Race Weekend Boosts Local Businesses in Darlington County
DARLINGTON COUNTY, S.C. (WPDE) — Race weekend is a highlight for many local businesses and vendors in Darlington, with thousands of NASCAR fans flocking to the area.
As fans headed to Darlington Raceway for the Cook Out Southern 500, many stopped at businesses along Harry Byrd Highway, providing a significant sales boost for local owners.
Tammy Howle, owner of Raceway Grill, reported an exceptional increase in traffic this year. “Extremely busy this year. A little bit more than normal,” she stated. With over 75 years of service to the community and a longstanding connection to the raceway, Howle noted adjustments made to meet the influx of customers, which included adding a staff member to seat patrons, shortening the menu for quicker service, and extending employee hours.
Since the arrival of race fans on Wednesday, Raceway Grill has served at least 300 customers daily, more than double its usual business. “Normally we only get one truck a week, but this week we have two, and everybody works pretty much doubles,” Howle shared.
For outdoor vendors, the weather remains an unpredictable factor in their success. David Howard, a vendor selling NASCAR merchandise for about 20 years along Harry Byrd Highway, emphasized this point, saying, “Everything is okay, but the people don’t want to come out in the heat.” His setup offers a variety of racing-related items and draws visitors from across the country and sometimes worldwide.
Local businesses and vendors share a common hope: that they made the most of one of the year’s busiest weekends. The Cook Out Southern 500 took place on Sunday, September 6th at 5 p.m. at Darlington Raceway.
