Stock car racing events in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series were annually held at Rockingham Speedway in Rockingham, North Carolina held during numerous seasons and times of year between 1965 and 2004.

Spring race

The Subway 400 was the second race of the NASCAR Winston Cup Series season until 2004, held a week after the Daytona 500. This 400-mile (644 km) annual race was sponsored by Subway and was held at North Carolina Speedway (The Rock) since 1966. From 1966 to 1995, the race distance was 500 miles (805-km) which was shortened to 400 miles starting from the 1996 season.

Until the 2004 Nextel Cup season, two annual races were held at Rockingham. After the 2003 season, the fall race (the Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400) — which was held in November — was moved to California Speedway, to be held on the lucrative Labor Day weekend. This displaced the Mountain Dew Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, which moved to November 2004 before being removed from the schedule completely (replaced by a second date at Texas Motor Speedway). The changes were part of the trend of less races being held in the southeast and a broader distribution across the United States. Though the spring date was not directly transferred to California, NASCAR moved up the first California race to the traditional spring Rockingham date the week after Daytona. This resulted in some criticism because teams had to travel cross-country for the second race as most spend two weeks in Daytona and are based in the Charlotte, North Carolina area. The draw for Rockingham was that teams got to stay close to home right after Daytona before traveling for the next race.

Past winners

YearDateDriverTeamManufacturerRace DistanceRace TimeAverage Speed(mph)ReportRef Laps Miles (km) 1966 March 1399 Paul Goldsmith Ray Nichels Plymouth500500 (804.672)4:59:55100.027 Report 1967 June 1843 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Plymouth500500 (804.672)4:46:35104.682 Report 1968 June 1627 Donnie Allison Banjo Matthews Ford500500 (804.672)5:02:0099.338 Report 1969 March 917 David Pearson Holman-Moody Ford500500 (804.672)4:52:22102.569 Report 1970 March 843 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Plymouth492500.364 (805.257)4:18:32116.117 Report 1971 March 1443 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Plymouth492500.364 (805.257)4:12:55118.696 Report 1972 March 1271 Bobby Isaac Nord Krauskopf Dodge492500.364 (805.257)4:23:50 113.895 Report 1973 March 1821 David Pearson Wood Brothers Racing Mercury492500.364 (805.257)4:13:01 118.649 Report 1974 March 343 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Dodge443*450.531 (725.059) 3:42:50121.622 Report 1975 March 211 Cale Yarborough Junior Johnson & Associates Chevrolet492500.364 (805.257)4:15:18117.588 Report 1976 February 2943 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Dodge492500.364 (805.257)4:24:08 113.665 Report 1977 March 1343 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Dodge492500.364 (805.257)5:06:4697.86 Report 1978 March 521 David Pearson Wood Brothers Racing Mercury492500.364 (805.257)4:17:17116.681 Report 1979 March 415 Bobby Allison Bud Moore Engineering Ford492500.364 (805.257) 4:06:30122.727 Report 1980 March 911 Cale Yarborough Junior Johnson & Associates Oldsmobile492500.364 (805.257)4:36:06108.735 Report 1981 March 111 Darrell Waltrip Junior Johnson & Associates Buick492500.364 (805.257)4:21:59114.594 Report 1982 March 2827 Cale Yarborough M.C. Anderson Racing Buick492500.364 (805.257)4:03:27108.992 Report 1983 March 6/13*43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac492500.364 (805.257)4:25:30113.055 Report 1984 March 422 Bobby Allison DiGard Motorsports Buick492500.364 (805.257)4:03:55122.931 Report 1985 March 312 Neil Bonnett Junior Johnson & Associates Chevrolet492500.364 (805.257)4:21:10114.953 Report 1986 March 244 Terry Labonte Billy Hagan Oldsmobile492500.364 (805.257)4:09:10120.488 Report 1987 March 13 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet492500.364 (805.257)4:15:23117.556 Report 1988 March 675 Neil Bonnett RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac492500.364 (805.257)4:09:51120.159 Report 1989 March 527 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing Pontiac492500.364 (805.257) 4:20:47115.122 Report 1990 March 442 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac492500.364 (805.257)4:04:21122.864 Report 1991 March 342 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac492500.364 (805.257)4:01:57124.083 Report 1992 March 111 Bill Elliott Junior Johnson & Associates Ford492500.364 (805.257)3:58:02 126.125 Report 1993 February 282 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing Pontiac492500.364 (805.257) 4:01:10124.486 Report 1994 February 272 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing Ford492500.364 (805.257)3:59:43125.239 Report 1995 February 2624 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet492500.364 (805.257) 3:59:15125.305 Report 1996 February 253 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet393399.681 (643.224)3:30:26113.959 Report 1997 February 2324 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet393399.681 (643.224)3:17:35121.371 Report 1998 February 2224 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet393399.681 (643.224)3:24:51117.065 Report 1999 February 216 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford393399.681 (643.224)3:18:36120.75 Report 2000 February 2718 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac393399.681 (643.224)3:07:32127.875 Report 2001 February 25/26*1 Steve Park Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet393399.681 (643.224)3:34:21111.877 Report 2002 February 2417 Matt Kenseth Roush Racing Ford393399.681 (643.224)3:27:40115.478 Report 2003 February 2388 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford393399.681 (643.224)3:23:29117.852 Report 2004 February 2217 Matt Kenseth Roush Racing Ford393399.681 (643.224)3:34:05112.016 Report

