Home Local Sports Fans favor warmer race for Rockingham Speedway; Open House this weekend

Fans favor warmer race for Rockingham Speedway; Open House this weekend

RO file photo

ROCKINGHAM — If NASCAR would decide to bring a Cup Series race back to the storied Rockingham Speedway, 35% of fans would rather it be in the spring.

For nearly four decades, the Rock hosted the first of its two Cup events in late February or early March and its second in October or early November.

Many fans recall the cold-weather races, which may have prompted them to pick early May in a recent RO online poll.

With 1,446 votes cast from Feb. 20-March 1, 514 respondents chose the first weekend of May — currently held by Kansas Speedway — for their ideal race date.

Click here to read the original poll story.

Using the current NASCAR schedule as a guide, that would have the racing series in the Carolinas the entire month, with the following races at Darlington Raceway, North Wilkesboro Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The second-most popular choice, with nearly 26.5% of the vote, is the second weekend in September — also a Kansas date — which would give the Rock a race during the playoffs.

That date would be bookended by Darlington and Bristol Motor Speedway.

Coming in third at 19.85% is the first weekend in April, currently held by Richmond Raceway. The two races that follow are at Bristol and Martinsville Speedway.

Any of those three choices would allow many of the race teams to stay close to home for several weeks.

However, there were concerns among some commenters that that lineup could saturate the market.

Rockingham’s traditional post-Daytona date received only 12.31% of the vote and the pre-Daytona Busch Light Clash exhibition race came in at 5.81%.

The speedway’s Justin Jones told the RO that fans had expressed interest in having a race in warmer months.

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However, it should be noted that several days this past February exceeded 70 degrees.

There could be a possibility of NASCAR returning in February in 2024.

While the schedule has not yet been announced, media outlets have reported that Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, will not host a race next year since it will be converted into a short track.

That tentatively leaves Rockingham’s original date open.

On Thursday, the speedway posted photos of SAFER barriers being re-installed.

Jones told the RO last week that the track would welcome any race date.

A classic stock car rides along the frontstretch at Rockingham Speedway in November 2021 during Motorsport 4the Masses' Motorfest at Thunder Ally.
William R. Toler – Richmond Observer

Meanwhile, the speedway crew is prepping for the second annual Open House on Saturday.

The event, which will run from 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m., will feature exhibitions from Stock Car Classics on the oval and a demonstration on the infield road course by MB Drift.

The Allison Legacy Race Series will kick off its season for the second consecutive year on the roval.

Click here to read about the 2022 race and Open House.

Former NASCAR driver Donnie Allison, who won two races at the Rock, and Will Cronkite, author of “I Was a NASCAR Redneck,” will both be signing autographs.

Parking and admission are both free.



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