| 5 | | - | A concurrent RESOLUTION TO EXPRESS THE BELIEF OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY THAT NASCAR RACING IS AN INTEGRAL AND VITAL PART OF THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND ITS ECONOMY AND TO RECOGNIZE AND CONGRATULATE DARLINGTON RACEWAY ON ITS HISTORIC seventy-fifth ANNIVERSARY SEASON AND CONTINUING TO HOST TWO NASCAR RACE WEEKENDS THAT GENERATE SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC IMPACT TO THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA AS ONE OF OUR STATE'S MOST TREASURED ATTRACTIONS, AND TO NAME THE WEEKS AROUND BOTH RACES, THE OFFICIAL THROWBACK WEEKEND OF NASCAR, MARCH 30-APRIL 6, 2025, AND THE TRADITIONAL LABOR DAY WEEKEND, AUGUST 24-AUGUST 31, 2025, AS "DARLINGTON RACEWAY WEEK," TWO WEEKS TOO TOUGH TO TAME. Whereas, Darlington native Harold Brasington had the vision and determination to bring stock car auto racing on a paved superspeedway to South Carolina and built Darlington Raceway, which opened on September 4, 1950, with the inaugural running of the Southern 500, the first stock car race on a paved track; and Whereas, since 1950, Darlington Raceway has served as a cornerstone in the development of stock car racing, one of the fastest growing and most popular spectator sports in the country; and Whereas, NASCAR, which was incorporated on February 21, 1948, and is celebrating its seventy-seventh anniversary, has become the premier motorsports innovator, universally regarded as one of the world's most successful sports entertainment properties; and Whereas, NASCAR has expanded throughout its history to become a global sport with series that race in more than thirty states, as well as Canada, Mexico, Europe, and Brazil. Further, today NASCAR sanctions more than twelve hundred races annually, and its races are broadcast in nearly every country around the world; and Whereas, South Carolina hosts one of the crown jewel events in motorsports, the Southern 500, which has sold out the past four years, and lays claim to many of the legends of NASCAR racing, including Rex White, David Pearson, Bud Moore, James Hylton, Tiny Lund, and Cale Yarborough; and Whereas, the State of South Carolina is rich in historical references to the sport of stock car racing, as evidenced by the Darlington Raceway Stock Car Museum and the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame at Darlington Raceway, in addition to dirt raceways across the State of South Carolina that served as home to the fledgling sport of NASCAR racing in the 1950s; and Whereas, the NASCAR events at Darlington focus our nation's attention and the attention of the world upon our great State as a sport and tourism destination each year; and Whereas, the annual economic impact that NASCAR racing with two events has on South Carolina is in excess of $118 million dollars, generating over $18 million dollars annually in federal and state tax collections as NASCAR fans from across the country and around the world visit the State to attend racing events and then vacation in communities throughout the Palmetto State; and Whereas, the Darlington Raceway participates as a good corporate citizen at the local, regional, and state levels and is active in numerous community and charitable efforts in contributing to the improvement of the people and the State of South Carolina. Now, therefore, Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring: That the members of the South Carolina General Assembly, by this resolution, express the belief that NASCAR racing is an integral and vital part of the State of South Carolina and its economy, recognize Darlington Raceway as one or our state's most treasured attractions and NASCAR's seventy-seven years of racing as a significant part of our state's rich history in the State of South Carolina. Be it further resolved by naming the weeks around both races, the official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR, March 30 through April 6, 2025, and the traditional Labor Day weekend, August 24 through August 31, 2025, as "Darlington Raceway Week," two weeks too tough to tame. Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Governor Henry McMaster, NASCAR, and the Darlington Raceway. ----XX--- |
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| 9 | + | A concurrent RESOLUTION TO EXPRESS THE BELIEF OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY THAT NASCAR RACING IS AN INTEGRAL AND VITAL PART OF THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND ITS ECONOMY AND TO RECOGNIZE AND CONGRATULATE DARLINGTON RACEWAY ON ITS HISTORIC seventy-fifth ANNIVERSARY SEASON AND CONTINUING TO HOST TWO NASCAR RACE WEEKENDS THAT GENERATE SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC IMPACT TO THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA AS ONE OF OUR STATE'S MOST TREASURED ATTRACTIONS, AND TO NAME THE WEEKS AROUND BOTH RACES, THE OFFICIAL THROWBACK WEEKEND OF NASCAR, MARCH 30 THROUGH APRIL 6, 2025, AND THE TRADITIONAL LABOR DAY WEEKEND, AUGUST 24 THROUGH AUGUST 31, 2025, AS "DARLINGTON RACEWAY WEEK," TWO WEEKS TOO TOUGH TO TAME. Whereas, Darlington native Harold Brasington had the vision and determination to bring stock car auto racing on a paved superspeedway to South Carolina and built Darlington Raceway, which opened on September 4, 1950, with the inaugural running of the Southern 500, the first stock car race on a paved track; and Whereas, since 1950, Darlington Raceway has served as a cornerstone in the development of stock car racing, one of the fastest growing and most popular spectator sports in the country; and Whereas, NASCAR, which was incorporated on February 21, 1948, and is celebrating its seventy-seventh anniversary, has become the premier motorsports innovator, universally regarded as one of the world's most successful sports entertainment properties; and Whereas, NASCAR has expanded throughout its history to become a global sport with series that race in more than thirty states, as well as Canada, Mexico, Europe, and Brazil. Further, today NASCAR sanctions more than twelve hundred races annually, and its races are broadcast in nearly every country around the world; and Whereas, South Carolina hosts one of the crown jewel events in motorsports, the Southern 500, which has sold out the past four years, and lays claim to many of the legends of NASCAR racing, including Rex White, David Pearson, Bud Moore, James Hylton, Tiny Lund, and Cale Yarborough; and Whereas, the State of South Carolina is rich in historical references to the sport of stock car racing, as evidenced by the Darlington Raceway Stock Car Museum and the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame at Darlington Raceway, in addition to dirt raceways across the State of South Carolina that served as home to the fledgling sport of NASCAR racing in the 1950s; and Whereas, the NASCAR events at Darlington focus our nation's attention and the attention of the world upon our great State as a sport and tourism destination each year; and Whereas, the annual economic impact that NASCAR racing with two events has on South Carolina is in excess of $118 million dollars, generating over $18 million dollars annually in federal and state tax collections as NASCAR fans from across the country and around the world visit the State to attend racing events and then vacation in communities throughout the Palmetto State; and Whereas, the Darlington Raceway participates as a good corporate citizen at the local, regional, and state levels and is active in numerous community and charitable efforts in contributing to the improvement of the people and the State of South Carolina. Now, therefore, Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring: That the members of the South Carolina General Assembly, by this resolution, express the belief that NASCAR racing is an integral and vital part of the State of South Carolina and its economy, recognize Darlington Raceway as one or our state's most treasured attractions and NASCAR's seventy-seven years of racing as a significant part of our state's rich history in the State of South Carolina. Be it further resolved by naming the weeks around both races, the official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR, March 30 through April 6, 2025, and the traditional Labor Day weekend, August 24 through August 31, 2025, as "Darlington Raceway Week," two weeks too tough to tame. Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Governor Henry McMaster, NASCAR, and the Darlington Raceway. ----XX--- |
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