Rockingham Speedway was full this weekend for the NASCAR Xfinity and Truck Series. With it being an overwhelming success, questions are now being asked about a Cup Series return to the track after 21 years.
Attending the race with FOX, Bob Pockrass gave his opinion on whether the track was ready to host the top level of NASCAR. This comes after Rockingham Speedway President and CEO of Track Enterprises Bob Sargent teased a return for the series to the circuit.
“I’m pretty hands on, so I talked to them from Thursday night, when we got here, to all day today,” Sargent admitted to The Charlotte Observer.
“Talked to a lot of different people at NASCAR, whether they were here or weren’t here. [Former NASCAR president and current board member] Mike Helton was here yesterday, and I talked to people on the phone today. And the teams that were here, we talked to them a lot.
“Older, veteran drivers that I got relationships with, they were texting me, calling me. And then again, the sponsors who were here, I talked with them all day long. The fans. The officials. My workers. A lot of positives from everybody.”
He ended: “It’s a process. But we are on the radar. We are in that process.”
Pockrass wasn't as optimistic as he admitted he hoped it would stay a destination for just the Xfinity and Truck Series instead.
Jake Garcia, ThorSport Racing Ford
Photo by: James Gilbert / Getty Images
"We had the Truck Series here [on] Friday afternoon [and] the Xfinity Series here [on] Saturday afternoon. Sold out crowd here today, autograph session six hours before the race. There was way more line than what the 45 minute session could handle."
According to the journalist, the infrastructure isn't developed yet, and a large influx of cash would be necessary.
"Should Cup come here? ...This was a big lift, just to have Xfinity and Trucks. It took a lot of work to get this track ready. It would take a lot more work and a lot more dollars. We are talking lots of zeroes, to get it ready for a Cup event, for the infrastructure and everything. You heard people waiting long lines to get into parking lots. Some of the amenities that you'd want for a Cup race aren't here yet."
He believes it's good how it was this weekend.
"Why mess with a good thing? You have a great Truck-Xfinity weekend here. I know from a promoter standpoint, you'd want the money of a Cup race... But, what I saw this weekend, on Friday and Saturday of Trucks and Xfinity. I'd love it if those guys could be the stars of the show here at Rockingham going forward."
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