Blog: From the President's Desk

July 12, 2010

I hope everyone had a great weekend and enjoyed the NASCAR racing at Chicagoland Speedway! Friday and Saturday nights saw some great racing under the lights at Chicagoland with Kyle Busch and David Reutimann winning the Nationwide and Cup races, respectively.

It was great to see David get his second career win on Saturday night, he is truly on of the good guys in NASCAR and to see him get a much deserved victory was very special. David’s family has a long history in racing, his father Buzzie raced throughout Florida during David’s childhood and he is the reason David races the number 00.

Reutimann got his start in the NASCAR Camping World truck Series a few years back driving for Darrell Waltrip. The Truck Series is a great place for a young driver to get some valuable experience. One of the latest up and coming drivers in the series is Austin Dillion, grandson of car owner Richard Childress. Dillion scored his first career victory on Sunday at Iowa Speedway. Dillion and the rest of the Truck Series drivers will be making their way to Darlington soon for the Too Tough To Tame 200!

Ticket for the Too Tough To Tame 200 are available now online at DarlingtonRaceway.com or by calling 866-459-RACE. Tickets for the race are only $25 and kids 12 and under are admitted FREE! It’s going to be a great day of racing and we hope to see you there!

June 28, 2010

Congratulations to Jimmie Johnson and the No. 48 team on an impressive victory at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sunday. It was Jimmie’s second victory in as many weeks and it is beginning to look like the No. 48 team is making a strong push to the top as we get closer to the Chase. It will be interesting over the next couple weeks to see how things shake out with Jimmie as he and his wife, Chandra, are expecting a baby. Aric Almirola is standing by to get in the No. 48 car when Jimmie has to get out of the car so things could get pretty interesting.

I hope everyone is looking forward to the Coke Zero 400 this weekend at Daytona International Raceway. It will be a historic race at Daytona with crews standing by to begin construction on repaving the track following the race. Daytona always produces great racing and this weekend should be no exception.

Another race that is sure to produce excitement this summer is the Too Tough To Tame 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Darlington Raceway on August 14. The race marks the first time the truck have raced at Darlington since 2004 and everyone at the track is really looking forward to having them back at the track “Too Tough To Tame!” You can get tickets for the race now for just $25 each and kids 12 and under get in FREE! Give us a call at 866-459-RACE or visit us online here to get your tickets today!

June 7, 2010

Congratulations to Denny Hamlin and the No. 11 team on another win at Pocono Raceway! Denny certainly does know how to get around the “Tricky Triangle” and showed everyone that he is a true championship contender. The post-race fireworks between Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick also remain something to be watched over the next few weeks. This has been a feud that has been brewing for a while and I would not be surprised to see some more action between Harvick and Logano this weekend!

I spent a good part of yesterday at the new NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte. It was the first chance I have had to actually go through the hall and let me tell you I was impressed! There are so many great artifacts on display it took us nearly three hours to experience everything. The Hall does a great job telling the story of NASCAR and putting it on display for generations to come. There are also plenty of Darlington artifacts on display throughout the Hall which goes to show you just how important Darlington Raceway has been in the history of our sport.

This week the Sprint Cup and Camping World Truck Series will be racing in the Irish Hills of Michigan. I’m looking forward to the race as it will be a great chance to see some possible payback from one or more of the feuds that has taken place in the Cup series in recent weeks. I hope everyone has a great week and remember to keep checking our website for updates on the Camping World Truck Series Too Tough To Tame 200 at Darlington Raceway!

June 1, 2010

Congratulations to Kurt Busch on his win in the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday! It was Busch’s second win in as many weeks at Charlotte Motor Speedway and team owner Roger Penske’s first points win at the track. The No. 2 team really looks to be coming on strong in recent weeks with crew chief Steve Addington really clicking with Busch. There is still plenty of racing to do but I think that Busch is certainly looking to challenge for a Championship in 2010.

While Kurt Busch was busy celebrating in Victory Lane, Kyle Busch was getting an earful from Jeff Burton on pit road. Kyle got a little too aggressive late in the race and made contact with Burton causing him to cut a tire a few laps later. Burton was not happy about the situation and made that very clear to Kyle after the race. It was good to see Burton stand up and speak his mind. It will be interesting to watch the No. 31 and No. 18 this weekend at Pocono Raceway!

With Memorial Day weekend in the rearview mirror June is here! NASCAR has hit its summer stretch and one of the most exciting times on the schedule for race fans. Everyone at Darlington is really excited to be hosting the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series on August 14. In fact, Camping World Truck Series Director Wayne Auton stopped by on Friday and we had time to discuss the Too Tough To Tame 200 and everyone is really excited to see the tough trucks back at the track “Too Tough To Tame!” You can order your tickets for this event now at DarlingtonRaceway.com or by calling 866-459-RACE.

