FAIRFIELD, Ohio — The International Hot Rod Association has purchased NASCAR national series track Rockingham Speedway in North Carolina.
Photo by Rainier Ehrhardt/Getty Images for NASCAR
The IHRA announced the purchase Wednesday. The Rockingham Properties group owned the track for seven years and brought NASCAR national series racing back in April 2024. Capitalizing on the momentum from the success of the weekend, the group put the track up for sale in May 2024 – leading to the IHRA sale.
“IHRA recognizes what Rockingham Speedway means to this community and to motorsports fans around the world,” said Darryl Cuttell, owner of IHRA. “This is a special place with a strong foundation. Our goal is to be good stewards of the facility, respect its history and work collaboratively to bring quality racing and entertainment back to The Rock.”
The IHRA stated this move “reflects its commitment to preserving motorsports heritage while thoughtfully reinvesting in legendary racing properties.”
IHRA’s other purchase, Heartland Motorsports Park, opened in 1963. NHRA raced at the property’s drag strip and NASCAR, ARCA and TransAm racing at the road course. Ultimately, the track closed in 2023 and was proposed for redevelopment. However, IHRA is promising “revitalized drag racing operations” and renovations to bring more motorsports back to the property.
“Motorsports has to evolve to stay strong,” Cuttell said. “The future is about creating places where racing, music, entertainment, and community come together. Heartland has all the pieces to become one of the premier motorsports and entertainment destinations in the country.”
It’s unclear yet what racing series could come to Heartland Motorsports Park. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series raced there from 1995 to 1999 while the ARCA Menards Series raced there in 1991 and 1992.
Rockingham Speedway will host its first NASCAR race weekend under IHRA ownership in April 2026 with the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and the ARCA Menards Series East. Sammy Smith, Tyler Ankrum and Brent Crews won there in those series in 2025.
Jonathan Fjeld is the co-owner of the The Racing Experts, LLC. He has been with TRE since 2010.
A Twin Valley, MN, native, Fjeld became a motorsports fan at just three years old (first race was the 2002 Pennsylvania 500). He worked as a contributor and writer for TRE from 2010-18. Since then, he has stepped up and covered 24 NASCAR race weekends and taken on a larger role with TRE. He became the co-owner and managing editor in 2023 and has guided the site to massive growth in that time.
Fjeld has covered a wide array of stories and moments over the years, including Kevin Harvick’s final Cup Series season, the first NASCAR national series disqualification in over 50 years, Shane van Gisbergen’s stunning win in Chicago and the first Cup Series race at Road America in 66 years – as well as up-and-coming drivers’ stories and stories from inside the sport, like the tech it takes for Hendrick Motorsports to remain a top-tier team.
Currently, he resides in Albuquerque, N.M., where he works for KOB 4, an NBC station. He works as a digital producer and does on-air reports. He loves spending time with friends and family, playing and listening to music, exploring new places, being outdoors, reading books and writing among other activities. You can email him at fjeldjonathan@gmail.com