The Rockingham Speedway made its successful return to NASCAR last weekend. The positive experience that the Xfinity and Craftsman Truck Series had has led some to hype the possibility of the Cup Series producing a stellar race on the track as well. However, Dale Earnhardt Jr. expressed concerns about the idea on his podcast and has received support from fans.
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Speaking on The Dale Jr. Download, Junior said, “This might not need to be a Cup Series race. This is the first time I have experienced this. People are saying, ‘Man, I don’t know if Cup needs to go there. It might not race well.’ Have you ever heard such a thing? What does that say?” This opinion from fans is primarily based on the troubles and shortcomings of the Next Gen car.
Dirty Mo Media held a poll on X asking fans if they wanted to see the Cup Series race at Rockingham. Of the 6,661 people who voted, 79.5% said “Yes, great idea!”. The others weren’t in favor of the notion.
The fans’ sentiments echoed what Junior spoke of. Even those who want to see the Cup Series race there have some conditions that need to be met first.
One fan said, “Yes, but only if they can use the Xfinity car for that weekend.” Another followed, “Only if they do something about that terrible car.” The Next Gen car has major issues when it comes to making passes. If it were taken to Rockingham, the driver who starts at the top of the field will likely dominate and win the race. That’s the last thing fans want to see.
Another fan added, “Not until they have time to get it prepared as they intend. Keep it as it is for at least another year. Let’s see if attendance will continue or increase.” Last weekend was worth waiting for indeed — the previous Xfinity race was way back in 2004. But that alone doesn’t ensure fans will turn up next year. It would be wise to test the water further before jumping all in.
Yet another fan declared, “Let’s let this place develop before making the Cup Series a possibility. Let’s also let NASCAR try and fix the car a bit because lord knows the Gen7 will somehow end up being a horrible match for that track.” These arguments were largely in sync with the reservations that Junior had for taking the Cup Series to race at Rockingham.
Let’s let this place develop before making Cup a possibility. Let’s also let NASCAR try and fix the car a bit because lord knows the Gen7 will somehow end up being a horrible match for that track.
— Brad S (@Bentley7652) April 22, 2025
He’d said, “In the Next Gen car, you really can’t run behind another car. The lead car has a lot of grip. But also, you need that air going underneath your car to get to the diffuser and you can’t follow another car. How are you gonna do that and go around the race track at Rockingham?” At the end of the day, it all comes down to faulty aerodynamics.