May 24, 2010

Sunday, May 23 will go down as one of the most significant days in the history of NASCAR because it was the day that the Inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame class was inducted into the newly opened hall. The class included five men who all had a profound effect on motorsports.

Bill France Sr. and Bill France Jr. built the sport from the ground up and helped shape what we know as NASCAR today. Junior Johnson was a popular figure during NASCAR’s early days that saw success not only as a driver but also as an owner. Richard “The King” Petty blazed the trail for today’s current drivers writing the NASCAR record books along the way. Dale Earnhardt or the Intimidator as he became known among competitors was as well liked for his driving ability on the track as he was for his everyman persona that NASCAR fans could identify with. All five of these men deserve to be part of NASCAR’s Inaugural Hall of Fame class and they will be remembered and revered for many generations to come.

This inaugural class has 13 combined wins at Darlington Raceway and will go down as one of the most influential groups in the history of NASCAR.

May 17, 2010

What a great weekend of racing at the Monster Mile in Dover, Delaware! Dover International Speedway certainly did live up to its reputation this weekend producing three great races.

Congratulations to Aric Almirola for a tough win in the Camping World Truck Series event on Friday. Aric was at Darlington earlier this year for a Goodyear tire test and he is a great competitor.

Kyle Busch also had a stellar weekend at Dover. Kyle won Saturday’s Nationwide Series event along with the Cup race Sunday.  Jimmie Johnson and Kyle battled for the lead almost all day and then in the closing laps Jimmie got caught speeding on pit road. Johnson has had a tough time since the spoiler returned to the Sprint Cup cars and although he is still high in the standings I think this may be the year someone stops his championship dominance.

Everyone at Darlington is looking forward to the upcoming NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race scheduled for August 14. With tickets priced at just $25 and kids 12 and under getting in free it is sure to be a great event! You can get your tickets online at DarlingtonRaceway.com or by calling 866-459-RACE.

I hope everyone has a great week and enjoys the All-Star race this weekend!

May 10, 2010

Darlington Raceway proved, once again, why it is a premiere track on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series circuit. Racing of this caliber cannot be found anywhere else and the drivers put on a great show under the lights. Congratulations to Denny Hamlin on his weekend sweep at the track “Too Tough To Tame!” Even at a physically demanding track like Darlington, Denny showed tremendous poise and perseverance.

A big thank you needs to go out to all of Darlington Raceway fans for their continued support of this historic racetrack. We have the best fans and that was proven on Saturday night as I watched everybody pour into the grandstands. Darlington Raceway hosted people from all 50 states and 11 foreign countries over the weekend which is an absolutely astonishing figure.

Everybody at Darlington Raceway puts in a tremendous amount of time to make sure that all of our fans enjoy every part of their experience here. Even with all of the success that we had from this year’s event, I know that Darlington Raceway is going to  make the 2011 SHOWTIME Southern 500 bigger and better. Don’t forget about the Too Tough To Tame 200 on August 14, as the Camping World Truck Series drivers trade paint around Darlington Raceway. It will be an event you do not want to miss!

May 3, 2010

Richmond International Raceway proved Saturday night why it is arguably the best short track on the NASCAR circuit. Racing under the lights at Richmond is so exciting to watch and it was obvious that it is a track that drivers love to compete at. Congratulations to Kyle Busch on a hard-fought victory against some intense competition.

Richmond certainly is a challenging track to win at but Darlington Raceway did not get its slogan, “Too Tough to Tame,” for no reason. Every driver has to work hard to earn their position at Darlington, let alone win at the track.

The time has finally come. It is officially race week at Darlington Raceway and I can assure you one thing; this is going to be the best SHOWTIME Southern 500 we have seen in a long time! It is only Monday and my adrenaline is already pumping to see the best racing NASCAR can offer. Witnessing a race of this caliber is an experience of a lifetime and we do not want you to miss it. The loyalty and support of Darlington Raceway fans takes a back seat to no one and that will be proven Saturday when the green flag drops.

Darlington Raceway is geared up to put on a fantastic show for race fans and we can not wait to see everybody fill the grandstands Saturday night. If you have not purchased your tickets yet, be sure to call our ticket office at 866-459-RACE or visit DarlingtonRaceway.com. You do not want to miss the Sprint Cup drivers trade paint this weekend at the track “Too Tough to Tame.” Enjoy the 2010 SHOWTIME Southern 500!

April 26, 2010

Talladega Superspeedway showed Sunday, why they are the host to some of the best finishes that NASCAR tracks can offer. It certainly was a great race to watch, especially when Kevin Harvick put that classic move on Jamie McMurray to clinch his first win ever at Talladega Superspeedway. Congratulations to Harvick and the No. 29 team on a job well done.

