Put Up or Shut Up at Rockingham on Tax Day

Dustin Long

07 September 2011 | 4:08 PM

It's time for fans to put up or shut up about Rockingham with NASCAR returning to track

NASCAR returns to Rockingham Speedway next year with a truck race on April 15 (a Sunday) and one can almost hear long-time fans cheering the sports return to this track.

The 1.017-mile speedway held its first Cup race in 1965 (Curtis Turner won) and hosted two Cup races a year from 1966-2003. Its final Cup race was in Feb. 2004 (Matt Kenseth won). In between were many memorable moments from Benny Parsons claiming his only championship there in dramatic style to Richard Petty winning 11 times to Steve Park winning there in a Dale Earnhardt Inc. car a week after Earnhardt died in the 2001 Daytona 500.

For years, traditional fans cried about the loss of North Wilkesboro on the schedule (last Cup race 1996), the Southern 500 being moved off Labor Day weekend and Rockingham going off the schedule. Theres no doubt that losing those events were devastating to fans who didnt like the changes they were seeing.

For such fans, heres your chance to prove NASCAR was wrong to abandon Rockingham Speedway and to make a stand that NASCAR belongs at this track.

Its time to put up or shut up.

You know the date. You have time to plan. No, its not a Cup race but dont think for a moment that a Cup race will ever return to the track. It wont. Not with a Cup race at Darlington, three (including the all-star race) in Charlotte and two each in Richmond, Martinsville and Bristol and a race in Atlanta. Simply put, the Southeast is oversaturated with Cup events. Its a great thing for fans in the area because it gives you plenty of choices. Just dont expect the Rock to have a Cup date some day.

No, if you want to see a NASCAR race at the Rock, youll have to see the truck series. Yet, isnt that what some of you consider the best series among NASCARs top three divisions? Isnt that the series that represents what NASCAR once was?

So, youve got your track back on the schedule with the series some consider the best series in NASCAR.

Now, I understand this economy is not good and that may keep some people away. Thats understandable. Look at other tracks around the circuit. Many dont sell out.

But the fact is if youre one of the ones complaining about how Rockingham should have not been abandoned by NASCAR, heres your chance to buy a ticket and show up and prove that the series needs to remain there.

Otherwise, if the support lags and NASCAR takes the date away, dont say anything.

Now, its also on the track to provide fair prices for this event. Its not a Cup event so there shouldnt be Cup ticket prices.

Just to give you a sense of whats reasonable for a Truck race ticket, heres this:

At Chicagoland Speedway (trucks race Sept. 16), ticket prices range between $16.50-$40.

At New Hampshire Motor Speedway (trucks race Sept. 24) ticket prices range from $40-$50 (includes a modified race; also youth ages 12-16 get in for $5 and those 11 and under get in free with paying adult)

At Martinsville Speedway (trucks race Oct. 29), ticket prices are $30 with children 12 and under free.

So, there you go. Youve got your track, youve got NASCAR and youve got a date.

Now what are you going to do about it?

Put up or shut up?

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"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"
updated by @dave-fulton: 12/05/16 04:02:07PM

NASCAR announces 2012 truck race at Rockingham
By Bob PockrassWednesday, September 07,

NASCAR will return to Rockingham Speedway for the first time since 2004 with a Camping World Truck Series event April 15, 2012.

Track owner Andy Hillenburg already had announced he would add SAFER barriers to the facility, which was a requirement to get a NASCAR national touring series race.

It will be the first NASCAR race at the 1.017-mile track (formerly North Carolina Motor Speedway) under Hillenburg, who bought the track from Speedway Motorsports in 2007.

SMI had bought the facility from International Speedway Corp. in 2004 and moved its race to Texas as part of the settlement in an SMI shareholder lawsuit. The move left a track that had 78 Cup races dating back to 1965 with no races at all.

In 2007, we set a goal to return Rockingham Speedway to its roots, Hillenburg said in a news release. The introduction of the truck series to Rockingham Speedway is representative of years of hard work and the support of the county, city and state government officials, who understood the positive economic impact a NASCAR-sanctioned race could offer to the Piedmont region.

We are very excited about this news and know our supporters are just as proud to have Rockinghams national racing roots become a reality once again.

Good Sam Club, the arm of series sponsor Camping World that focuses on recreational vehicle owners, will be the title sponsor of the race while soft-drink company Cheerwine will be the presenting sponsor of the Good Sam Roadside Assistance 200.

We are thrilled about the return of NASCAR racing at Rockingham Speedway and we're even more excited to have a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event on the schedule for 2012," said Marcus Lemonis, chairman and CEO of Camping World & Good Sam.

