Tyler Ankrum embraces Rockingham return after successful NASCAR weekend

NASCAR returned to Rockingham Speedway last weekend with the Truck and Xfinity Series. And while the likes of Jesse Love left in disappointment after a surprise disqualification, the overall sentiment seems to be positive. Now, questions surround the return of the Cup Series to the famous track.

It had been 11 years since the sport had raced at Rockingham before the track was brought to life once again on Easter weekend. The 0.94-mile D-shaped oval in North Carolina saw substantial renovations after it was purchased by Rockingham Properties, with owner Dan Lovenheim aiming to entice NASCAR back to the fold. That it did.

Tyler Ankrum, who won Friday's Black's Tire 200 Truck Series race after 130 races without a win, commented on his love for the track.

"It's really, really cool," Ankrum told the media after the race. "When we get to bring back these old tracks, it's really, really cool. You can tell the fans are really excited. Even on pit road, the fans are going crazy all the time, and they're talking so loudly you can hear 'em from pit road."

The driver of the No. 18 McAnally-Hilgemann Chevrolet was especially pleased with the fans turning up to see something other than the Cup Series, something he very much appreciated. 

"You kind of get the feeling of what I imagine as a kid what Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon felt like. They're here for us - they're not here for the Cup guys. It's really, really cool to see racing like this come back to North Carolina…"

Tyler Ankrum, McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet

Photo by: James Gilbert / Getty Images

The driver was surprised at the performance of the track and how the new tarmac evolved throughout the race. 

"I was really surprised at how wide the track had gotten, how much fall-off there was, especially there at the end of the race… I hope Rockingham stays on the schedule for a long time."

The track was repaved in 2022, and it proved to be a winner for the weekend. 

Approximately 16,000 fans attended Friday's Truck Series race, and 25,000 watched the Xfinity on Saturday. And the following enthusiasm has certainly been noticeable. 

While a Cup Series return is yet to be confirmed, it is most definitely on the cards. Bob Sargent, president and chief executive of Track Enterprises, which manages the track's connection to NASCAR, feels optimistic.

“Yes, absolutely, [Rockingham could return] with the caveat that Nascar is a big, worldwide entity, and when you look at dates, there are only so many,” he admitted to The Charlotte Observer. 

“There are only so many geographic regions and things like that. So there are many factors that go into when dates get put where. So it’s not a magic wand.

“But I feel comfortable, and am not saying anything out of line that, yes, we did everything we needed to do.”

He added: “It’s a process. But we are on the radar. We are in that process.”