This weekend marks the anticipated return of NASCAR national series action to the famed Rockingham Speedway. Relive some of the most memorable moments in the track’s history by watching classic races in the NASCAR Classics Library.
The following are just some of the races you can watch ahead of the weekend action slated for “The Rock.”
RELATED: Weekend schedule for Rockingham
1965 American 500
The first Cup Series race at Rockingham was held on Halloween in 1965. The 43-car field was highlighted by 11 future NASCAR Hall of Famers, who also included legendary car owners and mechanics.
When the green flag waved for the first time, it was Richard Petty and his blue No. 43 leading the way. Junior Johnson, who qualified second, led 85 laps early on before engine issues forced his No. 26 machine into the garage area.
Curtis Turner, driving the No. 41 Ford for Wood Brothers Racing, proved to be the dominant car of the day. He led 239 of the race’s 500 laps on his way to Victory Lane.
It turned out to be the 17th and final victory of his career.
1989 AC-Delco 500
The 1989 season turned out to be the start of something big for the Mark Martin-Jack Roush duo. They finished 15th in points during their first season together in 1988 and aimed to build on that in 1989. They accomplished just that.
Everything seemed to click throughout the season as he remained in the top five in points for most of the season.
It was almost unbelievable that Martin had not yet visited Victory Lane after the season’s first 26 races, during which he secured 10 top-three finishes.
The October 1989 race at Rockingham proved to be the turning point as Martin led 101 laps on his way to the first victory of his eventual NASCAR Hall of Fame career. His victory also kept him in contention for the championship as he was in third place in the standings, just 128 points behind Rusty Wallace, with two races remaining.
1990 GM Goodwrench 500
There was just something about Rockingham that clicked with Kyle Petty after he teamed up with Felix Sabates.
Petty, who previously found success in the Cup Series at the track with his family-owned team, as well as Wood Brothers Racing, was virtually automatic in the No. 42 Pontiac for Sabates at the track.
He finished 10th at the track in 1989 and truly ramped up his performance during one of the most dominant stretches at a track in NASCAR history. Petty started on the pole at the track in 1990, led 433 of the race’s 492 laps and emerged victorious.
The following season saw Petty replicate the same feat from the pole, this time leading 380 laps. His most dominant performance came in 1992, winning both the pole position and the race while leading 484 of 492 laps.
This all came amid winning the pole four consecutive times, including a total of five.
You can watch the 1990 and 1991 GM Goodwrench 500 from Rockingham in the NASCAR Classics Library.
1994 AC-Delco 500
The battle for the 1994 NASCAR Cup Series championship took a tragic turn in August 1994 when Ernie Irvan suffered critical injuries in a practice crash at Michigan International Speedway.
At the time of the incident, Dale Earnhardt and Irvan had pulled ahead in the points battle. Earnhardt led Irvan by 27 points after the first 20 races of the 31-race schedule.
Irvan’s injuries left Earnhardt more than 300 points ahead of Rusty Wallace, Mark Martin and Ken Schrader with only 11 races remaining on the schedule. The three drivers would need to be nearly perfect for the rest of the season.
The only problem was that Earnhardt needed to slow down, but he simply kept mashing the gas.
He entered the race at Rockingham with a chance to clinch the title as there were two races remaining on the schedule. This opportunity stemmed in part from six of his last seven finishes being third or better.
The race featured 10 cautions, which allowed Earnhardt to advance through the field after starting in 20th.
As the checkered flag waved, it was Earnhardt holding off an incredible last-ditch effort from Rick Mast to secure victory, and by doing so, Earnhardt clinched his seventh NASCAR Cup Series championship, tying Richard Petty for the most in series history.
2004 Subway 400
The most recent Cup Series event at Rockingham took place in February 2004. Young stars Matt Kenseth and Kasey Kahne ensured that the track was sent off into the sunset with a thrilling finish.
The two drivers and Jamie McMurray crossed the white flag bumper to bumper. Kahne searched for a new lane into the second turn, riding high on the backstretch as he chased down Kenseth.
McMurray nearly clipped the wall on the backstretch, turning it into a two-horse race for the checkered flag between Kenseth and Kahne, the latter of whom was only making his second career start.
Kahne dipped low out of the fourth turn and attempted to drive under Kenseth for the win, but it wasn’t enough as Kenseth held on by 0.10 seconds. It was the eighth victory of his Cup Series career.
The race featured 18 of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers. The contest is additionally one of the closest finishes in Cup Series history, currently tied for the 12th closest.
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