The race will be part of a revamped truck schedule in 2012. Nashville Superspeedway, which had two races in 2011, wont have any in 2012. Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis also might not be on the schedule, which could also include other adjustments from 2011.

NASCAR is looking forward to returning to Rockingham Speedway with a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event in 2012, said Steve ODonnell, NASCAR Senior Vice President for Racing Operations. The fans and community have shown strong support and the track is making significant improvements to its facility. We appreciate all the hard work by Andy Hillenburg and his staff to get to this point. It should be a fun event.

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"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"

I agree Dave. My worry is that the tickets may not be affordable enough for the family. Also, if they do not advertise in the Charlotte or Raleigh markets, a lot of fans may not go. Hopefully, a sponsor could come up with a promotional plan to allow fans to get tickets for a good price. Kids should be considered also. Even making it all general admission may not be a bad idea. If they have an autograph session and special pit packages, it could go over big.

I really want to see the area again. I used to love going there, and the racing was always pretty good. Lots of memories!

NB, I'm with you. Made my first trip to the Rock on the Race train that ran from DC (got on in Richmond) in spring 1966. Back in the day, I could never understand why the track wasn't promoted in the Raleigh area, right up U.S. 1. When I flew into Raleigh from Dallas with 7-Eleven in mid 80s and stayed there, nobody knew anything about a Rockingham race. Back in the day they drew tremendously well from Richmond, Tidewater, Va. and Eastern NC. Let's hope some money is set aside to promote and advertise in appropriate markets, and as you point out, that ticket prices are family friendly. I'd like to take my grandsons. I'm afraid Rockingham was spoiled from the days when the late Frank Wilson sold the sponsorship rights for its Cup races to General Motors for next to nothing and gave them vast amounts of tickets to "wallpaper" the place. The crowds looked great, but those of us in the know knew they weren't paying customers. They literally gave the place away. Not only is that date "tax day", it'll also mark 3 years since I smoked.


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"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"

This is really great news and it really well deserved for Andy and all the work he has put in there. I love that track, second only to Darlington, but at least The Rock is operated by someone with the proper perspective in all areas of racing and a true regard for the fan. I will surely be there one way or the other!


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What a change! It's been awhile since I've checked in and I'm quite surprised. It may take me awhile to figure it our but first look it's really great.

I agree ... to a point. Truthfully - in today's NASCAR - the trucks frankly offer the best racing IMO. I hate the concept of trucks' racing, but those guys are probably closer to the door bangin', old school racing I enjoy. But again truthfully - what is the average attendance of a truck race? Not good I don't think. So we'll have to be careful and put The Rock's attendance in the right context. To Tim's point, one of Nashville's sins was setting the price point of tickets for its races too high IMO. They eventually came down a bit but not before it was too late. I know the diff between Cup and non-Cup, but Nashville tried to tell me I didn't. Hopefully Andy won't make the same mistake, and hopefully NASCAR will recognize that reality in what it demands from him for sanction fees and purse minimums.


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Schaefer: It's not just for racing anymore.

I have always considered Rockingham (North Carolina Motor Speedway) to be my home track. Between Busch and Winston Cup (I know but humor me) I have seen more races at the Rock than any other single track. I'm one of those fans that Mr. Long is talking about in his article above and I'll take his challenge but know this Mr Long, it is not because it is a NASCAR event. It is because it is "Racin' at the Rock" and it is because I'm supporting Andy Hillenburg. We did not leave the Rock, NASCAR did. I supported it while they were gone and I'll support it when they return and I will NOT shut up.

tickets are on sale now, here is the price for them

front stretch

row 10 - 20 sec.1 - 31 adults $30.00

row 8 - 9 sec. 1 - 31 adults $20.00

turn 1-2 & 4 $30.00

Also UARA Late Models and Kimmel Street Stocks on Sat. Gonna be a great weekend

PKL, Dustin is actually the motorsports writer for Landmark Communications (I met him his first week on the job and spent a day with him - very nice, sincere young man)and is carried in their three major dailies - The Norfolk Virginian-Pilot , Greensboro(NC) Daily Record , and the Roanoke(VA) Times . Dustin back in the 90s replaced the excellent Bob Zeller as writer for those 3 papers, which used to each have stand alone writers, including the absolutely outstanding Frank Vehorn, Steve Waid, and someothers, who included Bob Moore of Winston at one time. All three of those papers and parent Landmark was and are dedicated to providing outstanding motorsports writing. In my personal rankings, Landmark's Frank Vehorn, who wrote for both Greensboro and Norfolk would be listed as one of the top-5 all-time racing writers I have ever known.

