Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR Shifts to New Spring Race Weekend, May 7-9, 2021

The Tradition Continues as the Southern 500® Will Start the NASCAR Playoffs on Labor Day Weekend

DARLINGTON, S.C. (Dec. 11, 2020) - As Darlington Raceway will host two scheduled NASCAR Cup Series race weekends for the first time since 2004, the award-winning Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR will move to the new spring race weekend, May 7-9, 2021, and the famed Southern 500® will continue to launch the NASCAR Playoffs over Labor Day Weekend, Sept. 4-5, 2021.

"Darlington Raceway is grateful to our loyal race fans and the entire industry for their unwavering support for the Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR since its inception in 2015," said Darlington President Kerry Tharp. "It is this support that allows us to now prepare for two scheduled NASCAR Cup Series race weekends next year. As we rally around the return of our new spring race weekend, we will continue to share the history and tradition of our great sport with the Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR."

With the Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR moving to its new dedicated weekend, The Lady in Black will unite generations of race fans to celebrate on Mother's Day as part of a memorable weekend of action-packed racing featuring all three premier series.

Darlington first hosted Cup races in May in 1952, 1960-1965, 1967-1971 and 2005-2013. This year the track hosted three Cup Series races, including two in May, as part of NASCAR's revised schedule on account of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Tradition Continues as the famed Southern 500® will launch the NASCAR Playoffs for the second consecutive year. The NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race will run once again on Sunday night of Labor Day weekend. The heated competition to start the NASCAR Playoffs has never been more dramatic than under the lights in one of the sport's marquee events, the Southern 500®. 

Darlington first hosted the Southern 500® Cup race on Labor Day weekend on Sept. 4, 1950. The track added the NASCAR Convertible Series to its spring schedule in 1957-59; the series eventually became a part of the Cup Series. From 1960 to 2004, Darlington annually hosted two Cup Series race weekends - one in the spring and one on Labor Day weekend. In 2015, the Southern 500® returned to its traditional date on Labor Day weekend.

To learn more about the Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR, visit darlingtonraceway.com/throwback.

2021 NASCAR Season

Darlington will host the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series on Friday night, May 7, 2021, the NASCAR Xfinity Series on Saturday, May 8, 2021 and the NASCAR Cup Series on Sunday, May 9, 2021.

The Tradition Continues in the fall as the Xfinity Series will compete on Saturday, Sept. 4, 2021 and the Southern 500® NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race will compete at night on Sunday, Sept. 5, 2021.

2021 NASCAR tickets are available for purchase via phone at 866-459-7223 or online at darlingtonraceway.com. Fans can view the full 2021 NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedules and purchase tickets at nascar.com/tickets.

Stay connected to Darlington Raceway on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.