Rockingham Dragway To Host NHRA National Event In 2026

The drag racing history that surrounds Rockingham Dragway is deep and vast. Since the facility opened in 1970, it has hosted countless events and is a motorsports hub in the region. “The Rock” will add to its legendary status when the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series comes to town in 2026.

Rockingham Dragway is no stranger to NHRA competition. From 1989 to 1998, the NHRA held an Invitational All-Star Race at The Rock. In 2015, Rockingham Dragway rejoined the NHRA as a part of the Southwest Division. Dan VanHorn and Al Gennarelli purchased the track in 2022 and have been pumping money into the facility to make it a great place to race.

The NHRA has placed Rockingham Dragway on its 2026 schedule with an event on September 25-27^th.

“This is an exciting moment in Rockingham Dragway’s rich history to host an NHRA national event during their 75th anniversary season,” VanHorn said. “We could not be more thrilled to host all the stars of the Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and provide our amazing fans with a show and event like this. This is enormous for this facility and all of Richmond County, and we’re thankful for everyone who has supported us and helped make an event like this happen.”

To make this event happen, the track will be making additional updates including more asphalt pits, new scoreboards, and grandstand fence locations.

“There’s been a lot of work and resources put into this facility, and we’re proud of what has been accomplished in such a short time,” VanHorn said. “As we continue to move forward with new projects and improvements, we’re extremely excited about what the future holds. Richmond County Tourism, the City of Rockingham, and the State of North Carolina have played a critical part in this process, and it’s amazing to have such great partners who believed in our vision to host an NHRA national event.”