Holy Ground: Darlington Historical Racing Festival honors region's racing past

Nowadays, it’s hard to imagine a Darlington without racing. To modern eyes, the town’s 1.366-mile racetrack seems just as natural as the minnow pond that rests on the west side of its property. Darlington Raceway was a work of pristine creativity that began with the dream of businessman Harold Brasington in 1949.

This weekend, that evolution from a South Carolina cotton field to one of NASCAR’s oldest tracks will be celebrated at the inaugural Darlington Historic Racing Festival.

A special place

NASCAR president Chris Browning explained that the festival is a time not only for remembering the past, but demonstrating how it is relevant today and in the future.

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When you walk into Darlington Raceway, he said, “you have that feeling that you’re going into a special place.”

The event comes at a poignant time in Darlington Raceway’s history as “Southern 500,” the name of the first race staged at Darlington nearly 60 years ago — and a name that, for decades, defined the “Track Too Tough To Tame” — has been restored for the track’s annual Mother’s Day weekend race. It’s a meaningful and symbolic move, noted Browning. The track ran the first Southern 500 on Sept. 4, 1950, and winning it became a coveted prize and source of pride for

NASCAR drivers such as Jeff Burton, who said his 1999 win was a career highlight.

From cotton fields to racetrack

The event this weekend comes after more than two years of planning.

The evolution of the track from farmlands to a racetrack, and its durability as larger tracks appeared in heavier populated areas, deserves to be recognized, Browning said.

The festival features displays and demonstrations of historic race cars including Indy roadsters, Sprint cars, Midgets and classic stock cars. There also will be appearances by legendary NASCAR drivers and personalities including Waddell Wilson, Ray Fox, Ned Jarrett, Rex White, Raymond Parks, Buddy Baker, Marvin Panch, Bobby Allison, Darrell Waltrip, Junior Johnson, Charlie Glotzbach, David Pearson, Bud Moore and Cotton Owens. Fans will have the opportunity to ask questions of their faves and get those coveted autographs, as well.

Historically one of a kind

Darlington, intimately linked to NASCAR’s beginnings, is fondly thought of by many drivers, and although Browning said he contacted many of the drivers and asked them to appear at the event, he also was approached by individuals associated with NASCAR requesting information about the event or asking if they could be involved.

If there’s anything that Darlington has going for it, noted Browning, it is its credibility — something drivers recognize and respect.

“Pearson, Petty, Earnhardt, Johnson,” he said, “all of the legends of our sport have raced here. There’s a lot of new racetracks, but they don’t have this kind of history.”

Patriarch of racetracks

Leonard Woods knows a thing or two about history, a thing or two about tradition.

Wood Brothers Racing, which Wood started with his brothers Glen, Delano, Clay and Ray Lee, is one of the longest-running auto racing teams in NASCAR history, and its relationship to Darlington has been sterling.

David Pearson, who drove for Wood Brothers Racing for eight years, holds the record for wins at Darlington at 10 victories, several of which were under the Wood Brothers umbrella.

“It was always the granddaddy of them all,” said Wood of the Darlington race. “Everybody thought it was such a challenge to win the Southern 500. That was one of the most rewarding races to win. It’s such a different track. Turn one and two are completely different from (turns) three and four.”

Although faster tracks such as Talladega and Daytona have been built, explained Wood, nothing beats the experience of Darlington.
There was a beauty to it, he said.

“I loved to watch cars come off the corner in Darlington. You got your car set up properly and it (floats) off the corner. It’s impressive.”

The tradition lives

While there have been recent improvements made at Darlington Raceway in the last decade, such as the construction of new grandstands and a repaving of the track, Browning said the basic structure of the track always has and always will remain the same.

“We don’t ever want to change the track configuration,” he said. Time has not altered it, he explained, and while the world might change around it, the raceway itself is a living tradition.

“The history and tradition of this track by the fans and competitors is recognized, especially in the last few years,” he said.

“The (egg) shape of the track, things have not altered the turns and banking. It is and (will remain) a hard place to race.”

WHAT: Darlington Historical Racing Festival
WHEN: 9 a.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. Sunday
WHERE: Darlington Raceway
COST: $15 for one-day ticket, $25 for full-festival ticket, free for children 12 and younger
OTHER: Food and merchandise vendors will be on hand both days. Parking is free. Camping is available for an extra charge of $10 per tent site or $25 per RV site. Advanced camping tickets can be purchased today or Saturday and Sunday along with the purchase of a general admission ticket.
INFO: (866) 459-7223 or www.darlingtonraceway.com

EVENT SCHEDULE
Saturday

8 a.m.: Registration opens for competitors
9 a.m.: Gates open for spectators
10 a.m.: On-track sessions begin
10:30 to 11:30 a.m.: Q&A with Darrell Waltrip, Junior Johnson*
11:30 a.m. to noon: Autograph session with Darrell Waltrip, Junior Johnson, Charlie Glotzbach*
Noon: Legends on-track session begins
1 p.m.: On-track sessions begin
1:30 to 2:30 p.m.: Q&A with Bud Moore, Cotton Owens*
2:30 to 3 p.m.: Autograph session with David Pearson, Bud Moore, Cotton Owens, Waddell Wilson*
3 to 4 p.m.: Q&A with Ray Fox, Ned Jarrett, Rex White*
4 to 4:30 p.m.: Autograph session with Ray Fox, Ned Jarrett, Rex White, Raymond Parks, Charlies Glotzbach*