DARLINGTON — The track that’s too tough to tame turned 60 years old Monday, but things at the Darlington Raceway aren’t planning to slow down anytime soon.
The Darlington Raceway first opened its doors on Labor Day in 1950 with the first Southern 500 race.
Brothers Jim and John Ramsey still maintain the property, which surrounds the pond.
Their grandfather, Sherman Ramsey, sold nearly 70 acres of property to racer Harold Brasington, to help begin to build the speedway in 1949.
The only thing holding up Brasington’s efforts was a 5-foot deep minnow pond, which has since dried up.
Ramsey granted the builders permission to construct the track, as long as the minnow pond remained undisturbed.
Jim said his grandfather loved the outdoors and didn’t want to disturb the small ecosystem in his backyard.
“The word environmentalist wasn’t really created yet, […] he wanted to protect the wildlife and the watershed. […] Nature caused the shape of this racetrack,” Jim said.
The racetrack is known for its unique egg shape, and Jim said taking a spin around the track is quite a rush.
“It makes you appreciate what the drivers do. It takes a special person to drive a car around this track,” Jim said.
One of Jim’s first memories of the track involves Cale Yarborough, who flew off the track sometime near the 1950s or 1960s.
“He went over the stands here, and we ran up to him and saw him get out and he wasn’t even hurt,” Jim said.
Harold Wilson, from Hudson, N.C., has attended Labor Day races at Darlington in the past and said the town’s name is synonymous with the track.
“It puts it on the map—it would probably just be a little town without it. Anybody who knows anything about racing, they know about the track at Darlington,” Wilson said.
John agreed and said the town of Darlington brings with it a world-renowned location and sense of community.
“No matter where you go, you tell them we’re from Darlington, they say, oh, that’s where the track is,” said John.
Jim said the track is a testament to NASCAR history.
“This track has one of the deepest ongoing histories behind it. I think that’s what makes it so unique,” Jim said.
Organizers of the Labor Day race to celebrate the racetrack’s anniversary have moved the celebration to the end of the month to avoid heat.
The Darlington Historic Racing Festival will be held Sept. 24-26 and will feature a question and answer session with legendary racing personalities, exhibition laps with historic race cars, autograph sessions, and other activities for racing fans of any age.
Tickets are available at http://www.darlingtonraceway.com.
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