I went to the first BTCC meeting here in 2003, it felt so modern compared to other tracks at the time, many of which were in serious need of investment. Places like Snetterton have come on a lot since Palmer took over but back then the facilities left a lot to be desired.
Thanks for posting! I have fond memories of the creation of Rockingham back in the 90s and went to the opening, and both Indycar races held there (among other races). Building a world-class race track on a brown-field site could have led to great opportunities. Unfortunately, also building a small housing estate on the edge of the site (around the same time) led to inevitable noise complaints from the neighbors which limited its use and probably killed it. From your drone footage, the housing estate hasn't expanded and the surrounding area is still largely industrial! I guess the neighbors have other things to complain about now :)
It was the owners of Rockingham that built the estate. There was definitely meant to be more housing going up but the company folded and took peoples deposits with them. Strange that the directors were still rolling around in £100k Range Rovers after that though, I'm sure it was all above board...
I love how it’s more financially sustainable to have Rockingham as car park for cars no one wants than to be used for racing. Shows a lot of what is wrong with the economy. Love how Cinch painted the infield marshal posts purple, to then use it as a car park again. 😂 Thanks for sharing
I remember thinking when it opened that it wouldn't last long... American Oval racing just isn't of enough interest to us. I know it had an in field circuit but overall it cost too much to make enough money to survive.
as a Yankee here's my idea: have NASCAR, and/or one of their partners buy the track, restore it, and host an international cup series race? NASCAR's trying to expand to Canada (Montreal) and Mexico (Mexico City) with those F1 tracks, so (aside from time zones, and the US Rockingham in North Carolina) why stop there? oh who am i kidding, NASCAR's seen as a joke to the resto f the world, the France family have turned this sport into a giant gimmick, neglecting what made the sport great!
Went to the CART(Indycar) races, Historic racing, Brit' GT, BTCC Test days, Ascar, and right up until the 1/8th mile drag races on the pitlane just before it closed, (by then, the track was making an operating profit), but obviously not as much as it's making now as vehicle storage. The collapse of CART in the USA didn't help anything either. Nearly closed the Lausitzring in Germany as well, also built to run CART, but that wasn't being stalked by storage people I guess, so it survives. Great shame. Enjoyed good times there at Rockingham, even took my car there for a trackday, and it was a good place to spectate, with great access via the tunnels. Even the food in the cafe was good!! Better place than rip off Silverstone.
I used to work there. It operated at a loss from it's inception. There were a few years where they came close to breaking even, but that's it. Unless your owners have very deep pockets, it was always destined to fail. And the owners were very dodgy indeed. It's a shame that it's gone as a race track as it was unique (which was partly its downfall), however anybody who was anywhere close to the operational side of Rockingham could see the writing on the wall for some time before it inevitably closed its doors. It's a shame MSV haven't made a move for it although I suspect the land is probably more valuable as it is currently being used than as a racetrack, seeing as they don't have to maintain a circuit now.
Not sure what track that is but it's no Rocking ham. that it a try oval and the rock is not. plus the sat picks do not even come close to matching. Sorry
Wasnt it bought by some company called cinch? From what i see it looks they use the track occasionally for youtube videos and dont plan to tear it down so thats good at least.
Such a shame! i remember seeing some drone footage no too long ago (Year or two?) and the track had been completely emptied and it got people (Rightfully) Excited. Then to further add to the excitement - there was a facebook post from a local grounds keeper who secured a contract to keep the grass cut and tidy. It was then used for social media content, media and cooperate dates and everyone suspected it would only be a matter of time before it was available for the public to book once again. Such a shame now to see all those hopes washed as its used as a carpark once again.
Remember when it was being built. Always thought how could it succeed as it was so close to Silverstone! The banked track for IndyCar was fine but any other race series will always go to Silverstone
Looks like Stellantis are using the oval for new car storage, mainly Fiats and Jeeps. BCA aka Cinch and We buy Any Car have been using the former Car Parks for a few years now and a BCA Auction Centre is next door. I think Tesla have a used car prep. centre there too.
@@waynemarriott7641 I worked there in catering. The facilities were excellent due to the unique design (and our hospitality), however outside of the BTCC our busiest times were when manufacturers used the track for sales training (Merc were there for 2 weeks straight with 150 a day once) or a car event was on. Later on the Christmas parties weren’t bad either. We had F1 teams test a few times and plenty of others, even the Grand Tour filmed there but you’re talking 50 people max. Unlike Silverstone, there was never going to be an F1 team set up shop nearby, so the circuit relied on being unique which unfortunately isn’t enough. I think if Rockingham had been pushed a little further north west, maybe Worcester or rugby it would have had a fighting chance. But unfortunately it lost the battle that was always stacked against it.
