Chase Elliott backs the return of forgotten NASCAR track, blames fans for its current state

The return of North Wilkesboro has had a huge positive impact in the NASCAR community.

Chase Elliott backs the return of forgotten NASCAR track, blames fans for its current state

Chase Elliott (Credits: @SunocoRacing/Twitter)

The return of North Wilkesboro to NASCAR as the host of the 2023 All-Star race weekend demands the return of other iconic tracks that have been coming up. He is one of the many supporters of Rockingham Speedway making a NASCAR comeback. It was one of the tracks ousted from the sports calendar after North Wilkesboro.

Chase Elliott, one of the most popular drivers in the Cup garage, was asked about a possible return of Rockingham Speedway to the Cup series during the All-Star race weekend. He pointed out that he had some positive races at the track, which has always been known for the competitive races it has produced.

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“I’d be for it. I thought Rockingham was a great race track. I had a chance to race there a few times. I ran a Truck there I think once and a couple K&N races. I ran a late-model race there once, as well. I thought Rockingham was a great race track,” Elliott said.

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“I loved racing there. Especially at the time, I was just getting going and it was the biggest place I had been to, so I thought that was pretty cool then. But it was a great track; a really wide track. Guys ran all over that race track, at least when we were running there. I don’t know what the surface looks like now, but yeah I think that would be another great fit,” Elliott added.

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Chase Elliott asks fans to start supporting short tracks races

Rockingham Speedway
Rockingham Speedway

NASCAR fans nowadays have been asking for the return of short-track racing, the root of NASCAR. The number of such tracks has decreased in the 21st century. One main reason for this decrease in number is the fall in fan attendance. Elliott has urged the fans to support the tracks once they are back to NASCAR, or it might get forgotten forever.

“Ultimately, you have to ask yourself – why did these places shutdown in the first place? Well, it was because people quit supporting them, but now it’s cool to bring it back. So it’s like which one do you want to do.. do you want it or not? And I think we all have to ask ourselves that, and the people that support racing need to ask themselves that, too,” Elliott said.  

“If we don’t support this stuff, then it’s going to go away. It’s just how it works. I’d love to see it revived, as well. I know there has been a lot of state funding that North Carolina has allocated to the race tracks and things, and I certainly think Rockingham could be a good place to get in the works, too. But that’s way above me,” Elliott added.

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