Tue, 29 Dec 2015, 13:48 PM Diverse 2016 Schedule for Rockingham Dragway

Courtesy of Steve Earwood Hot Rods, Hemis, Harleys, Pro Mods and Maniacs Share the New Year Spotlight

ROCKINGHAM, N.C. - Music, motorcycles and Maniacs. Smoke outs, burnouts and call outs. Hot rods, hemis and Harleys. Bow ties, blue ovals and bracket bombers. If it rolls - or even crawls and climbs, it'll race this season at Rockingham Dragway where on Tuesday, owner Steve Earwood released a 2016 schedule that starts in February and runs well into December.

"We try not to be too predictable," said the man who has taken The Rock from a track that once ran only two races a year to one that next season will host 48 different events plus Roy Hill's Drag Racing School and private test sessions for touring pros competing on the NHRA, IHRA, AMRA and PDRA tours.

Earwood is especially excited about the third annual PDRA Spring Nationals, April 7-9, that will feature the world's quickest eighth mile Pro Modifieds, Top Dragsters and Top Sportsman cars and about a couple of events that feature people power instead of horsepower.

"Last year, one of the big success stories was the Rugged Maniac series," Earwood said "It has nothing to do with cars, trucks or motorcycles. It's a bunch of athletic-types running through an obstacle course and then sharing a beverage or two at the finish line.

"It was such a hit last season that we've added a second race next year," he said. "We'll have one in May and then we'll come back and do it again in October. Who would've thought people would respond to a race without wheels? It's just a fun event. Not something you'd want to do every week, but it's a nice break."

Not that there won't be a full complement of traditional events at the track including the Dieffenbach Super Store Super Chevy Show presented by the Richmond County Tourism Authority, the NHRA Lucas Oil Series, the AMRA's Jim McClure Nitro Bike Nationals, the Roush Yates Sportsman Wars series and the Phantasm Motorsports Street Wars series featuring the KMS Drift series.

The Phantasm series has quietly become one of the most popular for Sandhills area racers which is reflected in the fact that it will expand in 2016 to six events including a two-day finale Nov. 12-13.

Other returning Rockingham staples include the third annual Jr. Dragster Southeast Nationals (March 19-20), the second Spring Bracket Nationals (April 22-24)the 18th annual Big John Memorial Weekend Bracket Nationals, the Inaugural Top ET Challenge, Tony Saraceni's Carolina Powerfest 4, Mopars at the Rock and the Hoosier Carolina Coalition Series.

2016 Rockingham Dragway Schedule:

February 28        All Makes Test-and-Tune
March 5-6          Racers Appreciation free entry race
March 11-13        The Rock Outlaw Shootout Bikes
March 19 - 20      Third annual Jr. Dragster SE Nationals
March 26           Phantasm Motorsports Street Wars/KMS Drifting #1
March 27           Closed for Easter weekend

April 2            Mopars at The Rock
April 3            All Makes Test-and-Tune 
April 7-9          PDRA Spring Nationals (Pro Modifieds)
April 15           World Grudge Nationals testing
April 16           World Grudge Nationals
April 17           Phantasm Motorsports Street Wars/KMS Drifting #2
April 22-24        Second annual Spring Bracket Nationals
April 29-May 1     Roush Yates Spring Sportsman Wars and Fun Ford Series

May 3              ALSCO private school
May 7              All Makes Test-and-Tune 
May 14             Rugged Maniac series
May 21             Phantasm Motorsports Street Wars/KMS Drifting #3
May 27-30          18th Annual Big John Memorial Weekend Bracket Nationals

June 4             All Makes Test-and-Tune 
June 11-12         Manufacturers Cup Motorcycle series
June 17-18         Smoke Out Bike Rally 16
June 24-26         TBA

July 1-2           World Grudge Nationals 
July 7-9           East Coast Bikers Roundup
July 14-17         Top ET Challenge
July 23            All Makes Test-and-Tune 
July 30-31         Hoosier Tires Carolina Coalition Series

August 6           All Makes Test-and-Tune 
August 13          Phantasm Motorsports Street Wars/KMS Drifting #5
August 20          All Makes Test-and-Tune 
August 27          All Makes Test-and-Tune 

September 3        Grudgefest
September 10       Phantasm Motorsports Street Wars/KMS Drifting #6
September 17-18    Manufacturers Cup Motorcycle series
September 23-25    Super Chevy Series 

October 1-2        Rock Shootout Bikes Twin $5K Race
October 8          Rugged Maniac series
October 14-16      25th annual Jim McClure AMRA Harley Nitro Nationals 
October 21-23      Tony Saraceni's Carolina Powerfest 4
October 28-30      NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series    

November 4-6       Roush Yates Fall Sportsman Wars       
November 12-13     Phantasm Motorsports/KMS Drift #7
November 19        All Makes Test-and-Tune 
November 26        All Makes Test-and-Tune 

December 3         All Makes Test-and-Tune 
December 10        All Makes Test-and-Tune 

- www.rockinghamdragway.com -