Unbelievable...why on earth build a housing estate near a race track..?... especially when that race track can generate an enormous amount of money over its lifetime ..and give pleasure to millions of people that visit..and watch televised racing...
I used to cover motorsport regularly here as a motorsport photographer. I had quite a few drives around it too, doing most of the layouts over the years. This time of year ten years ago I was charging around the Oval in an old NASCAR. At least everything is still intact so if this owner had a change of heart or they sold it, racing could restart quite easily. 🙂
Very depressing to see, I thought it had all gone by now but it's almost worse to find out it hasn't. There's the hope that at least while the track is still there it could be used again for racing one day but I understand that's just realistically a fantasy. All those vehicles parked up in the same spot for potentially weeks or months will ruin the surface, the 4x4's especially, but interesting to see it still looks relatively maintained around the venue as a whole. I guess at least it's got cars on it for now so semi true to it's intended purpose.
Rockingam Raceway is too American for this country and seriously do we need more in this country? We've got some incredible tracks here already that don't get used enough!
All the other main circuits are quite heavily used. Rockingham was too and it was doing okay, it was only issues elsewhere with the parent company that saw it sold off.
It's used as a storage area but not specifically by PSA. There's also vehicle auctions held on site. The auctions happened for the last few years it operated as a circuit too,
@@BradderzTekkerz when we were there it was City Auction Group storing cars in the car parks, ex lease vehicles etc. I assume that now there’s no racing testing track days etc they store them on track as it’s solid ground and less dusty
Place is a shithole anyway!… garages are way to small. Did a starts test there once when I was at Red Bull, best thing about Rockingham is when you leave!!
I went to the first BTCC meeting here in 2003, it felt so modern compared to other tracks at the time, many of which were in serious need of investment. Places like Snetterton have come on a lot since Palmer took over but back then the facilities left a lot to be desired.
Thanks for posting! I have fond memories of the creation of Rockingham back in the 90s and went to the opening, and both Indycar races held there (among other races). Building a world-class race track on a brown-field site could have led to great opportunities. Unfortunately, also building a small housing estate on the edge of the site (around the same time) led to inevitable noise complaints from the neighbors which limited its use and probably killed it. From your drone footage, the housing estate hasn't expanded and the surrounding area is still largely industrial! I guess the neighbors have other things to complain about now :)
It was the owners of Rockingham that built the estate. There was definitely meant to be more housing going up but the company folded and took peoples deposits with them. Strange that the directors were still rolling around in £100k Range Rovers after that though, I'm sure it was all above board...
It didn't open until 2001. Construction started 1999.
@@marcwaller3657 I went there opening day. 50 cent and g unit played with Tim Westwood as DJ. Feels like a fever dream
I love how it’s more financially sustainable to have Rockingham as car park for cars no one wants than to be used for racing. Shows a lot of what is wrong with the economy. Love how Cinch painted the infield marshal posts purple, to then use it as a car park again. 😂
Thanks for sharing
The oval was OK, apart from a lack of races held on it, but the road circuit was pretty 'mickey mouse' in all honesty.
I remember thinking when it opened that it wouldn't last long... American Oval racing just isn't of enough interest to us. I know it had an in field circuit but overall it cost too much to make enough money to survive.
as a Yankee here's my idea: have NASCAR, and/or one of their partners buy the track, restore it, and host an international cup series race? NASCAR's trying to expand to Canada (Montreal) and Mexico (Mexico City) with those F1 tracks, so (aside from time zones, and the US Rockingham in North Carolina) why stop there? oh who am i kidding, NASCAR's seen as a joke to the resto f the world, the France family have turned this sport into a giant gimmick, neglecting what made the sport great!
Went to the CART(Indycar) races, Historic racing, Brit' GT, BTCC Test days, Ascar, and right up until the 1/8th mile drag races on the pitlane just before it closed, (by then, the track was making an operating profit), but obviously not as much as it's making now as vehicle storage. The collapse of CART in the USA didn't help anything either. Nearly closed the Lausitzring in Germany as well, also built to run CART, but that wasn't being stalked by storage people I guess, so it survives. Great shame. Enjoyed good times there at Rockingham, even took my car there for a trackday, and it was a good place to spectate, with great access via the tunnels. Even the food in the cafe was good!! Better place than rip off Silverstone.
What a shame about that race track.
I used to work there. It operated at a loss from it's inception. There were a few years where they came close to breaking even, but that's it. Unless your owners have very deep pockets, it was always destined to fail. And the owners were very dodgy indeed. It's a shame that it's gone as a race track as it was unique (which was partly its downfall), however anybody who was anywhere close to the operational side of Rockingham could see the writing on the wall for some time before it inevitably closed its doors. It's a shame MSV haven't made a move for it although I suspect the land is probably more valuable as it is currently being used than as a racetrack, seeing as they don't have to maintain a circuit now.
