ROCKINGHAM — Two months after purchasing the track, the International Hot Rod Association has named Mike Phillips as general manager of Rockingham Speedway.
The IHRA made the announcement on its Facebook page Wednesday.
“Phillips brings decades of experience from senior leadership roles within NASCAR Competition and Racing Operations, where he was responsible for race control oversight, officiating management, rulebook interpretation and enforcement, and coordination of on-track incident response,” reads the announcement. “Throughout his career, Phillips worked closely with race directors, safety teams, track operations, and medical personnel to ensure consistent procedures, clear authority in race control, and the highest standards of competitor and fan safety during live events.”
The IHRA says Phillips’ appointment reflects the company’s “continued investment in experienced, credentialed leadership and reinforces the organization’s commitment to safety as the foundation of competition.”
“By placing a proven operations and safety leader in this role, IHRA is strengthening governance, accountability, and consistency at Rockingham Speedway, ensuring that stock car events are conducted with disciplined oversight, proactive risk management, and a safety-first mindset that aligns with IHRA’s long-term vision for professional motorsports.”
The legendary track was purchased by the IHRA on Dec. 31.
Last week, IHRA revealed that the Rock has been placed on the schedule for its inaugural season of its stock car series. The race is slated for Oct. 17 — currently the final event of the eight-race series.
Announced in November, the IHRA says the series “emphasizes driver talent, balanced competition, and fair, cost-controlled rules — while delivering a national platform.”
On Feb. 6, NASCAR drivers in the O’Reilly Auto Parts and Craftsman Truck series rounded the Rock for a day of testing ahead of the season start at Daytona this weekend and the track’s race weekend in April.