As much as I want the Rockingham truck race to succeed and I plan to be there with my grandsons, I think folks really need to swallow a bitter pill of reality and I'm not so sure Dustin is far off the mark. This morning's Charlotte paper is quoting a $10 million economic impact for the race with the creation of 230 jobs and saving all sorts of local businesses with an attendance of 30,000. I just wish that were true. Even if 30,000 attend, the impact cannot compare to the old Cup weekends and I wish folks would stop writing some of the ridiculous speculations I have read in the past 24 hours. I have been in the business of promoting Truck races back when the series started and that in a metro area with a sellout Cup event and 62,000 at the Busch show. We drew from 18,000 - 30,000 at Richmond with terrific promotion and advertising and media campaign. It was wonderful racing, but a real "loss leader" when you consider what it cost to open and staff a major motorsports facility for that size crowd. Again, I want Rockingham to be successful, but a lot of the folks expecting miracles don't understand much about promoting races or crowds staying over, etc. Gas stations are not going to reopen and business suddenly flourish in the Sandhills (although I wish it would). I'm reprinting below the article from the Charlotte paper and That's Racin' that I think is just so full of misinformation and false hopes. It follows:

Rockingham abuzz about racing's return
By Ely Portillo - elyportillo@charlotteobserver.com
Wednesday, Sep. 07, 2011

Residents near the Rockingham Speedway are excited about the return of NASCAR racing, which several said they hope will help revive a languishing local economy.

"Richmond County needs this," said Mike Collins, 23. He works at the Quality Convenience Mart, the closest gas station down the two-lane road from the speedway. "It's just died out here."

Gov. Bev Perdue is expected to make the announcement this afternoon that a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race will take place at the track in April 2012, according to news reports. The track last saw NASCAR racing in 2004, when Speedway Motorsports Inc. bought the track and moved its last race to Texas.

The track was sold to former racer Andy Hillenberg in 2007. He reinstituted some non-NASCAR races, but the track hasn't been the same, local residents said.

"Really, I haven't had anybody come just for the races he's been having," said Bill Keller. He owns a campground abutting the track, which he bought from the former owners in 2005. "I'm just glad to see (NASCAR) for the economy in Rockingham. I haven't done a whole lot of business...Right now, I've only got two guys."

The new race is expected to generate about $4.2 million in local economic impact, city officials said, as well as 100 local jobs. Unemployment in the county was 13.3 percent in July, slightly higher than the same month a year ago.

Shirley Ellerbe, who's lived about three miles from the track for 25 years, said she hopes some of those jobs go to young people she knows.

"I know a bunch of young men about four or five miles from here who would work up there," she said. Ellerbe remembers bumper-to-bumper traffic blanketing the area every race week before 2004; she hasn't seen that many cars in Rockingham since.

Collins said the gas station he works at closed after the big races left the track and the former owners sold it several years ago. Another local family has since reopened the station, and Collins is hopeful for the area's future.

"We need something to make it boom," Collins said. "People have been buzzing about it."

The impacts big-league racing's departure have been tangible, Collins said: "You used to be able to rent your house to people on race weeks if you lived near here. Can't do that anymore."

He gestured to a stand of short trees, maybe ten feed tall, across the road.

"That was all campsites," he said. "Look at that - gives you a sense of the time. Those little oaks and all that weren't there," before the race left, Collins said.

Beyond the hoped-for economic results, Collins said the truck race will be a return to racing's roots.

"Racing's a southern thing," he said.- Observer news partner WCNC-TV contributed



Read more: http://www.thatsracin.com/2011/09/07/73434/rockingham-abuzz-about-r...

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"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"

Overshadowed by the Rockingham Truck race announcement was confirmation by Darlington officials the same day that NASCAR Trucks will NOT race at Darlington in 2012.

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"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"

One hand giveth....


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"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"

Bev Perdue - NC Governor at Rockingham

It was our dear (have to say that due to Rules of Engagement) NC Governor, Bev Perdue throwing out those whopping numbers at the Rockingham press conference. Here's the conference as covered by the Rockingham/Hamlet daily paper:

The Rock is back on track
by Shawn Stinson Richmond County Daily Journal

ROCKINGHAM With one quick statement, Gov. Bev Perdue announced the return of NASCAR to the Rockingham Speedway.

Come April 15, 2012, all of the memories will be rekindled, Perdue said. The stands will be packed and the trucks lined up.

Perdue made the announcement Wednesday in the middle of pit road as Rockingham Speedway owner Andy Hillenburg and other dignitaries looked on. The tracks first race back on a NASCAR schedule will be known as the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Good Sam Roadside Assistance 200.

