For many students at the University of South Carolina, the start of September means the start of a new college football season. But it also means the return of the Bojangles' Southern 500 — an annual Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series stock car race at Darlington Raceway many students enjoy attending.
Representatives from Darlington Raceway will be on campus Thursday to provide information to students on a special college ticket offer for the race on Sept. 3. Along with the representatives, a booth and pace car will be outside the Russell House University Union on Greene Street from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The offer includes reserved seating, up to 50 percent off for college students, with tickets as low as $25 on the back stretch and $35 on the front stretch.
“This program that we offer to the college students has really grown,” Darlington President Kerry Tharp said. “Last year, we had about 1,600 college students attend the race. We’re hoping to eclipse that number this year. A good many of those students are from Carolina. We’ve found a lot of the fraternities and sororities like to come together as groups.”
The race distance is 501 miles long, consisting of 367 laps. Driver Jeff Gordon has the most wins at the track with six, while Hendrick Motorsports has the most team wins there with 11.
According to Tharp, the raceway appeals to USC students because it is only about an hour's drive from Columbia and has a designated college zone, which includes live entertainment, various games, a tailgating area and costume contests. Tharp also believes the timing of the race on the day after the Gamecocks’ season opener presents a good opportunity for students to take in a variety of sports over Labor Day weekend.
“It makes for one heck of a sports weekend if you go up to Charlotte for the football game on Saturday,” Tharp said. “Once we beat NC State Saturday afternoon, either stay up in Charlotte or come on down to Darlington and get ready for the Bojangles' Southern 500 on the next day.”
Tharp has deep ties to the Gamecocks, working as an associate athletics director at USC from 1985-2005. He started at Darlington Raceway in 2015, taking the place of former president Chip Wile, who left to serve as president of Daytona International Speedway.
Students aren’t just the only Gamecocks who have experienced the track, nicknamed “Too Tough to Tame.” USC head football coach Will Muschamp visited the track in May and drove a few pace car laps, Tharp said. Reigning national champions Dawn Staley and the USC women’s basketball team are also planning to attend, as they’ll be honored in a pre-race ceremony.
“We’re going to honor their national championship,” Tharp said. “I’ve got a lot of ties to Carolina. I’m good friends with Coach Tanner and I’m just really really excited about what’s going on with the program there. We invite all Gamecocks after Saturday’s football game to head over to Darlington.”