Rockingham To Be Auctioned Off

kat2220

kat2220

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Rockingham track to be auctioned

North Carolina Motor Speedway will be auctioned, according to a story in today's Richmond County Daily Journal, the local paper for the track.

The story says that Speedway Motorsports Inc. sent a letter to Rockingham Mayor Gene McLaurin notifying him of the impending sale.

The track, which was built in 1965 and used to host NASCAR Cup races, is owned by Speedway Motorsports Inc. According to the paper, SMI officials say they have been unable to sell the track and that "track rentals are simply not enough to keep the facility running."

SMI bought the track in 2004 and since that time it's lone race date was moved to Texas Motor Speedway. The 1.017-mile track is used by NASCAR teams to test for Cup and Busch races and has hosted special events.

No date has been set for the auction.
 
Hmmm...weird...they will auction off the Rock....but wont auction Wilksboro? There is a group of people trying to raise money to buy Wilksboro but Bruton wont budge on the 12 mil asking price.
 
Professur said:
Why would he when there's obvious demand. If they told him to go stuff it, he'd change his tune in a hurry.
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It's just like PPIR, that track sits idle right now. Time was when the CTS, BUSCH , and IRL used to scream around that track. There was also talk of getting a Cup date, but traffic logistics and politics put the whammy on that. It's sad , but it's business, and unfortunately places like N. Wilkesboro, The Rock, and PPIR most likely won't ever see another race, but instead be leveled for a mall or condo project. Used to love PPIR when i lived in CO. Springs, it had Pikes Peak for the backdrop and sat away from the city congestion. Talked to my friend in CO. Springs yesterday and he said it is just rotting away, nothing has been done to it. Oh well that is progress right?!;)
 
It's a shame about Rockingham. A lot of historic moments have occured at that track.

I've said it before and I'll say it again - I hate California Speedway. The races are boring there, there has yet to be a memorable moment there (other than the fact that they raced there and Jimmie won on the day the F5 tornado hit), and the track can't get a sell-out.

It's a shame NASCAR gets rid of these exciting tracks for bigger, more boring racetracks.
 
This Buds For Me said:
Hmmm...weird...they will auction off the Rock....but wont auction Wilksboro? There is a group of people trying to raise money to buy Wilksboro but Bruton wont budge on the 12 mil asking price.
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Because Bruton Smith does not own N Wilksboro alone. Bob Bahre(sp?) owns half also and they really dislike each other and can not agree on a selling price.

When Pikes Peak was sold it was stipulated in the contract that it could never be used for auto racing again.
I too loved PPIR, I went to the first Busch race there and absolutly loved the place and went to 3 or 4 more until I moved.
 
Eagle1 said:
Because Bruton Smith does not own N Wilksboro alone. Bob Bahre(sp?) owns half also and they really dislike each other and can not agree on a selling price.

When Pikes Peak was sold it was stipulated in the contract that it could never be used for auto racing again.
I too loved PPIR, I went to the first Busch race there and absolutly loved the place and went to 3 or 4 more until I moved.
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How can you put in a contract that a race track can no longer be used for what it is intended? That baffles me to no end, that in essence means no one will buy it unless they have the resources to rip it down and develop the property.
 
Anything can be put into a contract, and you're right it means it has to be ripped down and redeveloped. Sounds like a spiteful person (s) not wanting anyone to gain from the work they had done.
I also believe it was the IRL that put the final nail in that coffin when they pulled their whole schedule back from the west coast.
 
Eagle1 said:
Anything can be put into a contract, and you're right it means it has to be ripped down and redeveloped. Sounds like a spiteful person (s) not wanting anyone to gain from the work they had done.
I also believe it was the IRL that put the final nail in that coffin when they pulled their whole schedule back from the west coast.
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Yeh but the IRL never even came close to selling out PPIR, the Busch series and the trucks as one weekend did well. When CTS pulled the plug i believe that was the begining of the end. If The Town of Fountain , where PPIR is located, also where i lived when i first moved to CO., were to develop another way in and out of PPIR to control the traffic flow i believe that track could be a viable CUP track. The stands can easily be uprgraded to accomodate over 80,000, that is not the problem. The other problem, however, stems from the political machine in Denver who wanted a track out by DIA. This i feel really did in PPIR in their quest to remain a candidate for a Cup race and lets face it a track is nothing more than a track without a Cup date. As for The Rock, they are in a location that is hurting them , demographics are not on their side, too many tracks within a few hours of each other.
 
I think Bruton would sell or auction off North Wilkesboro if Bahre was willing. I don't know why either would be reluctant to sell the track, it will never host a Cup race again.
 
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