The 2004 Subway 400 was a NASCAR Nextel Cup Series race held on February 22, 2004, at North Carolina Speedway in Richmond County , North Carolina . The race was the second of the 2004 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series season.
61-442: Rockingham Speedway , formerly North Carolina Motor Speedway and later North Carolina Speedway is a racetrack located near Rockingham, North Carolina . It is also known as The Rock and hosts NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races. It previously hosted NASCAR Cup Series , ARCA Menards Series , CARS Tour , and UARA-Stars races. The track opened as a flat, one-mile oval on October 31, 1965. In 1969,
122-501: A boom in testing at the track, and many teams used the track for testing the new cars when it was announced the car would be used in 2007. In the runup to the COT's debut, Michael Waltrip Racing , Gillett Evernham Motorsports , Yates Racing , and Roush Fenway Racing tested their COTs at the track. Elliott Sadler was asked about testing the Car of Tomorrow at Phoenix International Raceway
183-445: A group of backers. The duo also sold shares to the locals for $ 1 per share, and at one time had about 1,000 shareholders. The speedway was built as a one-mile oval with flat turns. North Carolina Motor Speedway opened on October 31, 1965, holding its first race on the same day. The American 500 was a 500-lap, 500-mile NASCAR Grand National Series race won by Curtis Turner at an average speed of 101.942 miles per hour. Turner dominated
244-512: A sand trap and not a wall. I can now give parents a straight-up answer as to where their kids stack up." Jimmie Johnson was part of the opening group of drivers to test at "Little Rock," and blew a tire. He jokingly said he nearly ran into his own transporter because of the track's design that lacked the concrete wall for safety. The track also has an integrated quarter-mile oval for the Bandoleros and Legends cars. The speedway has become
305-411: A speed of 146.859 mph (236.347 km/h), a 9.616 mph (15.475 km/h) differential. Hillenburg, who ran just six laps in the two practice sessions prior to the race, expressed interest in running the full race, stating, "I don't want to look like we're trying to capitalize on anything, but this is our window of opportunity. We're not here to go two laps and try to get a check. We're here to do
366-468: A venue for active filming for movies, television programs, and television commercials, often with its venues being used for various facilities. Notable films include: When it was part of the NASCAR Winston Cup circuit, it also was a filming location for: It was also used as venue for the truck pull event during World's Strongest Man 2011. Rockingham, North Carolina Rockingham
427-547: Is a city in Richmond County, North Carolina , United States, named after the Marquess of Rockingham . The population was 9,243 at the 2020 census . It is the county seat of Richmond County. Downtown Rockingham is currently being revitalized as a part of a ten-year plan named "Shaping Our Future: 2023". The city is currently experiencing an economic boom, with new businesses opening in the downtown area. The city
488-406: Is considered by the census as the urbanized area for Rockingham and Richmond County. The Rockingham area is divided into various neighborhoods and suburbs; many include different socioeconomic classes. These include Cordova , Philadelphia, Ledbetter, Roberdell , East Rockingham , West Rockingham, Glenwood, Maplewood, East Side Park, and Knob Hill. As of the 2018 estimates, the area is a part of
549-652: Is land and 0.01 square miles (0.026 km ) (0.13%) is water. Rockingham's unincorporated suburbs within Richmond County that reside just outside the Rockingham-Hamlet statistical area: Cordova , East Rockingham , Dobbins Heights , Hoffman . The Midtown business district is densely populated with stores, boutiques, clothing stores and several apartment complexes just outside the area. While not as urban as many cities in North Carolina, it
610-415: Is more abrasive than other tracks, due to the high sand content of paving compounds made from local materials. This abrasiveness contributes to excessive tire wear. In 2005, Kyle Petty tested his Darlington car at Rockingham days before its race to not waste one of his five assigned tests. In 2006, new rules banned all testing at active Sprint Cup tracks except at selected NASCAR-approved open tests during
