THE ROCK STILL ROLLING IN ITS SIXTH DECADE OF OPERATION
North Carolina Track Among Nation’s Most Active and Most Diverse
Rockingham Dragway, which fronts U.S. Highway 1 just north of the city of Rockingham, is in its sixth decade of operation as an upper echelon American drag racing facility, one that for all but three years since its construction has hosted at least one major event under the san
ction of either the now defunct American Hot Rod Association (1969-1970), the International Hot Rod Association (1971-1988 and 1999-2014) or the National Hot Rod Association (1989-1998 and 2014 to the present). Dewitt as a companion to the NASCAR oval track that occupied real estate across the highway, Rockingham Dragway today is one of the busiest dragstrips in the country. Thirty years before the construction of the current wave of “supertracks,” Rockingham Dragway set the standard by which most facilities still are measured today. Not only was it one of the world’s first purpose-built dragstrips, it also was one of the first to feature paved pits, permanent restroom facilities, permanent concrete grandstands and VIP amenities including corporate suites with an unobstructed view down the track. Known for its diverse schedule, The Rock hosts jointly produced NMRA/NMCA (National Mustang Racing Association/National Muscle Car Association) All-Star Nationals, featuring some of the nation’s quickest and fastest Pro Mods and factory street cars, as well as to the Discovery Channel’s Street Outlaws: No Prep Kings and Donk Racing, featuring competition between big wheel classic cars. Also on the jam packed schedule are a trio of Dig or Die no prep racing events part of a grass roots renaissance in the sport. Among the track’s anchor events are the Civil Wars legacy race with Duck X Productions Battle of the Thrones, AMRA Jim McClure Memorial All-Harley Nitro Finals, the Mopars at the Rock all-Chrysler expo, the Big John Memorial Weekend Bracket Championships, the Super Chevy Show series, the Modern Street Hemi Shootout Series, the Import Faceoff series, the NHRA Weekend Doubleheader featuring a Lucas Oil Series division race and an NHRA National Open event, NEW NHRA RECORDS EVENT and the Thanksgiving weekend Holiday Jr. Jam devoted to the sport’s next generation of stars.
