Grand old dame of NASCAR gets face-lift ahead of race

The words from NASCAR moms, "Sons and gentlemen, start your engines," have put a new sparkle into "The Lady In Black."

Since Darlington Raceway was warned about underperforming by then NASCAR chief Bill France Jr., track officials have made over the image of a crumbling layout that didn't have a future in the super-sized sport.

This weekend's Dodge Charger 500 will be the second consecutive Nextel Cup event under the lights at NASCAR's oldest superspeedway. The track will also debut its new, 6,300-seat Brasington Tower, in turn 1, a US$6 million investment in the 57-year-old raceway. And as if to answer the question of Darlington's appeal, the track had the earliest sellout on record.

Darlington Raceway president Chris Browning knew he was in a fight for survival two years ago when he moved over from North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham, North Carolina, itself a track on the endangered list that did disappear from NASCAR's schedule after nearly 40 years of racing.

Soon enough, Darlington had the whiff of similar closure when it lost its signature crown jewel, the Southern 500, to California Speedway. And perhaps worst of all, Darlington was given a dog of a day for its lone race, the long dark and barely promotable Mother's Day weekend.

"I knew it would be hard," Browning said.

But Browning went to work creating new touchstones for the historic track. He and his staff invited moms of Nextel Cup drivers to shout the race's opening phrase. "We want to make that our new tradition as long as we have this race," he said.

Browning knew if he could change the perception he might preserve Darlington's place in NASCAR. The sellout, the second straight for the Saturday night race, is proof that so far, Browning's tactics have worked.

NASCAR drivers for years have coveted Darlington victories because of its odd egg shape and its reputation as where the circuit's best racers succeed.

"I mean, you want to win at every track, but winning at a place like Darlington is just special," said Jeff Green, who won a Busch race here in 2001. "It's icing on the cake."

Points leader Jimmie Johnson swept both Darlington races in 2004, the last year the track had two events. He says the switch to night racing gives the old track a bit more grip than during Labor Day's scorching heat. "That takes away a little bit of the challenge at Darlington, but I love going to that track regardless," Johnson said. "It's one of my favorite tracks on the circuit."

Greg Biffle, who won last year's Dodge Charger 500, felt the goose bumps of that victory when he returned to Darlington last month to cut the ribbon on its new grandstand. "I keep replaying it in my mind," said Biffle, currently 20th in points.

Researchers at the University of South Carolina found Darlington generates around US$30 million to the region and state when the Nextel Cup series shows up. Tom Regan of the university says the track benefited from a schedule shakeout in the Carolinas that has seen at least five NASCAR weekends -- two at The Rock, two at North Wilkesboro (North Carolina) Speedway and one at Darlington -- disappear over the past decade.

Browning says the reason for Darlington's lasting appeal is seen when the green flag drops. "In today's world, we're always talking about brands and building brand awareness," he said. "Darlington is the real deal. Our name is well known across the country for all the right reasons and all the real reasons. There's nothing fake about Darlington.

"Our fans," Browning said, "are smart enough to realize that."