The Southern 500® is set to make a comeback this Mother’s Day weekend at Darlington Raceway during the historic track’s 60th Year of Racing, and two NASCAR legends, Ned Jarrett and Bondy Long, were on hand to help unveil the new event logo.
Jarrett, one of NASCAR’s most beloved champions, recorded 50 wins during his 13-year career with 27 of them coming during the 1964 and ‘65 seasons with Long and Camden, S.C. based Bowani Racing. The duo also claimed victory in the 1965 Southern 500® by a NASCAR-record 14 laps on their way to the Sprint Cup Series championship.
“Winning the Southern 500® in ‘65 was the biggest win of my career,” said Jarrett, a two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion. “It was even more special to win because at the time we lived in Camden, S.C., and when we got back to our house it seemed like the whole community was waiting for us to get there and celebrate our victory.”
“I’d say it was our biggest win, too. We won two Atlanta 500s, but that race at Darlington, being in close proximity to Camden… I mean, that’s your home court. It felt so good to win that race, said lifelong Camden native, Long.
“Having Ned and Bondy here to help us unveil the new Southern 500® logo certainly makes this event very special,” said Darlington Raceway President, Chris Browning. “The history these guys have together, particularly at Darlington with their win in the 1965 Southern 500®, is very impressive.”
Darlington Raceway or the track “Too Tough to Tame” as it is known to many, is where the purest of NASCAR competition meets true southern hospitality. A NASCAR staple since 1950, Darlington Raceway has seen some of motorsports most talented drivers thunder to Victory Lane. In 2009 a NASCAR tradition, the Southern 500, will return as Darlington Raceway celebrates 60 Seasons of Racing.
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