Rockingham Motor Speedway

[DoubleZero]

Back in the '60's there was a dirt track on US 1 not too far from NC Motor Speedway. It was, actually, between the Rockingham city limits and the NASCAR speedway, on the same side of the highway. Anyway, I've searched time and again on aerial mapping sites for any remnant of this former track. So far, I've not seen anything. Not a trace of the old speedway, must have been bulldozed. Does anybody know, exactly, where it was located, and what's there now? I only went one time, and that was in 1967-41 years ago!

[Kenny]

Yes sir 00, The old Rockingham Speedway with John Sears,Wayne Andrews,Glen & JD Mcduffie,Jack Smith,Bill Bostic,Bobby Webb,Walson & James Gardner,Tom Usry,etc. And i know i've left out a dozen more! Anyway, there is houses built all out in there now. The only thing still there is a lil motel that was there right beside the dirt road that the race cars used to get to the infield of the track on saturday night. Do you remember the track in Sanford that ran on friday nights then at Rockingham the next night?

[DoubleZero]

I never went to Sanford, but remember reading about it in the old "Carolina Dirt Track Circuit" magazine. Didn't Sanford and Rockingham, maybe Dillon have a mini-circuit going on?

[Kenny]

Don't know about a mini-circuit, but the same guys that ran Sanford on friday nights would run Rockingham on saturday night. I've got some old newspaper articles from back then when the Rockingham news would cover the races each week. They even had pictures and the complete story every monday of the races!! You don't get a good write-up these days about what happened sat. night at any race track any more!!!

[DoubleZero]

I've got a VHS tape made from old home movie film of Rockingham action.

[capefear01]

Bobby
See you placed 3rd friday night...pretty decent. I mailed the DVD out saturday.
FMS had a really good turn out, must have been over 20 super street. The car seemed to go over real well and met a lot of interested and interesting people.

[PRP]

I've been to Sanford Motor Speedway a few times with my Dad and Uncle , I saw Glenn McDuffie win races in a '61 Ford Starliner with Tom Usry building the powerplants , Glenn McDuffie was DA MAN !!!

[BillyW]

the old Rockingham Raceway is completely gone...nothing to show where it once was.... i grew up right around the corner from it and as a kid would sneak thru the woods and ride my bike on it... lol... last version it was paved... after closing a bunch of kids broke in and drove aroudn the track and got hurt.. so they dug a huge ditch across the back strait... then some idot tried to jump it.... go figure....

My Uncle talked alot about the old raceway.. Harold Vandeveer of Biscoe... believe Wayne Andrews and the Sears boys both drove for him there a few times....

Billy

[DaveHFulton]

I've been to Sanford Motor Speedway a few times with my Dad and Uncle , I saw Glenn McDuffie win races in a '61 Ford Starliner with Tom Usry building the powerplants , Glenn McDuffie was DA MAN !!!

When I was a student at Campbell College (University) in Buies Creek, NC, I made 4 or 5 trips to Sanford in the Springs of 1968-1970. Glenn McDuffie was definitely the man in Late Model, along with James Sears in Modifieds. I recall the track having really good banking, but a retaining wall only on the fronstretch along the grandstands. Remember cars going off in turns 1-2 and reappearing in turns 3-4. I do recall the fields were chronically small compared to other tracks and they did seem to be partnered with Rockingham on rules. It was the first place I ever saw a school bus used as a transporter. Was there a Late Model driver at Sanford named Edsel Kiker, or did I see him somewhere else way back when?

[DoubleZero]

Dave, all the tracks of the eastern Carolinas had the frontstretch-retaining-wall-only. That was standard procedure and still is at Dublin, Fayetteville, and LakeView. Edsel Kiker was definitely a driver, back in the day, probably ran some at Sanford. There was also a driver from Florence, SC, Carvon Kiker, and I always wondered if they were related. Still don't know.

Sanford Motor Speedway was where Howard Thomas (Thomas Bros. Country Ham) and Sam Ard first met. I asked Sam this question in 2003 at Myrtle Beach speedway. Sam explained that he had "outrun the S#*T out of everything that Mr. Thomas had. And he finally invited me up to his shops in Asheboro to see all his stuff.........."

[archielm#7]

i have some old rockingham pics l.a. hamilton from dillon he raced there and was parilized from a crash i know edsel i meet him in 90 91 and 92 when i was running asphalt at timmonsville hisnephew was driving a street car there and he would get our used tires edsel was from peachland N.C. he worked in a machine shop splining axels i also new Craven Kiker he was in the backhoe ,land clearing and septic tank business they are no relations Craven died a year maybe two years ago i dont know if edsel is still living but he enjoyed talking about the old days

[archielm#7]

any of you remember way back there was a documentary on tv WHAT MAKES A SHORT TRACK TICK and it was the rockingham dirt track Dave is the avatar pic you it looks like ive seen this guy before

[DaveHFulton]

any of you remember way back there was a documentary on tv WHAT MAKES A SHORT TRACK TICK and it was the rockingham dirt track Dave is the avatar pic you it looks like ive seen this guy before

That is me circa 1981 when I was manager of Wrangler Jeans NASCAR Special Events.

[archielm#7]

were you around the pits any in 1970 and 71 i worked with ed negre then

[capefear01]

Dave, is that a belt buckle or a serving tray for that cake? I kid!!

[DaveHFulton]

were you around the pits any in 1970 and 71 i worked with ed negre then

Didn't begin my NASCAR assignment for Wrangler until last race of 1980. My only visits to Cup pits before then were strictly postrace as a fan. Began involvement with dirt track racing in 1973 at Wilson County. Ed Negre, of course, gave Dale Earnhardt his first shot at a Cup race. I want to recall Negre having a son and also some kind of mechanical scholarship being tied to Negre.

And that belt buckle used to be a mess going through airport security, even back in those days, lol!

[archielm#7]

ed's son was norman last time i saw him he had a shop in kannapolis doing arca mostly he had a daughter name toni she was a pretty little thing and could run like a deer eds wife faye was very nice lady and beautiful it was a few years after i worked for him i heard he had stopped at a truckstop faye was in the sleeper and got out to go to the rest room ed got in the truck and left her truck drivers were on the radio talking about the racecar driver leaving his wife thats how he found out he left her ( this is how i got the story)