Last week, I had the pleasure to spend some time with the young and talented Justin Allgaier, driver of the No. 12 Verizon Wireless Dodge in the Nationwide Series. He made an appearance at the NASCAR Speedpark in Myrtle Beach and raced go-carts with Darlington Raceway fans. Not only is Allgaier a tremendous talent behind the wheel, he is a great kid that will have a bright future in NASCAR. People like Justin is why our sport is go great and it was a pleasure to watch him interact with the fans on such a personable basis.

Speaking of Nationwide Series Racing, Royal Purple has signed a multi-year deal with Darlington Raceway to become the title sponsor for the NASCAR Nationwide Series race. Royal Purple is a great fit for Darlington Raceway and we are extremely excited to have them onboard.

 Darlington Raceway is just 11 days from hosting the 2010 SHOWTIME Southern 500! I cannot believe how close we are to seeing some of the best racing NASCAR can offer. The fans are certainly going to witness some paint-scraping action as the Sprint Cup Series’ drivers drive white-knuckled around the track “Too Tough To Tame.” If you have not purchased SHOWTIME Southern 500 tickets yet, be sure to call our ticket office at 866-459-RACE or visit DarlingtonRaceway.com. Have a great week!

 April 19, 2010

Now that is what I call racing! Texas Motor Speedway put on a great show for the fans and it is safe to say that it was Monday mayhem out on the track today. Congratulations to Denny Hamlin on his second victory of the season. Denny is the prime example of what NASCAR racing is all about. Just a couple weeks after knee surgery and he is already back in victory lane. He is a tough competitor and showed why he is so deserving of that trophy in victory lane today.

Last week, the announcement was made that Kasey Kahne will be leaving Richard Petty Motorsports after the 2010 season is over. He will be joining Hendrick Motorsports in 2012, so he will be trying to find a ride for the 2011 season. I am happy for Kasey and I wish him the best in his future with Hendrick Motorsports. He is a phenomenal talent behind the wheel of a stock car and he has proved that by winning 11 career races in the Sprint Cup Series. I am curious to see which team picks him up for the 2011 season.

The Sprint Cup Series runs wide-open this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway. I cannot wait to see some restrictor plate racing at NASCAR’s largest oval track! It is hard telling who might come out with the trophy this week. Brad Keselowski showed that anyone can cross the finish line first, doing that with his part time ride in last year’s race at Talladega.

Brad Keselowski knows how to get around Darlington Raceway too. In last year’s SHOWTIME Southern 500, he posted a seventh-place finish in his first date with the “Lady in Black.” I find that pretty impressive for a young man who had never raced with the ‘big boys’ at Darlington Raceway. We will see how he does on May 8, when the Sprint Cup drivers trade paint and earn their Darlington Stripe at the track “Too Tough To Tame.”

We are just 18 days from intense Sprint Cup Series action at Darlington Raceway! The 2010 SHOWTIME Southern 500 is geared up to be the best ever and I know that all race fans will have a great time. Make sure you purchase your tickets if you want to get in on the action. Tickets can be purchased by calling 866-459-RACE or by visiting DarlingtonRaceway.com. Have a great week!

April 12, 2010

Good afternoon race fans! I hope you all enjoyed your weekend. We were fortunate to have great weather in Darlington all weekend long and I certainly enjoyed it. What a phenomenal race at Phoenix International Raceway on Saturday night. My eyes were glued to the intense flat-track action in the Sprint Cup Series. Congratulations to Ryan Newman on his first win of the 2010 season, the win snapped a 77-race winless drought. His last victory came in Daytona, where he won the 2008 Daytona 500 with a different race team. I’m sure Ryan and the entire No. 39 team will appreciate their first victory as a team. I am happy for Stewart-Haas Racing on their continued success in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

NASCAR will speed things up this weekend as the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series go full-throttle at Texas Motor Speedway. Jeff Gordon, a seven-time winner at Darlington Raceway, will try to defend his title at Texas Motor Speedway, where he was hoisting the six-shooter pistols in victory lane last April.

Darlington Raceway is just 26 days from seeing the Sprint Cup Series drivers trade paint at the track “Too Tough To Tame.” There are just three races that stand between now and the 2010 SHOWTIME Southern 500. We cannot wait to put on a great show for all of the Darlington Raceway fans on May 8th. If you have not purchased your Southern 500 tickets yet, be sure to call our ticket office at 866-459-RACE or visit DarlingtonRaceway.com. Enjoy the rest of your week and check out my blog next Monday!

April 5, 2010

Good afternoon everyone! I hope all of you enjoyed your Easter weekend. For those of you that stayed close to home, I’m glad the sun was shining down on us! It certainly made for a more pleasurable weekend with my family. The sun was also shining down on Nashville Superspeedway during the weekend, where the Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series raced on Friday and Saturday. Congratulations to Kyle Busch on his first win as an owner in the truck series. I anticipate many more to come, especially when he is behind the wheel. Kudos to Kevin Harvick on winning his second Nationwide Series race of the 2010 season.

