Lights turned on at Darlington

DARLINGTON, S.C. — Darlington Raceway’s half-century of tradition changed in a flash Tuesday night with the debut of its multimillion dollar lighting system.

Just before twilight, officials threw the seven switches that lit up exterior lights at NASCAR’s oldest superspeedway.

Six-time Darlington winner Jeff Gordon headlined an exhibition program that also featured truck series points leader Bobby Hamilton and racing greats David Pearson and Cale Yarborough.

“I’d never thought we’d race here under the lights,” Gordon said. “I think we’re going to love it.”

The additions just may save Darlington’s spot on the Nextel Cup schedule.

The track, cut out of farmland in 1949, has hosted two races a year since 1960 and held the prestigious Southern 500 each Labor Day weekend. But NASCAR officials moved the Labor Day event to California Speedway this season, and shuffled Darlington’s second race to this November.

Beginning next year, the track that debuted in 1950 will have just one race on the schedule — Mother’s Day weekend, a traditional off week for the series.

But it will be a night race, which traditionally draws more fans.

“During the day, you have to deal with shadows,” said Hamilton, who won the March 2003 truck race at Darlington. “There are no shadows at night. And racing at night just looks faster.”