Remember the days when the Sprint Cup Series would pull into Rockingham, NC ready to put on a show?
The track where Matt Kenseth inched out Kasey Kahne at the line in 2004? Where drivers would wheel their cars over the extremely bumpy surface, inches apart from each other? Remember the days when fans flocked from miles and miles away to see a race at a historic track?
Rockingham hosted its first Sprint Cup race in 1965 and, until 2004, hosted some of the best racing in NASCAR's history, only to be plagued by low attendance and a loss of their fall date, the fan favorite.
The spring race remained, but it fell during a time of year when weather was often poor and unpredictable, making attendance lower and lower until the date was given to the Auto Club Speedway in sunny southern California.
The Rockingham Speedway has been dormant since losing its date (except for Sprint Cup testing, ARCA/Remax Series races, and movie and commercial shoots.)
Now, NASCAR fans are beginning to speak up and voice their opinions about wanting the historic racetrack back on the circuit.
The question is: Why isn't NASCAR answering the wants of the fan base by returning a date to the track?
Surely the Auto Club Speedway, with its reputation of less-than-stellar races and a track record of not selling out, could be eliminated. The last race there only fetched a crowd only two-thirds of the track's capacity.
Now here is a proposal for you: Give Rockingham its date in the fall back. Its racing would be just the thing the new Chase format needs. Move Atlanta to the second race of the season which would be a great race to follow up the Daytona 500, and demote California back to a single race venue.
5 comments Last one added 10 months ago — Leave a Comment
Mary Jo Buchanan 10 months ago
Tom, five star read. And totally agree with you. The Auto Club Speedway lends itself to snooze fests. They don't need two races. BRING BACK THE ROCK, BRING BACK THE ROCK!
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Tom Giannini 10 months ago
Thank you, I join in your chants. BRING BACK THE ROCK! BRING BACK THE ROCK!
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David Yeazell 10 months ago
Nice article Tom. Some very valid points. Be careful of Mary Jo's pom pom's, she gets a little wild when cheering like that. David
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dave m 10 months ago
It's really simple, actually. California is an ISC track (ie - owned by NASCAR), and NASCAR doesn't give a hoot about what the fans think. The France family is only interested in one thing - MONEY! A quick review of the SEC filings for ISC (and the 30 or so other businesses owned by the France's) for the period just before and after California got the second race would point this out. Millions of dollars worth of stock was transfered around and around, boosting the value of ISC's stock so that when the announcement was made, they profited handsomely. Oh..and just who now owns all the collectible merchandizing (what used to be Action and Team Caliber)?
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MELVIN TITSHAW 10 months ago
Make the Rockingham race like the "Old Nascar". Run what you Brung sort of racing, like the Fireball
Roberts, Joe Weatherly Marvin Panch, Jr. Johnson. If you cant buy it off of the shelf with a V8, you cant run it. That would make stock car racing stock car racing and bring back the real Nascar fans.
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