What is a "Darlington stripe" Slang term for the black marks resulting from scrapes with the wall at the 1.366-mile track where the high lane is the fastest. Might be called the "SAFER stripe" this weekend after the addition of the energy-absorbing barriers

There are three current race tracks the Cup Series runs on that Tony Stewart has not won at a Sprint Cup race:
Auto Club Speedway 0 for 18 with a best finish of 4th in 1999 & 2001, last race 2/2010 9th
Las Vegas 0 for 12 with a best finish of 2nd in 2000, last race 2/2010 7th
Darlington 0 for 18 with a best finish of 3rd in 2009
Stewart has won at 19 of 23 tracks he has raced on, didn't win at Rockingham which is no longer active for Cup racing.(5-8-2010)

Darlington Double: three drivers have completed the Darlington sweep of the Nationwide and Sprint Cup races on the same weekend:
1987 - Dale Earnhardt
1993 - Mark Martin
2010 - Denny Hamlin.

Southern 500 returns on Mother's Day weekend: The mother of all races, the SHOWTIME Southern 500, will once again be run under the lights at Darlington Raceway on Mother’s Day weekend, May 7, 2011. The 62nd running of NASCAR’s most storied event will take the green-flag at approximately 7:30 pm. The May NASCAR weekend at Darlington will kick off with a full day of Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series action on Friday, May 6 capped off with the NASCAR Nationwide Series Royal Purple 200 that evening. The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will also return to Darlington in 2011 for the second consecutive year. The Too Tough To Tame 200 is scheduled for Saturday, March 12, 2011 and will be the only NASCAR National Series event that weekend. Ticket renewal information will be sent to current ticket holders soon with a ticket on sale date expected late this fall. Seat request orders are being taken now for fans not eligible for renewals. To place a seat request order visit DarlingtonRaceway.com or call 866-459-RACE.(Darlington Raceway)(8-19-2010)

Midnight Blue performing concert before Darlington truck race: Local rock group Midway Blue has signed on to perform a pre-race concert prior to the Too Tough To Tame 200 at Darlington Raceway on August 14. After first coming together in late 2008, Midway Blue began touring throughout South Carolina and recently won the top prize on the SPEED program Fast Track To Fame. The pre-race concert is free of charge and will begin at 6:00 pm and will take place on the driver introduction stage at the start finish line.(Darlington Raceway)(8-13-2010)

Darlington Truck Race Tix for sale: With the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series set to make its return to Darlington Raceway in just over a month, tickets to the event are becoming one of the hottest items in town. The tough trucks of the Camping World Truck Series are set to return to the famed 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval for the Too Tough To Tame 200 on Saturday, August 14 at 7:30 pm. In addition to the 200-mile race the trucks will also practice and qualify giving fans a unique opportunity to take in a one-day show at Darlington Raceway. Tickets for the event include practice and qualifying as well as the race and can be purchased for just $25 while children 12 and under are admitted for free with a paying adult. Pre-race pit passes can also be purchased for an additional $15 per adult or $5 for children 17 and under. All pre-race pit passes include an autograph session on pit road with the drivers participating in the Too Tough To Tame 200. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Darlington Raceway ticket office at 866-459-RACE or online at darlingtonraceway.com.(Darlington Raceway)(7-14-2010)

Darlington's NASCAR agreement is late: Darlington Raceway president Chris Browning isn’t sure how possible changes to next year’s Sprint Cup schedule would affect the track’s race date. The track’s Cup date has been Mother’s Day weekend since 2005 and the track has had success with it. The first four races sold out. “I feel like the date has worked very well for us,” Browning said. “And we don’t have reason to believe the date will be changed, but those kind of decisions are made over my head.” Browning said he hasn’t received the sanctioning agreements, which say when the track’s date will be. In the past, Browning usually has had them by now. NASCAR president Brian France said last week International Speedway Corporation, Darlington’s parent company, and Speedway Motorsports Inc. both have petitioned NAS-CAR to have dates realigned. ISC wants a second date for Kansas Speedway and SMI has wanted a Cup date for Kentucky the last few years. The company also wants a second date for Las Vegas. The schedule is likely to be released sometime near Labor Day. Browning said he hopes to stay with the Mother’s Day weekend date, but would prepare to promote whatever date is given to the track.(Morning News)(7-11-2010)

