Tailgating: Darlington

Football has Lambeau Field, baseball has Fenway Park, golf has Augusta National and NASCAR has Darlington Raceway.

Darlington is a driver's track in its purest form. "The Lady in Black" demands patience, perseverance and skill from a driver. It's also a great place to experience the history of stock car racing. Built in 1949, it is known as NASCAR's original superspeedway.

Getting There

From the North and South: Take I-95 to the Florence/Darlington Highway 52 exit. Follow the signs.

From the West: Take I-20 to US-401 to SC-151 and follow the signs.

From Myrtle Beach: Take US-501 to US-76 to US-52.

During the race weekend, PDRTA and Darlington Raceway will provide free shuttle service from Florence area hotels and from the Florence Civic Center. Shuttle pick-up and drop-off at the track is located beside the credential office on the Highway 151 backstretch. For more information on shuttle service, call PDRTA at (843)-665-2227.

As always, bring those maps. There are ways to sneak into the backstretch from the north, south and west without getting caught up in too much traffic.

What to Bring

Each guest may bring to Darlington Raceway:

• One clear plastic bag no larger than 18x18x4 inches

• One soft-sided bag no larger than 6x6x12 inches

• Cell phones or scanners clipped to the belt

• Binoculars, cameras, headsets, etc. worn separately (without a bag) around the neck or belt are also allowed

• Seat cushion bags with compartments will be reviewed on an individual basis

Parking and Camping

Parking is free on speedway property. The speedway owns a large portion of the land near the frontstretch.

Like most older tracks, Darlington is in the middle of a residential area, and there are thousands of camping spots within walking distance of the track. Usually, we camp on West Smith St. since it is close to Pearson and Tyler Towers.

Please beware: The frontstretch area goes through a neighborhood with a two-lane road and traffic there can get messy. The backstretch area is on a four-lane highway.