Last year I was fortunate to be among those present at Rockingham Speedway as NASCAR returned for the first time since 2004. It was my also my first trip to the legendary track and my expectations were high. I was not disappointed.
After the completion of last year’s race, track owner Andy Hillenburg took a few moments to reflect on the weekend.
“I feel like we did the best that we could based on the knowledge that we had. But I feel confident in saying that if I get a second chance from NASCAR, I can do even better.”
That second chance comes on April 14th with the running of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at The Rock presented by Cheerwine.
As promised, Hillenburg plans to make this season’s race as memorable as the first. To that end, we will see the return of some popular activities and events plus a few new twists.
Hillenburg has partnered with the USO (United Service Organization) of North Carolina to bring back ‘Send a Soldier to The Rock.’ Through this program, fans can purchase tickets to the race. These tickets will be distributed by the USO to servicemen and women and their families. Rockingham Speedway will donate a portion of these ticket sales back to the USO of North Carolina.
The program is important to Andy for obvious reasons.
“The nation’s servicemen and women do so much for our country. This year with getting the USO involved I think we can do even better. Everyone in our country owes a debt to our servicemen and women. It may not be a race ticket but it’s something small and fun and a way to get involved. It’s a pleasure and a privilege.”
Friday features the Thunderfest celebration in downtown Rockingham. Activities begin at 11:00 a.m. and end at 10:00 p.m. There will be something for everyone with a free kids zone, caricature drawings, mechanical bull rides, a beer garden, entertainment and more. The highlight of the evening will undoubtedly be the Hauler Parade at 6pm.
The on track action will feature the Frank Kimmel Street Stock Nationals (FKSSN) practice and qualifying and United Auto Racing Association-Stars Late Model Series (UARA) practice.
Saturday includes back-to-back racing action. The UARA Late Model event begins at 2:00 p.m. The Frank Kimmel Street Stock drivers are up next with an approximate start time of 4:45 p.m. The NCWTS drivers will run practice sessions on Saturday too.
After the races, fans can relax and enjoy a concert under the stars. The Chris Lane Band will take the stage at 6:00 p.m. followed by Ty Brown. The Hoss Howard Band will close out the night and will be back on Sunday to sing the national anthem before the NCWTS race.
Sunday will showcase some of the best racing in NASCAR.
“The thing about Rockingham is that it’s a racetrack that you can pass on,” Andy explains. “They proved it once again last year. You can pass and you can race on Rockingham Speedway. That’s one of the things that we’re very proud of.”
Qualifying is scheduled to begin at 11:05 Sunday morning. The NCWTS drivers will kick it into high gear at 2:00 p.m. for 200 laps at ‘The Rock.’
In closing, I asked Andy, ‘what makes Rockingham Speedway so memorable?
“A race at Rockingham is history,” he answered, “Rockingham is old school racing and there’s a camaraderie between the competitors and the fans. There’s nothing fancy about Rockingham but it’s the feel that you get whenever you walk on the grounds.”
Please visit http://rockinghamspeedway.com/home.html to purchase tickets online or call 910-205-8800. If you’re lucky, you may even get to speak with Andy Hillenburg who recently posted the following on twitter.
“Busy day at the Rock. Getting ready for April 12-14 weekend. If I took your ticket order today, sorry that I am slow. Lol, I talk racing.”
