ARCA Menards Series East to Complete Weekend Tripleheader
ROCKINGHAM, N.C. (Jan. 8, 2026) – On the heels of a sellout weekend following NASCAR’s celebrated return to the sandhills of North Carolina’s central piedmont, the North Carolina Education Lottery and Black’s Tire have renewed their respective partnerships and will return as the entitlement sponsors for Rockingham Speedway’s April 3-4 NASCAR Easter Weekend Classic.
The Black’s Tire 200 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race will open the weekend on Friday with 200 laps of side-by-side racing before the North Carolina Education Lottery 250 presented by Black’s Tire NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race headlines the marquee Saturday afternoon.
The ARCA Menards Series East will round out the weekend and take the green flag prior to the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series’ 250-lap contest.
The North Carolina Education Lottery ranks as one of the most successful and responsible lotteries in the U.S., providing more than $1 billion for education in North Carolina for three straight years.
Iowa native Sammy Smith earned the North Carolina Education Lottery 250 presented by Black’s Tire victory for JR Motorsports last season following the division’s return to the iconic oval to become the 24th different winner in series history at the storied facility.
“We’re excited to take another lap in racing history at The Rock, returning to sponsor the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Race in April,” said Mark Michalko, Chief Executive Officer of the North Carolina Education Lottery. “Sharing in the excitement of North Carolina race fans helps to drive our mission to raise money for education programs in our state, now at more than $1 billion for a third year in a row. Richmond County, the home of Rockingham Speedway, recently took home a win when it was awarded a $42 million lottery-funded grant to build a new elementary school. Congratulations!”
Black’s Tire Service, the family go-to tire destination, was founded as Black’s Service Station by W. Crowell Black in Whiteville, N.C., in 1929 and is in its 97th year in business. With more than 70 locations in North and South Carolina, Virginia and Georgia, Black’s remains a local, family owned- and -operated tire retailer and wholesaler.
Last season’s Black’s Tire 200 marked the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series third visit to Rockingham Speedway with 24-year-old Tyler Ankrum taking the checkered flag.
“We are excited to once again be teaming up with Rockingham Speedway,” said Rick Benton II, President Black’s Tire. “Last year was a tremendous event and our customers and Black’s Tire Family are already talking about the upcoming events, April 3-4. The Black’s Tire team are proud partners and looking forward to building on our momentum from last year. It’s been an honor to be part of bringing back NASCAR racing to Rockingham.”
“We’re thrilled to welcome the North Carolina Education Lottery and Black’s Tire back to Rockingham Speedway,” said Bob Sargent, President, Track Enterprises, the official NASCAR event promoter at Rockingham Speedway. “When NASCAR returned to Richmond County in 2025, both the North Carolina Education Lottery and Black’s Tire jumped in head-first and played key roles in making our vision for this historic facility a reality. We literally couldn’t have done it without them which is what makes us so proud that both organizations have agreed to return in 2026. To have entitlement partners who are so deeply rooted across the state and firmly entrenched in the Rockingham area is an honor for our entire team.”
Race fans can log on to RacetheRock.com to purchase tickets, check for updates and for continuing details.
“The ARCA Menards Series East provides an outstanding platform for the future stars of our sport to showcase their talents on the race tracks where some of the most influential people in the business can see them compete,” added Sargent. “We’re thrilled to host the competitors and officials again in 2026 and provide our fans with another exciting race before the drivers and teams of the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series take center stage.”
The Black’s Tire 200 from Rockingham Speedway will be televised live on FS1 Friday, April 3 beginning at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). The race will broadcast live on the NASCAR Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
Meanwhile, the North Carolina Education Lottery 250 presented by Black’s Tire will be televised live on the CW Saturday, April 4, beginning at 2:30 p.m. EDT and broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
– racertherock.com –
About North Education Lottery …
The N.C. Education Lottery ranks as one of the most successful and responsible lotteries in the U.S., providing more than $1 billion for education in North Carolina for three straight years. The funds help counties build and repair schools, help local school systems with salaries of support staff and student transportation, provide for a free, academic pre-school for at-risk four-year-olds, and support the Next NC Scholarship that awards college scholarships based on financial need and the North Carolina Scholarship for Children of Wartime Veterans. To learn more about the state lottery, visit www.nclottery.com, www.NCPlaySmart.com and follow on social media on Facebook @nclottery: Instagram @nclottery: and X @nclottery
About Black’s Tire …
Black’s Tire (BTS) was founded as Black’s Service Station by W. Crowell Black in Whiteville, N.C. in 1929 and is celebrating its 97th anniversary in 2026. With more than 75 locations in both North and South Carolina, Black’s remains a local, family owned- and -operated tire sales and service and vehicle repair business. In addition to the retail and commercial locations, Black’s also operates 15 warehouse/distribution centers across, BTS Tire & Wheel Distributors, a commercial sales division, and a tire-retreading business, Carolina Retreads. Today, the Black’s Tire family includes 1,200 team members. To learn more about Black’s Tire or to find a location, visit www.blackstire.com. Follow Black’s Tire on social media: Twitter at @BlacksTire, Instagram at @BlacksTire and Facebook at facebook.com/blackstire
About Rockingham Speedway …
Located in Richmond County, N.C., Rockingham Speedway opened as a flat, one-mile oval on Oct. 31, 1965. It was reconfigured to a one-mile (1.017 miles) high-banked, D-shaped oval in 1969 and currently measures 0.94-miles in length. On Nov. 18, 2021, N.C., Governor Roy Cooper signed the 2021-2022 North Carolina state budget allocating $9 million to support reinvestment in the facility. The state funds, along with additional investments, allowed for redevelopment of the racetrack including the racing surface and extensive repairs.
About Track Enterprises …
Track Enterprises has been promoting motorsports events since 1985. Based in Macon, Ill., a dedicated staff, led by longtime promoter Bob Sargent, organize and promote upwards of 80 races a year across the eastern half of the United States. Track Enterprises was responsible for the highly-acclaimed return of the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series to the Rockingham Speedway in 2025.