ROCKINGHAM – Pre-race activities leading into the April 3 Black’s Tire 200 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race will showcase local talent, students and dignitaries as anticipation continues to build ahead of NASCAR’s Easter Weekend Classic at Rockingham Speedway.
Miss North Carolina, Sophia Kellstrom, will visit with fans and sign autographs from noon – 3 p.m. in the speedway’s Fan Zone before making her way inside the track where she’ll greet drivers and wish them good luck during pre-race ceremonies.
Kellstrom, the 87th Miss North Carolina, was crowned June 28, 2025 and proudly represented the Tar Heel State at the 104th Miss America Competition. A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and a lifelong changemaker, she is the founder of Pennies for Heaven, a nonprofit organization dedicated to combating food insecurity. For over 19 years, she has led initiatives on the local, state, national, and international levels-proving that even small acts of kindness can create a lasting impact.
Passionate about inspiring the next generation, Kellstrom created a school curriculum and authored the children’s book “Sophie the Superhero” to empower young minds. Through her work, she encourages every child to embrace the message that “Helping is their superpower.”
Meanwhile, the Richmond Senior High School Marching Band will perform the school’s fight song on the front straightaway of the venerable high-banked oval, and feature over 50 of Richmond County’s most talented high school musicians.
For Band Director Edwin Carter, opportunities like this go far beyond performance.
“It means a lot to the kids. They enjoy doing that,” said Band Director Edwin Carter. “It’s good to give them a chance to be seen and to share their gift with the rest of the world.”
Carter added that the Richmond Senior High School Marching Band approaches every performance with the same level of preparation and pride.
“We practice the same for anything. We treat all performances as they’re high profile or extremely important because we actually love our audiences, so anyone that’s willing to listen to us, we try to give them all Grade A treatment,” Carter said.
He also emphasized the lasting impact these experiences have on students and the culture of the program.
“Performing at The Rock helps create memories and reinforces the band family we try to promote. It’s not so much about the awards, it’s the memories we create through hard work,” said Carter. “It helps push each other. Like when people start the backslide, I see students stepping up to leadership and saying ‘hey, we have these things coming up, and we want to good, so we get the opportunity to do more things like this,’ so it motivates them to want to practice more.”
A medley of Richmond County elementary school students will also be on hand to honor America by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance both Friday and Saturday. Students were chosen individually from different schools across the county following a collaborative initiative between Track Enterprises, the Richmond County Tourism Development Authority and Richmond County Schools to involve students throughout the weekend.
“It’s very fitting to have Sophia Kellstrom, Miss North Carolina, at the track to interact with all our great fans and participate in the pre-race pageantry,” said Bob Sargent President, Track Enterprises, the official NASCAR event promoter at Rockingham Speedway. “Sophia represents the very best of the state and we certainly appreciate her generosity. The Richmond Raider Marching Band performed flawlessly last year and we’re thrilled to have them back in 2026. We continue to be thankful to Band Director Edwin Carter and, of course, the entire Raider Nation for allowing the Richmond Raider Band to participate this weekend. We’re also thrilled to welcome back students from across Richmond County Elementary Schools as they recite the Pledge of Allegiance before the Black’s Tire 200 and Saturday’s NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series North Carolina Education Lottery 250 presented by Black’s Tire.”
Fans can log on to racetherock.com for continuing details, schedule updates or to purchase tickets for NASCAR’s Easter Weekend Classic at Rockingham Speedway. Tickets are also available for purchase in person at Rockingham City Hall Monday – Thursday from 8 a.m. – noon and 1 p.m. – 5 p.m., and Fridays from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. Both single day and weekend ticket packages are available.
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. 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.
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