Story byIHRA Purchases Historic Rockingham Speedway James Gilbert - Getty ImagesDeb WilliamsFri, January 2, 2026 at 5:50 PM UTC·2 min readRockingham Speedway, which opened in 1965 as North Carolina Motor Speedway, has been purchased by the International Hot Rod Association. The IHRA, based in Fairfield, Ohio, announced the purchase of Rockingham Speedway on New Year’s Eve 2025, just a day after it said it had acquired Heartland Motorsports Park in Topeka, Kansas. The announcement also came less than two months after the NHRA announced it would conduct a 2026 event at Rockingham Dragway, which is located across the street from the 1.017-mile oval that was a long-time home for NASCAR events. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIn Wednesday’s announcement, the IHRA said its purchase of Rockingham Speedway reflected its “commitment to preserving motorsports heritage while thoughtfully reinvesting in legendary racing properties.”“This is a special place with a strong foundation,” IHRA owner Darryl Cuttell said in a prepared statement. “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.”Planned improvements include facility upgrades, expanded fan amenities, and the addition of entertainment elements such as concerts and festival-style experiences in addition to races. eartland Motorsports Park in Topeka, Kansas.
