The Rock is filling up for NASCAR's return

   Rockingham Speedway owner Andy Hillenburg said Saturday that the speedway's inaugural NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race is approaching a sellout.

   The backstretch grandstands were removed after Bruton Smith bought the track in 2007, leaving approximately 31,000 seats, which cover the area from the exit of Turn 4, through the frontstretch and into Turns 1 and 2.

   "Two weeks ago I would have told you there was no chance that we could sell out for NASCAR's return," Hillenburg said. "We were doing well two weeks ago but we are doing even better today.

   "Sitting here 24 hours before the race, I'm going to say we have a 30 to 40 percent chance of selling out. I already expect a crowd of over 25,000-plus. We are definitely going to rock the house, whether it be 25,000 or 31,000. I'm very excited."

   Already this week, NASCAR's return has brought out big crowds for a parade of the NASCAR haulers on Thursday night and an autograph signing and "Thunderfest" festival on Friday night.

   "From the hauler parade, we had 'Welcome back NASCAR' signs, I bet I saw over a 100 of them. It was phenomenal," Hillenburg said. "It's all anyone has been talking about - NASCAR's return.

   "If I bumped into a pin, I'd probably bust."


  

  
  

The 25 nominees for NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2013

25 nominees for NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2013
*-new nominee

-Buck Baker, first driver to win consecutive NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series championships (1956-57)

-Red Byron, first NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion, in 1949

-Richard Childress, 11-time car owner champion in NASCAR’s three national series

-Jerry Cook, six-time NASCAR Modified champion

-H. Clay Earles, founder of Martinsville Speedway

-Tim Flock, two-time NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion

-*Ray Fox, former NASCAR owner, engine builder and official

-*Anne B. France, first secretary and treasurer of NASCAR, wife of founder Bill France Sr.

-Rick Hendrick, 13-time car owner champion in NASCAR’s three national series

-Jack Ingram, two-time NASCAR Busch (now Nationwide) Series champion

-Bobby Isaac, 1970 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion

-Fred Lorenzen, 26 wins and winner of the Daytona 500 and World 600

-Cotton Owens, driver-owner, won 1966 owner championship with David Pearson

-Raymond Parks, NASCAR’s first champion car owner

-Benny Parsons, 1973 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion

-Les Richter, former NASCAR executive; former president of Riverside International Raceway

-Fireball Roberts, won 33 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series races, including the 1962 Daytona 500

-T. Wayne Robertson, helped raise NASCAR popularity as R.J. Reynolds Senior VP

-*Ralph Seagraves, former president of R.J. Reynolds who introduced corporate sponsorship to NASCAR’s premiere series

-*Wendell Scott, first African-American to win a NASCAR premier series event

-Herb Thomas, first two-time NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion, 1951, ’53

-Curtis Turner, early personality, called the "Babe Ruth of stock car racing"

-*Rusty Wallace, 1989 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion, 55 wins, 36 poles

-Joe Weatherly, two-time NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion

-Leonard Wood, part-owner and former crew chief for Wood Brothers, revolutionized pit stops

Who else gets nominated for the NASCAR Hall of Fame?

   NASCAR releases the list of 25 people nominated for the 2013 class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame today. Most of the list is familiar - beginning with 20 of the 25 who did not get in last year. Only five new names will added today.

   Here are the nominees who did not make the 2012 Class:
   -Buck Baker,first driver to win consecutive NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series championships (1956-57)
   -Red Byron, first NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion, in 1949
   -Richard Childress, 11-time car owner champion in NASCAR’s three national series
   -Jerry Cook, six-time NASCAR Modified champion
   -H. Clay Earles, founder of Martinsville Speedway
   -Tim Flock, two-time NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion
   -Rick Hendrick, 13-time car owner champion in NASCAR’s three national series
   -Jack Ingram, two-time NASCAR Busch (now Nationwide) Series champion
   -Bobby Isaac, 1970 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion
   -Fred Lorenzen, 26 wins and winner of the Daytona 500 and World 600
   -Cotton Owens, driver-owner, won 1966 owner championship with David Pearson
   -Raymond Parks, NASCAR’s first champion car owner
   -Benny Parsons, 1973 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion
   -Les Richter, former NASCAR executive; former president of Riverside International Raceway
   -Fireball Roberts, won 33 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series races, including the 1962 Daytona 500
   -T. Wayne Robertson, helped raise NASCAR popularity as R.J. Reynolds Senior VP
   -Herb Thomas, first two-time NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion, 1951, ’53
   -Curtis Turner, early personality, called the “Babe Ruth of stock car racing”
   -Joe Weatherly, two-time NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion
   -Leonard Wood, part-owner and former crew chief for Wood Brothers, revolutionized pit stops

