[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 14]
[Senate]
[Pages 19849-19850]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



         FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DARLINGTON MOTOR SPEEDWAY

  Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, nestled in the flat, hot tobacco country 
of South Carolina's Pee Dee region is an egg-shaped track that is one 
of the most revered spots in all of auto racing, the ``Darlington 
Raceway''. As anyone even remotely familiar with NASCAR can tell you, 
for 50 years this September, the Darlington Raceway has not only been 
home to the most exciting race in motor sports, the

[[Page 19850]]

``Southern 500'', it has also earned the ominous and accurate nickname 
as the track ``too tough to tame''.
  For five decades, people from around the world have traveled to this 
otherwise quiet city in order to be spectators in this contest of 
driving and mechanical skill. The atmosphere is festive, with the 
infield and stands packed to capacity with racing enthusiasts who are 
willing to brave the cruel heat, stifling humidity, and unforgiving sun 
in order to see which driver is able to prove that his mettle is equal 
to the asphalt and curves that make-up this 1.36 mile track. In 1950, 
the year of the first race, 25,000 people turned out as spectators, 
this year, there will be more than 100,000 race fans at Darlington, and 
millions more around the globe will follow the action on radio or 
television. That is a testament to both the popularity of NASCAR and 
the respect that the Darlington Raceway has among drivers and race 
fans.
  To those who have never made it to Darlington, it might be hard to 
understand the attraction of this sport, but for those of us who have 
witnessed this race up close, there is no question why people love to 
go to this track. There is something truly awe inspiring about standing 
close to one of the turns at Darlington and watching stock cars 
engineered and built to the ultimate standards roll past as they race 
to be the first to finish the 500 grueling miles that must be completed 
in order to win the ``Southern 500''. These cars rumble past at well 
over 100 miles-per-hour with only inches between bumpers, and as they 
go through one of the four turns of the track, the earth literally 
shakes under one's feet and the air is thick with the deafening roar of 
engines and the fumes of high performance fuel. It takes individuals of 
tremendous mechanical skill to put one of these vehicles on the track, 
and other men of incredible determination, skill, and grit to compete 
in these races. One cannot help but come away amazed at the abilities 
of these drivers and crews, or at the challenge the Darlington Raceway 
presents to these individuals.
  In 1950, I was serving in my final year as Governor of the State of 
South Carolina, and on September 1st of that year, I had the distinct 
honor and privilege of cutting the ribbon that opened the Darlington 
Motor Speedway. Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to be able 
to celebrate the golden anniversary of the opening of the Speedway in 
person, but regrettably my schedule does not permit me to be in 
Darlington early next month. Instead, I have chosen to take to the 
Senate Floor to salute the vision of Harold Brasington, the man who 
built the Darlington Speedway. I also want to salute Jim Hunter, 
President of Darlington Raceway; Bill France, Jr., the President and 
CEO of International Speedway Corporation, as well as the President of 
NASCAR; and most importantly, to express my greetings and well wishes 
to all the drivers, crews, and fans who will descend there on September 
5, 1999 to see who will tame this track.

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