Rockingham Speedway purchased by International Hot Rod Association

Today, the International Hot Rod Association announced that it has purchased “The Rock,” Rockingham Speedway. After undergoing major updates and repairs, NASCAR and ARCA made their triumphant returns to the track last year. Now, the IHRA has bought the venue.

This is pretty cool news, honestly. It is surprising that NASCAR and/or Speedway Motorsports didn’t buy the track. Perhaps the antitrust lawsuit had something to do with that. Wouldn’t have been a good look to buy yet another track and set up yet another exclusivity agreement.

So, it has ended up in the hands of the International Hot Rod Association. Rockingham Speedway belongs to America’s second-largest sanctioning body for drag racing.

“The move reflects IHRA’s commitment to preserving motorsports heritage while thoughtfully reinvesting in legendary racing properties,” IHRA said in a statement. “Known worldwide as The Rock, Rockingham Speedway has played a pivotal role in NASCAR and American racing history for decades and remains deeply tied to the identity and pride of the City of Rockingham and Richmond County.”

While Rockingham has had updates, the IHRA plans to do more renovations and “restore Rockingham Speedway to its former glory.” The track was listed at $12 million as it was shopped around to various buyers. It is not clear at this time how much IHRA ended up spending.

The Rock is capable of hosting a variety of series and events. There is the big track, the “Little Rock” half-mile track, a quarter-mile track, and even a road course. Of course, there is Rockingham Dragway as well. The NHRA will race at The Rock in 2026 for its 75th anniversary season.

Rockingham Speedway under new ownership

If the IHRA does what it says it is going to do, then Rockingham Speedway is in good hands. More improvements will help make the track and overall venue a true destination for motorsports fans. In the heart of America’s racing capital, North Carolina, it deserves to be a world-class facility.

There has been considerable investment from the state and previous owners recently. It was good enough to get NASCAR to make its return in 2025. The Truck and Xfinity Series put on a great show at the track, and it showed that it still, for the most part, races just like it did all those years ago.

Rockingham Speedway is hosting events again. It is under new ownership, a sanctioning body that is committed to motorsports as a whole. That should be exciting for race fans.