Headed to Darlington for the first time, Labor Day weekend. Need advice!

T

texranger48

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I'm headed to Darlington with an RV from Atlanta in September. I need all the advice/tips I can get. Any comments would be appreciated!
 
texranger48 said:
I'm headed to Darlington with an RV from Atlanta in September. I need all the advice/tips I can get. Any comments would be appreciated!
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Personally, I've never been there but if I were going this is the first place that I'd look. Not the prettiest of sites but it has just about all the information that you could need.....

http://www.laidbackracing.com/Tracks/DarlingtonRaceway.html

Also, a good restaurant link for that area.

http://foodaroundthetrack.com/?cat=9
 
texranger48 said:
I'm headed to Darlington with an RV from Atlanta in September. I need all the advice/tips I can get. Any comments would be appreciated!
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Welcome to the asylum. Darlington is my 'home track'. Is this your first race? Are you staying in the infield or nearby? How long will you be in the area? Where are your seats?

As you probably already know, it's a straight shot east on I-20, exit 136 or so. The town of Darlington itself is quite small; there really isn't much there. I'd stop in Columbia before you get there for any last minute supplies.

Florence, about 10-15 minutes further east, is larger and has a mall. Several of the restaurants dpkimmel linked to are actually in Florence, not Darlington as the web site suggests. The best 'sit down' place is Redbone Alley. The food is fantastic, and you absolutely will not believe the interior layout. Have the Shrimp Curry.

http://www.redbonealley.com/

Myrtle Beach is a major tourist destination; while it's double lane there, it's not interstate and the traffic heading there on Labor Day weekend will be intense.
 
This is one track that I hope to attend in the near future, always loved Darlington races every since I can remember NAZKAR on TV.
I hope all y'all have a great time and let us know of your experience with the lady in black. Take lot of pic's too.
 
Wingnutcnc said:
This is one track that I hope to attend in the near future, always loved Darlington races every since I can remember NAZKAR on TV.
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Sit in Brasington, Sections I or J. It's probably the most inconvenient grandstand to get to, but the view looks exactly like this Fathead:

http://www.fathead.com/nascar/nascar/darlington-raceway-mural/

You can see them try to get down to single-wide headed into turn 1, and can immediately tell who's not going to make it. There's also a clear view of pit road exit, and the sunsets are gorgeous.

Second choice would be in the middle of Pearson tower in turn 4; the same view from the other side. If you have to choose between the bottom rows in Tyler or the upper rows in Wallace, go with Wallace. From the bottom of Tyler, the concourse over Wallace obscures some of the view. If you're going cheap and sit in Colvin, go as high as possible. I'd sit on the either end as opposed to the middle, with a preference for the turn 2 end where most of the trouble is. At least you'll be close to the museum.
 
Charlie Spencer said:
Sit in Brasington, Sections I or J. It's probably the most inconvenient grandstand to get to, but the view looks exactly like this Fathead:

http://www.fathead.com/nascar/nascar/darlington-raceway-mural/

You can see them try to get down to single-wide headed into turn 1, and can immediately tell who's not going to make it. There's also a clear view of pit road exit, and the sunsets are gorgeous.

Second choice would be in the middle of Pearson tower in turn 4; the same view from the other side. If you have to choose between the bottom rows in Tyler or the upper rows in Wallace, go with Wallace. From the bottom of Tyler, the concourse over Wallace obscures some of the view. If you're going cheap and sit in Colvin, go as high as possible. I'd sit on the either end as opposed to the middle, with a preference for the turn 2 end where most of the trouble is. At least you'll be close to the museum.
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Thanks for the heads up. I've been talking with a buddy of mine and if he can get away from the wife we may try and make it this year, I'm hoping anyway.
 
omg, you are so lucky, what a track, its got it all, history, beat up cars, frustrated drivers. Remember the last race before the repave?? they had to run shaker screens in front of the radiators because there was so much tire rubber being chewed off the tires. jeff gordons car had a plugged radiator and he still one. If the cars only ran one green lap and the caution came out. even the leader of the race would pit for tires. such a technical track too, you don't want to run side by side into turn one because there is kinda a kink in the corner right in the center, on the gas off it, holy crap on the brakes. They also used to put 2x4's on the outside of the roll cages so they could bang into the wall. dale jr needs to win there, I know its on the top of his list.
 
There's a museum right outside the backstretch - it's really worth the effort to get over there. It's maybe $5 or $10, I forget, but no more. And you can get through it in as little as half an hour...or, you can really take your time to take it all in, and spend about two hours inside. There's a really good gift shop there as well. Has items you won't find outside in the vendor trucks. The museum isn't promoted much around the track, so many people don't even know it's there. It's rarely crowded.

