Jennerstown, Pennsylvania
JENNERSTOWN SPEEDWAY MUSIC FESTIVAL 2026
Rock the Raceway 2026 is a one-day outdoor music festival held at Jennerstown Speedway Complex on Sunday, August 23, 2026. The festival turns the legendary half-mile asphalt oval in the Laurel Highlands into a concert venue, with the Final Four winners of a five-round fan-voted online competition performing live for a $6,000 grand prize.
About the venue
Jennerstown Speedway Complex is a half-mile asphalt oval in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, roughly 60 miles southeast of Pittsburgh in the Laurel Highlands. The track has hosted weekly NASCAR-sanctioned racing since 1929 and draws fans from Western PA, Eastern Ohio, Northern West Virginia, and Western Maryland.
For Rock the Raceway 2026, the speedway converts the front-stretch grandstand area into a festival ground. The main stage is positioned in the infield, with general-admission seating in the grandstands, VIP hospitality in the pavilion, and food, drink, and sponsor activations along the concourse.
What happens on event day
Gates open at 1 PM ET. The first artist takes the stage at 2 PM. Sets run through the afternoon and into the evening, building toward the Final Four performances and the live champion reveal around 9 PM. The event wraps by 9:30 PM ET.
The Final Four is the only round that happens live. The other five rounds run online from July 1 to August 1, 2026, with free voting open to any registered account. The bands that survive to the live finale perform full sets in front of a judging panel plus a real-time audience meter.
Why it matters in Somerset County
This is the largest battle of the bands prize purse the region has hosted. $15,000 total. $6,000 to the live champion. $1,500 split into ten $150 Best in Genre cash awards across rock, metal and punk, pop and dance, hip-hop and R&B, country and Americana, folk and acoustic, jazz and blues, reggae and world, experimental, and traditional and heritage. $1,500 in voter cash drawings spread across six $250 drawings.
The festival is produced by West Media Group in partnership with Jennerstown Speedway Complex, with sponsor support from regional brands.