Award-winning Throwback Weekend will return for a third year
DARLINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA (May 5, 2016) – Darlington Raceway and its award-winning throwback Bojangles’ Southern 500 event will once again return to Labor Day weekend in 2017.
The NASCAR Cup Series Bojangles’ Southern 500 will compete on Sunday, Sept. 3. The NASCAR XFINITY Series VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero 200 will race on Saturday, Sept. 2 (official start times TBA). A full day of practice for both series will be on Friday, Sept. 1.
“With all the fun and excitement Darlington Raceway’s fans have on Labor Day weekend, it’s great that we’ll have the opportunity to build upon our award-winning throwback platform on a weekend that means so much to our track and community,” said track President Chip Wile. “NASCAR racing on Labor Day weekend is a tradition in Darlington so we’re excited to host the state’s largest professional sporting event on that storied weekend once again in 2017.”
Darlington Raceway is still continuing to celebrate its successful return to Labor Day weekend in 2015, having recently been named aSports Event of the Year nominee by SportsBusiness Journal/SportsBusiness Daily. The nomination was given due to the overwhelming popularity of its throwback campaign, designed to celebrate the history and heritage of the sport at the famed track.
The Sports Event of the Year honor will be awarded at the Sports Business Awards ceremony on May 18 in New York City.
The track also received other accolades for its return to Labor Day weekend and subsequent throwback campaign, most notably the 2015 NMPA Myers Brothers Award, the 2015 NASCAR Marketing Team Award, 2015 NASCAR Track PR Representative of the Year Award and 2015 Community Pride Award.
“The combination of our throwback campaign and return to Labor Day weekend was a homerun for our fans,” Wile said. “We’re continuing to build on that momentum for our 2016, 2017 events and beyond.”
The Tradition Continues on Labor Day weekend as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Bojangles’ Southern 500® is set for Sunday, Sept. 4, 2016. The NASCAR XFINITY Series VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero 200 will race on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2016.
You can keep up with all of the latest news from Darlington Raceway at DarlingtonRaceway.com, on Facebook atFacebook.com/DarlingtonRaceway and on Twitter at Twitter.com/TooToughToTame. Fans are encouraged to post their Bojangles’ Southern 500 stories and memories at #TraditionContinues, #BojanglesSo500 and #SportClips200.
Darlington Raceway has been recognized by the following:
- 2016 SportsBusiness Journal “Sports Event of the Year” Nominee
- 2015 NMPA Myers Brothers Award
- 2015 NASCAR Marketing Team of the Year
- 2015 NASCAR Track PR Representative of the Year (Dennis Worden)
- 2015 Community Pride Award (presented by the Greater Darlington Chamber of Commerce)
