NASCAR's Darlington Race Weekend Moving From May To April

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway “will move a month earlier next year to April 12.” NASCAR had held the race on the Saturday before Mother's Day since '05. Raceway Owner ISC “hopes to lure more college students from the 10 schools within a 100-mile radius of the track on the weekend before Easter” (THESTATE.com, 10/11).

Track President Chip Wile said that Kansas Speedway “would take over Mother's Day weekend.” He added that the “rest of NASCAR's schedule would come out Tuesday.” Wile, named President in August, said that the change “was in the works before he arrived.” He “believes this enhances the … track's long-term future in NASCAR.” Attendance “suffered the past few events, however, despite major improvements to the track” (AP, 10/11).