A high-performance truck takes off from the starting line during an event at the Rockingham Dragway.
ROCKINGHAM —The sound of roaring engines and screeching tires will fill the Rockingham Dragway Friday and Saturday for the return of Rudy’s Spring Truck Jam.
The 2024 Rudy’s Spring Truck Jam returns to the Dragway following a successful event in 2023 with events catering to truck enthusiasts of all ages and backgrounds.
“We’ve got drag racing going on, we have the DINOs going on, so people can measure the horsepower of their vehicles … We’ve got a Shine and Shine, which is an area where there will be a bunch of show trucks set up and everyone will have their vehicles on display. We will have voting for best in show, best Ford, best Chevy, and all of that kind of stuff,” Event Founder Aaron Rudolf said.
With an event catering to all ages and interests, the relocation became necessary in order to accommodate the large crowd. Originally beginning as a DINO event, where truck owners could determine their horsepower, it soon evolved into a two-day affair featuring Outlaw Diesel Super Series drag racing, various interactive activities and vendors seeking to find a new audience for their truck-centric products.
“This started out as a DINO event, a get-together, or an open house at the shop in Durham. We would have an open house and a DINO, which is a tool to measure how much power vehicles have … It evolved into the Dragracing side. For a while, we were at the Piedmont Dragway – right outside of Burlington,” Rudolf said. “We were at Piedmont Dragway for several years, and the vent kept growing and growing. We outgrew that facility, so started looking elsewhere, and that is how we came to Rockingham. This facility is obviously much larger and can handle the capacity and have room to spread out.”
Although the event is sure to bring in truck owners and drag race fans, Rudolph said a major component of each year’s event is inspiring the next generation of truck enthusiasts. Fostering that next generation is the primary motivator for allowing children 10 years old and under free entry, and creating events where children can meet the drivers and sit in the driver’s seat of the fastest trucks in the world.
“It’s a family event. Bring your kids out. It will be a great thing for kids to enjoy,” Rudolf said.
Gates open at 9 a.m. Saturday with races set to start at 11 a.m. Elimination races begin at 2:30 p.m., following a 2 p.m. opening ceremony.
“It’s incredible to see all of these trucks going down the track. There will be 3,000 horsepower vehicles going down the track making 3 or 4-second passes. If you’ve never been to something like this before, it’s something pretty unique and incredible to see. The majority of people coming here are just here to spectate or watch. It’s a great family and kids environment,” Rudolf said.
For more information, and a complete list of events, check out the Rudy’s Spring Truck Jam Facebook page.