Southern 500 (1950–2004)
Heinz Southern 500 (1989-1991)
Mountain Dew Southern 500 (1992-1997, 2001-2004)
Pepsi Southern 500 (1998-2000)
The Southern 500 is a well known and prestigious races in the NASCAR Sprint Cup over 500 miles and was one of the four former crown jewels of the series. It was held annually from 1950 to 2004.
When it was first held in 1950 it was the very first NASCAR race over a distance of 500 miles, and on a paved speedway. Until the debut of the Daytona 500 in 1959, it remained the only race over 500 miles. Between 1985 and 1997, the Southern 500 was the fourth race that qualified to win the Winston Million. Two drivers, Bill Elliott Jeff Gordon in 1985 and 1997, could win with their victories in the Southern 500, the Winston Million.
Before the 2004 season, the race traditionally took place on Labor Day. The year 2004 saw a change in the racing calendar in front of the staging date in November. The management of the racetrack deemed the date in November due to the cooler weather better than for fans who increasingly expressed concerns whether the hot weather. For this date change at North Carolina Speedway lost his fall race at the Auto Club Speedway and the Pop Secret 500 has been postponed to Labor Day. However, neither did fans nor the competitors that the 2004 edition of the Southern 500 was to be the temporary final.
In 2004, sued Francis Ferko, a partnership of Speedway Motorsports, the owner of the Texas Motor Speedway, NASCAR, because they refused to give the Texas Motor Speedway a second race as it had many other race tracks. The Ferko process was decided in favor of the plaintiff and had one of the two NASCAR races at Darlington Raceway to give up in order to hold in its place a second race at Texas Motor Speedway can, the Dickies 500 since 2001 with a sponsorship agreement for Dodge a race was closed on the Speedway with a term of eight years, the Southern 500 had to be adjusted accordingly.
Winner
- Former NASCAR racing
- Sporting event in South Carolina
- Darlington County