Big news at Darlington Raceway! We were pleased to announce last week that Showtime, the leader in premium cable television, has become the title sponsor for the SHOWTIME Southern 500. We are extremely excited about having Showtime on board with Darlington Raceway. This deal comes at a perfect time for us due to their recent launch of Inside NASCAR, which airs at 10 p.m. on Wednesday nights. Their commitment to NASCAR is going to have a great impact on the sport and we look forward to building a great relationship with them.

This weekend, the Sprint Cup guys head out west to Phoenix International Raceway for 600 miles of flat-track racing. Phoenix always puts on a great race and I am extremely excited to watch it on Saturday. As for the other two premiere series in NASCAR, the Nationwide Series will also run wide-open at Phoenix, while the trucks are off until May 2nd. Mark Martin, the defending SHOWTIME Southern 500 Champion, is also defending his title at Phoenix, where he won a year ago.

The SHOWTIME Southern 500 is right around the corner and we can’t wait to get the green flag waiving in the air! Don’t forget to purchase your tickets for an action-packed weekend at the track “Too Tough To Tame.” To get your tickets, give our ticket office a call at 866-459-RACE or visit DarlingtonRaceway.com.

March 30, 2010

What a finish at Martinsville yesterday! Even though the race was postponed until Monday afternoon, it was all worth it for the fans that stuck around to witness a phenomenal display of short track racing. Congratulations to Denny Hamlin on a hard-fought victory in his home state. Considering he is undergoing knee surgery this week for a torn ACL, it was a surprise to see him battling up front all day, determined to take home the Grandfather Clock. This just goes to show that NASCAR is full of competitors that go for broke no matter what the circumstances may be. Denny displayed a great deal of grit and toughness, especially while surging his way from 4th to 1st in the last green-white-checkered laps.

This weekend, the NASCAR Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series travel to the Music City for some intense racing at Nashville Superspeedway. Both of these series always put on a great show for the fans and this weekend all eyes will be on them as the Sprint Cup drivers enjoy a rare off weekend.

We are just over a month away from this year’s Southern 500 and Darlington Raceway is getting prepared for an action-packed weekend. Fans are going to see some great racing at the track “Too Tough To Tame” and we can’t wait to get everyone here to enjoy it! The Southern 500 never disappoints and we are excited to see the stands packed with fans who love 500 miles of paint-scraping action. Believe me; you do not want to miss out on this kind of racing. Make sure you purchase your tickets if you want to get in on the action. Tickets can be purchased by calling 866-459-RACE or by visiting DarlingtonRaceway.com. Have a great week and remember to check out my blog next week!

March 22, 2010

What a phenomenal race at Bristol this weekend! I enjoyed watching all 500 laps of the intense Sprint Cup action on the half-mile track. Congratulations to Jimmie Johnson and the No. 48 team on their third victory of the season and Jimmie’s first win ever at Bristol Motor Speedway. Right when I think other teams are going to push to be the best team in NASCAR, the 48 team answers right away with a win.

Last week, Darlington Raceway hosted a luncheon with Mark Martin and nearly 300 fans. Due to such a quick response by the fans, the event reached its capacity within a couple of days. The event was absolutely spectacular and we were pleased to see the fans enjoying themselves. No fans are better than Darlington Raceway fans and that showed at the luncheon.

Mark Martin is one of the reasons why this sport is so great and it was a pleasure having him interact with fans that are very passionate about NASCAR. Not even a year ago, Mark took the checkered flag at Darlington Raceway so look for him to be a favorite for this year’s Southern 500 at the track “Too Tough to Tame.”

We are counting the days and drawing closer to the paint-scraping action at Darlington Raceway! Make sure you purchase your Southern 500 tickets to watch NASCAR’s finest earn their Darlington Stripe. You can get your tickets by calling 866-459-RACE or by visiting Darlingtonraceway.com. We look forward to seeing the fans fill the stands on race weekend.

March 15, 2010

I hope everyone had a safe and exciting weekend. Since we all were left without any racing to watch, I put together some ideas for the Southern 500 coming in May. Darlington Raceway is poised to host one of the most thrilling race weekends in recent memory and we can’t wait to see the fans pour through the gates! Nothing excites us more than knowing our fans are enjoying themselves at the track “Too Tough to Tame.” 

Speaking of excitement, Darlington Raceway has its Media Day Luncheon with Mark Martin this Wednesday. Mark will be our guest for a special fan luncheon and Q&A session. The event has reached capacity due to a great response from the fans as soon as the announcement was made. We are looking forward to having Darlington Raceway’s biggest fans attend the event. For those who have signed up, remember to bring your confirmation e-mail and photo ID with you to the event.

