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Darlington Raceway Elevates Fan Experience For The Official Throwback Weekend Of NASCAR

by Press Release May 12, 2023 0 comments

DARLINGTON, S.C. – A truly once-in-a-lifetime opportunity awaits fans when The Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR begins Friday at Darlington Raceway. An unprecedented number of legendary drivers and historic cars will be active in the midway for the pinnacle of NASCAR’s 75^th Anniversary celebration.

“Our fans are in for a memorable experience with the access they’re going to have to the greatest drivers and machines who made our sport what it is today,” said Darlington Raceway President Kerry Tharp. “This is a celebration of our past, an appreciation of our present and a launching pad for our future as the NASCAR fan experience soars to new heights at the Track Too Tough to Tame.”

One of the main hubs of activity will be the Goodyear Legends Display, which will feature autograph and Q&A sessions with members of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers list and a breathtaking collection of historic memorabilia that highlights NASCAR’s 75^th anniversary and Goodyear’s 125^th anniversary. While waiting for autographs, fans can also marvel at the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 that will compete next month as NASCAR’s Garage 56 entry at the 24 Hours of LeMans. They can also view the Chevrolet that Jim Reed drove to Victory Lane in the 1959 Southern 500 claiming Goodyear’s first NASCAR win.

Goodyear’s Legends Display complements The NASCAR Experience, a must-see entertainment destination that gives every guest a fun and interactive glimpse into what makes NASCAR the most exciting sport on the planet. Driver Q&As with today’s top stars and yesterday’s heroes will occur all three days, while fans can also test their racing skills in the eNASCAR Arcade and create sharable memories in the 360 Victory Lane Selfie Station. Games like the Lug Nut Legacy Tire Change and Racing Wheel of Fortune will also bring smiles in a party-filled atmosphere.

If that isn’t enough, a collection of more than 20 historic stock cars will transport race fans back in time throughout the midway. It will bring them up close and personal to some of the most legendary machines in the sport’s history, including Dale Earnhardt’s 2000 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, the Wood Brothers’ 1971 Mercury Cyclone and Rusty Wallace’s “Midnight” Ford Thunderbird from the mid-1990s.

Even the concession stand food has a throwback flair with menu items that will tantalize the tastebuds including:

Meemaw’s Secret Sammich: Vienna Sausage spread (Vienna sausage, relish, saltines and Meemaw’s secret sauce on a soft white bread).

Big Bologna and Bacon: Extra-thick sliced bologna fried and topped with crisp bacon, lettuce and a mayo-mustard spread.

The Pee Dee Dog: Split dog crisped on the flat top grill and filled with pimento cheese.

The PBB: Creamy peanut butter with chopped spicy peanuts on soft bread with sliced bananas.

The Mater: Sliced garden-fresh tomatoes with mayo and seasoning on white bread just like mama made.

The racing action will be just as delicious, beginning with Friday night’s NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series’ Buckle Up South Carolina 200. It continues Saturday with the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ Shriners Children’s Hospital 200, followed by the annual Throwback Parade. The action culminates Sunday with the Goodyear 400. The sport’s 75 Greatest Drivers will be honored during a pre-race ceremony that will be unmatched in NASCAR annals.

Tickets remain but are going fast. Fans can purchase via phone at 866-459-7223 or online at darlingtonraceway.com and should act now while supplies last. Fans are also encouraged to visit the Darlington Raceway Fan Guide on its website to find the latest schedule of activities and driver appearances.

About Darlington Raceway

Darlington Raceway, nicknamed The Lady in Black and the track Too Tough To Tame, is home to the award-winning Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR and annually hosts two NASCAR Cup Series race weekends, along with the NASCAR Xfinity Series and/or NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Opening in 1950, Darlington Raceway is “A NASCAR Tradition” and NASCAR’s original superspeedway with its famed 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval, challenging the sports best in one of the most iconic NASCAR races, the Southern 500®. For more information about Darlington Raceway, visit darlingtonraceway.com. Stay connected to Darlington Raceway on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and the NASCAR Tracks App.

About NASCAR

Celebrating its 75^th Anniversary in 2023, the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 16 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR sanctions races in three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series™), four international series (NASCAR Brasil Sprint Race, NASCAR Mexico Series, NASCAR Pinty’s Series (Canada), NASCAR Whelen Euro Series), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour) and a local grassroots series (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races annually in 12 countries and more than 30 U.S. states. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).

Photo Credit: Hunter Thomas/TheFourthTurn.com