Thursday, August 31, 2017

Darlington -The Track Too Tough To Tame

Darlington -The Track Too Tough To Tame

History of Darlington


Darlington -The Track Too Tough To Tame


Let's go back to the fall of 1949. Harold Brasington, a local businessman in rural Darlington, South Carolina, stood and stared at an old cotton field. While most just saw a used-up piece of land, Brasington saw potential for this area to become part of the fast-growing sport of racing, so he set out on the project known as Harold's Folly, a 1 1/4-mile speedway.

His original oval design was rejected when the land owner, Sherman Ramsey, informed him that he didn't want his minnow pond disturbed, and so was born DarlingtonRaceway's signature oval shape, in which turns three and four were narrowed. 

Fast forward to Labor Day 1950. The first race was set, and Darlington opened its gates to a shocking 25,000 fans. Since then, the raceway has been deemed the “track too tough to tame," with names like Baker, Flock, Thomas, Pearson, Yarborough, Petty, and Johnson becoming commonplace in Victory Lane. But one of the most notable names, even to those who aren't die-hard racing fans, is Earnhardt.

Darlington -The Track Too Tough To Tame

Mom 'N' Pops

Since May 1975, in his home state of North Carolina, Earnhardt made a name for himself in racing. It didn't take long for him to catch sponsors' eyes, and in the 1979 season, he signed his first full-time Winston Cup contract, and the legend was born. His racing career was second to none and was the inspiration his four children needed to join the family business.

All of his kids have made their mark on racing either as drivers or on the pit crew. Specifically, Dale Jr., Kelley, and Kerry drove in their Mom 'N' Pops cars in the '90s. These all-white cars with a black nose and black bumper, proudly sporting the Mom 'n' Pops Country Ham logo on the front, are now classics in racing, and this Labor Day weekend, Advance Auto Parts and Valvoline are bringing that look back.


Sport Clips Haircuts VFW 200

This Xfinity Series race is set to take off Sept. 2, 2017, at the legendary Darlington Speedway. Racers will sport their throwback cars, with Advance Auto Parts driver Justin Allgaier driving the Mom 'N' Pops-inspired No. 7 car. The Advance Auto Parts logo will adorn the hood of the car exactly as the Mom 'N' Pops logo did, while Justin embraces the Earnhardt paint scheme and legacy in a race to victory. The logo may have changed, but Advance and Valvoline are maintaining the legend of the Earnhardts. It's sure to bring a bit of nostalgia to race fans everywhere.

Don't miss this throwback race, fun for the whole family, September 2 at Darlington Raceway. And be sure to take advantage of all it has to offer while you're there.



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