NEVER SAY NEVER – NASCAR’s Return To The Rock

If NASCAR’s Cup return to Bowman Gray Stadium was proof that you can actually go home again, then NASCAR’s return to Rockingham Speedway is also proof that the saying “never say never” is as true as it gets. Michael Jordan once famously said “Never say never because limits, like fears, are often just an illusion.” Time changes everything. You just never know. One thing I do know however is that returning to Rockingham Speedway is one of the coolest things NASCAR has ever done. It’s been a long time for me, but once inside the gates, it all came rushing back. Rockingham is an original that sets itself apart from all the other NASCAR premier speedways. And now the new generation of drivers and fans will come to understand why its absence left a void that was very much needed in the sport of stock car racing. It’s uniqueness is that it holds in it’s design all the great characteristics that make big league tracks great. With it’s high corner banking, it allows great speed like any great intermediate or superspeedway, but the way the banking is laid out, it also gives the driver the sensation of a carnival ride of sorts, making it hard for even the best of drivers to find the kind of consistency that makes one comfortable. That alone makes it a quintessential drivers track. Add to that however the fact that it also holds a tendency of a short track in that it’s not a superspeedway that allows you to get away from evenly matched competition. And for the fan, it’s a track where they can see the speed they like to see in high stakes racing on a track that allows you a great view of the entire track. Fun for driver and fan alike. And a place that historically provides some truly great racing. Rockingham Speedway truly is a special place, and it’s hard for me still to understand how it got lost in the shuffle. How did NASCAR’s return with the new era ARCA East, Craftsman Truck, and Xfinity Series machines go on a new surface? Let’s take a closer look at the action from Easter weekend at “The Rock”, one of NASCAR’s most storied tracks.

ARCA MENARDS SERIES EAST ROCKINGHAM 125

With a lap time of 22.256 seconds, #81 Brent Crews led the field to green alongside Joe Gibbs Racing teammate #18 William Sawalich. From the drop of the green flag, Crews was nearly untouchable, surviving multiple restarts and leading all but 4 laps to secure the victory, his first under the ARCA East banner. Sawalich stood firm in second followed by ARCA rookie Eloy Falcon in the #10, #25 Patrick Staropoli, and #73 Andy Jankowiak who rounds out the top five after a crash in practice.

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES BLACK’S TIRE 200

22.050 seconds is fast enough for the #13 of Jake Garcia to take his first career NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series pole. After leading a healthy portion of the first stage, the lead is ultimately taken away from #34 Layne Riggs after a fierce battle with Garcia, #38 Chandler Smith, and #45 Kaden Honeycutt. Riggs cruises to the stage two victory as well with Honeycutt right in tow. Stage three starts with some carnage as #98 Ty Majeski, #52 Stewart Friesen, #42 Matt Mills, and #15 Tanner Gray are all taken out in two separate crashes. The race is clean and green afterwards, setting up a fuel conservation battle in which #18 Tyler Ankrum comes out on top with an extra $50,000 thanks to the Triple Truck Challenge after multiple trucks fall by the wayside. Garcia finishes second, #19 Daniel Hemric third, #71 Rajah Caruth fourth, and #9 Grant Enfinger crosses the line in fifth.

NASCAR XFINITY SERIES NORTH CAROLINA EDUCATION LOTTERY 200

Coming under the checkered flag with a flat tire, #88 Connor Zilisch somehow secures the pole, clocking in at 22.630 seconds. Changing a tire means going to the rear though, putting #4 Parker Retzlaff in the gold position coming to green. It wouldn’t take long for second place starter #48 Nick Sanchez to motor up front, taking stage one, his first stage win in the Xfinity Series. An epic battle for the lead breaks out in stage two as #2 Jesse Love and #1 Carson Kvapil duke it out and swap positions multiple times. A late stage caution sets up some strategy calls from multiple teams, resulting in #26 Dean Thompson taking his first ever stage win. Once the green dropped in stage three, the race took a turn, seeing aggression going up ten fold. With the amount of cautions, numerous crew chiefs decided to take a gamble much like the Truck race, only this time, it would lead to multiple hard crashes in the end. Still saving fuel, #8 Sammy Smith, #54 Taylor Gray, and Love were left to settle it in overtime. Love prevailed, but after post-race technical inspection, second place Sammy Smith is given the win along with his initially won Dash 4 Cash prize of $100,000. Retzlaff recovers with a fantastic second, #25 Harrison Burton gets a much needed third, #44 Brennan Poole perseveres for fourth in a great run, and Gray salvages a fifth after falling back on the last restart.

MY TAKE

Rockingham Speedway became known for historical racing. Dale Earnhardt sealed his 7th and final Cup championship here. It’s where Matt Kenseth got his first title. It’s also where Bill Elliott got his final Cup win and where Curtis Turner got his first. It’s also where a young Kyle Larson scored his first big NASCAR win in the Craftsman Truck Series. But the speedway became known for it’s great finishes such as one of the closest ever as Matt Kenseth edged out Kasey Kahne by 0.010. So it was only fitting that Kasey Kahne made his comeback to big time NASCAR racing as NASCAR returned to The Rock. Never say never. And although Kahne didn’t get the finish he probably had ultimately hoped for, he showed both speed and resilience in his return. The same can be said for the track itself. Three different races with three totally different outcomes. Brent Crews smoked the field in the ARCA East outing, but Tyler Ankrum and his team used pit strategy to pull off his 2nd Craftsman Truck Series win. And Jesse Love fought off all the competitors and stayed ahead of the fray in the Xfinity Series only to be stripped of the win after issues were found in his rear suspension, giving the win in the end to JR Motorsports driver Sammy Smith who found himself to be a bit wrong about how Taylor Gray would race him for victory as Gray had lined up beside Smith on the final restart in overtime. Never say never. When it was all said and done, Smith got the well earned win by putting him and his team where they needed to be down the stretch and it probably comes at a time when they needed a win like that the most. It would not be surprising that even this early in the season, it gives the team the momentum they’ll need to make a run for this year’s championship.

But the real star of the show was the track itself. Even with a fresh repave that hasn’t had the time to fully cure, the track gave a clear indication of the competition it will provide. By the end of the Xfinity Series race, it was already showing a higher groove range than most had expected as drivers put on a show with 2 and 3 wide racing during the event. And as any true racing connoisseur knows, it will only get better from here. But more than that, the entire facility was in great shape, allowing the fans and the teams an awesome racing experience in it’s return. The owners, management, and promotion should be applauded for the work they have done making it all happen. I can’t underscore that enough. The reopening of Rockingham Speedway is a monumental and historical moment for the organization of NASCAR and it’s fans. And as I left the Chris Economaki Media Center in the infield on Saturday night, I couldn’t help but deeply reflect on what it means for the sport of stock car racing as a whole. The Rock is back! Finally… Until next time, See You At The Track!