Raceway’s Speed & Feed BBQ Festival coming May 16!
After an eight-year hiatus, one of the Pee Dee’s signature food and entertainment events is making a comeback at Darlington Raceway. The popular Speed & Feed BBQ Festival will return this Saturday, May 16, 2026, bringing together barbecue competitors, classic car enthusiasts and families for a full day of activities at the historic track.
The festival, which was last held in the fall of 2018, first debuted in 2013 and quickly became a community favorite. Plans for the 2019 event were derailed by rain, and the festival was later canceled in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2026 edition will mark the seventh running of the event.
Raceway President Josh Harris said organizers are excited to revive the festival and expect participation from more than 30 barbecue teams traveling from across the country, including competitors from Florida and Maryland.
“This event has always been one of our community’s favorites, and we couldn’t be more excited to bring it back bigger and better than ever,” Harris said. “It’s the perfect blend of two things our fans love most – incredible food and the spirit of competition – all right here at the track Too Tough To Tame.”
The event will be open to the public free of charge, while barbecue samples will be available (beginning at 1 :30 p.m.) through the purchase of “BBQ Bucks,” priced at 10 tickets for $10. Festival-goers who purchase at least 10 tickets will also receive a token to vote in the People’s Choice BBQ competition.
Sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society, the cooking competition will feature teams competing in four official categories — chicken, pork ribs, pork and beef brisket — for a share of a $12,000 prize purse. Competitors will also vie for the title of Speed & Feed Grand Champion and a coveted Darlington Raceway trophy.
The overall Grand Champion will earn an invitation to compete at the 2026 American Royal World Championship in Kansas City, one of the nation’s premier barbecue events.
In addition to the barbecue competition, the festival will once again host its fan-favorite car show, featuring vehicles competing in 11 categories including Best Truck, Best Car, Best Chevy, Best Ford, Best Mopar, Best Rat Rod, Best Import, Best 4×4, Best Pre-1999, Best 1999 to Present and Best Carolina Squat. There will also be an overall winner – Best in Show – while Harris will present the “President’s Choice” award. Winners in each division will receive trophies, while the Best In Show will receive trophy and a cash prize.
Car show participants may pre-register or sign up by 8 a.m. the morning of the festival. Standard entry is $25, while a limited number of VIP car show spaces will be available for $100.
Throughout the day, attendees can also enjoy live entertainment from local radio personality Dan E. Lockemy, children’s activities, food trucks and merchandise vendors. The NASCAR Racing Experience will also offer ride-along opportunities around the track Too Tough To Tame in real stock cars with a professional driver for an additional charge.
Gates open at 9 am. Sampling of the Pro Cook Team’s BBQ begins at 1:30 p.m. Car Show Awards are at 3 pm followed by the Awards for the Cook Teams at 4 p.m. Champions from both the barbecue competition and car show will also receive invitations to return during Darlington Raceway’s 2026 NASCAR Labor Day Race Weekend, where they will be recognized during pre-race ceremonies.
Additional details, including registration information for cooking teams and car show participants, are available at https://www.darlingtonraceway.com/events/speedandfeed/.