Not sure what track that is but it's no Rocking ham. that it a try oval and the rock is not. plus the sat picks do not even come close to matching. Sorry
Such a shame. Would be great for trackday events.
Wasnt it bought by some company called cinch? From what i see it looks they use the track occasionally for youtube videos and dont plan to tear it down so thats good at least.
Such a shame! i remember seeing some drone footage no too long ago (Year or two?) and the track had been completely emptied and it got people (Rightfully) Excited.
Then to further add to the excitement - there was a facebook post from a local grounds keeper who secured a contract to keep the grass cut and tidy.
It was then used for social media content, media and cooperate dates and everyone suspected it would only be a matter of time before it was available for the public to book once again.
Such a shame now to see all those hopes washed as its used as a carpark once again.
Remember when it was being built. Always thought how could it succeed as it was so close to Silverstone! The banked track for IndyCar was fine but any other race series will always go to Silverstone
Looks like Stellantis are using the oval for new car storage, mainly Fiats and Jeeps. BCA aka Cinch and We buy Any Car have been using the former Car Parks for a few years now and a BCA Auction Centre is next door. I think Tesla have a used car prep. centre there too.
Shame. It's a great track and facilities
@@waynemarriott7641 I worked there in catering. The facilities were excellent due to the unique design (and our hospitality), however outside of the BTCC our busiest times were when manufacturers used the track for sales training (Merc were there for 2 weeks straight with 150 a day once) or a car event was on. Later on the Christmas parties weren’t bad either. We had F1 teams test a few times and plenty of others, even the Grand Tour filmed there but you’re talking 50 people max. Unlike Silverstone, there was never going to be an F1 team set up shop nearby, so the circuit relied on being unique which unfortunately isn’t enough. I think if Rockingham had been pushed a little further north west, maybe Worcester or rugby it would have had a fighting chance. But unfortunately it lost the battle that was always stacked against it.
Unbelievable...why on earth build a housing estate near a race track..?... especially when that race track can generate an enormous amount of money over its lifetime ..and give pleasure to millions of people that visit..and watch televised racing...
ask cletus mc farland
Are they multiple manufacturers cars
Yes, the site is used by BCA for car storage.
I used to cover motorsport regularly here as a motorsport photographer. I had quite a few drives around it too, doing most of the layouts over the years. This time of year ten years ago I was charging around the Oval in an old NASCAR. At least everything is still intact so if this owner had a change of heart or they sold it, racing could restart quite easily. 🙂
This circuit is really well maintained, it looks as good today as it looked the day it was built..
Very depressing to see, I thought it had all gone by now but it's almost worse to find out it hasn't. There's the hope that at least while the track is still there it could be used again for racing one day but I understand that's just realistically a fantasy. All those vehicles parked up in the same spot for potentially weeks or months will ruin the surface, the 4x4's especially, but interesting to see it still looks relatively maintained around the venue as a whole.
I guess at least it's got cars on it for now so semi true to it's intended purpose.
Sad to see it as a giant car park. I bet some of the stadium seats have never been sat on.
@@Laser2120 the two non man building grandstands were condemned almost immediately after opening, so yeah I bet you’re right
Constellation Group - A bunch of crooks.
Rockingam Raceway is too American for this country and seriously do we need more in this country?
We've got some incredible tracks here already that don't get used enough!
Yep, it's always been a white elephant. It reminds me of those attempts in the 80s to persuade us to get into American Football.
All the other main circuits are quite heavily used. Rockingham was too and it was doing okay, it was only issues elsewhere with the parent company that saw it sold off.
I mean it’s nice to have a complete oval that isn’t tiny
More details at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockingham_Motor_Speedway
When it was being built I said it would be a flop.
Soooo many cars! Why?
@Atticus3lack Cars are returns from lease contracts. They wanted somewhere central in the country for storage, and this was it. Such a waste.
Tell me this isn’t psa using the track as a storage yard!?
It's used as a storage area but not specifically by PSA. There's also vehicle auctions held on site. The auctions happened for the last few years it operated as a circuit too,
@@BradderzTekkerz when we were there it was City Auction Group storing cars in the car parks, ex lease vehicles etc. I assume that now there’s no racing testing track days etc they store them on track as it’s solid ground and less dusty
What a waste of money,perfectly good track turned into a storage facility.
Yes, and it was money from tax payers!
Doesn't really look the righ shape. Not enough of a straight.
It is a shame!
What a waste.
It was built in the wrong place to far north. Always knew it would end up like this.
The track was going okay, it was issues with the parent company that got it sold off. It wasn't making loads of money but it wasn't losing it either.
This makes no fuckin sense
Place is a shithole anyway!… garages are way to small.
Did a starts test there once when I was at Red Bull, best thing about Rockingham is when you leave!!