There will be “racing” this weekend at the Darlington Raceway.
For the first time in several years, the track “too tough to tame” will have a Labor Day weekend event.
No, it won’t be a NASCAR event.
But track officials, who have had tremendous success with their one weekend a year NASCAR event, have scheduled the Inaugural Darlington Historic Racing Festival.
We have certainly celebrated Darlington’s success with its Mother’s Day Weekend race as track officials did everything they could to make the one race a success.
Improvements have been made to the track — lighting and repaving.
Other improvements to the stands and the infield have come, as well.
And, hopefully, if the track continues to be successful, more improvements will come, including more seats.
The Darlington race helps put the Pee Dee “on the map.”
And it has a huge economic impact on the area.
And now track officials are trying something new to attract fans to the racetrack for a different event this weekend on what was the weekend for Darlington’s “big race.”
According to a press release from the track Darlington Raceway President Chris Browning, entries have come from 22 different states.
“We have received entries from coast to coast,” Browning said in the release. “To have such a large pool of entries for an inaugural event like this shows how much admiration people have for Darlington Raceway and all of the history here.”
The event will create five different groups of cars, and each will get a chance to run on the track.
The cars will be split according to their race style: stock cars, Indy roadsters, modifieds, sprint cars and midgets.
In addition to seeing the cars fans can talk with drivers, watch the exhibition laps and get autographs.
There will events for children, as well.
Right now, a number of racing legends are set to appear.
They include people such as Darrell Waltrip and Junior Johnson.
David Pearson will be there along with car owner and mechanic Leonard Wood.
And a number of former South Carolina drivers, including Bud Moore and Cotton Owens, Waddell Wilson, Ray Fox, Ned Jarrett, Rex White, Raymond Parks, Buddy Baker, Marvin Panch and Bobby Allison, are scheduled to appear, as well.
We certainly hope the weekend is a success. We know the track officials will learn from it and continue to find ways to utilize the track more than once a year.
Their success means a great deal to the Pee Dee.
If you are going:
When: Saturday, Sunday.
Tickets: $15 per day or $25 for the entire weekend, children age 12 and younger will be admitted free.
Camping: Tent sites, $10; RV spots, $25.
Tickets can be purchased by calling the Darlington Raceway ticket office at 866-459-RACE or online at http://www.darlingtonraceway.com/tickets/.
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