Rockingham Speedway is officially on the market, track president Kenny Nowling announced Saturday night on the track’s Facebook page. That’s the bombshell, folks, and it means the 0.94-mile oval in North Carolina, a historic spot in racing, won’t be on the NASCAR schedule for 2027. We just saw “The Rock” make a comeback in 2025 after a twelve-year absence, and now this? What a gut punch for fans who were hoping for a real return to glory.
The Price Tag and The Ownership Puzzle
So, how much does a piece of NASCAR history go for? Ten million dollars, plain and simple. Nowling was super clear about the asking price for “The Rock.” He even said an offer for “a nickel less” than $10 million will be accepted, which is a wild detail if you ask me. He also laid out that any potential buyer needs to be vetted, and a proper due diligence process has to be completed before any offer gets the green light. Nowling previously stressed that while Darryl Cuttell, who owns the track via Rockingham Speedway Investments LLC and Cuttell Motorsports LLC, also owns IHRA, those two things are totally separate. “What is currently being sorted out with the IHRA has nothing to do with the future of Rockingham Speedway,” Nowling wrote, confirming his gratitude for Cuttell giving him the shot to bring the legendary facility back. It sounds like there’s a lot more going on behind the scenes than just a simple sale.
Remembering The Rock’s Brief Return
It feels like just yesterday we were celebrating NASCAR’s return to Rockingham in April 2025. What a weekend that was for the Craftsman Truck Series, the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, and the ARCA Menards Series, all running while the Cup Series was on Easter break. Tyler Ankrum took home the win in the Craftsman Truck Series that year. And who could forget the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race where Sammy Smith was awarded the victory after Jesse Love’s No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet failed post-race inspection? That’s racing drama right there! Then, last April, Corey Heim absolutely dominated the Craftsman Truck Series, leading an insane 178 of 200 laps for the win. William Sawalich also grabbed his first career O’Reilly Auto Parts Series win there the very next day. Plus, internet sensation Cleetus McFarland made his O’Reilly Auto Parts Series debut piloting the No. 33 RCR Chevrolet and even finished fifth in the ARCA Menards Series race. Talk about a whirlwind of action for a track that was supposed to be back on the rise.
Now, with Rockingham Speedway officially up for grabs and off the 2027 schedule, the big question looms: who steps up with $10 million to save this iconic track? Nowling said they are “wide open throttle building towards the future,” but without a spot on the calendar and with the sale underway, it feels like that future is hanging by a thread. Will a new owner emerge to keep the legacy alive, or is this the final checkered flag for “The Rock’s” NASCAR comeback? We’ll all be watching closely to see what happens next.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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