Denny Hamlin wins at Darlington: #11-Denny Hamlin won the Showtime Southern 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway for his 3rd race of 2010 and 11th of his career. He also won the Nationwide race Friday night. It was his first weekend sweep in Nationwide and Cup. Pole sitter #1-Jamie McMurray finished 2nd, followed by #2-Busch, #24-Gordon, #42-Montoya, #29-Harvick, #18-Busch, #31-Burton, #39-Newman, and #83-Vickers. Harvick extended his points lead to 110 over #48-Johnson, who was involved in a wreck with #43-Allmendinger midway through the race and finished 36th. There were 20 lead changes among 11 drivers and 11 cautions for 56 yellow flag laps.
See race results, awards, laps led and more on Jayski's Darlington Race Results/Awards page
See Drivers Championship Points standings on Jayski's Drivers Points Standings page.(5-8-2010)

Inside NASCAR hosts to be Darlington grand marshalls: The hosts of the new SHOWTIME Sports series Inside NASCAR will be literally all over Darlington Raceway for the SHOWTIME Southern 500 weekend serving as Grand Marshalls and participating in numerous pre-race festivities. Plus, legendary mixed martial arts pioneer Frank Shamrock and world-ranked heavyweight contender Brett Rogers will be on hand to experience NASCAR Sprint Cup racing at its best and to represent Strikeforce, one of the world's leading MMA promoters. The Inside NASCAR cast of Michael Waltrip, Randy Pemberton, Chris Myers and Brad Daugherty will meet fans, participate in Q&A sessions and sign autographs at the SHOWTIME display area on Saturday at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. for one hour each session. Shamrock and Rogers also will meet fans and sign autographs at the SHOWTIME Sports display area on Saturday from 3 p.m. As Grand Marshalls, Waltrip, Pemberton and Daugherty will introduce the mothers of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers to give the command to start their engines prior to the SHOWTIME Southern 500. Pemberton will then make his way to the flag stand to wave the green-flag to start 500-miles of heart-pounding racing under the lights at the track "Too Tough To Tame."(Darlington PR)(5-6-2010)

Facility improvements hightlight Darlington race weekend: Fans attending the 2010 SHOWTIME Southern 500 this weekend will notice several facility improvements around Darlington Raceway. Many of the improvements are a direct result of feedback received from Darlington's passionate fans. When the green-flag drops on the Royal Purple 200 presented by O'Reilly Auto Parts on Friday and the SHOWTIME Southern 500 on Saturday it will be from a new illuminated flag stand. The new flag stand, installed during the off-season, features illuminated signage to showcase Darlington Raceway sponsors. Fans sitting in the Pearson grandstand in turn four will notice new and improved restroom facilities that will help decrease wait times during this weekend's events. The facilities are also equipped with water-saving technology to reduce the number of gallons of water used in the track's restrooms. New parking lot signage has been added to the track's lots at Gate 40 off of Highway 151 that will make finding cars easier after a long night of racing at the track "Too Tough To Tame." The signs all feature legendary NASCAR drivers including South Carolina natives, Cale Yarborough and David Pearson. Finally, Darlington Raceway expanded its family section seating to include sections on the frontstretch and backstretch. Each Family Section offers a non-smoking, non-drinking, family friendly atmosphere for the 2010 events at Darlington Raceway.(Darlington PR)(5-5-2010)

ETV Profiles "The Lady in Black" on May 6th: On Thursday, May 6 at 9:00pm/et, just one day before drivers once again take to the track "Too Tough To Tame," ETV premieres its newest "Carolina Stories" documentary, "The Lady in Black." Encore broadcasts will air on Sunday, May 9 at 4:00pm/et on ETV and Monday, May 10 at 9:00pm/et on the South Carolina Channel. Using a blend of original and NASCAR footage from the archives, this fast-paced program tracks the history of the Darlington Raceway, as told by the true legends of the sport, including Cale Yarborough, Cotton Owens, Junior Johnson, and David Pearson as well as some of today's biggest names, such as Jeff Gordon, Jeff Burton, Mark Martin, Richard Childress, and the "Iron Man" of the Nationwide Series, Jason Keller. And thanks to Baker Curb Racing, ETV gives fans a rare opportunity to go behind-the-scenes, riding along in the big rig as the #27 car is brought through the tunnel, and then prepared for the big race. Keller was driving for Baker Curb Racing in 2009 when the documentary was shot, and this year the Greenville native is closing in on his 500th start, which very well might take place at Darlington. Interviews with everyone from track officials to fans who have been returning to camp in the infield year after year, help define what makes Darlington so unique, and has become the single biggest weekend event in the Palmetto State. ETV is South Carolina’s statewide network with 11 television stations, eight radio stations and a closed-circuit educational telecommunications system in more than 2000 schools, colleges, businesses, and government agencies.(PR)(5-4-2010)

