Myrtle Beach event kicks off countdown for 75th Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — Race fans got an early preview Friday of the 75th annual Cook Out Southern 500 at a special event held at Plyer Park in Myrtle Beach.

Darlington Raceway officials said the 75th Southern 500 will offer more than just racing excitement. Fans can look forward to a full week of activities, including a 5K, charity track laps and a hauler parade through the city.

The Southern 500 is renowned for drawing racing enthusiasts from across the globe to the Pee Dee region, where they’ll witness the dramatic finale of the NASCAR Cup Series regular season and see who will secure their spot in the playoffs.

Darlington Raceway President Josh Harris and South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster discussed how the Southern 500 generates over $110 million in revenue for the state.

A few race cars were on display, including Brad Keselowski’s winning No. 6 car from earlier this year and the late Buck Baker’s 1950 Oldsmobile, used to promote the race.

Keselowski praised the community effort behind the race.

“To put a race together, it really takes a whole community. And I feel really fortunate as a driver, I kind of get a lot of the credit,” he said. “But when we show up at the racetrack, it’s the teams, the tracks, and the local governments all coming together to put on a great show for our tremendous fans.”

There was also a surprise NASCAR Hall of Fam guest speaker. Bobby Labonte reflected on his long-standing connecting to Darlington and the Myrtle Beach area.

“During the Southern 500 weekends, for many years, my family would come down either before or after the race and sometimes during,” Labonte said. “So, for me, this kind of comes full circle as I have been to Myrtle Beach as a kid, I get to go to Darlington, I’ve been able to win races there. So, Darlington has a special place for me as well. I always look forward to going back there and can’t wait to do it in a few weeks.”

In addition to the high-profile guests and race officials, the event also featured speeches from the Director of South Carolina Parks, Recreation and Tourism, Duane Parrish.

Darlington Raceway officials expect a sellout for the fourth consecutive year. To purchase tickets, click here .

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