DARLINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA (March 14, 2016) – Darlington Raceway’s successful 2015 Bojangles’ Southern 500 Tradition Returnsthrowback event is among the final nominees for “Sports Event of the Year.”
The throwback campaign was a collaborative industry-wide effort to celebrate the history and heritage of the sport and featured a celebration of the early 1970’s (1970-74).
The nominees were announced today bySportsBusiness Journal and SportsBusiness Daily, one of the most respected business publications in sports. Winners will be announced LIVE at the Sports Business Awards on May 18 in New York City.
“Darlington Raceway executed an unprecedented NASCAR event,” said John Saunders, President, ISC. “Kudos to the entire team for being included in a coveted category of major sporting events. The celebrated ‘Tradition Returns’ campaign continues to drive excitement and anticipation as we look toward the 2016 Bojangles’ Southern 500.”
Other nominees for “Sports Event of the Year” are the 2015 Belmont Stakes, 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup Final, Mayweather vs. Pacquiao, and Super Bowl 50.
Launched in 2008, the Awards were established by SportsBusiness Journal and SportsBusiness Daily to celebrate and recognize the leaders, visionaries and day-to-day practitioners who personify excellence in the business of sports.
“We’re so appreciative that the SportsBusiness Journal and SportsBusiness Daily are recognizing our efforts with a Sports Event of the Year award nomination,” Darlington Raceway President Chip Wile said. “It has been a truly collaborative effort from all stakeholders in the sport that made this campaign possible and we can’t thank them enough for their efforts. Darlington Raceway is a special place and it’s nice to see the track and our Bojangles’ Southern 500 event honored by one of the most respected publications in all of sports.”
The “Sport Event of the Year” nomination is just one of the many awards and achievements the track has been honored with recently.
The track was also named the recipient of the Myers Brothers Award by the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) in December and Marketing Team of the Year by NASCAR in February. Darlington’s Public Relations Director, Dennis Worden, was also named the 2015 Track PR Representative of the Year by NASCAR.
The track will continue its historic celebration in 2016 with The Tradition Continues platform highlighting moments, icons and significant achievements from the 1975-84 era.
The Tradition Continues on Labor Day weekend as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Bojangles’ Southern 500® is set for Sunday, Sept. 4, 2016. The NASCAR XFINITY Series VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero 200 will race on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2016.
You can keep up with all of the latest news from Darlington Raceway at DarlingtonRaceway.com, on Facebook at Facebook.com/DarlingtonRaceway and on Twitter at Twitter.com/TooToughToTame. Fans are encouraged to post their Bojangles’ Southern 500 stories and memories at #TraditionContinues, #BojanglesSo500 and #SportClips200.
Media Note: A photo from the 2015 Bojangles’ Southern 500 race weekend is attached to this email for media use. Credit: Harrelson Photography for Darlington Raceway.
Darlington Raceway is the proud recipient of the:
- 2015 NMPA Myers Brothers Award
- 2015 NASCAR Marketing Team of the Year
- 2015 NASCAR Track PR Representative of the Year (Dennis Worden)
- 2015 Community Pride Award (presented by the Greater Darlington Chamber of Commerce)
- 2016 SBJ/SBD Event of the Year Nominee
