North Carolina SBI launches investigation into $375k grant to Rockingham Speedway

The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI) has opened an investigation into the grant money that was allocated into a vendor of Rockingham Speedway, per Gina Esposito of WSOC-TV. Richmond County Commissioners voted 4-3 in August to give a grant payment of $375,000 to the Rockingham vendor.

The outlet previously reported that Rockingham had an unpaid bill for SAFER barriers that were installed at the North Carolina oval ahead of the April 2025 NASCAR Xfinity and Truck Series races. Some commissioners reportedly had concerns about providing money to the 59-year-old speedway.

Commissioners were told they could lose races scheduled at Rockingham for the 2026 season if they didn’t pay the bill. Rockingham is on the Xfinity — soon to be O’Reilly Auto Parts — and Truck Series 2026 schedule. Those races will take place April 3-4.

Last month, Hamlet City manager John Terzui called for the attorney general and the ethics commission to investigate the transaction. Former County Attorney Mike Newman refuted claims at the time. WSOC reported that the attorney general referred the case to NCSBI. Newman has since resigned from his position.

“As a partner in Van Camp, Meacham and Newman, PLLC Mr. Newman has expressed a desire to focus more time on his expanding firm and law practice,” Richmond County Chair Rick Watkins told WSOC.

Rockingham Speedway is up for sale

Rockingham, which recently underwent a $12 million refurbishment, is up for sale with CRBE Group. Dan Lovenheim acquired the 250+ acre property in August 2018. Included in those renovations was a repaved track, which cost $3.3 million. Per the listing, more than $10 million of the $12 million came from the state government budget.

Track Enterprises president Bob Sargent is interested in buying the track. He told WSOC that he’s in favor of any county support. Sargent told Alex Zietlow of The Charlotte Observer that he believes the facility is worthy of being back on the Cup Series schedule in the future.

“Yes, absolutely, with the caveat that NASCAR is a big, worldwide entity, and when you look at dates, there are only so many,” Sargent said in April. “There are only so many geographic regions and things like that. So, there are many factors that go into when dates get put where. So, it’s not a magic wand. But I feel comfortable, and am not saying anything out of line that, yes, we did everything we needed to do.”