When the event concludes, Mark Martin will be heading to Bristol Motor Speedway, where he will be racing in 500 miles of intense Sprint Cup action. Bristol always puts on a great show and I cannot wait until Sunday to see some short track racing! I am curious to see if Carl Edwards and Brad Keselowski play nice on a track that is known for high tempers and aggressive driving.

I cannot believe we are less than two months away from the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway! Those of you who have not purchased tickets can do so by calling 866-459-RACE. You can also visit Darlingtonraceway.com to order tickets or check out track updates and news. Enjoy your week and don’t forget to check out my blog next Monday!

March 8, 2010

What a race at Atlanta this weekend! I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did. Start to finish, I thought that both events at Atlanta this weekend were intense. Congratulations to Kurt Busch on his first victory of the season. With only four races in the books, everyone still has a great shot to win the 2010 Sprint Cup Championship.

NASCAR might have an intense rivalry brewing after Sunday’s race when Carl Edwards and Brad Keselowski got into each other on different occasions. This could be the next big rivalry in NASCAR and I’m looking forward to some beatin’ and bangin’ at Bristol Motor Speedway in two weeks.

With NASCAR taking a break this weekend it is a perfect time to get ready for the 2010 Southern 500! We have an action-packed weekend for all fans attending on May 7th and 8th. Don’t forget to purchase your tickets for the Southern 500 at the track “Too Tough to Tame.” To get your tickets, give our ticket office a call at 866-459-RACE or visit DarlingtonRaceway.com.

March 1, 2010

March is here and Darlington Raceway is just over two months away from hosting another thrilling Southern 500 weekend! We are extremely excited to see the Sprint Cup and Nationwide series cars unloaded from the haulers and out on the track “Too Tough to Tame.”  We know that both events will be full of excitement and will bring race fans to their feet as usual.

Congratulations to Jimmie Johnson and the Hendrick Motorsports Lowes team on their second straight victory of the season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Jimmie, a two-time winner at Darlington Raceway, is showing that he has the team to beat in 2010, but lets not hand him the championship trophy just yet because there is still plenty to be determined out on the track.

This weekend the Sprint Cup cars will be on the track at Atlanta Motor Speedway. It will be interesting to see how everyone approaches this weekend’s event, especially with Jimmie Johnson going for three in-a-row. Personally, I think we are going to see the teams in the garage competing harder than ever this season to keep Jimmie and the No. 48 out of Victory Lane.

The fight to keep the No. 48 out of Victory Lane is sure to be a great one at Darlington! If you have not purchased your Southern 500 tickets yet, be sure to call our ticket office at 866-459-RACE or visit DarlingtonRaceway.com. Don’t forget to keep posted on our website for track news and my weekly blog. Have a great rest of the week race fans!

February 15, 2010

NASCAR racing is underway and the 52nd running of the Daytona 500 was one of the most exciting 500s in recent memory! Congratulations to Jamie McMurray on his victory at the “Great American Race.” How about Dale Earnhardt Jr. making a surge toward the front to take the runner-up position! The racing was fantastic in all three of NASCAR’s National series and I am excited to watch some west coast racing this weekend at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California.

I had the pleasure of being in Daytona during Speedweeks and it was good to get some business taken care of to make Darlington Raceway’s 2010 Southern 500 the best experience possible for race fans. Due to being present in Daytona, I missed all of the snow that came to Darlington on Friday night! I cannot believe how much snow was on the ground. I was happy to come back home to a somewhat dry and sunny day in Darlington.

Speaking of dry and sunny, Darlington Raceway cannot wait to host a dry and sunny race weekend for all fans to enjoy! Don’t forget to visit www.DarlingtonRaceway.com to purchase your tickets. Thank you again for visiting our website and keep checking us out for updates and announcements.

February 1, 2010

February is here and that means NASCAR racing is right around the corner. I am extremely excited to see the Shootout this Saturday night at Daytona. The Shootout never disappoints with all of the entrants going for broke trying to get the win. This is Sprint Cup racing at its very best and I am excited to see the drivers put on a great show for the fans.

Last Friday I was proud to announce Darlington Raceway’s Race Rates for Race Fans program. We have partnered with several local hotels that have agreed to reduce their nightly rates, as well as their minimum stay requirements. I am extremely pleased that these hotels value our race fans just as much as we do.

Today I had the pleasure of greeting Cale Yarborough at Darlington Raceway for an interview that took place inside of our President’s Suite. Cale is one of NASCAR’s all-time greats and it is always a delight to have him visit the track. Just like all of us at Darlington Raceway, Cale is excited to see the green flag drop for the 2010 Southern 500.

The track “Too Tough to Tame” is always thrilled to accommodate race fans to the highest level possible. Those who plan on attending the Southern 500 can access the Race Rates for Race Fans hotel list by clicking HERE. Fans that have not purchased their Southern 500 tickets can do so by calling the Darlington Raceway ticket office at 866-459-RACE or online HERE. Have a great week and don’t forget to check out my blog next week!