671-462: Is planned to be completed in downtown Rockingham, to offer post-graduate education to Rockingham. The building will be three stories tall, and is scheduled to be open for the 2020 fall semester. The school will offer programs including Accounting Specialist, IT Support — Healthcare, Healthcare Manager, Government Support Specialist, Cyber Security, Software and Web Developer, and Mobile Application Developer. The school will also provide classroom space for
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#1732787086905732-490: Is running well with that COT car and getting our downforce cars to handle good." Testing at Rockingham has become a premium because of NASCAR's rules limiting testing imposed since 2006 to the NASCAR-sanctioned open tests. NASCAR rules prior to 2015 stated testing at tracks not on the series in question is not controlled by the sanctioning body, and many teams evade the testing ban at such tests, which also include
793-492: Is situated in the south-central North Carolina Piedmont. It is located 61 miles (98 km) west of Lumberton , 61 miles (98 km) north of Florence , 70 miles (110 km) east of Charlotte , and 83 miles (134 km) south of Greensboro . According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 7.65 square miles (19.8 km ), of which 7.64 square miles (19.8 km )
854-529: The TUMS QuikPak 500 at Martinsville Speedway that ensuing weekend, as "Little Rock" is designed similar to Martinsville, yet the lap length is the same, with 800' straights, 588' turns, and the inside lanes of the turns are concrete. Unlike the 1.017 mi (1.637 km) oval, which was restricted from NASCAR testing use in 2012 and 2013, NASCAR testing remain unrestricted on the Little Rock during
915-529: The pole position , while Matt Kenseth of Roush Racing won the race. The race was the final Cup race at the track due to poor attendance, as the race date was later given to Phoenix International Raceway ; only 50,000 were in attendance at the 60,113 facility. The other Cup race at the track, the Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400 , had been replaced by California Speedway after 2003. Ryan Newman, 2003 's pole leader with 11, won
976-459: The 2007 NASCAR Jackson Hewitt Preseason Thunder press conference, "Pat (Tryson, crew chief, who was subsequently released and joined Penske Racing) and I are going to Rockingham (January 18) with a COT to try to learn some things about them, bump stops and all of the things that are new on them, you know, because we are going to race them at Darlington. But those are going to be keys to making the Chase
1037-530: The 60,000 capacity. The track indeed hosted its final race, the Subway 400 , on February 22, 2004. In that last race, Matt Kenseth held off rookie Kasey Kahne on the last lap to win by only 0.010 seconds. This finish was one of the closest in NASCAR history, and is viewed by many fans as one of the best finishes that season. It is also known for a wild crash early in the race in which Carl Long flipped wildly down
1098-725: The Carolina Rebellion rock festival. The city is the home of Rockingham Speedway , formerly the North Carolina Speedway. It was a staple of the NASCAR schedule for nearly 40 years before the race was discontinued in 2004. Rockingham operated its own school system until 1968, when it was absorbed by the Richmond County School System. The Leon Levine School of Business and Information Technology, part of Richmond Community College,
1159-549: The Greenville-Pickens Speedway and Concord Motorsports Park (short tracks), and the Kentucky Speedway (NASCAR Cup Series tests only until 2011). Testing at Rockingham is restricted to series that do not run at the circuit (NASCAR mostly), while restrictions to ARCA and CARS-sanctioned open testing apply in those two series because Rockingham is on both series' schedules in 2008. For NASCAR teams,
1220-540: The Hamlet-Rockingham micropolitan statistical area and has a population of 22,579. The area will eventually be served by I-73/I-74, which will go west of the city. The area has many hotels, in part because beach traffic comes through this city. As of the 2020 United States census , there were 9,243 people, 3,602 households, and 2,211 families residing in the city. As of the 2010 census , there were 9,553 people, 3,966 households, and 2,573 families residing in
