NASCAR president is crystal clear about Rockingham’s future after unbelievable return

NASCAR recently made its highly anticipated return to one of its most historic venues, Rockingham Speedway, hosting both the Truck and Xfinity Series races. Following the weekend's success, newly appointed NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell shared his thoughts on the future of the 1.017-mile D-shaped oval.

Rockingham Speedway delivered an action-packed weekend, thrilling a sold-out crowd. The drama kicked off in the Truck Series race, where a wild finish saw both leader Tyler Ankrum and second-place Chandler Smith run out of fuel in the closing laps. Smith dropped more than 10 positions and Ankrum managed to coast across the line, claiming his second career Truck Series win — and his first since 2019.

In a recent article by The Charlotte Observer, President O'Donnell expressed his willingness to keep Rockingham as an active part of the NASCAR schedule, saying he would "love to keep it as an Xfinity Series and Truck Series staple, and maybe bring in more Cup drivers to race that weekend."

The excitement at Rockingham continued in the Xfinity Series race, where chaos reigned with 15 cautions throughout the event. Jesse Love initially crossed the line as the winner, but the celebrations were short-lived. Following the post-race inspection, Love’s #2 Chevrolet was disqualified, handing the victory to JR Motorsports’ Sammy Smith.

After Rockingham witnessed a sold-out weekend, the official promoter for NASCAR's return to Rockingham, Bob Sargent, said,

"When’s the last time a Xfinity Series race was sold out of grandstand tickets? We want to thank the entire community, and the thousands of fans that have spoken with their support, to show the world NASCAR is back at The Rock."

The last time Rockingham Speedway hosted a Cup Series race was in 2004. While no mention of the Cup Series returning to Rockingham was made, it is possible that the track will host Cup races in the future. Moreover, besides the fans, several legends of the sport have also given the seal of approval to the North Carolina-based racing facility.

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Mark Martin reacts to NASCAR’s return to Rockingham Speedway

Hall of Famer Mark Martin’s career stands as one of the most decorated in the sport’s history. Over the years, Martin tallied 96 victories across the Truck, Xfinity, and Cup Series top three divisions, with 40 of those coming in the premier division. The 66-year-old also boasts a strong record at Rockingham Speedway, having made 36 starts at the 1.017-mile D-shaped oval, where he captured two wins and scored 17 top-10 finishes.

Ahead of the weekend at Rockingham Speedway, the former driver appeared in a promo for the events, which he reshared with a two-emoji reaction.

"🍦🥶"

Besides Martin, several legends of NASCAR, including Dale Earnhardt Sr., Terry Labonte, and Jamie McMurray, who also took on the role of broadcaster for CW Sports during the Rockingham weekend, have all left their mark at the historic 1.017-mile track.