January 25, 2010

The 52nd annual Daytona 500 is right around the corner and I can not wait to see the Sprint Cup cars back at the track. At Darlington Raceway, we are preparing for another successful and exciting Southern 500.  Year 2010 has already brought plenty of exciting news to Darlington Raceway.

Just last week, I had the pleasure of visiting the Suggs family from Loris, S.C., who will soon be featured on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. It was a great feeling to see how happy the Suggs family was with their new home. To help make this experience extra special, I presented the family with a piece of asphalt from the track’s start-finish line, as well as lifetime tickets to the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. I am looking forward to hosting the family for many years to come.

Last week, I was happy to announce a new event to our race schedule. Darlington Raceway will host a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on August 14, 2010. We are extremely excited to have the trucks put on a show at the track “Too Tough to Tame.” Truck Series drivers always put on thrilling races and Darlington Raceway will be a challenging track for the drivers to navigate, we will certainly have plenty of paint-scraping action in August! Tickets are available now for all of the events at Darlington Raceway. For ticket information, you can call our ticket office at 1-866-459-RACE or visit DarlingtonRaceway.com.

January 11, 2010

Happy New Year NASCAR fans! I hope everyone had a safe and wonderful holiday season. I can’t believe the 2010 NASCAR season is right around the corner already. We are extremely excited to see the teams gear up for the 52nd Annual Daytona 500. I am confident that this year will bring as much thrill as the 2009 season brought.

Just like every year, teams make changes to their personnel. One of the most significant changes took place at Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s company, JR Motorsports. Recently, Danica Patrick signed a deal with JR Motorsports to run in the ARCA and Nationwide series. I am extremely excited to see her race with NASCAR’s finest.

Here at Darlington Raceway we are getting ready for another year of racing. We are energized and eager to get the 2010 Southern 500 underway. Everyone is working very hard to assure the best race weekend possible for the fans. May is approaching very quickly and we can’t wait to get the green flag in the air! For information on track news and tickets, you can always visit our website, DarlingtonRaceway.com. Enjoy the rest of the week and don’t forget to keep in touch with our website to see my newest blogs!

November 23, 2009

Well we have closed the book on another successful NASCAR season. Jimmie Johnson has won his NASCAR-record fourth consecutive championship and now it is time to go celebrate out in Las Vegas!

The 2009 was a great season at Darlington Raceway and included our 60th season celebration. It all started with the return of the Southern 500. Bringing back the Southern 500 race name was a hit with all of our fans and I can not think of a better winner during our 60th season than Mark Martin. We also had nearly every former Southern 500 winner on-hand for our pre-race ceremonies making that more special than ever.

Later in the season the second annual Darlington Historic Racing Festival was a great success. The only historic racing event for oval-track cars in the country continues to grow and attract new fans. We had a record car count this year and great participation from fans in the NASCAR Legend Q&A sessions and autograph sessions. We will continue to build this special event so keep an eye on DarlingtonRaceway.com for updates and information on the 2010 event.

I am heading out to Las Vegas to take part in the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series awards ceremony to honor Jimmie Johnson and the No. 48 team.  Moving the season ending awards ceremony to Vegas is sure to be a hit with teams and fans and I can not wait experience NASCAR on the Vegas strip. Keep an eye on this blog for updates on my trip to Vegas!

November 16, 2009

There was plenty of racing excitement over the weekend in the desert at Phoenix International Raceway.

The action started on Friday in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with Ron Hornaday Jr., becoming the first four-time champion in that series. Hornaday’s truck owner, Kevin Harvick, won the race making it a big night for Kevin Harvick Inc.

The excitement continued on Saturday with Carl Edwards narrowing the Kyle Busch’s point lead in the NASCAR Nationwide Series with his win at PIR. While Busch will still win the series championship, it did postpone his championship celebration for one more week.

All eyes were on Jimmie Johnson and Mark Martin heading into Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event. Johnson’s point lead was a slim 73 points to start the day and with both drivers qualifying in the top five Sunday was a great show.

Johnson had a dominant car and was able to storm to victory in the desert with Martin coming home fourth. Johnson leads Martin by 108 points heading into this seasons final event at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday and with a finish of 25th or better Johnson will clinch his fourth straight NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title.

If Johnson does go on to win his fourth straight championship it will make NASCAR history and how special it has been to be a part of it this season!

November 9, 2009

The points race is heating up after yesterday’s exciting race at Texas Motor Speedway. Jimmie Johnson’s early race incident helped his point lead shrink by more than 110 points over second place driver and teammate, Mark Martin.

Mark Martin, who of course won the Southern 500 at Darlington in May, finished fourth and now has a shot to overtake Johnson in the standings over the season’s final two events. It should be a great battle between the Hendrick Motorsports teammates as Phoenix and Homestead are good tracks for both drivers.

