North Carolina Speedway

The North Carolina Speedway, affectionately known as "The Rock", was home to NASCAR racing from 1966 to 2004. North Carolina Motor Speedway sits in the city of Rockingham, North Carolina.

Related Topics:
NASCAR - 1966 - 2004

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The track measures slightly over one mile in length, and is shaped like a D rather than a perfect oval. The track surface is very abrasive compared to other tracks on the circuit, and forces drivers to make pit stops more quickly than normally needed.

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The Rock played host to two races a year, until 2004 when it was reduced to only one race due to disappointing ticket sales. It held its last race on February 22, 2004. Despite wide speculation that it would be its last race on the NASCAR circuit, the race failed to sell out, falling nearly 10,000 short of the 60,000 capacity. In that last race, Matt Kenseth held off then 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 viewed by many fans as one of the best races that year. It is also known for a wild crash early in the race in which Carl Long flipped wildly down the backstretch.

Related Topics:
Matt Kenseth - Rookie - Kasey Kahne

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Upon its exit from the NASCAR circuit, The Rock joins the Ontario Motor Speedway and the North Wilkesboro Speedway as racetracks no longer on the circuit.

Related Topics:
Ontario Motor Speedway - North Wilkesboro Speedway

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Most agree that the lack of any other tourist attractions in the area and the relatively small size of the city hurt ticket sales. In addition, other tracks nearby such as Lowe's Motor Speedway and Darlington Speedway had a tendency to lure away fans looking to catch a race.

Related Topics:
Lowe's Motor Speedway - Darlington Speedway

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