POLAR BEAR 150 Up to 99 cars January 1, 2009 Tickets are $15 in advance $20 the day of event Kids 12 and under free with an adult (910) 205-8800
To look at and order the Offical Track Photographer's photos please go to http://www.amsnaps.photoreflect.com Angie Meeks (Please contact the track for anything website related not the photograher.)
Clay Rogers Wins the Black’s Tire American 200
ROCKINGHAM, N.C. (October 31, 2008) – Clay Rogers grabbed the lead with seven laps remaining in Saturday's Black's American 200 at Rockingham Speedway to emerge victorious in the thrilling event that saw Benny Gordon walk off with the Hooters Pro Cup Series championship and Drew Herring claim Rookie -of-the-Year honors.
For most of the race, it appeared that either Gordon, title contender Mark McFarland or Tom Hessert would claim the series final checkered flag, as the three led a total of 127 laps in the 200-lap event on the 1-mile track. However, with 20 laps remaining Herring possessed the lead and was pulling away from Rogers. Herring appeared headed for his first victory, but lapped traffic spoiled his plans.
“That last restart we jumped out front ... and put it on cruise control,” said Herring, a Benson, N.C., resident. “Coming off the fourth turn, a couple of lapped cars were racing side-by-side. That late in the race it's kind of common courtesy to get out of the way. I guess they weren't really thinking. That hurt us, killed my momentum. I had to get on the brakes and almost ran up under one of them.” Rogers was far enough behind Herring that he didn't have to break his momentum and he zipped past Herring and into the lead.
“This is a pretty emotional win,” said Rogers, who walked off with $12,000. “I've won a race every year in my career since 1989, and it didn't look like I was going to happen this year the way our luck was going lately. Once we got out front, I was just concentrating on protecting the bottom.” For Herring, having to finish second in the season finale left him with a “bittersweet day.” He lost the race, but earned the rookie title.
“We accomplished our main goal by winning the rookie title, but I'm disappointed,” Herring said. “We had such a great car and a great weekend going. We had it wrapped up and in the bag, then three lapped cars racing like they were racing for the win. Then they slam on the brakes and about tore the nose off our car. It's stupid.”
Tom Hessert, who led a race-high 85 laps, walked off with his first top-three finish in the Hooters Pro Cup Series.
“We had a really good car all day,” Hessert said. “On that last restart, they kind of got away from us and we ran out of laps.”
Even though Gordon led the standings entering the season's final event, race day started on a bleak note for the DuBois, Pa., driver who had to start in the rear due to his crew working on his Ford after qualifying.
“The tension was high, but I had such a good race car from the beginning of the race that it relaxed me,” said Gordon, who collected $150,000 for his second series championship.
“I have to compliment my team. They put a lot of work into this. I really wanted to win this race, but we knew what was going on around us.”
Gordon possessed a 27-point advantage over McFarland entering the race and the two shadowed each other for most of the event. McFarland needed to lead the most laps, lead halfway, and win the race in order to claim the championship. His title hopes evaporated on lap 168 when his Chevrolet caught a piece of a backstretch accident.
“It was all right until we got in that wreck back there,” McFarland said after the race that had 11 lead changes among nine drivers. “It's disappointing. We worked hard all year. I thought we had a good shot at it [championship]. Looks like we came up just a bit short.”
Rogers averaged 145.117 mph in the race that was slowed by eight caution flags for 48 laps and was halted twice due to cleanup required for accidents. The two wrecks in the race's second half halted the event for a total of 28 minutes 31 seconds.
The more spectacular of the two occurred on lap 173 when rookie Matt Merrell's Chevrolet tipped on the driver's side after being pinned against the outside wall in turns one and two by Derrick Kelley's Ford. Once Kelley broke free, Merrell's car rolled over on its roof and slid across the backstretch before stopping against the inside wall. Neither driver was injured.
A two-car accident involving Carl Long and pole position winner Woody Howard was responsible for the first red flag on lap 133. That accident occurred when Long's Ford tagged Howard's Chevrolet as they raced into turn one. Both cars spun into the outside wall, then slid across the track and Howard's Chevrolet slammed into the inside wall on the passenger's side before stopping. Neither driver was injured.
All ARCA Roads Lead To Rockingham In 2009
ROCKINGHAM, N.C. (November 1, 2008) – After only one year of again having secured a place on the motorsports map, Rockingham Speedway will return to the spotlight as all ARCA RE/MAX Series roads will lead to the historic 1-mile track in 2009.
Rockingham will host two ARCA RE/MAX Series races next season, including the season finale. “The second race definitely means a lot to us,” speedway owner Andy Hillenburg said Saturday.“ARCA and the speedway will be doing a campaign next year saying ‘All Roads Lead to Rockingham.’ That’s going to be exciting throughout the year, building up for the event. “Our first (ARCA) event (in May 2008) was a huge success; the biggest ARCA race in their 56-year history. The ARCA people loved the race and that’s why we were able to get the points championship to be decided here.”
Rockingham’s two ARCA RE/MAX races next year are scheduled for April 19 and Oct. 11. The 22-event season kicks off in February at Daytona and covers 13 states and Canada before ending its season at “The Rock.”
Hillenburg said special promotions surrounding the season finale would be conducted throughout the year.
“There is so much history here and to be able to get a lot of it restarted and not forget the history that was here and try to be able to add to it, I feel very proud of that,” Hillenburg said. The race winner’s trophy given at Rockingham is identical to the one presented to the NASCAR victors prior to the track’s closing after the 2004 NASCAR Cup race. It also is made by the trophy’s original manufacturer – Hayes Jewelers in Lexington, N.C. “We also have our second ‘Rock’ out front and we’re going to be chiseling our winners into the second ‘Rock’ going forward,” Hillenburg added. “The community is excited, the racing community is excited. We’re just really overjoyed to be a part of it.”
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