NASCAR King Richard Petty makes his opinion clear on Rockingham’s possible comeback to the Cup Series
Will the NASCAR Cup Series ever return to Rockingham? Who better to answer than 'The King' Richard Petty himself? The seven-time champion recently weighed in on the iconic track's future, explaining why it deserves another shot and how much it meant to his storied career.
Few drivers have had more success at Rockingham than Richard Petty, who won 11 races at the track in his 54 starts at the North Carolina Motor Speedway. Between its gritty layout, Southern fanbase, and historic races, the one-mile oval was a staple of the NASCAR calendar for four decades.
Amid the tracks' Xfinity series return to host the North Carolina Education Lottery 250 this weekend, Petty believes Rockingham Speedway is ready to come back to the Cup as well. In the latest episode of the Petty Family Racing Podcast, Kyle Petty joined his father to answer fan questions, including one about the Cup Series racing at Rockingham again.
Richard didn't hesitate to give his honest answer:
"I can see maybe Rockingham coming in as a special race, instead of running at Wilkesboro or Bowman Gray. They might take that race to Rockingham. And I think that would be good because you've had short track…Now I think it's time to go to Rockingham because that was the area when they started making superspeedways that just disappeared from the NASCAR circuit," said Richard Petty on the podcast (13:09 onwards)
Once a fan-favorite venue, Rockingham fell off the Cup Series schedule after the 2004 season due to multiple factors. Chief among them was NASCAR's expansion strategy, which aimed at tapping into bigger media markets outside its traditional Southeast base. The track, though rich in history and regional loyalty, couldn't compete commercially with cities like Chicago, Kansas City, or Las Vegas.
Another major reason was attendance and infrastructure. As newer tracks were built with modern amenities and larger capacities, the 34,500 seater lagged in upgrades. Despite brief revivals through the Truck Series and other events, the venue couldn't sustain long-term momentum. While its final NASCAR-sanctioned race was held in 2013, NASCAR is considering returning to Rockingham.
That didn't make its exit any easier for Richard Petty. With multiple dominant performances at Rockingham across the 1960s, '70s, and early '80s, he saw the track as one of the true tests of driver skill. When asked how he felt when it was removed from the schedule, he explained his displeasure:
"I was a little disappointed because we had such good luck there. I had good luck and then Kyle came along... like right now if they took Martinsville away, I would feel bad about it because we've had so much success at those tracks that it really hurt." (16:12 onwards)
Kyle, who nodded in unison with his father, also had success at the North Carolina oval with three wins in his 46 starts.
Richard Petty's favourite track: "It's a toss-up" between Rockingham and Martinsville
When asked to name his home track on the Petty Family Racing Podcast, Richard Petty could not give a straightforward answer. Instead, he placed both Rockingham and Martinsville on equal footing, each with its own significance. Richard Petty won 15 Cup Series races at Martinsville, but his 11 victories at Rockingham came in fewer starts, including multiple 500-mile triumphs.
When asked which among the two was his 'home track,' Richard said:
"From my standpoint it's a toss-up. I was fortunate enough to win 15 races at Martinsville but we won 11 500-mile races at Rockingham and didn't run near as many races. So it's kind of in between…I guess you would have to say those were my two favorite tracks besides Daytona." (9:09 onwards)
Kyle Petty added that while both tracks were geographically close, Martinsville's grandfather clock trophies gave it a lasting emotional edge. He also suggested that his father's fan base in Virginia helped solidify Martinsville's place in Petty family lore.
Rockingham's possible comeback would mark a full circle, not just for Richard Petty, but for a generation of NASCAR fans raised on the sound of "The Rock."