1281-579: The Rock 125, was cancelled due to a tire shortage by Hoosier. On November 18, 2021, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper signed the 2021-2022 North Carolina state budget, which allocated $ 40 million of tax payer money for three race tracks: Charlotte Motor Speedway, North Wilkesboro Speedway, and Rockingham Speedway. The plans of use of the funds according to Rockingham Speedway and Entertainment Complex's vice president of operations Justin Jones, “We intend on repaving
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#17327870869051342-466: The Year contender. After one lap was completed, Joe Ruttman, who started 40th and did not make any attempts to practice, was ordered to park by NASCAR for not having a pit crew and collected $ 54,196. NASCAR eventually admonished Phoenix Racing owner James Finch for the incident. Kirk Shelmerdine was lapped after eight minutes and finished 42nd after not reaching the minimum speeds mandated by NASCAR, and
1403-416: The aforementioned years. The half-mile oval is unique in that instead of a traditional guardrail around the outside of the track, it uses gravel traps similar to road courses. Hillenburg said this is for economical reasons, as a car sliding into a sand trap will not damage a car as much as hitting a wall. Hillenburg noted, "We've designed a track that can measure one's skill level and they can slide off into
1464-406: The average family size was 2.92. In the city, 25.8% of the population was under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 17.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.6 males. The median income for a household in the city was $ 26,574, and
1525-507: The backstretch. In the wake of the Ferko lawsuit (in which a shareholder sued NASCAR, alleging a failed promise to schedule a race to a competing track), and the poor attendance, the track's state of affairs was sharply altered. In the settlement, ISC sold Rockingham Speedway to Speedway Motorsports (SMI), and the track's lone remaining race was "transferred" to Texas Motor Speedway . Some NASCAR fans saw things differently, however, because it
1586-542: The beach. Additionally 40+ local grassroots and Pro-Am drifters compete during the annual grassroots series. MB Drift completed 10 event dates in 2021, 8 in 2022, and have 6 scheduled for the 2023 season at Rockingham. Stock car racing was planned to return to Rockingham in 2021, with the CARS Solid Rock Carriers Tour planned to race on November 6. The race, dubbed the LeithCars.com Presents Race
1647-501: The best racing we've had in a while. We're just starting to learn how to get our cars better with the short spoilers. Nobody really wants to change, but how can you complain or argue with NASCAR? They've done such a good job the past 10 years of growing our sport and making it more fan friendly and appealing to TV and things like that. If they think this is going to help our sport grow, we've got to get in there whether we think it's right or wrong and do it with them. Greg Biffle said during
1708-3850: The best we can." After the race, rumors arose whether NASCAR had requested the field-fillers to appear and complete the 43-car field with the reward of money, possibly to satisfy television contracts, NASCAR vice president Jim Hunter denied the allegations. 1. Ryan Newman No.12 ALLTEL Dodge Penske Racing 156.475mph 2. Jamie McMurray No.42 Texaco Havoline Dodge Chip Ganassi Racing 155.379mph 3. Kasey Kahne* No.9 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge Evernham Motorsports 154.814mph 4. Rusty Wallace No.2 Miller Lite Dodge Penske Racing 154.644mph 5. Jeff Gordon No.24 Dupont Chevrolet Hendrick Motorsports 154.318mph 6. Jeremy Mayfield No.19 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge Evernham Motorsports 154.195mph 7. Dale Earnhardt Jr. No.8 Budweiser Chevrolet Dale Earnhardt Incorporated 154.149mph 8. Jeff Green No.43 STP/Cheerios Dodge Petty Enterprises 154.117mph 9. Dale Jarrett No.88 UPS Ford Robert Yates Racing 154.078mph 10. Greg Biffle No.16 Subway/National Guard Ford Roush Racing 154.026mph 11. Bobby Labonte No.18 Interstate Batteries Chevrolet Joe Gibbs Racing 154.020mph 12. Joe Nemechek No.01 US Army Chevrolet MB2 Motorsports 153.987mph 13. Casey Mears No.41 Target Dodge Chip Ganassi Racing 153.942mph 14. Sterling