1974: Race shortened due to energy crisis. 1983: Race started on March 6; finished a week later on March 13 due to rain. 2001: Race started on Sunday but was finished on Monday due to rain.

Multiple winners (drivers) # Wins Driver Years won 7 Richard Petty 1967, 1970, 1971, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1983 3 David Pearson 1969, 1973, 1978 Cale Yarborough 1975, 1980, 1982 Rusty Wallace 1989, 1993, 1994 Jeff Gordon 1995, 1997, 1998 2 Bobby Allison 1979, 1984 Neil Bonnett 1985, 1988 Kyle Petty 1990, 1991 Dale Earnhardt 1987, 1996 Matt Kenseth 2002, 2004

Multiple winners (manufacturers) # Wins Manufacturer Years won 9 Ford 1968, 1969, 1979, 1992, 1994, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004 8 Chevrolet 1975, 1985, 1987, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001 7 Pontiac 1983, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 2000 4 Plymouth 1966, 1967, 1970, 1971 Dodge 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977 3 Buick 1981, 1982, 1984 2 Mercury 1973, 1978 Oldsmobile 1980, 1986

Fall race

The Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series event that took place in November at the North Carolina Motor Speedway from 1965 to 2003. It was the first NASCAR Cup Series victory for three drivers including Mark Martin in 1989, Ward Burton in 1995, and Johnny Benson in 2002. It was the final race win for Bill Elliott in 2003.

This race, typically run as the penultimate race of the NASCAR season, was dropped from the schedule after the 2003 season. The Pop Secret sponsorship was moved over to the newly acquired Labor Day date at Auto Club Speedway, while the late season date was originally taken over by the Southern 500 at Darlington and later the fall race at Texas.

