Darlington Raceway's two races still up in air

DARLINGTON, S.C. (AP) -- NASCAR vice president Jim Hunter says Darlington Raceway's two-race future is not guaranteed, despite stronger attendance and the additions of lights and SAFER barriers the past year.

	Jim Hunter

"I don't think you can rule out any possibility for 2005 or beyond," Hunter said Sunday.

NASCAR's oldest superspeedway -- its first race came in 1950 -- has been rumored on the way out for several years.

Ex-NASCAR CEO Bill France Jr. said in January 2003 that Darlington was among tracks where unless attendance improved, they could lose one of its two Nextel Cup events.

Since then, the track's seen the closest NASCAR finish since 1993 between Ricky Craven and Kurt Bush at last year's Carolina Dodge Dealers 400, plus the lights and "soft walls."

There was also the track's sellout -- its first in six years -- at the Southern 500 this past Labor Day weekend.

On Sunday, track president Andrew Gurtis thanked the crowd of about 65,000 for being the "largest in the history of the Carolina Dodge Dealers 400."

Still, Hunter says a saturated race market in the Carolinas, along with newer, larger facilities elsewhere puts increased pressure on Darlington to fill its seats.

Traditionalists like Hunter, Darlington's former president, will always want two races at "The Lady In Black."

"Those who want the big dividend, the shareholder, (are) not going to care about tradition," Hunter said.