Marlin No.40 Coors Light Dodge Chip Ganassi Racing 153.942mph 15. Brendan Gaughan* No.77 Kodak/Jasper Engines Dodge Penske/Jasper Racing 153.748mph 16. Ward Burton No. 0 Netzero HiSpeed Chevrolet Haas CNC Racing 153,690mph 17. Ricky Craven No.32 Tide Chevrolet PPI Motorsports 153.619mph 18. Ken Schrader No.49 Schwan's Home Service Dodge BAM Racing 153.413mph 19. Scott Riggs* No.10 Valvoline Chevrolet MBV Motorsports 153.297mph 20. Brian Vickers* No.25 GMAC Financial Services Chevrolet Hendrick Motorsports 153.169mph 21. Mark Martin No. 6 Viagra Ford Roush Racing 153.015mph 22. Ricky Rudd No.21 Motorcraft Ford Wood Brothers Racing 152.984mph 23. Matt Kenseth No.17 DeWalt Ford Roush Racing 152.945mph 24. Tony Stewart No.20 Home Depot Chevrolet Joe Gibbs Racing 152.875mph 25. Elliott Sadler No.38 M&M's Ford Robert Yates Racing 152.798mph 26. Kevin Lepage No.4 YokeTV.com Chevrolet Morgan-McClure Racing 152.792mph 27. Kurt Busch No.97 Sharpie Ford Roush Racing 152.633mph 28. Jeff Burton No.99 SKF Ford Roush Racing 152.486mph 29. Jimmie Johnson No.48 Lowe's Chevrolet Hendrick Motorsports 152.480mph 30. Kyle Petty No.45 Georgia Pacific Dodge Petty Enterprises 152.353mph 31. Scott Wimmer* No.22 Caterpillar Dodge Bill Davis Racing 152.290mph 32. Kevin Harvick No.29 GM Goodwrench Chevrolet Richard Childress Racing 152.220mph 33. Michael Waltrip No.15 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet Dale Earnhardt Incorporated 152.119mph 34. Robby Gordon No.31 Cingular Wireless Chevrolet Richard Childress Racing 152.024mph 35. Terry Labonte No.5 Kellogg's Chevrolet Hendrick Motorsports 151.722mph 36. Johnny Sauter* No. 30 America Online Chevrolet Richard Childress Racing 151.283mph 37. Derrike Cope No.50 Arnold Development Companies Dodge Derrike Cope 151.283mph 38. Larry Foyt No.14 AJ Foyt Racing Dodge AJ Foyt Racing 151.221mph 39. John Andretti No.1 Snap-On/Nilla Chevrolet Dale Earnhardt Incorporated 150.481mph (provisional) 40. Joe Ruttman No.09 Phoenix Racing Dodge Phoenix Racing 145.142mph (provisional) 41. Kirk Shelmerdine No.172 Tucson Ford Kirk Shelmerdine 145.661mph 42. Carl Long No.146 Glenn Underwater Services Dodge Glenn Racing 148.739mph 43. Andy Hillenburg No.280 Commercial Truck & Trailer Ford Stanton Hover 146.859mph * Rookie of
1769-472: The circuit. The Rockingham track was often praised for good racing, including 37 official lead changes in one race in 1981, and for having great sightlines for spectators. However, the facility made limited infrastructure reinvestments over the years while being owned by the DeWitt family, and seemed to lag behind other facilities which continually modernized and updated their business plans, especially after it
1830-428: The city. The population density was 1,326.8 inhabitants per square mile (512.3/km ). There were 4,375 housing units at an average density of 600.1 per square mile (231.7/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 65.57% White , 29.90% African American , 1.10% Native American , 1.34% Asian , 0.06% Pacific Islander , 0.81% from other races , and 1.22% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.10% of
1891-514: The college's Workforce and Economic Development division and Small Business Center. Richmond Senior High School serves as the high school for Richmond County residents. Rockingham also offers other education centers such as the Richmond Community College Main Campus. A new three-story downtown Richmond Community College campus is being constructed and is expected to be open for the 2020 fall semester; it
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1952-537: The day after the 2006 Checker Auto Parts 500 . No, I'm going to Rockingham on Wednesday to test the (Car of Tomorrow). We wanted to go to a very bumpy racetrack. The car slams down on the banking very hard at Rockingham and make sure we've got all the springs and all the bumps very smooth feeling. That'll be my first time in the COT. I'm pretty anxious and looking forward to it. NASCAR fans, and we're all fans in this garage, don't like change. We're just skeptical of it, and we've had some really good racing this year, some of
2013-561: The end of the race. The speedway held two Grand National races the next year, the Peach Blossom 500, and the American 500. The Peach Blossom 500 would change names multiple times, usually using the name Carolina 500, before ending as the Subway 400 . The American 500 would also change names multiple times as well, ending as the Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400 . The first race was typically held in early March or late February, and