Tickets available for Darlington races: The 2010 Showtime Southern 500 is only days away and time is dwindling for fans who have not yet purchased their tickets to see NASCAR’s oldest tradition live. Tickets remain available for the event which has hosted a capacity crowd four of the last five years. During the offseason Darlington Raceway officials reduced prices on over 40,000 seats making the 2010 event the most affordable on record. Tickets can be purchased by calling 866-459-RACE, online at Darlington Raceway.com or by visiting the ticket office at the track “Too Tough To Tame.” Phones are open from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm, the ticket office at the track will be open from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm and fans can purchase online 24 hours-a-day.(Darlington Raceway)(5-4-2010)

Petty & Earnhardt added to Darlington Legends Walk: Just days before their induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt have both been added to the Darlington Legends walk on the grounds of the famed 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval. “Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt were obvious choices when we looked at who should be added to the Legends Walk,” said Darlington Raceway President, Chris Browning. “Petty was one of the pioneers of NASCAR and paved the way for the fan-driver interaction we know today. Earnhardt certainly left his mark on NASCAR and is still second on the all-time Darlington victory list with nine victories. Both drivers loved racing here and we are happy to honor them.” Keeping with the historic racing theme present throughout the Darlington Raceway facility, each of the Darlington Legends Walk monuments resembles a Goodyear racing tire and old style pit board. Each monument is made of solid granite and marble and weighs nearly 2,300 pounds. This is the third consecutive year new monuments have been added and the track plans to continue adding new monuments each year. “This is a great way for Darlington to put some of the history of NASCAR and our track on display for fans to enjoy,” said Browning. “The history of Darlington Raceway is so rich and we are going to do everything we can to preserve it for many generations to come.” Darlington Raceway Tickets can be purchased by calling the Darlington Raceway ticket office at 866-459-RACE or online at darlingtonraceway.com/tickets/.(Darlington Raceway)(5-4-2010)

Showtime Southern 500 week declared: The week of the Showtime Southern 500 has once again been named Darlington Raceway week in South Carolina. The South Carolina Senate and House of Representatives recently passed a Concurrent Resolution decaling race week “Darlington Raceway Week in South Carolina, a week ‘Too Tough To Tame.’” The famed track’s 60 year history is a major reason that the South Carolina Senate and House of Representatives passed this Concurrent Resolution. The Resolution outlines the historical significance of Darlington Raceway and addresses the role the track played in building the foundation of what has become the number one spectator sport in the country. The Showtime Southern 500 week will shift into high-gear on Thursday with the sixth annual Car Hauler Parade making its way from the Florence Civic Center through the Darlington Square and finishing at the track. The racing action will rev up on Friday with a full day of on-track activity scheduled including practice and qualifying for the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series and the NASCAR Nationwide Series Royal Purple 200 presented by O’Reilly Auto Parts on Friday night. Saturday the Showtime Southern 500 will take the green-flag at 7:30 pm [actually around 7:44pm/et]. with NASCAR’s biggest stars battling for the Johnny Mantz Showtime Southern 500 trophy under the lights. Tickets for both Friday and Saturday are still available and can be purchased by calling 866-459-RACE or at the track’s website, DarlingtonRaceway.com.(Darlington Raceway)(5-3-2010)

Darlington ticket office open on weekends: The Darlington Raceway ticket office will open during the weekend to make ticket purchases more convenient and accessible for race fans. The ticket office will be open every Saturday and Sunday leading up to the SHOWTIME Southern 500 on May 8, 2010. Beginning Saturday, April 10, the ticket office will be open for fans to purchase their tickets. The weekend hours will be 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Saturdays and 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. on Sundays. The track's normal business hours of 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. will continue Monday through Friday. Tickets can also be purchased by calling the Darlington Raceway ticket office at 866-459-RACE or online at http://www.darlingtonraceway.com/tickets/.(Darlington PR)(4-10-2010)

