Darlington Raceway

Darlington Raceway opened in 1950 and immediately hosted the first Southern 500, the inaugural 500-mile race in NASCAR history. Built by businessman Harold Brasington in rural South Carolina, the 1.366-mile asphalt oval has a distinctive egg-shaped layout where turns 1 and 2 are tighter and steeper than turns 3 and 4, forcing drivers to take a different line through each end of the track. Darlington's narrow racing groove and abrasive surface produce the signature 'Darlington stripe' along the right rear of nearly every car that runs there. The Southern 500 has been held on Labor Day weekend for most of its history and remains one of NASCAR's crown-jewel events, anchoring the start of the Chase. Darlington also hosts a spring throwback weekend where teams run vintage paint schemes paying tribute to the sport's history.