I know I am looking forward to watching the final two races of the season. It seems like just yesterday we were getting ready for the Daytona 500 and now the season is already coming to a close. It has been a great year with interesting storylines and looking ahead to next year I am sure we will be in for another great season of racing!

October 26, 2009

Congrats to Denny Hamlin and the No. 11 team for getting another Martinsville victory! It was Hamlin’s second career win at the track they call the paper clip. It looked like Jimmie Johnson was going to cruise to his second win at Martinsville in 2009 until Denny Hamlin passed the No. 48 and stormed to victory lane.

Much like Darlington, Martinsville is a track rich in history and tradition. NASCAR’s top series has been racing at Martinsville since 1948 making Martinsville the only track on the NASCAR schedule longer than Darlington.

We are really looking forward to the 2010 season and the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. Tickets for the famed event are on sale now and start as low as $35, you can get your tickets by calling our ticket office at 843-395-8823 or on our website by clicking on the ‘Events & Tickets’ page.

Southern 500 tickets make a great holiday gift and with the holiday season approaching now is a great time to get tickets for someone on your list. You don’t need to worry about size or color when it comes to race tickets; they are a perfect fit for everyone!

October 19, 2009

Jimmie Johnson did it again! Johnson recorded his sixth career victory at Lowe’s Motor Speedway on Saturday night picking up his third win in the Chase for the Sprint Cup. The win extends Johnson’s point lead to 90 points over second place contender and Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Mark Martin.

The performance of the No. 48 team in the Chase has been something phenomenal to watch. These guys really know how to get to the front of the pack when it counts and put distance between themselves and the rest of the Chase field. I can’t remember a more dominant performance in all of my years in NASCAR.

While Jimmie has performed well thus far in the Chase there is still time for the rest of the field to make up ground. What happened to Juan Pablo Montoya this weekend at Lowe’s is a perfect example that a driver and his team can never be too careful, a bad finish could be coming right around the corner.

October 12, 2009

It is hard to believe that the 2009 season is wrapping up and 2010 is only a couple of months away. Four races into the Chase and Jimmie Johnson has the No. 48 team in familiar territory at the top of the Sprint Cup Series standings. Johnson scored an impressive win at his home track over the weekend and vaulted past teammate Mark Martin into first place.

It’s not time to hand the championship trophy to Jimmie just yet, though. Mark Martin is still hungrier than ever for his first championship and has some tracks coming up that really play into his style of racing. One thing is for sure, this is going to be a great championship battle all the way to the finish at Homestead Miami Speedway.

At Darlington we are already looking to the 2010 season and after months of waiting tickets for the 2010 Southern 500 have finally gone on-sale! We have reduced our prices on over 40,000 seats at the track “Too Tough to Tame” making it more affordable than ever to attend this marquee NASCAR Sprint Cup event at the most unique track on the schedule.

Tickets start as low as $35 making night racing at Darlington the best value on the Sprint Cup circuit. To purchase your tickets visit DarlingtonRaceway.com/tickets, call 866-459-RACE or stop by the track. We can’t wait to see you in the stands in 2010!

October 5, 2009

Congratulations to Tony Stewart and the entire No. 14 team at Stewart-Haas racing on a great win at Kansas Speedway last weekend!

It has been very exciting to watch Tony Stewart and his team storm to the top of the NASCAR Sprint Cup point standings this year. What he has been able to accomplish in such a short time at SHR is pretty incredible. We have not seen a strong performance from a driver/owner since Alan Kulwicki in the early 1990s.

One thing that still eludes Stewart is a win at Darlington Raceway in the prestigious Southern 500. Speaking of the Southern 500, tickets for the 2010 event will go on-sale this weekend! It is hard to believe that the Southern 500 event weekend is just around the corner.

Fans purchasing tickets for the 2010 installment of the Southern 500 will notice new, lower prices in nearly every grandstand at Darlington Raceway. Officials at Darlington reduced ticket prices on over 40,000 seats during the off-season making attending the Southern 500 more affordable than ever. With ticket prices starting as low as $35 night-racing at Darlington is the best value on the Sprint Cup Circuit.

You can purchase tickets by calling our ticket office at 866-459-RACE or visit DarlingtonRaceway.com. Everyone at Darlington Raceway is looking forward to seeing you at the track “Too Tough to Tame.”

September 28, 2009

We had a great weekend at the Darlington Historic Racing Festival Presented by O’Reilly Auto parts!

The weekend started out on Saturday with NASCAR legends Cale Yarborough and Junior Johnson answering questions and signing autographs for fans. To hear these guys reminisce about their careers in NASCAR is really something special and I know that all of the fans getting autographs enjoyed meeting two of NASCAR’s original heroes.

