IRL at the Rock?

I found this article on a NASCAR rumor website (jayski.com). I can't see the prima donnas from the Indy Car series going for a race in Rockingham. I do hope that this keeps the Rock on NASCAR's radar so that someday a Cup race will return there at the expense of a race at Pocono, Dover, or New Hampshire.

IRL at the Rock? Sources inside the IndyCar Series are saying that the series is considering staging an event at the North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham. The track known as the ‘Rock’ was a staple on the NASCAR circuit for almost 40 years. The last Nextel Cup race was staged there in 2004. North Carolina Motor Speedway was built in 1965 as a flat oval. The track was rebuilt in 1969 into the current banked oval. In 1997, NCMS merged with Penske Motorsports, and was renamed North Carolina Speedway. Penske subsequently sold his speedway operations to International Speedway Corporation, the parent company of NASCAR. One of the Cup races at Rockingham was transferred to the new California Speedway in 2004. Shortly after a lawsuit (the "Ferko" Lawsuit) involving NASCAR, ISC, and shareholders in Speedway Motorsports was filed. As a part of the settlement, the second and last Cup date at Rockingham was transferred to Texas Motor Speedway. SMI purchased Rockingham, and agreed that there would be no NASCAR events there while the track was owned by SMI. The ovals are currently being used by NASCAR teams for testing. According to the source, the 17 event IndyCar Series, which currently races on seven tracks used for the Nextel Cup Series and three tracks that stage Busch Series races, is interested in the location of the Speedway in relation to the NASCAR fan base. The IndyCar Series currently shares an event weekend with the Craftsman Truck Series at Texas Motor Speedway and according to the source, officials have been pleased with the event there and might be interested in the same type of weekend at Rockingham.(CupScene.com)(6-12-2007)

 

interesting. its a damn shame they dont go there at least once a year. yeah, take a date from pocono,or the death track new hampshire. Dovers alright. california cant even sell out one date much less two.

 

Speedway Motorsports decides to put Rockingham facility on the auction block

03:18 PM EDT on Thursday, June 21, 2007

By DAVID POOLE / The Charlotte Observer

Speedway Motorsports Inc. plans to sell North Carolina Motor Speedway in Rockingham at auction, according to the Richmond County Daily Journal.

That newspaper reported today that Lowe’s Motor Speedway president and general manager H.A. “Humpy:” Wheeler sent a letter to Rockingham mayor Gene McLaurin last week informing him of the decision.

“I wanted to make you aware ahead of time that our company has made the decision to sell North Carolina Motor Speedway via an auction,” Wheeler wrote in the letter dated June 13.

The track was built in 1965. SMI purchased it in 2004 and moved its remaining Nextel Cup race date to Texas Motor Speedway.

“We regret we have to make this decision but we really have no other choice,” Wheeler’s letter said. “We have been unable to sell it and track rentals are simply not enough to keep the facility running.”

The track has been used as a testing facility and for other special events and movies since it lost its last Cup race.

McLaurin said he hopes whoever buys the track won’t tear down the race track. Jerry Gappens, a spokesman for SMI, said despite recent rumors to the contrary, no one has contacted SMI about using the track for any other type or racing.

Wheeler’s letter said that possibility has been explored.

“As I have stated in the past, we think it is unpractical for us to attempt other types of races there such as Busch or Craftsman Trucks,” Wheeler wrote. “We believe they too, as stand alone events, will be significantly unprofitable.”

 

If you could somehow pair an Indy race with a Busch race, it might work at the Rock. Otherwise Humpy is right, you're not going to make money with a race there in any series other than Nextel Cup.