Darlington Car Hauler Parade and Festival Zooms Back Aug. 30
The heat is on, which means the fourteenth annual Darlington Car Hauler Parade and Festival must be close! It screeches into the Florence Center Aug. 30 preceding the Bojangles’ Southern 500 at the Darlington Raceway Sept. 2.
This FREE family-friendly event kicks off with the festival at the Florence Center at 4 p.m. and culminates with the NASCAR transports starting the slow trek to Darlington at 7 p.m. along a route populated by cheering fans (which makes for great photo opportunities!).
The main attraction continues to be the NASCAR transporters, which fans can take pictures with before they roll out (find the transports of your favorite drivers!). This year famous former drivers are back: Hut Stricklin, former champ of NASCAR’s Dash Series; Donnie Allison, who won ten races in the Cup Series; and Bobby Allison, named one of NASCAR’s 50 greatest drivers and the 1983 Winston Cup champion.
“The Darlington Car Hauler Parade and Festival has become a local institution people look forward to each year,” said Holly Beaumier, Executive Director of the Florence Convention and Visitors Bureau. “The crowds really come out to see their favorite teams in person and to directly interact with NASCAR in a way they can’t anywhere else. And best of all, this kid-friendly, community event is free!”
Other Festival activities families love are back, including:
•Live entertainment and music, including the return of the group Sideswiped
•Local emcees Dan E. Lockemy and Jai Jai Spann
•The KidsZone with inflatables and games
•The GameTruck with a wide selection of games for Xbox360 and Wii that accommodates up to
16 players at one time
•The 8-lane die-cast racetrack, which features computer scoring, a 46-inch LED display, and cars representing many of the sport’s favorite drivers
•ScienceSouth with its engaging educational activities
•Food and drinks, plus shaved ice and other treats
•Airbrush tattoos—get a semi-permanent logo of the track “Too Tough to Tame!”
•The kids’ activity and crafts table—including racing-inspired mini-pillows
•The exciting silent auction full of great NASCAR items and race memorabilia (proceeds benefit local charities)
•The Budweiser Clydesdales
•Petty Grand Prix street legal race cars
•Free boiled peanuts
The Grand Marshals of the 2018 parade are Jim Baldwin, past driver of Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s #3 hauler, and Ann Hunter, wife of Jim Hunter, past president of Darlington Raceway and NASCAR Vice President of Communications. Jim Hunter was awarded the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR by the NASCAR Hall of Fame in April.
During the parade, a NASCAR cameraman will be filming people along the route. People holding up the best-looking signs and banners of their favorite teams can make it into a DCHP commercial next year (and might even receive some free ‘swag’ from the parade vendors!).
As the Festival concludes at 7 p.m. the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup team haulers take off from the Florence Center for the 12-mile slow roll to Darlington Public Square. The Square again will host its own event, RaceFest, with live entertainment by Lil Rusty, food, a car show and even more kids’ activities!
The transporters will continue through Darlington until they reach the track “Too Tough to Tame” where they park, unload and begin preparation for the Bojangles’ Southern 500 race.
For more information, please visit darlingtoncarhaulerparade.com and follow them on Facebook.
