World Karting Association officials engaged in a successful meeting last week with Andy Hillenburg of Rockingham Speedway in an effort to bring kart racing back to the North Carolina venue.

The meeting with Hillenburg went very well, according to WKA officials, and at least one national-level karting event will return to Rockingham in 2013.

Plans also are in place to build divisional karting programs at Rockingham in 2013.

Rockingham boasts a number of tracks suitable for karting, including the infield sprint course that once hosted popular WKA Gold Cup Series nationals, the road course that utilizes the one-mile tri-oval that has hosted WKA Road Racing nationals in the past, and the new half-mile “Little Rock,” a Martinsville Speedway replica that has a quarter-mile oval inside it that could host Speedway Pavement-style kart events.

Rockingham last hosted a WKA Gold Cup national in 2004. The last Road Racing national at The Rock was held in 1989.

Hillenburg purchased the track in October 2007 and has worked to revive it since. Series that have raced at The Rock since Hillenburg became owner include ARCA, UARA-STARS late models, NASCAR K&N East and, this past April, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

Further 2013 scheduling announcements will be released soon.