Darlington racing green: The green flag will be greener than ever as it signals the start of the Darlington 200 and Southern 500 races at Darlington Raceway May 7-8. For the first time, all the electrical needs of these NASCAR races will be met with 100 percent Green Power. The raceway dubbed “Too Tough To Tame” goes green that weekend with the help of Santee Cooper and Pee Dee Electric Cooperative. Darlington Raceway has purchased Green-e Energy Certified Green Power blocks and tags offered by Pee Dee Electric Cooperative and Santee Cooper. Toy Nettles, president and CEO of Pee Dee Electric Cooperative, said, “Pee Dee Electric Cooperative is extremely proud to partner with Darlington Raceway in providing 100% Green Power for the entire NASCAR weekend, including the Darlington 200 and the fan favorite Southern 500. These races will be run under the glow of the “Green-e” logo and all the rigorous standards it represents.” Santee Cooper has over 21 megawatts of clean, renewable Green Power from sources including landfill biogas and solar power. In fact, Santee Cooper is the only utility generating Green Power in South Carolina, and Pee Dee Electric Cooperative promotes Green Power sales to its 30,000 customers. Green-e Marketplace provides forward-thinking organizations with a simple, nationally recognized logo they can use to communicate their commitment to renewable energy to their customers and shareholders. The Green-e logo is the nation’s leading symbol of renewable energy excellence and distinguishes Green-e Marketplace participants as environmental leaders. Green-e is a program of Center for Resource Solutions, a nonprofit that creates policy and market solutions to advance sustainable energy. To learn more, visit Center for Resource Solutions and Green-e Marketplace. Incorporated in 1939, Pee Dee Electric Cooperative serves parts of six counties in northeastern South Carolina. The 30,000-plus members of the electric distribution co-op live in Darlington, Marion, Florence, Lee, Dillon and Chesterfield counties.(Darlington Raceway)(4-5-2010)

Showtime to sponsor Southern 500: Showtime Networks Inc., the home of popular cable series like "Dexter" and "Weeds," agreed to a multiyear deal to become the title sponsor for Darlington Raceway's Southern 500. "I think they bring a lot to the table," track president Chris Browning told The Associated Press, ahead of an official announcement expected later Monday. This is a first for Showtime, which launched its "Inside NASCAR" program in February. Ken Hershman, executive vice president and general manager of Showtime Sports, said the sponsorship is the next step in linking the network with one of the country's most popular sports. The May 8 race will be known as the Showtime Southern 500. Like many sporting events, Darlington Raceway has struggled to find corporate backing in a floundering economy. Showtime will be Darlington's third title sponsor in the past three races, after a five-year deal with the Carolina Dodge Dealers ended in 2008. Last year, Browning signed GoDaddy.com to underwrite the event about a month before the green flag dropped. "Inside NASCAR" is a weekly highlights and analysis show along the lines of its "Inside the NFL" series. The NASCAR show is hosted by Chris Myers, Randy Pemberton, former NBA star Brad Daugherty and driver Michael Waltrip. Getting more than a one-year commitment from Showtime means both the network and the track can take full advantage of each other's resources leading up to the 2011 race. One wrinkle is a contest where a viewer can win a VIP experience to Darlington's race on Mother's Day Weekend. Showtime spokesman Chris DeBlasio said along with an up-close look at the Sprint Cup race, the winner will show up in Victory Lane and be presented a replica of the trophy that will go to the race champion. The network also expects to have a hospitality tent for fans on Darlington grounds, with perhaps some celebrities from its cable shows popping by.(AP/ESPN)
AND: Showtime, which debuted its “Inside NASCAR” show last month, is climbing deeper into the sport by title-sponsoring the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. The sponsorship is a multiyear agreement between the network and the historic track.(Sports Business Journal)(3-30-2010)

Darlington Expands family section: Darlington Raceway will expand its family section seating for the 2010 Southern 500 announced track President, Chris Browning. Family sections will now be available on both straight-aways at Darlington Raceway. Wallace grandstand section V on the frontstretch and Colvin grandstand section X on the backstretch will be designated family sections. Each family section will be designated as a non-smoking, non-drinking seating option geared towards families. Family seating can be purchased today by contacting the Darlington Raceway ticket office at 866-459-RACE or visiting DarlingtonRaceway.com.(Darlington PR)(1-31-2010)

