Darlington Raceway

Track Info

Location	Darlington, South Carolina
Type	Egg-Shaped Oval
Length	1.366 miles (2.198 km)
Banking	25 degrees in turns 1-2, 23 degrees in turns 3-4
Surface	Asphalt
Capacity	~47,000
Opened	1950

Track Characteristics

Darlington Raceway is the original superspeedway, the track that proved stock cars could race on paved ovals at high speed. Opened in 1950, its distinctive egg shape was not an intentional design choice - builder Harold Brasington had to work around a minnow pond on one end of the property, creating the asymmetric layout that makes Darlington unlike any other track in the world. Turns 1 and 2 are wider and more sweeping, while Turns 3 and 4 are tighter and more steeply banked.

The asymmetry creates one of the most demanding driving challenges in all of racing. Drivers must use completely different techniques at each end of the track, constantly adjusting their approach. The outside wall in Turns 3 and 4 is especially unforgiving, and scraping the wall - earning a "Darlington Stripe" on the right side of the car - is considered a badge of honor. Almost every driver who competes here will have a stripe by the end of the race.

Darlington's Throwback Weekend has become one of the most popular events on the NASCAR calendar. Teams run retro paint schemes honoring NASCAR history, and the entire weekend is a celebration of the sport's heritage. The combination of Darlington's old-school racing surface, its unique shape, and the nostalgia of Throwback Weekend creates a race day atmosphere that is truly special.

Getting There

Nearest Airport	Florence Regional Airport (FLO) - approximately 15 miles east. Myrtle Beach International (MYR) is about 75 miles southeast. Charlotte Douglas (CLT) is about 100 miles northwest.
Nearest City	Darlington, SC. Florence, SC is the nearest city with significant hotel and restaurant options, about 15 miles east on US-52.

Series That Race Here

• NASCAR Cup Series - Two races per year (spring and Throwback Weekend)
• NASCAR Xfinity Series
• NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series

2026 NASCAR Event Info

Spring Race	Goodyear 400
Spring Date	May 10, 2026
Throwback Race	Cook Out Southern 500 (Throwback Weekend / Playoff cutoff)
Throwback Date	September 6, 2026 (Labor Day weekend)
TV	FOX (spring) / NBC (Throwback)

Track Records

Qualifying Record	Ward Burton - 173.797 mph (1996)
Race Record	Dale Earnhardt - 139.958 mph (1993)

Notable Past Races

• 1950: Johnny Mantz won the first-ever Southern 500 in a Plymouth, the only paved-track race of its kind at the time. It was a landmark moment that helped legitimize stock car racing as a major sport.
• 2003 Southern 500: Terry Labonte won the final Labor Day Southern 500 before the race was moved, providing a fitting farewell to the traditional date that had defined the race for over 50 years.
• 2015 Throwback Weekend: The first official Throwback Weekend was a massive hit, with retro paint schemes and nostalgia creating a new tradition that reinvigorated interest in Darlington.
• 1992: Darrell Waltrip won his final Cup race at Darlington, an emotional farewell victory for one of the sport's all-time greats at one of its most historic venues.
• 2021: Martin Truex Jr. dominated the Throwback Weekend Southern 500 in a throwback scheme honoring the late Dale Earnhardt.

Track Facts

• Darlington's egg shape was created because builder Harold Brasington had to avoid a minnow pond owned by a local landowner who refused to sell, resulting in the asymmetric layout that gives the track its character.
• The "Darlington Stripe" - a scrape of paint and sheet metal on the right side of the car from brushing the wall - is a badge of honor and practically unavoidable over 400 miles.
• Darlington was the first paved superspeedway in NASCAR history, predating Daytona by nine years.
• The track has the smallest seating capacity of any multi-race Cup venue, giving it an intimate atmosphere that larger tracks cannot match.
• Throwback Weekend has become so popular that teams, broadcasters, and fans all participate in honoring NASCAR history with retro themes and designs.

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