The Rock has been bought

Charlie Spencer said:
If I was headed south.

For east you have to go north with the traffic on US-1 for about a half mile. Then there's right that takes you over the tracks and back to Laurinburg.

Gods, we need lives.
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Just take 38 to go back towards Myrtle beach/Florence
 
Charlie Spencer said:
At this point, I'd gladly sit in traffic for two hours on US1 if it meant I had just seen a race at Rockingham again.
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Tailgate, eat a grilled rib eye and tater, drink an adult beverage "only if you have a designated driver" and relax for two or three hours until it clears up.
 
Florence might be the storm that finally does in what’s left of North Wilkesboro, hope the Rock will be okay. Hope everyone in the Carolinas will be safe.
 
Judging from the social media pictures, the joint don't look half bad. If any form of NASCAR racing finds their way back there, I'll do everything in my power to buy a ticket and attend. Seems like a cool place to have a race.
 
Snappy D said:
Judging from the social media pictures, the joint don't look half bad. If any form of NASCAR racing finds their way back there, I'll do everything in my power to buy a ticket and attend. Seems like a cool place to have a race.
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I'll do whatever I can to go but even if I'm not able to go I'll buy multiple tickets and give them away if it means supporting the track.

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FWIW.......

Rode by the track today and they've got about half the place mowed and looking pretty.

Local word is that well have an arca race in the next couple years. Well see.

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Biggreen695 said:
FWIW.......

Rode by the track today and they've got about half the place mowed and looking pretty.

Local word is that well have an arca race in the next couple years. Well see.

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I mean given what NASCAR said about the future of the K&N series and ARCA past weekend ARCA makes a lot of sense for the Rock.
 
kkfan91 said:
I mean given what NASCAR said about the future of the K&N series and ARCA past weekend ARCA makes a lot of sense for the Rock.
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I don't know, that's a quick way to lose money. I could see the CARS Tour and the MASS Street Stocks going there for sure.

CARS Tour at The Rock would be a Must See Race for me.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
I don't know, that's a quick way to lose money. I could see the CARS Tour and the MASS Street Stocks going there for sure.

CARS Tour at The Rock would be a Must See Race for me.
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ARCA always had empty grandstands when they went to Rockingham. I went to 3 of those shows as well as the one K&N pro series race and one Hooters Pro Cup race. The best crowd I saw was the K&N race. The crowds were pretty bad every time though. Definitely seems like a money loser. I don’t think they did too good with their street stock races (frank Kimmel street stocks) or other late model races either. Seems like money losers as well....
They didn’t even do well with the truck series...
It’s a decent track but nobody will come out and buy a ticket. I’ve seen people post comments before when they had the truck series like “when they big cup back I’ll be there with a bunch of my buddies”. Cup isn’t coming back if nobody shows up for these smaller series first....
 
toledo47 said:
ARCA always had empty grandstands when they went to Rockingham. I went to 3 of those shows as well as the one K&N pro series race and one Hooters Pro Cup race. The best crowd I saw was the K&N race. The crowds were pretty bad every time though. Definitely seems like a money loser. I don’t think they did too good with their street stock races (frank Kimmel street stocks) or other late model races either. Seems like money losers as well....
They didn’t even do well with the truck series...
It’s a decent track but nobody will come out and buy a ticket. I’ve seen people post comments before when they had the truck series like “when they big cup back I’ll be there with a bunch of my buddies”. Cup isn’t coming back if nobody shows up for these smaller series first....
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Is the Kimmel Street Stock thing still around? The big Street Stock tour in the Southeast is Ron Barfield's MASS Series. They generally draw huge fields and have awesome throwbacks which would look mean at The Rock.

CARS Tour is probably the best value all around. Doesn't break the bank to bring the series in and the series has developed a loyal following - especially on the Late Model Stock Car side. UARA, which is what CARS Tour essentially replaced, used to go there when Silas and Hillenburg owned it, and Pro Cup (now CARS) went there too.

I don't know how they'd fare on that big track, but the Carteret County based Carolina Mini-Stock Challenge is becoming pretty big too. Rumor is that they're also going to build a dirt track.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
Is the Kimmel Street Stock thing still around? The big Street Stock tour in the Southeast is Ron Barfield's MASS Series. They generally draw huge fields and have awesome throwbacks which would look mean at The Rock.

CARS Tour is probably the best value all around. Doesn't break the bank to bring the series in and the series has developed a loyal following - especially on the Late Model Stock Car side. UARA, which is what CARS Tour essentially replaced, used to go there when Silas and Hillenburg owned it, and Pro Cup (now CARS) went there too.

