The Richmond County (North Carolina) Board of Directors is making it a priority to get NASCAR back at Rockingham Speedway.
Opened in 1964, The Rock is one of the most iconic tracks in history, hosting 42 Cup Series races on its high-banked 1.0170-mile surface until 2004 when the height of NASCAR expansion ended its tenure on the schedule.
Much like North Wilkesboro Speedway to its northwest, Rockingham may have received a lifeline in how the state chose to spend its portion of the federal American Rescue Plan distributed in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
North Wilkesboro reopened with the NASCAR All-Star Race last season and will retain that slot on the 2024 schedule after announcing a repave of its aged surface. Rockingham Speedway was granted just short of $10 million and now the board of directors is deliberating how to spend it.
The goal, the board agreed during a meeting on Tuesday, is getting NASCAR back to one of its most legendary homes.
The track was repaved this past season, part of a $3 million request pulled from that $10 million fund, followed by a second request of just over a million this past October for additional facility improvements.
A third and final request has been made for $4.99 million for 17 different areas of improvement at the facility pending approval from the Board of Commissioners. Part of that request is earmarked for the half-mile short track located on the property, called the Little Rock.
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A handful of board members pushed back on the notion that the short track warranted any spending as it did not enhance the chances of luring NASCAR back.
“We’re just the conduit,” said county finance director Gary Garner. “All we can do is ask and then funnel, appropriate everything as they’ve appropriated to us on a reimbursement basis of course.”
Newly appointed Vice Chairman Dr. Rick Watkins suggested retaining $1.2 million for the half-mile but only permitting it to be spent after approved spending on the big track was completed.
Commissioner Andy Grooms was adamant that NASCAR is the priority.
“My biggest thing…is for that track (is) I want it to go the big track,” Grooms said. “I don’ t want anything that comes through this board…necessarily saying that we agree that [Commerce] can look at this and spend it how you want. I want what we vote on…to go to that track and bring back NASCAR.”
Legally, the board of commissioners do not have the authority to dictate how the Department of Commerce earmarks the money for the track owners but the group can make requests.
“I think this board would agree that our number one goal here is to get NASCAR back in Rockingham,” Watkins said.
Chairman Jeff Smart echoed that sentiment.
“The obvious goal… [is] getting NASCAR back,” Smart said. “Not only for financial reasons, but for quality of life. Bring it back. Let’s bring racing back to The Rock. That’s what we are doing this for.”
The Rock is currently owned by Raleigh-based land developer Dan Lovenheim. The property has courted numerous festivals and concerts, hosting The Epicenter festival in 2019.
Matt Weaver is a Motorsports Insider for Sportsnaut. Follow him on Twitter.