www.newsandpres.net WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016 #TraditionContinues #BojanglesSo500 Welcome Race Fans! ALSO INSIDE : l WELCOME TO DARLINGTON l BARRY “GREG BRADY” WILLIAMS & KANSAS l MEET KERRY THARP SO, YOU THINK YOU CAN DRIVE A RACE CAR? DALE EARNHARDT, JR. RECALLS LOCAL DRIVER l THINGS TO DO DANICA PATRICK IN DARLINGTON A special publication of The News & Press , Darlington, S.C. SOUTHERN 500 Scenes from 2015 Bojangles’ Southern 500 Look for photo galleries from this year’s event! We just may snap YOU! www.newsandpress.net Getting you back on track – fast. No Appointment Needed – Open 7 Days a Week. For most non-life-threatening injuries and illnesses – more convenient access, shorter waits and lower costs make everybody feel like a winner. McLeod Urgent Care Centers are fully staed and provide treatment options for both children and adults. We’re ready to get you back on track as quickly as possible. McLeod Urgent Care Centers – the care you need when there’s no time to wait. • Colds, u, and ear infections • Flu vaccines • Minor burns and injuries • Occupational medicine • Minor lacerations and wound care • Each McLeod Urgent Care Center • Sprains, strains, and broken bones has a fully equipped x-ray department • School, sports, camp, and work physicals McLeod Urgent Care Centers www.McLeodUrgentCare.org Darlington: 964 Lochend Drive 843-777-6890 • Florence: 3015 West Palmetto Street 843-777-6870 Hours: Monday-Friday 8 am-8 pm Saturday and Sunday 9 am-4 pm WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016 2 NEWS AND PRESS DARLINGTON, S.C. SOUTHERN 500 WWe are edelighlted cto welocome ymou to our e to the City of Darlington! town for the 67th running of the Southern 500. Darlington Raceway’s new president Kerry Tharp and his team have done a fabulous job for this year’s events. We welcome you, the race fan, into our hearts and homes during this special time of year because Southern hospitality and the Southern 500 go hand-in-hand. Please take time to enjoy the beauty and history of the City of Darlington and Darlington County during Labor Day weekend. See what makes Darlington the Pearl of the Pee Dee region. Enjoy the races, and please drive carefully on the way home as we want you to return next year. Gloria C. Hines Mayor City of Darlington, SC Antiques Trail: All Star Darlington Veterans The News & Press Sports Cards Plus, 114 Memorial and Old Serving Darlington County since 1874 Cashua St.; B&B Variety & Darlington Mural. Try tasty 117 S. Main St., Antiques, 703 Pearl St.; seafood at Bay Island Darlington, SC 29532 Welcome Darlington Raceway Stock Seafood, 1316 S. Main St., Phone (843) 393-3811 Car Museum, 1301 Harry or Mayflower Seafood, Fax (843) 393-6811 Byrd Highway; Scarlett’s 1765 Harry Byrd Hwy. For www.newsandpress.net RBay Lisca Cehalia nF-Roack ns! Antiques, 500 E. Broad St.; barbecue, try Nick’s BBQ, DDRA Director So-lina Auction Market Inc., 310 S. Main St., or STAFF 2085 Lamar Hwy.; The Lindbergh’s BBQ, 1215 S. General Manager: Morrey Thomas While you are here for the race, the Jeweler’s Bench, 60 Public Main St. mthomas@newsandpress .net Darlington Downtown Revitalization Square Need clothing? Adore Editor: Jana E. Pye Association invites you to Getting hungry? Step Fashions, 601 Pearl St.; editor@newsandpress .net #ShopDarlington with our local stores, back to the 1950s for Merle Norman, 84 Public Staff Writer: Samantha Lyles restaurants and shops. Take a photo of you American and Greek special - Square; Raven’s Closet, 18 slyles@newsandpress .net at your favorite, and tag the DDRA, ties at Taki’s Diner, 609 Pearl Public Square; Goody’s Design: Duane Childers @ddraSC, using the hash tag St. Fill up at a meat-and- Department Store, 514 ads@newsandpress .net #ShopDarlington. We will cross post it to three full of Southern charm Lamar Highway; or Roses, Advertising: Charlotte Berger our Facebook page, DarlingtonDowntown, at Jewel’s Deluxe on the 502 Pearl St. sales@newsandpress .net and we will share in The News & Press. Public Square or Joe’s Grill, 306 Russell St. Looking for something special? Office Manager: Judy Rogers Stop by the Liberty Lane Walk of Fame Try Italian favorites at Mamma Mia’s Drop by Flower Baskets By Becky, 204 judy@newsandpress .net to see the Southern 500 mural and the Italian Kitchen or Mexican fare at Russell St.; Bella Domani, 109 Russell St.; handprints of all the Southern 500 win - Tenampa Mexican Restaurant. For finer The Park Florist, 212 Pearl St.; or SUBSCRIPTIONS ners from 1950 to 2000. The brick walk - fare, check