Darlington President wins Littlejohn Award: Darlington Raceway President, Chris Browning, was award the prestigious Joe Littlejohn award at the 2010 National Motorsport Press Association convention in Concord, N.C. Browning, who has served as Darlington Raceway President since 2004, was selected by the members of the NMPA because of his commitment and dedication to motorsports. During his tenure at Darlington, Browning has made the NMPA Hall of Fame - located in the Darlington Raceway Museum - a top priority and has overseen numerous facility improvements. The Joe Littlejohn award is given annually to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the NMPA and motorsports.(Darlington Raceway)(1-29-2010)

Trucks to race at Darlington? UPDATE: Sirius NASCAR Radio's Sirius Speedway with host Dave Moody is reporting that the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will compete at Darlington Raceway in August of this year, as a replacement for the now-canceled event at the Milwaukee Mile. Expect an official announcement during this week's NASCAR portion of the annual Media Tour.(Sirius Speedway PR)(1-19-2010)
UPDATE: been told that the date of the race will be August 14, 2010.(1-20-2010)
UPDATE: The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will make a return to the track “Too Tough to Tame” on August 14, 2010 announced. “Our fans have asked us to bring back the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series because Darlington is a perfect fit for the tough racing the series offers,” said Darlington President Chris Browning. “We are excited to be able to bring back the trucks in 2010 and look forward to putting on a memorable show for all of our fans.” The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series raced at Darlington Raceway from 2001-04. The late Bobby Hamilton won the Inaugural event in 2001 and again in 2003. Ted Musgrave raced to Victory Lane in 2002 and Sprint Cup driver Kasey Kahne took the checkered flag in 2004 – the series’ last visit to the track. General admission seating is available for only $25 and children 12 and under will be admitted free. Each admission includes all practice and qualifying sessions as well as the Too Tough to Tame 200 which is set to take the green-flag at approximately 7:30 p.m. In addition to grandstand seating, fans may also purchase a pre-race pit pass for just $15 each. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Darlington Raceway ticket office at 866-459-RACE or online at http://www.darlingtonraceway.com/tickets/.(Darlington Raceway)(1-20-2010)

Darlington opens ticket kiosk in Myrtle Beach: Darlington Raceway has opened up a ticket kiosk location in the popular Tanger Outlet center located on Highway 17 in Myrtle Beach, S.C. The kiosk opened the week of Thanksgiving and will remain open for the remainder of the year. Fans taking advantage of the opportunity to purchase tickets at the Tanger Outlet kiosk location will receive a DVD copy of the 2009 Southern 500. The race, won by fan favorite Mark Martin, was the marquee event during Darlington Raceway's 60th Season of Racing. Tickets to the 2010 Southern 500, as well as the NASCAR Nationwide Series Darlington 200 are on-sale now. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Darlington Raceway ticket office at 866-459-RACE or online at http://www.darlingtonraceway.com/tickets/.(Darlington PR)(12-11-2009)

Darlington Raceway receives Landscape Design Award: Darlington Raceway has received the prestigious Landscape Design Award from the Landscape Critics Council of South Carolina. The award is given annually to a business in the state of South Carolina that exhibits well manicured and unique landscape displays. The award is voted on by members of the Landscape Critics Council of South Carolina. Darlington’s new tunnel entrance, infield camping areas, hospitality village and main administration entrance played a large role in swaying voters to select Darlington Raceway as the Landscape Design Award winner. Tickets to the 2010 Southern 500, as well as the NASCAR Nationwide Series Darlington 200 are on-sale now. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Darlington Raceway ticket office at 866-459-RACE or online at darlingtonraceway.com.(Darlington Raceway)(10-26-2009)

Darlington reduces price on 40,000 seats: Tickets for the 2010 Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway go on-sale to the public this Saturday, October 10. The famed 500-mile race will once again take place on Saturday night of Mother's Day weekend and will be preceded by the Diamond Hill Plywood 200 on Friday evening. 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. Tickets for both events and the Darlington Stripe Zone can be purchased by calling the Darlington Raceway ticket office at 866-459-RACE or online at http://www.darlingtonraceway.com/tickets/.(Darlington Raceway PR)(10-8-2009)