Here's what's going on at The Rock

NASCAR Returns to the Rock

WHEN: April 12-15

WHERE: Rockingham Speedway, 2152 N US HWY 1, Rockingham, NC 28379

SCHEDULE:

Thursday, April 12

• NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Hauler Parade – Harrington Square, Downtown Rockingham (6 pm)

Friday, April 13

• 2012 THUNDERFEST – Harrington Square, Downtown Rockingham (11 am-10 pm)
• Free Kids zone with racing-themed inflatables and Laser Tag
• Live music featuring Mother Reign and Jim Quick & Coastline
• Autograph session with NASCAR Camping World Truck Series drivers

Saturday, April 14

• Gates open (9 am)
• UARA Late Model Race (2 pm)
• NASCAR Camping World Truck Qualifying (3:35 pm)
• Frank Kimmel Street Stock Nationals Race (4:45 pm)
• Little Texas Concert – Rockingham Speedway (8 pm)
• FREE with the purchase of tickets to track events on Saturday or Sunday

Sunday, April 15:

• • Gates open (8:30 am)
  • Open track walk (11 am)
    • Drivers on-track to sign autographs in front of their trucks
  • Camping World Truck Series Race (1 p.m.)

TICKETS: Call 855-NC ROCKS

Trevor Bayne will sit out Nationwide race at Texas

   Trevor Bayne, who is currently fourth in the NASCAR Nationwide Series points standings, and earned his first series victory last fall at Texas Motor Speedway, will miss Friday night's race at Texas due to lack of sponsorship.

   Bayne was not listed on the original Entry form for this week's race and on Tuesday Roush Fenway Racing officials confirmed he is not running the event.

   The missed race could all but end his quest at a series title this season. There was no immediate comment from RFR or Bayne.

   Bayne had been hoping to run the full season in Nationwide and compete for the series championship. He had one top-five and three top-10 finishes in the first five races of the 2012 season.

   Bayne is scheduled to drive the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford in Saturday night's Sprint Cup Series race at Texas.

Who's ready to race with Denny?

   Twelve NASCAR stars, past and present, will run the Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown, a NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model division race at Richmond International Raceway on Thursday, April 26.

   Joining the best local Late Model Stock Car drivers for the race are: Hamlin, Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch, Jeff Burton, Michael Waltrip, Joey Logano, Aric Almirola, Jason White, Timothy Peters, Chase Elliott, Darrell Wallace Jr. and Curtis Markham.

   This season marks the second year the Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown will run at Richmond. The event features 12 NASCAR drivers and celebrities battling on the ¾-mile track with some of the best local Late Model Stock Car drivers.

   Proceeds from the Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown benefit the Denny Hamlin Foundation, which raises funds for individuals and families suffering from cystic fibrosis. The foundation supports organizations like The Children’s Hospital of Richmond, St. Jude’s Hospital and Victory Junction.

   Call (866) 455-7223 to purchase tickets for the Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown.

Why Allmendinger would not wreck Newman to earn the NASCAR win

   With two laps remaining in Sunday's Goody's 500, A.J. Allmendinger - who had yet to earn a Top 10 finish this season - sat alongside Ryan Newman, each with a chance at the Sprint Cup Series victory.

   Newman had won 15 times previously. Allmendinger was still looking for his first series win. The two races virtually side-by-side the first lap, then Newman pulled ahead on the final lap and earned the win.

   Allmendinger was asked after the race what he thought about in that situation and why he opted not to wreck Newman to win the race.

   His reply: "First time I've ever had a chance to win a Sprint Cup race, so I was going to do everything I could. Why didn't I wreck him? He actually got a good drive off Turn 2. I would have had to wreck both of us to get into him in Turn 3 to get him.
  
   "I don't want to win like that. That's not the way I want to win a race. He did everything clean on the restart. He could have drove me off the race track, and if he would have done that then it's kind of like, OK, it's game on. But he gave me all the chances that I could to go beat him. We came off the white side‑by‑side and he rolled through Turns 1 and 2 really good, and that was it. 

   "You race people how they race you. And if he would have just drove into the corner, left side of me and got me out of the way, then I would have probably run into him. He didn't do that and he didn't deserve to get wrecked."