Agree with the poster who mentioned sitting in turn 1 or turn 4 (I personally prefer turn 4, but no matter). I would stay away from higher up on the front straightaway...too much obstruction as they come below you.

I can't recommend any food places - I have Bojangles twice a day for three days. What can I say, I'm from the north. #nobojangles
 
Speaking of being from up north ...

I've ranted elsewhere about moving this race back to Labor Day, but let me add a serious word of warning. It's been over a decade since the Southern 500 was run on Labor Day and new race fans may have never been here in early September. Expect daytime temperatures in the mid- to upper 90s, and humidity the same. We like a little texture in our atmosphere and if you're from an area that doesn't get these levels of combined heat and humidity, it can be quite ... uncomfortable.

Bring some water or Gatorade, not just alcohol and soda, and remember to drink them! Please don't wind up as one of those people the paramedics carry down the grandstand aisle with an electrolyte IV stuck in them; I don't want you blocking my view :D
 
Been to the Daytona July race and the heat was exhausting. Any idea if the heat around Darlington at that time would be just as bad if not worse?
 
EI2IC said:
Been to the Daytona July race and the heat was exhausting. Any idea if the heat around Darlington at that time would be just as bad if not worse?
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I haven't been to Daytona for a race but I've been through it in late summer on my way to see relatives near Orlando. The conditions are pretty similar. I hate to trot out the old cliche about the humidity, but it's true. I've lived in Vegas and later summered near Tuscon, but their dry heat at least lets your perspiration evaporate. Atlanta at Labor Day isn't much better, but that's no longer a consideration. Bristol in August is uncomfortable but not on the same scale as Daytona or Darlington. Charlotte in May is almost tolerable; October is a picnic when it isn't downright chilly.
 
Charlie Spencer said:
Speaking of being from up north ...

I've ranted elsewhere about moving this race back to Labor Day, but let me add a serious word of warning. It's been over a decade since the Southern 500 was run on Labor Day and new race fans may have never been here in early September. Expect daytime temperatures in the mid- to upper 90s, and humidity the same. We like a little texture in our atmosphere and if you're from an area that doesn't get these levels of combined heat and humidity, it can be quite ... uncomfortable.

Bring some water or Gatorade, not just alcohol and soda, and remember to drink them! Please don't wind up as one of those people the paramedics carry down the grandstand aisle with an electrolyte IV stuck in them; I don't want you blocking my view :D
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As far as Darlington....... I went back in '98 with my boss and a guy that works in the shop, They weren't used to the sun and heat..... I work outside all the time.... I really felt sorry for them... They baked like a lobster. To the point I was really worried. I wasn't even wearing a hat or any sunscreen...... and drinking beer like a fish. I saw then that folks who aren't accustomed to heat should take extra precautions.
 
Charlie Spencer said:
Welcome to the asylum. Darlington is my 'home track'. Is this your first race? Are you staying in the infield or nearby? How long will you be in the area? Where are your seats?

As you probably already know, it's a straight shot east on I-20, exit 136 or so. The town of Darlington itself is quite small; there really isn't much there. I'd stop in Columbia before you get there for any last minute supplies.

Florence, about 10-15 minutes further east, is larger and has a mall. Several of the restaurants dpkimmel linked to are actually in Florence, not Darlington as the web site suggests. The best 'sit down' place is Redbone Alley. The food is fantastic, and you absolutely will not believe the interior layout. Have the Shrimp Curry.

http://www.redbonealley.com/

Myrtle Beach is a major tourist destination; while it's double lane there, it's not interstate and the traffic heading there on Labor Day weekend will be intense.
Click to expand...

Thanks for all the info! This will be my 6th race, 4th track. I've been to Dover, Charlotte, Texas (3 races, seen Smoke, JJ48 and Rowdy Busch burn rubber) Looking forward to visiting the historic Lady in Black
 
Parking - depending on where texranger48 puts his RV, he may not care.
  • For those in automobiles, for the last three years I've been able to get to the track as late as 3:30 and still park free on track property in the front stretch lot.
  • I was in the track lot behind 3 and 4 four years ago, and it was pretty full by 12:30 or 1:00.
  • It's been several years since I was in the handicapped lot with my father, and they've moved it entirely since then, but it used to fill up pretty by 10:30 or so. I'll be dragging him along again this year, so I'll see what that's like.
 
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