This weekend marks the anticipated return of NASCAR nationwide sequence motion to the famed Rockingham Speedway. Relive a number of the most memorable moments within the monitor’s historical past by watching basic races within the NASCAR Classics Library.
The next are simply a number of the races you’ll be able to watch forward of the weekend motion slated for “The Rock.”
RELATED: Weekend schedule for Rockingham
1965 American 500
The primary Cup Sequence race at Rockingham was held on Halloween in 1965. The 43-car subject was highlighted by 11 future NASCAR Corridor of Famers, who additionally included legendary automobile house owners and mechanics.
When the inexperienced flag waved for the primary time, it was Richard Petty and his blue No. 43 main the best way. Junior Johnson, who certified second, led 85 laps early on earlier than engine points pressured his No. 26 machine into the storage space.
Curtis Turner, driving the No. 41 Ford for Wooden Brothers Racing, proved to be the dominant automobile of the day. He led 239 of the race’s 500 laps on his technique to Victory Lane.
It turned out to be the seventeenth and closing victory of his profession.
1989 AC-Delco 500
The 1989 season turned out to be the beginning of one thing huge for the Mark Martin-Jack Roush duo. They completed fifteenth in factors throughout their first season collectively in 1988 and aimed to construct on that in 1989. They completed simply that.
Every part appeared to click on all through the season as he remained within the prime 5 in factors for a lot of the season.
It was nearly unbelievable that Martin had not but visited Victory Lane after the season’s first 26 races, throughout which he secured 10 top-three finishes.
The October 1989 race at Rockingham proved to be the turning level as Martin led 101 laps on his technique to the primary victory of his eventual NASCAR Corridor of Fame profession. His victory additionally saved him in rivalry for the championship as he was in third place within the standings, simply 128 factors behind Rusty Wallace, with two races remaining.
1990 GM Goodwrench 500
There was simply one thing about Rockingham that clicked with Kyle Petty after he teamed up with Felix Sabates.
Petty, who beforehand discovered success within the Cup Sequence on the monitor together with his family-owned crew, in addition to Wooden Brothers Racing, was nearly computerized within the No. 42 Pontiac for Sabates on the monitor.
He completed tenth on the monitor in 1989 and actually ramped up his efficiency throughout one of the vital dominant stretches at a monitor in NASCAR historical past. Petty began on the pole on the monitor in 1990, led 433 of the race’s 492 laps and emerged victorious.
The next season noticed Petty replicate the identical feat from the pole, this time main 380 laps. His most dominant efficiency got here in 1992, profitable each the pole place and the race whereas main 484 of 492 laps.
This all got here amid profitable the pole 4 consecutive instances, together with a complete of 5.
You possibly can watch the 1990 and 1991 GM Goodwrench 500 from Rockingham within the NASCAR Classics Library.
1994 AC-Delco 500
The battle for the 1994 NASCAR Cup Sequence championship took a tragic flip in August 1994 when Ernie Irvan suffered crucial accidents in a observe crash at Michigan Worldwide Speedway.
On the time of the incident, Dale Earnhardt and Irvan had pulled forward within the factors battle. Earnhardt led Irvan by 27 factors after the primary 20 races of the 31-race schedule.
Irvan’s accidents left Earnhardt greater than 300 factors forward of Rusty Wallace, Mark Martin and Ken Schrader with solely 11 races remaining on the schedule. The three drivers would must be almost good for the remainder of the season.
The one downside was that Earnhardt wanted to decelerate, however he merely saved mashing the fuel.
He entered the race at Rockingham with an opportunity to clinch the title as there have been two races remaining on the schedule. This chance stemmed partly from six of his final seven finishes being third or higher.
The race featured 10 cautions, which allowed Earnhardt to advance by the sphere after beginning in twentieth.
Because the checkered flag waved, it was Earnhardt holding off an unbelievable last-ditch effort from Rick Mast to safe victory, and by doing so, Earnhardt clinched his seventh NASCAR Cup Sequence championship, tying Richard Petty for essentially the most in sequence historical past.
2004 Subway 400
The newest Cup Sequence occasion at Rockingham passed off in February 2004. Younger stars Matt Kenseth and Kasey Kahne ensured that the monitor was despatched off into the sundown with an exhilarating end.
The 2 drivers and Jamie McMurray crossed the white flag bumper to bumper. Kahne looked for a brand new lane into the second flip, driving excessive on the backstretch as he chased down Kenseth.
McMurray almost clipped the wall on the backstretch, turning it right into a two-horse race for the checkered flag between Kenseth and Kahne, the latter of whom was solely making his second profession begin.
Kahne dipped low out of the fourth flip and tried to drive below Kenseth for the win, but it surely wasn’t sufficient as Kenseth held on by 0.10 seconds. It was the eighth victory of his Cup Sequence profession.
The race featured 18 of NASCAR’s 75 Biggest Drivers. The competition is moreover one of many closest finishes in Cup Sequence historical past, presently tied for the twelfth closest.