2074-596: The entire league. Rockingham has a number of historic buildings which have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since the late 1970s: the Bank of Pee Dee Building , Covington Plantation House , Alfred Dockery House , Hannah Pickett Mill No. 1 , Manufacturers Building , Richmond County Courthouse , Roberdel Mill No. 1 Company Store , Rockingham Historic District , U.S. Post Office and Federal Building , and H. C. Watson House . Rockingham
2135-561: The facility, which would be renamed "The Rock Speedway and Entertainment Complex". On December 12, 2020, MB Drift (formerly the Myrtle Beach Drift Series) hosted a drift event at Rockingham Speedway, the first motorsports organization to do so in a number of years, helping to bring new life into the facility. This event attracted the attention of Formula D Pro 1 driver Jonathan Nerren, as well as Pro 2 driver Cory Talaska, who came up drifting with MB Drift when they were at
2196-461: The late 1980s caused by snow. Rumors persisted that the track's lone remaining date was also in jeopardy, as several new tracks in larger, warm-weather markets coveted the date, which was the first race following the Daytona 500 , and in 2002 and 2004, Fox's first race of the season. Despite wide speculation that the race was in its final year, it failed to sell out, falling nearly 10,000 short of
2257-400: The median income for a family was $ 33,534. Males had a median income of $ 27,923 versus $ 20,313 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 15,426. About 18.0% of families and 20.4% of the population were below the poverty line , including 32.4% of those under age 18 and 15.0% of those age 65 or over. Rockingham hosts "The Smokeout" (an annual motorcycle weekend), and has also hosted
2318-618: The pole at Rockingham with a lap speed of 156.475 miles per hour (251.822 km/h) and a lap time of 23.398 seconds. Dodges were the top four fastest, with Newman, Jamie McMurray (155.379 mph (250.058 km/h)), Kasey Kahne (154.814 mph (249.149 km/h)) and Rusty Wallace (154.644 mph (248.875 km/h)). Chevrolet driver Jeff Gordon qualified fifth with a lap speed of 154.318 mph (248.351 km/h); Jeremy Mayfield (154.195 mph (248.153 km/h)), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (154.149 mph (248.079 km/h)), Jeff Green (154.117 mph (248.027 km/h)),
2379-409: The population. There were 3,966 households, out of which 30.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.8% were married couples living together, 19.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.1% were non-families. 32.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and
2440-402: The previous year's race winner Dale Jarrett (154.078 mph (247.965 km/h)) and Greg Biffle (154.026 mph (247.881 km/h)) rounded out the top ten. Morgan Shepherd and Andy Belmont failed to qualify after the two crashed in practice. Ryan McGlynn and Larry Gunselman also withdrew. The entry list for the race was short, which led to a group of field-fillers entering
2501-408: The race, including Joe Ruttman , starting in his first Cup race since 1995, Kirk Shelmerdine , who made only two Cup Series starts since 1994, Carl Long , who started twice in 2001, and Andy Hillenburg , who failed to qualify for the 2004 Daytona 500 . The four drivers were considerably slower than the 37 full-time teams; in comparison to Newman's qualifying speed, Hillenburg, who started 43rd, had
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2562-424: The race, which was attended by 35,000 people, leading 239 laps and winning by 11 seconds. The winner's purse was $ 13,090. The American 500 was the 54th of 55 races in the 1965 season, which included NASCAR legends Cale Yarborough (who finished second), Richard Petty , Ned Jarrett (who would go on to win the championship), Buddy Baker , David Pearson , and Junior Johnson . Only 19 of the 43 cars were running at
2623-709: The season, thereby making testing at Rockingham crucial. Penske Racing tested at the track in mid-April 2006, and with the abrasiveness of the Atlanta Motor Speedway surface, which has not been repaved since reconstruction in 1997, and Atlanta's participation in the Chase for the Cup , many teams are considering returning to Rockingham in September or October to test their cars to simulate Atlanta's similar surface. NASCAR's new Car of Tomorrow (or COT) has led to