out Sweet Jane’s Café & Wine Darlington Florist, 222 W. Broad St. In-state subscriptions: One year $30 way connects downtown parking to Pearl Bar, 26 Public Square. All three are down - We hope you enjoy your time in Out-of-state subscriptions: $40 Street and the Public Square. town within walking distance of the Darlington, and come back to see us! Love antiques? Shop the Darlington NEWS AND PRESS DARLINGTON, S.C. 3 WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016 SOUTHERN 500 Kerry Tharp “couldn’t be more excited” about becoming President of Darlington Raceway at a track that’s highly sought out and Award, and the track had the By Hunter Thomas highly regarded by competitors and by NASCAR Marketing Team of the Special to the News and Press the fans, means the world to me.” Year, as well as the NASCAR Although Kerry Tharp is a native When Tharp worked at NASCAR as a Track PR Representative of the Kentuckian, he’s no stranger to the state Senior Director of Racing Communi- Year. The Lady In Black was even of South Carolina. cations, he helped lead the at-track a Sports Business Journal Most South Carolinians know Tharp efforts in the media center, as well as the “Sports Event of the Year” from when he served as the Associate public relations efforts for the NASCAR Nominee earlier this year. With Athletic Director for Media Relations at Research and Development Center, locat - that being said, Kerry Tharp also the University of South Carolina from ed in Concord, North Carolina. believes in the throwback cam - 1985 to 2005, but the Gamecock afi - “Anytime that you step into a new paign, and he looks to lead the cionado has been working in NASCAR role, there’s going to be some efforts to even higher levels. ever since. unknowns,” Tharp said. “There certainly “I always want to be thinking “I couldn’t be more excited,” Tharp are with this. I have a lot to learn to be ahead,” Tharp said. “I think that said. “I actually never left South honest with you. I’m going to have to rely the throwback theme is a great Carolina. When I took the job at on the staff that they have in Darlington, fit for Darlington, and I think NASCAR, we stayed in South Carolina a great deal. Chip Wile did an outstand - that it can be applied for many, continue to focus on the young people. and were living in Fort Mill, which is ing job with the two-plus years that he many years to come. There’s so much his - They’ve really got to start at a really really the last community that you can was there, getting the excitement and the tory in the sport. There are so many early age and get them to get to the race - live in before you get to the North energy back around the track. The move heroes in the sport. What I would like to track with their parents, with their rela - Carolina line. But to be able to come to to the Labor Day weekend was just a bril - see happen is that this history and the tives and have a good experience. Darlington, a track that has so much his - liant move. I think that’s where it heroes of the sport are transposed over to There’s so much going on out there in tory and tradition and having been in the belongs.” the new fans, the young people in the the sports world now. We’ve got to be state of South Carolina for more than 30 To say that the first year of Darlington state and around the region that maybe progressive, and NASCAR has been years, I love this state. I love its people, Raceway’s throwback campaign was a aren’t familiar with the history or the sto - doing a great job the last few years rely - and I know that Darlington is special to success is an understatement. In 2015, ries of tradition that surround this sport.” ing on technology and making things a this state and also very special to the Darlington Raceway was awarded the “I would like to be able to tie that in little bit more fan friendly.” sport of NASCAR. To have that combina - prestigious National Motorsports Press and connect with them because we’ve tion and be able to come over and work Association (NMPA) Myers Brothers got to grow our fan base. We’ve got to Hunter Thomas is a Darlington native. Follow him at www.thefourthturn.com The SC Sweet Potato Festival includes a day of fun for the whole family on the courthouse Square in Darlington, South Carolina. The event includes well over 100 vendors of food, crafts, games, and exhibits from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00p.m. Sweet potatoes and sweet potato dishes abound. Throughout the day entertainment takes place along with a classic/antique car show. Admission is free.