I don't know how they'd fare on that big track, but the Carteret County based Carolina Mini-Stock Challenge is becoming pretty big too. Rumor is that they're also going to build a dirt track.
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I’m sure those are all great series but nobody will buy a ticket to watch them there..
I saw the rumor about dirt. I think they would do better with that... big dirt SLM races fill the stands everywhere on the eastern half of the United states. 410 sprints fill the stands everywhere they go as well, though they don’t run much in the south so idk if they would draw well. A big Lucas oil or WoO SLM race should do great if they could bring that in.
 
toledo47 said:
ARCA always had empty grandstands when they went to Rockingham. I went to 3 of those shows as well as the one K&N pro series race and one Hooters Pro Cup race. The best crowd I saw was the K&N race. The crowds were pretty bad every time though. Definitely seems like a money loser. I don’t think they did too good with their street stock races (frank Kimmel street stocks) or other late model races either. Seems like money losers as well....
They didn’t even do well with the truck series...
It’s a decent track but nobody will come out and buy a ticket. I’ve seen people post comments before when they had the truck series like “when they big cup back I’ll be there with a bunch of my buddies”. Cup isn’t coming back if nobody shows up for these smaller series first....
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For a weekend where the premier race was a Truck Series event I thought they drew pretty well, at least from TV. It's not like most Truck events even in metro areas draw more than a smattering of fans.

At any rate, it's good to see them making quick work of this place already.
 
FLRacingFan said:
For a weekend where the premier race was a Truck Series event I thought they drew pretty well, at least from TV. It's not like most Truck events even in metro areas draw more than a smattering of fans.

At any rate, it's good to see them making quick work of this place already.
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I didn’t actually see the race, I just assume it didn’t do well since it definitely didn’t last long... I think they had it twice ? If it was a success they would have kept it going
 
toledo47 said:
I’m sure those are all great series but nobody will buy a ticket to watch them there..
I saw the rumor about dirt. I think they would do better with that... big dirt SLM races fill the stands everywhere on the eastern half of the United states. 410 sprints fill the stands everywhere they go as well, though they don’t run much in the south so idk if they would draw well. A big Lucas oil or WoO SLM race should do great if they could bring that in.
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I work on the business side. You can turn a profit with CARS Tour. That series will draw fans, even to that track.

I won't get into the numbers on a public forum, but I know them.
 
toledo47 said:
I didn’t actually see the race, I just assume it didn’t do well since it definitely didn’t last long... I think they had it twice ? If it was a success they would have kept it going
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Sanctioning fees killed them, and again, I know the numbers. Between having to instaff SAFER barriers and what they had to pay in purse and stuff, they were never going to clear.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
Sanctioning fees killed them, and again, I know the numbers. Between having to instaff SAFER barriers and what they had to pay in purse and stuff, they were never going to clear.
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I went for the first ARCA “Carolina 500”. The temp staff they had was ridiculous. I saw them holding a meeting in the morning. They must have thought they were gonna get a crowd the size of a cup race....
I definitely would like to see it and any race track be successful, hopefully it works out for the new owners!
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
I don't know, that's a quick way to lose money. I could see the CARS Tour and the MASS Street Stocks going there for sure.

CARS Tour at The Rock would be a Must See Race for me.
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At this point, almost anything at The Rock would be must-see for me - LeMons, ChumpCars, golf carts, wheelchairs ...
 
We went to support the Rock, and Andy, when they reopened with the ARCA race. Then we went back for both truck races. I drove from Florida and I meet family who drove down from Ohio. We enjoyed the races and the area. I remember for the trucks they gave everyone free pre race pit passes. Not pit road access, but pit passes. Hillenburg did everything he could to make the track a success. While I hope the new owners can pull this off, I am doubtful that with the size of the facility that it will work. Don't think I would have any interest in being an investor in this venture.
In regards to the area...there are some nice towns north of the Rock where you can stay and it is a decent area to vacation. Years ago when cup raced at the Rock I stayed south of there in Bennettsville. If you gave me a free room I wouldn't stay there again.
 
DIDIT said:
...there are some nice towns north of the Rock where you can stay ...
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And there are some not-so-nice ones south of the track, including Rockingham itself. Bennettsville definitely belongs on that list, anc Cheraw and Chesterfield aren't anything to write home about either. At least Laurinburg has a Wally World. :rolleyes:
 
Charlie Spencer said:
And there are some not-so-nice ones south of the track, including Rockingham itself. Bennettsville definitely belongs on that list, anc Cheraw and Chesterfield aren't anything to write home about either. At least Laurinburg has a Wally World. :rolleyes:
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Hey man dont talk about my hometown like that

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Charlie Spencer said:
And there are some not-so-nice ones south of the track, including Rockingham itself. Bennettsville definitely belongs on that list, anc Cheraw and Chesterfield aren't anything to write home about either. At least Laurinburg has a Wally World. :rolleyes:
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Rockingham, the town, is a ****hole.
 
toledo47 said:
I didn’t actually see the race, I just assume it didn’t do well since it definitely didn’t last long... I think they had it twice ? If it was a success they would have kept it going
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2013 attendance wasn't as good as 2012, but I also think the weather wasn't as good that year. This is 2012, for reference:

nascar-truck-rockingham-2012-start-action.jpg


NASCAR_Camping_World_Truck_Series_at_Rockingham_Speedway_2012.jpg
 
attendance is only one part of the equation. Operating expenses is another nut to crack altogether and that is what broke Hillenberg's back. This bunch now has a good shot at success IMO. Got to keep that joint making money all year long if possible.
 
Charlie Spencer said:
Yeah, there's a warm fuzzy place holder of a post, full of sound and fury and signifying nothing.
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Still passing the track a time or 2 every week... always something going on. Them boys are still busting ass in the pouring down rain out there. the track has power now. Drive by in the evenings and the lights are on around the suites and the tunnel to get onto the track.

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