ROCKINGHAM — Another racing legend is helping promote the long-awaited return of NASCAR to Rockingham Speedway.
On Monday, the track posted a video of Tony Stewart briefly recalling his experience at the Rock.
“Really excited to see NASCAR back at Rockingham,” Stewart said. “I’ve got great memories there. Should’ve won my first Busch race there, but Matt Kenseth nudged us on the last lap.”
That race was the GM Goodwrench Service Plus 200 of Feb. 21, 1998. Stewart started the race and led the first four laps, with Jeff Burton taking the lead for the next 112 laps.
Stewart regained the lead for 11 laps before Burton slid to the front of the pack for another 24 — when Stewart pulled ahead again for 45 of the last 46 laps.
Mark Martin, who holds the most total wins at Rockingham, came in third and Burton placed fourth.
Stewart was also the pole-sitter at the next race, the AC Delco 200, in October, leading the first two laps and another 37 during the first half of the race, finishing 18th.
Though he started racing in the Busch Series (now Xfinity) in 1995, Stewart’s first race at Rockingham wasn’t until October of ‘97, where he finished ninth.
Stewart had six top 10 finishes at the Rock in the Cup Series from February 2000 through November 2003: three fourth place; two seventh place; one ninth place. He also finished 12th in both races of ‘99 and came in 26th at the final Cup race in February ‘04.
Jamie McMurray, who won the last four Xfinity races at Rockingham, was at the track in November testing tires for ARCA.
Click here to read about McMurray’s visit.
The three-time Cup Series champ and 1999 Winston Cup Series Rookie of the Year said Rockingham is “a place that I always loved.”
“It taught you how to race — tire management, you had to take care of everything,” said Stewart, who was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2020. “(I’m) super excited NASCAR’s coming back to Rockingham. You should be excited too.”
