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GENNARELLI, VAN HORN TO BUY ROCKINGHAM DRAGWAY
Earwood Promises ‘Business as Usual’ During
Two-Year Transition Period
ROCKINGHAM, N.C. – Al Gennarelli and Dan VanHorn, two
successful businessmen united by their passion for
fast cars, have taken the first step toward becoming
the new owners of Rockingham Dragway, the iconic
Carolina facility that, upon its construction in 1968,
was one of the first dragstrips to feature amenities
like permanent restrooms, concrete grandstands and
corporate suites.
Through a unique agreement with Steve Earwood, who has
owned, operated and upgraded the multi-purpose
facility since buying it from the L.G. Dewitt family
in 1992, Gennarelli, 49, and Van Horn, 47, will spend
the next two years observing events at the track and
learning the basics of racetrack operation before
assuming full ownership in October, 2022.
In the interim, Earwood emphasized that it will be
business as usual at The Rock with a full slate of
diverse events including this week’s 29th annual
Griffin Motors MOPARS at the Rock expo featuring the
Modern Street Hemi Shootout series VanHorn created in
2009 and in which he and Gennarelli both compete.
“All of our personnel will stay in place,” Earwood
said, “and I don’t see any major changes other than we
are adding more non-traditional events to our
calendar, which has been one of our trademarks. In the
past, we’ve hosted the Smoke Out Festival, Metallica
concerts and the more recent Epicenter concert and
we’re looking right now for opportunities to bring
similar non-racing events to Richmond County.”
Gennarelli, who grew up in Pennsylvania but now lives
in Gates, N.C., has operated Gennarelli Concrete and
Construction for the last 22 years. In addition to
pouring concrete, the company is involved in
pre-engineered metal building sales, metal building
erection and concrete pumping and recently added dump
truck hauling to its repertoire.
On the racetrack, Gennarelli’s Dodge Challenger was
the first Modern Mopar to break the 8.00 second
barrier using a Gen3 hemi for power, posting a quarter
mile best time of 7.85 seconds at more than 175 miles
per hour. He also has driven the world’s fastest
hemi-Jeep, stopping the quarter mile timers in 8.00
seconds.
“I’m looking forward to a new chapter in my racing
career as a track co-owner with Dan VanHorn,”
Gennarelli said, “and I’m excited to be able to apply
my flair for business to my passion for racing.”
VanHorn, who lives with his wife Julie and children
Dylan, David and Claire in Stafford, Va., comes from a
military family and proudly served in the U.S. Air
Force as an air traffic controller. It was in the
service that he developed the skills that he would
bring to the private sector where he has worked the
last 23 years as an FAA controller.
Originally from Ocala, Fla., VanHorn, like Gennarelli,
is a lifelong MOPAR and hemi fan. He has raced a
Challenger in his own Modern Street Hemi Shootout
series since he first conceived the idea for the
competition 11 years ago.
“Now that my career as an Air Traffic Controller is
winding down,” VanHorn said, “I am excited to be able
to pursue drag racing at its highest level as a track
owner, teaming with my fellow hemi racer, Al
Gennarelli.”
Over its 52-year history as a major player in
professional drag racing, Rockingham Dragway hosted
major events sanctioned by the three organizations
that figured most prominently in the sport’s
development: the National Hot Rod Association, the
American Hot Rod Association and the International Hot
Rod Association.
Among the professional drivers who have celebrated
major victories at The Rock are Hall of Famers Don
Garlits, John Force, Don Prudhomme, Raymond Beadle,
Kenny Bernstein, Joe Amato, Don Schumacher, Connie
Kalitta, Bob Glidden, Warren Johnson and Ronnie Sox as
well as “TV Tommy” Ivo, Darrell Gwynn, Jeb Allen, Ed
“the Ace” McCulloch, “Dyno Don” Nicholson and Lee
Shepherd.
“We have had a lot of offers to sell the business over
the years,” Earwood said, “but one of my concerns has
always been what impact the sale would have on our
racers, our manufacturers, our sponsors and our fans.
I never felt confident that they would be taken care
of until I started talking to Dan more than a year
ago.
“Now, though, with Dan and Al taking over, I believe
the track’s future is secure and that it will continue
to serve as Richmond County’s principal entertainment
venue and visitor destination.”
Earwood, who was National Media Relations Director at
the NHRA before opting to pursue his dream of track
ownership, not only will continue to handle day-to-day
track operations for the next two years, he will stay
on as a consultant to Gennarelli and Van Horn after
the sale is complete. |
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