2684-633: The second race was held in late October. In 1967 and 1968 the Carolina 500 was run in June. The speedway held two Grand National Series races every year until 2004. As part of the acquisition of the Penske Speedways in 1999, the Speedway was sold to International Speedway Corporation (ISC) and in 2004, one of its two Cup races (the crucial fall race, often the penultimate date on the schedule)
2745-483: The speedway. On May 16, 2016, BK Rock Holdings purchased Rockingham Speedway at a Richmond County Courthouse auction for $ 3 million. Rockingham Properties LLC is the owner of the track, having purchased it on August 30, 2018. Four days after the purchase, the company announced that racing would be returning to the track in some form in the near future. In his 2019–2021 budget recommendation, North Carolina governor Roy Cooper proposed $ 8 million of state money to renovate
2806-510: The track due to financial struggles. In September of the same year, it was reported that Farmers & Merchants Bank was requesting a court order to take "immediate and exclusive custody" of the speedway from co-owners Hillenburg and Bill Silas, who were reported to owe $ 4.5 million to the bank. Vets-Help.org, a non-profit organization, acquired the track and proposed a residential complex for returning and disabled veterans nearby as well as other related support services. However, Vets-Help's lease of
2867-597: The track has become one of the most popular tracks to test shorter to intermediate tracks on the circuit. For the 2009 season, NASCAR imposed a blanket ban on testing at any track used by any of NASCAR's three national series or its West/East (currently run under the ARCA Menards Series banner) touring events. Rockingham, unlike many tracks used in testing historically, is not on any of the series in question, and teams continued to use both tracks to run around NASCAR's testing ban (except in 2012 and 2013, when it
2928-586: The track was extensively reconfigured to a high-banked, D-shaped oval just over one mile in length. In 1997, North Carolina Motor Speedway merged with Penske Motorsports, and was renamed "North Carolina Speedway". Shortly thereafter, the infield was reconfigured, and competition on the infield road course, mostly by the SCCA , was discontinued. Until 2013, it was home to the Fast Track High Performance Driving School, The track
2989-600: The track would be terminated in 2016. In 2016, Level 1 Motorsports announced the creation of the X-Cup Series, which expressed plans to run a ten-race schedule at the track, two of which would be run on the infield road course. This turned out to be a scam and it ripped off both car owners, drivers, and the veterans group they claimed to support. However, the track was foreclosed on in July 2015 because of outstanding debt that Andy Hillenburg had accumulated after his purchase of
3050-561: The track would help the local economy by about $ 7.2–$ 10.5 million (2011 USD). Wayne Auton, the Truck Series director, announced that NASCAR testing would end on December 31, 2011, on the main track, but would remain on the half-mile facility. On January 30, 2012, it was announced that the second annual Carolina Rebellion festival would be held at the Rockingham Speedway. In 2014, the Truck Series did not return to
3111-446: The track, putting brand new asphalt down. We intend on lighting up the big track as well as Little Rock... Our intention is to bring back NASCAR as well as ARCA and SRX. Just good old-fashion racing. Good old-fashion tailgate-sitting, lawn chairs, coolers beside the lawn chairs." On April 22, 2023, entertainment debuted at The Rock. The inaugural “Sunrise 2 Sunrise” Festival was held, otherwise known as “S2S Fest”. On August 29, 2024, it
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#17327870869053172-627: The years following the United States gaining independence. During the early 19th century, numerous families from here migrated to Middle Tennessee , settling in what is now Nolensville . They quickly established their new community. In 1950, the town fielded a professional minor league baseball team in the Class D Tobacco State League , the Rockingham Eagles. The club won the playoff title in their only season before disbanding with
