NASCAR's rules changed again in 2015, banning all private testing. Before that, teams could use tracks like Rockingham that were not on the national series schedules to get around testing bans.
Little Rock Track
A new, smaller track called the Little Rock was built behind the main track. It is about 0.526 mi (0.847 km) long. It opened on October 13, 2008. This track is used for other types of short-track cars and for a driving school.
The Little Rock track is designed to be similar to Martinsville Speedway. It has long straight sections and turns. Unlike the main oval, NASCAR testing was allowed on the Little Rock track even when it was restricted on the larger track.
This half-mile oval is special because it uses gravel traps instead of traditional guardrails around the outside. The owner, Andy Hillenburg, said this is cheaper and safer. Cars that slide off the track will go into the sand, which causes less damage than hitting a wall.
Jimmie Johnson, a famous driver, tested at Little Rock when it first opened. He joked that he almost ran into his own truck because there was no wall for safety. The track also has a smaller quarter-mile oval for Bandoleros and Legends cars.
Track Records
- NASCAR Cup Qualifying: 23.167 seconds (158.035 mph (254.333 km/h)), Rusty Wallace, February 25, 2000
- NASCAR Cup Race: ~ 27.927 seconds (131.103 mph (210.990 km/h)), Jeff Burton, October 24, 1999
- NASCAR Xfinity Qualifying: 23.416 seconds (156.358 mph (251.634 km/h)), Greg Biffle, February 24, 2001
- NASCAR Xfinity Race: ~ 29.432 seconds (124.397 mph (200.198 km/h), Mark Martin, October 19, 1996
- NASCAR Truck Qualifying: 24.922 seconds (146.909 mph (236.427 km/h)), Jeb Burton, April 14, 2013
- NASCAR Truck Race: ~ 34.141 seconds (107.239 mph (172.584 km/h)), Kasey Kahne, April 15, 2012
Filming Location
Rockingham Speedway has been used as a location for movies, TV shows, and commercials. Its different areas are often used for various scenes. Some famous films shot here include:
- 3: The Dale Earnhardt Story
- Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
- Ta Ra Rum Pum (a Bollywood film)
- SPEED Road Tour Challenge (final task)
- 2007 UPS commercials with Dale Jarrett.
When it was part of the NASCAR Winston Cup circuit, it was also used for:
- Days of Thunder
The track was also used for a truck pull event during the World's Strongest Man competition in 2011.
See also
In Spanish: North Carolina Speedway para niños