Three time Indy 500 champion Johnny Rutherford was also on hand Saturday and talked about his impressive career in Indy racing as well as NASCAR. Rutherford talked about coming into Darlington and getting chills just thinking about all of the history at the track “Too Tough to Tame.”

The excitement continued on Sunday with all-time Darlington wins leader David Pearson and Leonard Wood taking the stage for questions and autographs. These two really have some great stories about Darlington and it was great to hear about their impressive run together in the 1970s.

I would really like to thank all of our fans for coming out and supporting this event. We are already planning for the 2010 Darlington Historic Racing Festival so keep checking DarlingtonRaceway.com for details.

September 21, 2009

It was great to see Southern 500 winner, Mark Martin, get off to a great start in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Mark and his No. 5 team have put together a great year leading the point standings heading into the Chase and getting an important win to kickoff the Chase and keep their momentum going.

Martin also announced late last week that he will be back in the No. 5 next season at Hendrick Motorsports full-time. Having Martin back in 2010 is good for NASCAR. He is a fan favorite, one of the classiest drivers in the garage and a throwback style racer.

Speaking of throwback racers, the Darlington Historic Racing Festival presented by O’Reilly Auto Parts is finally here! Cars will begin rolling into town on Friday for two-days of historic racing. We are expecting over 100 vintage race cars to be at Darlington this weekend as well as some of racings true legends.

All of the cars will be on display in the garage area and many will also go onto the track to run exhibition laps. There will be six classes of cars, including: two stock car classes, Indy roadsters, midgets, modifieds and historics. Fans will also have the opportunity to get up close with these cars in the garage area since each ticket includes admission into the garage area.

In addition to the historic cars many racing legends will also be in attendance. South Carolina natives David Pearson and Cale Yarborough will be participating in question and answer sessions with fans as well as an autograph session. Other legends include: open-wheel legend Johnny Rutherford, Junior Johnson, Bud Moore, Marvin Panch, Ray Fox, Ned Jarrett, Rex White and many more.

We sure are looking forward to this weekend’s event and hope to see you at the track “Too Tough to Tame.” Be sure to check out http://www.darlingtonraceway.com for more information on everything going on at Darlington or to purchase tickets to any of our events!

September 14, 2009

Last week was a great week for everyone at Darlington Raceway. On Friday, September 11 we hosted the fourth annual NASCAR Foundation Blood Drive and saw record participation from the community! The Red Cross was able to collect over 200 units of blood making the Blood Drive at Darlington the largest one-day collection in the Pee Dee Region of South Carolina.

Each year the NASCAR Foundation Blood Drive at Darlington has grown and I would like to sincerely thank everyone who came out and participated in this year’s drive. We look forward to making next year’s drive the biggest and best yet.

The NASCAR Foundation Blood Drive was a great kickoff to an awesome weekend of racing at Richmond International Raceway. Heading into the weekend only four drivers were locked into the Chase for the Sprint Cup so everyone was looking forward to an exciting night on Saturday.

Saturday’s Chevy Rock & Roll 400 was full of excitement and great story lines. The racing was close up front with Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch and Denny Hamlin battling for the lead for much of the night. Hamlin finally edged Gordon and Busch to get his first Cup Series victory at his home track.

Everyone also had their eyes on Kyle Busch and Brian Vickers throughout the evening. Busch and Vickers were vying for the 12th and final spot in the Chase and Kyle needed to finish well ahead of Vickers to race his way into the Chase. When the checkered flag flew it was Busch in fifth and Vickers in seventh giving Vickers the final spot in the Chase by only eight points – the slimmest margin in Chase history!

With the Chase field set everyone has their eyes on New Hampshire and getting off to a fast start. If Saturday’s race in Richmond is any indication, we are all in for one great race to the finish!

September 9, 2009

Welcome to the new and improved DarlingtonRaceway.com! As you can see our new site has a totally different look and feel and includes many more interactive features including photo and video galleries as well as an interactive timeline featuring historic photos and videos from some of the moments that helped shaped the history of Darlington Raceway.

You can still count on DarlingtonRaceway.com to keep you up-to-date on what’s happening at the track “Too Tough to Tame.” Additionally, news feeds from ESPN have been added throughout the site to bring you the latest in NASCAR news.

Beginning on Monday, September 14 we will be unveiling our 2010 Southern 500 logo on our new site. Be sure to check the site each day to see the new logo as it is unveiled and also enter to win a 2010 Southern 500 ticket package.

Our staff has worked long and hard to make our new site innovative, exciting and fan-friendly. We would love for you to let us know what you think about the new site; please feel free to drop us a note at tickets@darlingtonraceway.com.

Lastly, thank you for your continued support of Darlington Raceway. We have the greatest fans in all of racing and look forward to seeing you here for the 2010 Southern 500.

August 17, 2009