NASCAR Cup Series

Best of Bake: Time has not been kind to Rockingham Speedway

Published Dec. 10, 2015 2:00 p.m. ET

foxsports

(Note: As 2015 comes to an end, we're looking back at some of the top Shake and Bake stories of the year. The following was originally published on Sept. 8.)

When the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series left Rockingham Speedway in 2004, the 1.017-mile track in North Carolina sat dormant for years.

The facility was revived briefly by former driver Andy Hillenburg and NASCAR returned with the Camping World Truck Series in 2012 and 2013. 'The Rock' was also used during that time by late model series and the ARCA Racing Series.

Rockingham hosted a total of 78 Sprint Cup Series races from October 1965 until February 2004, and 42 XFINITY Series races from June 1982 until February 2003. However, the track now sits unused and often unappreciated.

After Sunday's race at Darlington Raceway, a fan took a trip to Rockingham Speedway and shared a few pictures on social media. The overgrown condition of the facility caught many off guard and brought up memories for many NASCAR competitors.

For a full gallery of his images, click here.

Decided to take a detour home. #NASCARthrowback @jeff_gluck pic.twitter.com/xH8lo1PAPT
— Kevin Simpkins (@thndrnghrd24) September 7, 2015

I can close my eyes and run a lap in my mind at Rockingham and still feel all the bumps and transitions better than any other track. #NASCAR
— Mark Martin (@markmartin) September 8, 2015

It's such a missed one!! https://t.co/MmL8iU4nbk
— Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (@StenhouseJr) September 8, 2015

@keselowski @jeff_gluck @JeffGordonWeb was thinking yesterday how grateful I am that we aren't saying "I wish they'd bring back Darlington"
— Ashley Parlett (@Just_AP) September 7, 2015

@jeff_gluck @keselowski @JeffGordonWeb IMO if they want better racing bring back the tracks that cultivate it naturally.
— Ashley Parlett (@Just_AP) September 7, 2015