Past winners YearDateDriverTeamManufacturerRace DistanceRace TimeAverage Speed(mph)ReportRef Laps Miles (km) 1965 October 3141 Curtis Turner Wood Brothers Racing Ford500500 (804.672)4:54:17101.942 Report 1966 October 3028 Fred Lorenzen Holman-Moody Ford500500 (804.672)4:47:30104.348 Report 1967 October 2911 Bobby Allison Holman-Moody Ford500500 (804.672)5:04:4998.42 Report 1968 October 2743 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Plymouth500500 (804.672)4:45:33105.06 Report 1969 October 2698 LeeRoy Yarbrough Junior Johnson & Associates Ford492500.364 (805.257)4:28:12111.938 Report 1970 November 1521 Cale Yarborough Wood Brothers Racing Mercury492500.364 (805.257)4:14:24117.811 Report 1971 October 2443 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Plymouth492500.364 (805.257)4:24:43113.405 Report 1972 October 2212 Bobby Allison Richard Howard Chevrolet492500.364 (805.257)4:13:49118.275 Report 1973 October 2121 David Pearson Wood Brothers Racing Mercury492500.364 (805.257)4:14:57117.749 Report 1974 October 2021 David Pearson Wood Brothers Racing Mercury492500.364 (805.257)4:13:21118.493 Report 1975 October 1911 Cale Yarborough Junior Johnson & Associates Chevrolet492500.364 (805.257)4:09:54120.129 Report 1976 October 2443 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Dodge492500.364 (805.257) 4:15:01117.718 Report 1977 October 231 Donnie Allison Ellington Racing Chevrolet492500.364 (805.257)4:24:18113.584 Report 1978 October 2211 Cale Yarborough Junior Johnson & Associates Oldsmobile492500.364 (805.257)4:15:58117.288 Report 1979 October 2143 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Chevrolet492500.364 (805.257)4:37:04108.356 Report 1980 October 1911 Cale Yarborough Junior Johnson & Associates Chevrolet492500.364 (805.257)4:22:59114.159 Report 1981 November 111 Darrell Waltrip Junior Johnson & Associates Buick492500.364 (805.257)4:39:32107.399 Report 1982 October 3111 Darrell Waltrip Junior Johnson & Associates Buick492500.364 (805.257)4:20:47115.122 Report 1983 October 3044 Terry Labonte Billy Hagan Chevrolet492500.364 (805.257)4:11:36119.324 Report 1984 October 219 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford492500.364 (805.257)4:26:35112.617 Report 1985 October 2011 Darrell Waltrip Junior Johnson & Associates Chevrolet492500.364 (805.257) 4:13:40 118.344 Report 1986 October 1912 Neil Bonnett Junior Johnson & Associates Chevrolet492500.364 (805.257)3:57:33126.381 Report 1987 October 259 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford492500.364 (805.257)4:13:52118.258 Report 1988 October 2327 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing Pontiac492500.364 (805.257)4:29:07111.557 Report 1989 October 226 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford492500.364 (805.257)4:23:10114.079 Report 1990 October 217 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford492500.364 (805.257)3:57:25126.452 Report 1991 October 2028 Davey Allison Robert Yates Racing Ford492500.364 (805.257)3:55:51127.292 Report 1992 October 2542 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac492500.364 (805.257)3:49:37130.748 Report 1993 October 242 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing Pontiac492500.364 (805.257)4:23:16114.036 Report 1994 October 233 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet492500.364 (805.257)3:57:30126.408 Report 1995 October 2222 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac393399.681 (643.224)3:28:56114.778 Report 1996 October 2010 Ricky Rudd Rudd PerformanceMotorsports Ford393399.681 (643.224)3:16:03122.32 Report 1997 October 2743 Bobby Hamilton Petty Enterprises Pontiac393399.681 (643.224)3:17:00121.73 Report 1998 November 124 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet393399.681 (643.224)3:06:44128.423 Report 1999 October 2499 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford393399.681 (643.224)3:02:55131.103 Report 2000 October 2288 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford393399.681 (643.224)3:37:11110.418 Report 2001 November 433 Joe Nemechek Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet393399.681 (643.224)3:05:59128.941 Report 2002 November 310 Johnny Benson Jr. MB2 Motorsports Pontiac393399.681 (643.224)3:06:35128.526 Report 2003 November 99 Bill Elliott Evernham Motorsports Dodge393399.681 (643.224) 3:34:44111.677 Report

Multiple winners (drivers) # Wins Driver Years won 4 Richard Petty 1968, 1971, 1976, 1979 Cale Yarborough 1970, 1975, 1978, 1980 3 Darrell Waltrip 1981–1982, 1985 Bill Elliott 1984, 1987, 2003 2 Bobby Allison 1967, 1972 David Pearson 1973–1974 Rusty Wallace 1988, 1993

Multiple winners (manufacturers) # Wins Manufacturer Years won 12 Ford 1965–1967, 1969, 1984, 1987, 1989–1991, 1996, 1999–2000 11 Chevrolet 1972, 1975, 1977, 1979–1980, 1983, 1985–1986, 1994, 1998, 2001 6 Pontiac 1988, 1992–1993, 1995, 1997, 2002 3 Mercury 1970, 1973–1974 2 Plymouth 1968, 1971 Buick 1981–1982 Dodge 1976, 2003

References

External links