Rockingham, N.C. (August 28, 2012) – Rockingham Speedway will host the biggest single day of championship stock car racing in the track’s 47-year history on Saturday, Nov. 3 with the inaugural running of the “Classic 3 Championship Presented by the RCR Racing Museum.”
The first-time event will feature championship-deciding races for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, UARA-Stars Late Models and Frank Kimmel Street Stock Series, all in one jam-packed afternoon of excitement on the one-mile Rockingham oval.
“I’m a big believer in `Go big or go home,'” said Rockingham Speedway president Andy Hillenburg in announcing the event. “Most people would be satisfied to host the final point-counting race for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. But my first thought was, `How do we make this even bigger?’ With the help of Richard Childress and his staff at the RCR Racing Museum, I think we’ve managed to do exactly that.”
“Rockingham Speedway has been a special place to RCR for decades, so it’s great to be teaming up with Andy Hillenburg and his staff for this amazing day of crowning champions in three different stock car series,” said Richard Childress, president and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. “Andy took a big gamble a few years ago to bring `The Rock’ back to life and it’s paying off with a lot of hard work from everyone involved. The RCR Racing Museum is home to a number of cars that made history at Rockingham so we’re proud to be a part of the Classic 3 Championship presented by the RCR Racing Museum.”
A trio of former Rockingham Speedway winners will lead the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East charge on Nov. 3. Chase Elliott (son of 1988 NASCAR Cup Series champion Bill Elliott), Corey Lajoie (son of two-time NASCAR Busch Series king Randy Lajoie) and Brandon McReynolds (son of Daytona 500 winning crew chief and TV analyst Larry McReynolds) have all tasted victory at “The Rock” in recent seasons, and Elliott and LaJoie are solidly in contention for the 2012 K&N Pro Series title. They will be joined by current point leader Brett Moffitt, runner-up Kyle Larson and series veteran Eddie MacDonald as top threats for the checkered flag.
In the battle for the 2012 UARA-Stars Late Model Series championship, Travis Swaim holds a 121-point advantage over Dillon Bassett, with a number of other drivers within striking distance of the title. The Frank Kimmel Street Stock Series has quickly become a fan favorite at Rockingham, with huge fields of “hometown heroes” battling wheel-to-wheel in their low cost, stock bodied machines. As many as 90 Street Stock entries will take the green flag on Nov. 3 in the finale of the “Classic 3 Championship Presented by the RCR Racing Museum.”
“I couldn’t ask for a better place to end the season than Rockingham,” said Lajoie. “It’s a great facility; big and fast enough to just put the hammer down and run as hard as you can, all day long. It’s a perfect track to learn what you need to know to race in the Camping World Truck, Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series’ one day.”
Friday will feature practice and qualifying for all three divisions, followed by a Pit Party/Autograph Session on the track’s front stretch. Grandstand admission is free for Friday’s events.
Saturday’s schedule begins with driver introductions for the UARA-Stars Late Model Series at 11:30 a.m., followed by the green flag for their 75-lap main event. The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East will follow with a 100-lap championship race, with the 75-lap finale for the Kimmel Street Stock Series closing the program at approximately 3:30 p.m.
Saturday adult-admission tickets are just $20 in advance, or $30 at the gate on race day. Kids age 12 and under are half-price. Reserve your seats now by calling the Rockingham Speedway ticket office at (910) 205-8800, or online atwww.rockinghamspeedway.com. Every ticket is also good for a special, $3 admission to the RCR Racing Museum in Welcome, N.C.
