A shorter route for Southern 500 parade
The Bojangles’ Southern 500 parade, scheduled to begin about 7 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 31, will take a somewhat different route through the city of Darlington this year.
The parade will begin on the city’s east side at Cashua and Spain streets, continue through the downtown square and end at Fitness World Gym on the west side of town (similar to Darlington’s Christmas Parade route). The parade will not end at Darlington Raceway like in years past.
“We altered the route a bit this year due to the lack of daylight for the parade,” Darlington Raceway President Kerry Tharp said in a news release.
“The Xfinity Series Sport Clips Haircuts VFW 200 race is beginning 30 minutes later than in years past, giving us a smaller window for adequate daylight. We felt that revising the route to remain in the city limits of Darlington would provide our fans with a greater opportunity to see the NASCAR Hall of Famers and legends up close and personal, while providing a safe and well-lit environment.”
Also, the Darlington Raceway announced that brothers Bobby and Terry Labonte will serve as co-Grand Marshals for the parade.
The Labonte brothers, both NASCAR Hall of Fame inductees (Terry in 2016, Bobby in 2020), will be two of many former and current stars of the sport participating in the annual event.
The Labonte brothers have a rich history in the sport and at Darlington Raceway. Both are former NASCAR Cup Series champions (Terry in 1984 and 1996; Bobby in 2000) and both are former Bojangles’ Southern 500 winners. Terry won his first career NASCAR Cup Series race in 1980 at the Bojangles’ Southern 500 and his last career NASCAR Cup Series race in 2003 likewise at the Bojangles’ Southern 500. Bobby took the checkered flag at the 2000 Bojangles’ Southern 500.
Each also owns a pair of NASCAR XFINITY Series victories at Darlington. The Labonte brothers will be joined by an all-star cast of participants for the Bojangles’ Southern 500 Parade, including fellow NASCAR Hall of Famers Bobby Allison, Leonard Wood, Ray Evernham, Dale Inman, Waddell Wilson and Ron Hornaday Jr.
Current driver of the No. 38 Shriner’s Hospital Ford David Ragan is scheduled to attend, as are motorsports legends Ricky Craven, Larry McReynolds, Donnie Allison, Robert Pressley, Chuck Bown, Steve Grissom, Tommy Houston and Jason Keller.
On-air talent from NBC and MRN have also participated in the parade every year since it returned to Darlington in 2015, and they will do so again in 2019.
The parade is to begin at approximately 7 p.m., one hour after the conclusion of the Sport Clips Haircuts VFW 200 race.
