BACK TO GALLERIES
Vintage camera view: Darlington throwback weekend
By Zack Albert, NASCAR.com | Published: September 6, 2017 39
Zack Albert | NASCAR.com
1 of 39
Zack Albert | NASCAR.com
In the days before Instagram, there was real film. In the spirit of Darlington Raceway's throwback celebration, we used a vintage camera to capture the festival atmosphere ahead of the 2017 Bojangles' Southern 500. These images -- including this one of Ryan Blaney's Wood Brothers No. 21 Ford at pit exit -- were created with a Rolleicord twin-lens reflex camera from the mid-1950s using 120mm Kodak film.
2 of 39
Zack Albert | NASCAR.com
The Richard Petty Motorsports No. 43 Ford is prepped for practice in the Darlington garage. The look for the iconic No. 43 resembled the car that Petty drove to his 200th NASCAR premier-series victory in 1984.
3 of 39
Zack Albert | NASCAR.com
A detailed look at Ty Dillon's sinister No. 13 Chevrolet that paid tribute to the late Smokey Yunick, a legendary master mechanic from NASCAR's earliest days.
4 of 39
Zack Albert | NASCAR.com
Roush Fenway Racing teammates Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (left) and Trevor Bayne chat before practice. Stenhouse's No. 17 Ford took a page from Darrell Waltrip's rich history in the sport, reflective car numbers and all.
5 of 39
Zack Albert | NASCAR.com
Kasey Kahne's No. 5 Chevrolet gets some adjustments before practice at Darlington. The car's livery references some of Hendrick Motorsports' earliest success, with Geoff Bodine's days behind the wheel.
6 of 39
Zack Albert | NASCAR.com
Brad Keselowski wheels the Rusty Wallace-inspired Team Penske No. 2 Ford in the Darlington garage. In the background is the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota eventually driven to victory by Denny Hamlin in the 2017 500-mile classic.
7 of 39
Zack Albert | NASCAR.com
Interior specialist Adam Jordan keeps an eye on the retro-themed No. 88 Chevrolet of Dale Earnhardt Jr. The car's appearance brought back memories of his two championships (1998, '99) in what is now the NASCAR XFINITY Series.
8 of 39
Zack Albert | NASCAR.com
A pair of fans found an ideal way to relax in the South Carolina heat. A portable tub in the infield made for ideal resting spot in between practices.
9 of 39
Zack Albert | NASCAR.com
For other fans, Friday meant a day of establishing the best infield vantage point ahead of race day. This school bus gets the platform treatment under bright blue skies.
10 of 39
Zack Albert | NASCAR.com
Jimmie Johnson's No. 48 Chevrolet sits at the exit of pit road while Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott flashes by in Turn 1.
11 of 39
Zack Albert | NASCAR.com
Snappy dressers all, the Front Row Motorsports No. 34 crew sports retro-inspired pit crew uniforms as they talk shop with driver Landon Cassill during Saturday's Coors Light Pole Qualifying.
12 of 39
Zack Albert | NASCAR.com
The David Pearson-inspired No. 1 Chevrolet sits on pit road in between qualifying runs for driver Jamie McMurray.
13 of 39
Zack Albert | NASCAR.com
The No. 24 of Chase Elliott sits alongside Chris Buescher's No. 37 at the end of pit road, while Kyle Larson dives into Turn 1 on a qualifying pass.
14 of 39
Zack Albert | NASCAR.com
Before Saturday's 200-miler, several NASCAR XFINITY Series teams got into the retro act. JGL Racing's No. 28 honored NASCAR Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough, a South Carolina native.
15 of 39
Zack Albert | NASCAR.com
The No. 90 Chevy of Brandon Brown honored the familiar look of the late Dick Trickle during his tenure with longtime car owner Junie Donlavey.
16 of 39
Zack Albert | NASCAR.com
The No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet of Austin Dillon gets service in the XFINITY garage area.
17 of 39
Zack Albert | NASCAR.com
Dylan Lupton poses with his Jeff Gordon rainbow-themed No. 24 in XFINITY Series pre-race. The former NASCAR Next driver grew up as a fan of the four-time Cup Series champ.
18 of 39
Zack Albert | NASCAR.com
Cole Custer's No. 00 captured the essence of one of the XFINITY Series' earliest stars, Sam Ard.