3233-555: Was Darlington Raceway 's prestigious Southern 500 removed from the schedule for the second race in Texas, and the date for The Rock was sent to Phoenix International Raceway . SMI agreed to host no NASCAR events at the track while it was under their ownership. Upon its exit from the NASCAR circuit, The Rock joined such facilities as Ontario Motor Speedway , Riverside International Raceway , North Wilkesboro Speedway , Texas World Speedway , and Music City Motorplex as tracks removed from
3294-702: Was named for Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham , British Prime Minister from 1765 to 1766 and again in 1782. Rockingham's administration was dominated by the issue of the Thirteen Colonies. Rockingham wanted to repeal the Stamp Act 1765 and won a Commons vote in 1766 on the repeal resolution by 275 to 167. As a result, he was a popular figure among British colonists in America (who would later become known simply as "Americans"). People in North Carolina were still sympathetic toward him in
3355-655: Was not held in 2010. Rockingham also holds the Carolina 200 for the CARS Pro Cup Series . On September 7, 2011, it was announced that Rockingham would host the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series for the first time, on April 15, 2012, with the race dubbed as the Good Sam Roadside Assistance 200 . The announcement was made by track owner Andy Hillenburg and North Carolina governor Bev Perdue , who said that
3416-496: Was originally planned to open in January, but got pushed back. It is expected to draw new businesses and retailers. Richmond County Airport (ICAO: KRCZ, FAA LID: RCZ), formerly known as Rockingham-Hamlet Airport, is located approximately 3 miles southeast of Rockingham. The airport serves local and transient general aviation flights. Interstates and major highways 2004 Subway 400 Ryan Newman of Penske Racing won
3477-519: Was part of the Trucks calendar) until NASCAR completely banned all private testing in 2015. A new 0.526 mi (0.847 km) track, named the Little Rock, was built behind the backstretch for other classes of short-track cars and for the Fast Track driving school Hillenburg owns, and opened on October 13, 2008. NASCAR Sprint Cup teams immediately christened the track for testing in preparation for
3538-664: Was revealed that the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series would return to the speedway in 2025. Rockingham became in the mid-to-late 2000s a test track for many NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series teams because of testing restrictions by NASCAR on active tracks. After the track was stripped of its dates, teams began using the circuit to test cars and engines, especially to simulate abrasive wear at certain tracks (Darlington and Atlanta most notably). The track surface
3599-547: Was sold to pay off estate taxes owed by the DeWitt and Wilson families which had owned the track. Speedway Motorsports put the track up for auction on October 2, 2007, and Andy Hillenburg paid $ 4.4 million for the track. In 2008, Rockingham Speedway began the ARCA Re/Max Series (now ARCA Menards Series ) race, dubbed the American 200. This has been the premier event at Rockingham since its reopening. In 2009 Rockingham held an additional ARCA race, however that race
3660-453: Was transferred to ISC's California Speedway . The change was made after sagging attendance at Rockingham Speedway. It left the track with only one date, in late February, a highly unpopular date for spectators due to the commonly unpredictable weather. That date was moved up from the traditional early spring date in 1992 when Richmond International Raceway wanted a later date than the traditional post-Daytona date because of two postponements in
3721-520: Was used often for television and movie filming. Rockingham Speedway, known as North Carolina Motor Speedway in 1965, began as a project of Harold Brasington and Bill Land . Brasington had relevant experience from his involvement in building the Darlington Raceway , which was NASCAR 's first superspeedway. Bill Land owned the property at the time, and together they set out to find funding. They went to local lawyer Elsie Webb who assembled
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