N.C. Drag Strip Provides Thrills, Jobs

ROCKINGHAM, N.C., March 4, 2009 -- Most drivers don't have any reason to stop in Richmond County. Through a car windshield, they would see only an endless expanse of farmland and trees on a trek toward the South Carolina state line.

But to car enthusiasts, Richmond County is not only the place to stop, but the place to race. The Rockingham Dragway -- affectionately known as "the Rock" -- is one of the most famous quarter-mile drag-racing strips in the Southeast.

"Textiles and tobacco were the basis for this economy," said Steve Earwood, owner of the Rock. "But over the years that has faded and motor sports has stepped in to fill that void."

In the 1960s, NASCAR built the Rockingham Speedway literally across the street from the drag strip. The Rock's regular races and the Speedway's NASCAR fame drew thousands of spectators and millions of dollars every year.

"When NASCAR was running there, Richmond County was thriving," said Thurman Exum, professor of motor-sports management at Sandhills Community College.

"It was my favorite place to go," said Jonathan Medlin, one of Exum's students. "That's where I really fell in love with racing." He remembers going to the Rockingham Speedway with his family.

"Then NASCAR pulled out, and everything started to fall apart," Exum said.

When the Rockingham Speedway shut down in 2004, the county's economy took a serious hit. According to the latest U.S. Census, 20 percent of Richmond County's population still live under the poverty line.

Yet locals and loyalists have continued to race at the Rock. Now, five years later, the Rock is still operating in one of the poorest counties in the state.

"There's nothing here," said Rock employee John Leviner. "Everything's closed down except Wal-Mart. But with big events, we get lots of people. Then money gets spent in the area. And that doesn't hurt nothing."

With nearly 4,530 people in Richmond County unemployed, jobs at the drag strip are especially coveted.