ROCKINGHAM — This year’s ThunderFest will feature a Texas flavor, with the Eli Young Band set to take the stage in Harrington Square.
The country band —featuring the lineup of Mike Eli, James Young, Jon Jones and Chris Thompson — released its debut self-titled album in 2002, followed by 2005’s “Level.”
In the past 25 years, the band has produced three Billboard Top 5 albums, including 2011’s “Life at Best” — with the No. 1 single “Crazy Girl” — and “10,000 Towns,” which debuted at No. 1 Billboard's Top Country Albums Chart in 2013.
The Marshall Tucker Band was originally scheduled to perform ThunderFest in 2025, but a medical emergency led to a last-minute cancellation and the booking of Edwin McCain.
ThunderFest, organized by the city of Rockingham and the Richmond County Tourism Development Authority, is scheduled for 4-9 p.m. Thursday, April 2, and serves as the official kick-off for the second consecutive year of NASCAR’s return to Rockingham Speedway.
The event will also include a meet and greet with NASCAR Drivers, food and merchandise vendors, a beer garden hosted by Rockingham Dragway and free Kids Zone.
The races start Friday, April 3 with the Craftsman Truck Series Black’s Tire 200, followed by the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series N.C. Education Lottery 250 and a 125-lap race in the ARCA Menards Series East on Saturday, April 4.
Drivers in the O’Reilly and Craftsman series were at the Rock for an organizational test on Feb. 6.
Tickets for the race weekend are available at racetherock.com at at Rockingham City Hall.
