DARLINGTON, S.C. – This week the South Carolina General Assembly adopted a resolution on the Senate and House floors congratulating NASCAR and Darlington Raceway on the addition of a second NASCAR Cup Series race weekend on May 7-9. The resolution was adopted on the Senate floor yesterday and the House floor today.

“Darlington Raceway represents a rich legacy in NASCAR and continues to be a highly-anticipated venue on our schedule,” stated Lesa Kennedy, Executive Vice Chair, NASCAR. “We appreciate the continued support from the State of South Carolina, Governor McMaster, the South Carolina General Assembly and the entire PeeDee region as NASCAR proudly hosts two NASCAR Cup Series race weekends at Darlington Raceway this year.”

“Thanks to the South Carolina General Assembly for sharing this resolution to congratulate the return of our second NASCAR Cup Series race weekend at Darlington Raceway,” said Darlington President Kerry Tharp. “We are also grateful to South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster and his administration for their leadership and support for the track. As Darlington Raceway becomes a mass vaccination site this weekend, rest assured we will continue to support our community each and every day.”

The adopted S 0632 Concurrent Resolution states the following:

TO CONGRATULATE DARLINGTON RACEWAY FOR ANNOUNCING A SECOND NASCAR CUP SERIES RACE, THEREBY DOUBLING THE ECONOMIC IMPACT TO THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND HIGHLIGHTING THE RICH HISTORY OF THIS TREASURED ATTRACTION IN THE STATE, TO ACKNOWLEDGE NASCAR RACING AS AN INTEGRAL AND VITAL PART OF THE STATE AND ITS ECONOMY, AND TO RECOGNIZE THE WEEKS OF MAY 2ND THROUGH MAY 9TH, 2021, AND AUGUST 29TH THROUGH SEPTEMBER 5TH, 2021, AS “DARLINGTON RACEWAY WEEK” IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

Whereas, Darlington Raceway opened on September 4, 1950, with the inaugural running of the Southern 500, the first stock car race on a paved track; and

Whereas, since 1950, Darlington Raceway has served as a cornerstone in the development of stock car racing, one of the fastest-growing and most popular spectator sports in the country; and

Whereas, Darlington Raceway is celebrating its seventy-second season of racing; and

Whereas, in addition to hosting its annual NASCAR Cup Series race during the week of August 29th, 2021, Darlington Raceway has announced a second NASCAR Cup Series race to be held during the week of May 2nd, 2021; and

Whereas, South Carolina lays claim to many of the legends of NASCAR racing, including Rex White, David Pearson, Bud Moore, James Hylton, Tiny Lund, and Cale Yarborough; and

Whereas, the State of South Carolina is rich in historical references to the sport of stock car racing, as evidenced by the Darlington Raceway Stock Car Museum and the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame at Darlington Raceway, in addition to dirt raceways across the State of South Carolina that served as home to the fledgling sport of NASCAR racing in the 1950s; and

Whereas, each year, the NASCAR events at Darlington Raceway focus our nation’s attention and the attention of the world upon our great State as a sport and tourism destination; and

Whereas, with one race weekend, NASCAR racing’s annual economic impact on South Carolina is in excess of sixty-four million dollars, and with the announcement of a second race weekend, that economic impact will double, as NASCAR fans from across the country and around the world visit the State to attend racing events and vacation in communities throughout the State; and

Whereas, Darlington Raceway participates as a good corporate citizen at the local, regional, and state levels and is an active contributor, through numerous community and charitable efforts, in improvements benefiting the people and the State of South Carolina.  Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring:

That the members of the General Assembly, by this resolution, congratulate Darlington Raceway for announcing a second NASCAR Cup Series race, thereby doubling the economic impact to the State of South Carolina and highlighting the rich history of this treasured attraction in the State, acknowledge NASCAR racing as an integral and vital part of the State and its economy, and recognize the weeks of May 2nd through May 9th, 2021, and August 29th through September 5th, 2021, as “Darlington Raceway Week” in South Carolina.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to NASCAR and Darlington Raceway.

Darlington Raceway first hosted the Southern 500® Cup race on Labor Day weekend on Sept. 4, 1950. The track added the NASCAR Convertible Series to its spring schedule in 1957-59; the series eventually became a part of the Cup Series. From 1960 to 2004, Darlington annually hosted two Cup Series race weekends – one in the spring and one on Labor Day weekend. In 2015, the Southern 500® returned to its traditional date on Labor Day weekend.

Last year, the track hosted three Cup Series races as part of NASCAR’s revised schedule on account of the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of this year’s NASCAR schedule, the track Too Tough To Tame returns to its traditional home for two Cup Series race weekends.

2021 NASCAR Season

The Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR moves to a new dedicated spring weekend as The Lady in Black unites generations of race fans to celebrate on Mother’s Day as part of the new spring weekend of action-packed racing featuring all three premier series on May 7-9. Darlington will host the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series on Friday night, May 7 at 7:30 p.m., the NASCAR Xfinity Series on Saturday, May 8 at 1:00 p.m. and the NASCAR Cup Series on Sunday, May 9 at 3:30 p.m.

The Tradition Continues as the famed Southern 500® will launch the NASCAR Playoffs for the second consecutive year as part of a Labor Day weekend of racing on Sept. 4-5. The Xfinity Series will compete on Saturday, Sept. 4 at 3:30 p.m. The Southern 500® Cup Series Playoff race will once again compete at night on Sunday, Sept. 5 at 6:00 p.m.

NASCAR tickets are available for purchase via phone at 866-459-7223 or online at darlingtonraceway.com.

Stay connected to Darlington Raceway on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

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.

About NASCAR

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 consists of three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series™), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour), one local grassroots series and three international 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 in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).

Source: Darlington Raceway

Photo Credit: Hunter Thomas/TheFourthTurn.com