Strike up the band! Fans can celebrate the Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR and the Goodyear 400 during the annual Darlington Raceway Throwback Parade, Saturday May 13.
Grand Marshals Kurt Busch and Ricky Craven will lead the cavalcade through downtown Darlington at 4:45 p.m. following the NASCAR Xfinity Series Shriners Children’s 200. The parade will begin on Edwards Street and proceed down Pearl Street before turning left onto Race Track Road and entering Gate 32 into the track’s midway.
This annual parade will feature the Lamar High School Marching Band, historic stockcars, beauty queens, the Goodyear Earth Roamer with NASCAR legend Dave Marcis aboard, and Shriners Children’s Hospital representatives. A group of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers including Dale Jarrett, Greg Biffle, Ryan Newman, Ernie Irvan and the Labonte brothers, Terry and Bobby will ride the route in the back of Ford F-150s.
“The Throwback Parade is such an appropriate way to celebrate the Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR and NASCAR’s 75th Anniversary,” said Darlington Raceway President Kerry Tharp. “Each legendary driver in this tradition-rich parade has put their mark on NASCAR history in some way.”
Following the conclusion of the procession, festivities continue with a concert and NASCAR 75 Greatest Q&A with Randy LaJoie, Ron Hornaday Jr., and Geoff Bodine at the NASCAR Experience stage in the Darlington Raceway midway.
The concert will feature hair metal rock band Tëase. They will turn back the clock with an authentic tribute to rock’s most outrageous era playing party anthems from Bon Jovi, Van Halen and Poison.
Racing begins Friday night with the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series’ Buckle Up South Carolina 200 and continues Saturday, May 13, with the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ Shriners Children’s 200. That sets the table for Sunday’s Goodyear 400, featuring today’s stars of the NASCAR Cup Series and a once-in-a-lifetime tribute to NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers.
Fans are encouraged to purchase their tickets now at darlingtonraceway.com so they don’t miss out on this historic opportunity.
— Darlington Spedway —