19 of 39
Zack Albert | NASCAR.com
The Chip Ganassi Racing No. 42 Chevrolet gets some tuning before the garage closes on a busy Saturday.
20 of 39
Zack Albert | NASCAR.com
NASCAR Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace finishes off one of many autographs after Sunday's drivers' meeting. Several legends and Hall of Fame inductees were recognized at Darlington for their contributions to the sport.
21 of 39
Zack Albert | NASCAR.com
The Joe Gibbs Racing No. 11 Toyota gets a push toward Sunday's pre-race inspection line.
22 of 39
Zack Albert | NASCAR.com
The No. 34 Ford from Front Row Motorsports takes a rest in between inspection stations in Sunday's pre-race.
23 of 39
Zack Albert | NASCAR.com
The allotment of Goodyear tires for the weekend bore vintage white lettering.
24 of 39
Zack Albert | NASCAR.com
Joey Logano's No. 22 Ford used a look from Team Penske's IndyCar operations for Darlington weekend.
25 of 39
Zack Albert | NASCAR.com
Final tuning time for the Joe Gibbs Racing entry for Denny Hamlin. He carried the flying No. 11 to victory, honoring Virginia racing legend Ray Hendrick.
26 of 39
Zack Albert | NASCAR.com
Members of Jimmie Johnson's No. 48 crew chat on the pit-road grid ahead of the Bojangles' Southern 500.
27 of 39
Zack Albert | NASCAR.com
The view off into Darlington Raceway's Turn 1 in the hours before the race. By the end of 500 miles Sunday evening, the pristine red-and-white retaining walls had plenty of scuffs befitting the track 'Too Tough to Tame.'
28 of 39
Zack Albert | NASCAR.com
Austin Dillon and his now-wife, Whitney Ward, light up pit road with 1980s flair. Dillon's Richard Childress Racing No. 3 Chevy honored Dale Earnhardt's Wrangler-sponsored entries from the decade.
29 of 39
Zack Albert | NASCAR.com
Chase Elliott recreates a photo of his Hall of Fame father, Bill Elliott, who posed with his arm inside the drivers' window ahead of his premier-series debut in 1976. The younger Elliott's No. 24 borrowed the baby blue paint scheme from his father's first start.
30 of 39
Zack Albert | NASCAR.com
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. poses with Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip and others in a pre-race photo op. Roush Fenway Racing and Fifth Third Bank announced an extension of their sponsorship deal ahead of the race.
31 of 39
Zack Albert | NASCAR.com
Matt DiBenedetto poses with NASCAR legend Bobby Allison, a five-time Darlington winner. DiBenedetto's No. 32 Ford featured a shimmering gold look that honored the NASCAR Hall of Famer.
32 of 39
Zack Albert | NASCAR.com
Crew chief Rodney Childers looks over the Stewart-Haas Racing No. 4 Ford of Kevin Harvick, who claimed the pole position in Saturday qualifying. In the background are Richard Petty's classic Plymouth and the NBC Sports pre-race set.
33 of 39
Zack Albert | NASCAR.com
The No. 9 Ford Thunderbird that launched Bill Elliott's heyday in the mid-1980s sits behind the pre-race concert stage.
34 of 39
Zack Albert | NASCAR.com
The No. 13 Chevrolet of Ty Dillon takes its place on the pre-race grid. In the foreground is the hood of David Ragan's No. 38 Ford with a retro Camping World look.
35 of 39
Zack Albert | NASCAR.com
Kasey Kahne's young son, Tanner, angles for a snack on the pre-race grid before the Bojangles' Southern 500.
36 of 39
Zack Albert | NASCAR.com
Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his wife, Amy, chat with the Miami Vice-clad Dale Jarrett during Darlington pre-race.
37 of 39
Zack Albert | NASCAR.com
King Richard Petty fires up his iconic 1967 Plymouth Belvedere for pace laps ahead of the Southern 500. Petty stayed out for an extra parade lap, and who could blame him.
38 of 39
Zack Albert | NASCAR.com
The Richard Petty Motorsports crew gives the field an oversized wave as it rolls off for pace laps.
39 of 39
Zack Albert | NASCAR.com
A Germain Racing crewmember takes in the early action from the observation deck at the end of the frontstretch.