NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C.: NASCAR’s return to North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway for this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series All-Star race is a home run – and the race hasn’t even been run yet.
The track opened its doors to teams and fans on Friday afternoon to officially kick off an afternoon of practice at the historic short track for the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series and NASCAR Cup Series with the atmosphere electric and not a frown face to be found.
The positivity of bringing a track back to NASCAR life after 27 years has been astonishing, however, it also begins conversations with questions buzzing – where else can NASCAR be revived?
Rockingham Speedway, an once staple in the Cup Series schedule for decades is often another track that the industry and fans alike often wonder if the magic of the North Wilkesboro transition can be done again in the North Carolina Sandhills.
2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion Chase Elliott would support returning to the rural race track, roughly 30 miles south of Pinehurst.
“I’d be for it,” said Elliott during his media availability Friday afternoon at North Wilkesboro Speedway. “I thought Rockingham was a great race track. I had a chance to race there a few times. I ran a Truck there I think once and a couple (ARCA) K&N races. I ran a late model race there once, as well.
“I thought Rockingham was a great race track. I loved racing there. Especially at the time, I was just getting going and it was the biggest place I had been to, so I thought that was pretty cool then.”
Elliott remembers the 1.0-mile track offering plenty of room to race and drivers using its multiple grooves to make their move on an abrasive surface that often led races to varying tire strategies and comers and goers.
“It was a great track; a really wide track,” recalled Elliott. “Guys ran all over that race track, at least when we were running there. I don’t know what the surface looks like now, but yeah I think that would be another great fit.”
NASCAR made a brief return to Rockingham Speedway in 2012 and 2013 with the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series but attendance suffered in 2013 and the track was eliminated from the schedule the following season.
Elliott made note that in order to bring iconic race tracks like North Wilkesboro and Rockingham back to life – it takes more than just an influx of money, it also takes the race fans and the community alike getting behind the races and supporting them.
“Ultimately, you have to ask yourself – why did these places shutdown in the first place? Well, it was because people quit supporting them, but now it’s cool to bring it back,” explained Elliott.
“So, it’s like which one do you want to do.. do you want it or not? And I think we all have to ask ourselves that and the people that support racing need to ask themselves that, too. If we don’t support this stuff, then it’s going to go away. It’s just how it works.”
The Hendrick Motorsports driver understand that in order for Rockingham to host Cup cars for the first time since 2004 – it will take people above him to revive, but he would fully support a revival at the track dubbed “The Rock.”
“I’d love to see it revived,” sounded Elliott. “I know there has been a lot of state funding that North Carolina has allocated to the race tracks and things, and I certainly think Rockingham could be a good place to get in the works, too. But that’s way above me.”
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01 or email [email protected].
