While the Classic 3 Championship presented by RCR Racing Museum race weekend doesn’t officially kick off until Friday, Rockingham Speedway was abuzz with the sound of race cars Thursday.
The drivers and teams of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, the UARA-STARS Late Models and the Frank Kimmel Street Stock Nationals were on hand working feverishly to tackle the tough one-mile oval Friday and Saturday.
“It (the car) is not bad,” said Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Aaron’s/ HendrickCars.com Chevrolet in the K&N Pro Series East. “We were struggling a bit for a while earlier, but we are starting to make some steps in the right direction.
“But that’s why we are here, to try to improve. We’ve got all day tomorrow to make the most of it.”
Elliott, the son of 1988 NASCAR Cup Series Champion Bill Elliott, is a two-time winner at Rockingham in other touring series.
Clay Rogers, another driver who knows his way to Rockingham’s victory lane having found his way there three times in Pro Cup action, is hoping the early test session will help him find his way back there on Saturday.
“So far today, we’ve been trying to get the front grip back from some of the rule changes that they made,” said Rogers. “The car has got speed in it. We’ll just take what when can get, and just go with it. I think we have a car capable of winning.”
Rogers was leading the UARA event at Rockingham in April when he spun coming off of turn four with two laps to go. His team returned to Rockingham with the same car for this weekend’s event.
Gates open for fans Friday at 9 a.m. with practice resuming at 9:30 a.m. and running until 2:50 p.m. Qualifying begins for the UARA Late Models at 3:00 p.m. followed by the K&N Pro Series. The street stocks wind down the day’s on-track activity with a European-style qualifying session at approximately 4:30 p.m. Admission to the grandstands is free on Friday.
A free pit party gets underway at 5 p.m. with a D.J. and bands. Drivers will be signing autographs from 6-7 p.m. in the Rock Pile cafeteria.
On Saturday, November 3 suites and grandstands reopen for fans at 9 a.m. The UARA takes the green flag at noon, followed by the K&N Pro Series at approximately 1:20 p.m. The street stocks will take the green at approximately 3:30 p.m.
The Rock PR
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