While the racing season is still in full swing, it’s never too early to start thinking about next year. The end of the season is a major milestone for any racing fan, and it’s a perfect opportunity to start planning for the next season. What will you do after you finish your last race this year? Will you stay in the UK and continue following the NASCAR Womens Championship, IndyCar Series, CanAm Series, and more? Or will you pack up and head back across the pond to follow the Formula 1 circus? It’s certainly an interesting time to be a motorsport enthusiast.
One of the biggest racing shows in the UK is Rockingham Speedway, located in the heart of England. If you’re unfamiliar, Rockingham is a B-Classification track, which is the fourth tier of NASCAR racing in the UK. The track is home to the Rockingham Season International – a five-event motorsport festival that happens every year in May. The events include a full schedule of NASCAR, IndyCar, and Formula 1 races, all of which are open to the public. If you’ve never been, you should definitely put it on your bucket list. You might even consider it a pilgrimage.
The end of the season is drawing near, and there are rumors swirling that Rockingham Speedway might be closing its doors for good. Naturally, this has triggered a bit of a debate amongst racing fans. Some people are in dire need of a motorsport fix, while others believe that the track is a diamond in the rough and will be able to pull in the crowds with a facelift. Let’s take a quick look at the facts surrounding the future of Rockingham.
Rockingham: It Has Its Issues
Located in the middle of England, Rockingham is one of the home tracks of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. The track was originally founded in 1922, and it’s been a part of the NASCAR scene ever since. The track is rather flat, which can lead to tire wear and balance issues. With only three exceptions, all of the races have been rather uneventful over the years – save for one that was won by a fan and his homemade car. Since the inception of the Chase for the Cup, the series’ biggest event, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Cup, has taken place at the track. And aside from that, the rest have been run as part of the NASCAR‘s weekly series of events, meaning that there have been fewer than 400 cars on the track at any one time. This in turn has made it rather difficult for the organizers to generate enough revenue to keep the track afloat. The financials for the 2018 season were rather dismal, and it’s not exactly helped that the series has lost a fan base due to the lack of on-track action.
Rockingham: A NASCAR Mecca
Aside from the financial problems, Rockingham is also facing an increasingly tricky job market due to a lack of young riders wanting to take up motorcycling. The problem is that the sport is losing its appeal amongst the next generation, which is rather sad to see. For decades, motorcycling was rather dominant in the UK, and it wasn’t uncommon to see youths on holiday from Manchester, Liverpool, and other cities ride their bikes to work. These days, however, it’s less common to see kids on their bikes to school, and fewer still are interested in taking up motorsport as a career. It’s a real shame to see such a historic track become somewhat of a forgotten place, and it will be interesting to see what future plans the organizers have for the track. Will they try and pull in the crowds with nostalgia-inducing events such as vintage car shows and rekindle the sixties vibe? Or will they try and cash in on the popularity of esports and try and turn it into a professional circuit? We’ll have to wait and see.
Rockingham: Will It Close?
With less than a month until the end of the season, it’s never too early to start thinking about next year. And it seems that the fans are starting to weigh in, with many expressing their sadness at learning of the potential closing of Rockingham Speedway. The track has been in a state of change since the season began, as the organizers had to shuffle the races to save money and ensure that they could cover the track’s costs.
It’s well-known that NASCAR is looking for alternative tracks to fill their schedule, and based on the rumors, it would seem that their attention has been drawn to Rockingham. It’s a bit of a shame for such a historic venue to close, but at least the organizers have the financial security of a long-term contract with NASCAR. It won’t be easy for them to find a new home, but at least they’ll have a roof over their head.
It’s been an exciting season for the fans, with many pulling off some amazing races. And even though the season is drawing to a close, the racing bug has bitten, and there’s no indication that this is anything but a seasonal disease.
It’s never easy getting invested in something that you know might not end well. When it comes to investing in sports teams and athletes, fans have been burned pretty badly in the past. And as a result, many are taking a very cautious approach when it comes to getting invested emotionally in anything related to sports. It’s not that they’re unsupportive; they’re just trying to put their money where their heart is, so to speak. And based on what we’re seeing, it doesn’t seem like Rockingham is going to be able to overcome its financial problems any time soon. And if it doesn’t, it’ll be yet another waste of time and effort for all involved. Perhaps a new road to hell awaits…