Truckin’ Thursdays: Inside NASCAR’s Return to The Rock
It’s finally here!
That’s right, NASCAR’s much-anticipated return to Rockingham Speedway is upon us, and it’s sure to prove an exciting weekend at the one-mile track nestled in the Sandhills of North Carolina. And if that’s not enough, track owner Andy Hillenburg has done everything he can to make the weekend’s festivities fan friendly. From opening the drivers’ meeting (which I’m actually against) to an autograph session before the green flag flies and everything in between, there’s sure to be something for everyone.
But just a few years ago, this race wasn’t even a remote possibility. From the inaugural Cup Series race in 1965 won by Curtis Turner, The Rock hosted NASCAR through the 2004 season before it was dropped off of the schedule just five years after International Speedway Corp (ISC) purchased the track. Then, thanks to an anti-trust lawsuit brought on by Speedway Motorsports, Inc. (SMI) shareholder Francis Ferko, ownership of the track once again changed hands.