Celebrate the day, when this historic track is open once again, Perdue said. This is a big day for race fans around the country they know the history of the track.

Not only does the race mark the first time NASCARs truck series has visited The Rock, but also the first time NASCAR has returned to a track it vacated.

Its a wonderful feeling and a big responsibility, Hillenburg said. I have a lot of friends in the sport and a lot in the stands. I feel responsible for each and every one of them to make sure they have a good time at the end of the day.

Hillenburg added he and NASCAR officials worked on making sure the date of NASCARs comeback at The Rock would work for everyone involved fans, drivers, owners and sponsors.

I have love, passion and respect for this sport, Hillenburg said. There arent many free weekends on the schedule. I wanted to make sure the Sprint Cup Series was racing west of the Mississippi.

The Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series are scheduled to be at the Texas Motor Speedway for Friday and Saturday night races, April 13 to 14. Hillenburg believes this will allow drivers from both series the opportunity to make their way from Fort Worth, Texas, to Rockingham.

I wish Eddie Gossage (president of the Texas Motor Speedway) great weather, Hillenburg said as a smile broke out on his face. Im hoping to get a couple of drivers from his Friday and Saturday night shows at our Sunday afternoon race.

While plans have not been finalized for the weekend, Hillenburg envisions having races on both days.

We will have the UARA and the Frank Kimmel Series run dual 75 lap races on Saturday, Hillenburg said. They have never raced during a NASCAR weekend before. And we will have a concert Saturday night.

Even though NASCAR racing has been absent from the track, teams have not. Teams have come to the Rockingham Speedway to test, as well as the smaller half-mile Little Rock track.

NASCAR rules prevent teams from testing at tracks on the NASCAR schedule, but Hillenburg said while the bigger track will be off limits to tests, beginning Jan. 1 the smaller track can still be utilized.

Getting the track ready for NASCAR

After purchasing the relatively dormant track and its 244 acres at auction in 2007, Hillenburg promised to return racing to The Rock.

After snagging dates on the ARCA series calendar and having the thunder return to the Rockingham Speedway, Hillenburg would be asked about bringing a NASCAR-sanctioned event back.

My first day in the office I set very high goals, Hillenburg said. I dont say them in public because if I trip and fall, I dont want someone to say Why did you try that.

The major obstacle the track faced was the lack of the NASCAR required SAFER barriers or soft walls. Hillenburg addressed this concern last month by announcing plans to install the SAFER barriers around the 1-mile track to be concluded by the beginning of next year.

When Hillenburg took over the day-to-day operations of the track, he planned on putting the SAFER barriers in place in segments rather than all at once.

The addition of the SAFER barriers is a large expense Hillenburg appeared to undertake without the guarantee of the race. However, while Hillenburg appeared to be footing the $1 million bill without a net, Perdue and other officials said the return of NASCAR to the track was a year in the making.

It was teamwork that was able to restore racing to Rockingham, Rockingham Mayor Gene McLaurin said. A year ago, we reached out to the state government.

Perdue added while she and other members of her team were active in the negotiations with NASCAR officials, no state money was used to assist Hillenburg or the track to install the SAFER barriers.

We supported them in other ways, said J. Keith Crisco, the states secretary of commerce. No direct money was used in this venture.

Perdue and Richmond County Commissioner Kenneth Robinette stressed the money the truck race would generate for the county.

According to Perdue, the track is expected to add 230 jobs next year and generate $10.5 million in revenue.

NASCAR has a $6 billion economic impact in this state, Perdue said. It has created 25,000 jobs in the state.

Reaction to NASCARs return

Congressman Larry Kissel (N.C.-08) released a statement during the announcement to send his congratulations to Hillenburg and local leaders.

Im so happy to see NASCAR make its return to The Rock, said Kissel in the release. The motorsports industry has continued to serve as an economic engine for our state, bringing in jobs and people from all over the world to watch our drivers compete, while spending money locally. I look forward to Aprils truck race and hopefully many more to come.

I congratulate the local leaders who have worked so hard to make this happen, and Andy and the entire Hillenburg family on their continued dedication to bringing NASCAR back to Rockingham Speedway and Richmond County.

Camping World and Good Sam Club chairman and CEO Marcus Lemonis is happy to be included in a piece of NASCAR history.

We are honored to be a part of it, Lemonis said. I look forward to seeing the 30,000 seats filled.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Director Wayne Auton added it is exciting to have the trucks speed around The Rock for the first time.

Its a tough race track and we have tough drivers, Auton said. We are honored to be back and to be the first NASCAR series back at The Rock.

Contact Sports editor Shawn Stinson at 997-3111, ext. 14 or sstinson@heartlandpublications.com

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"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"