The Historical Commission
Working to preserve, protect and promote Darlington County's rich history.
Category: Nascar
TODAY IN DARLINGTON COUNTY HISTORY: Johnny Mantz won first Southern 500
TODAY IN DARLINGTON COUNTY HISTORY: On September 4, 1950, Johnny Mantz of Long Beach, California, won the first Southern 500 in Darlington, S.C. He drove a 1950 Plymouth Coupe, and his First Place Prize was $11,500. The track had been built under the leadership…
SPOTLIGHT ON: Harold Brasington, builder of the Darlington Raceway
Darlington Raceway, the first super speedway in NASCAR history, was constructed in 1950 by Harold Brasington, a local race promoter who saw asphalt-paved tracks as an advance over the dirt tracks. Brasington wanted a 500-mile stock car race that rivaled the Indianapolis 500. On…