Southern 500
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The Southern 500 was a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held from 1950 to 2004 at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina, United States. The 2004 race distance was 501 miles (806 km) long, and consisted of 367 laps.
History
The race began in 1950, as NASCAR's first 500 mile race, and it was the only race of such distance until the Daytona 500 debuted in 1959. Through most of its history the race was one of NASCAR's premier events, and was known as one of four Crown Jewels on the NASCAR circuit. From 1985-1997, it served as the fourth race of the popular Winston Million. Two drivers, Bill Elliott (1985) and Jeff Gordon (1997), clinched the Winston Million with victories in the Southern 500.
Prior to 2004, this annual event was held on Labor Day weekend, and in most years before 1984, was held on Monday, Labor Day itself. For the 2004 season, a shuffling of the schedule saw the race move to November. Track management considered the November date would allow for cooler, more comfortable weather for fans, who had increasingly voiced concerns about the weather. Rockingham lost its fall date to Fontana, and the Pop Secret 500 was moved to the lucrative Labor Day weekend date. Incidentally, and originally unbeknownst to fans and competitors, the 2004 Southern 500 would be its last running, seemingly because of the unpopular move to November.
In 2004, Francis Ferko, a shareholder of the company that owned Texas Motor Speedway, sued NASCAR, saying they had violated anti-trust laws by refusing to have a second race at Texas Motor Speedway, as many other tracks had. The judge ruled in his favor, and NASCAR was forced to give up the Southern 500 date so that a second race could be held at Texas Motor Speedway, which became the Dickies 500.
Many fans were furious. They believed that NASCAR had put money before the fans. Even after the Southern 500 returned in 2009, fans still believe that the Labor Day race should be in Darlington.
In 2005, the Mountain Dew Southern 500 was removed from the NASCAR schedule and Darlington's Spring race, the Carolina Dodge Dealers 400, was lengthened into the Dodge Charger 500 and changed its date on the calendar to a Saturday night race in May.
The absence of the Labor Day Southern 500 race continues to be a sticking point between NASCAR and much of its fanbase, especially the more traditional wing. However, since May of 2009, the "Southern 500" name has been revived for the remaining race at Darlington Raceway.
Previous winners
| Year | Day | Date | Driver | Car Make | Winner's Prize (USD) |
Distance (miles) |
Average Speed (mph) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern 500 | |||||||
| 1950 | Monday | September 4 | Johnny Mantz | 50 Plymouth | $ | 500 | |
| 1951 | Monday | September 3 | Herb Thomas | 51 Hudson | $ | 500 | |
| 1952 | Monday | September 1 | Fonty Flock | 52 OLDS 88 | $ | 500 | |
| 1953 | Monday | September 7 | Buck Baker | 53 OLDS 88 | $ | 500 | |
| 1954 | Monday | September 6 | Herb Thomas | 54 Hudson | $ | 500.5 | |
| 1955 | Monday | September 5 | Herb Thomas | 55 Chevy | $ | 500.5 | |
| 1956 | Monday | September 3 | Curtis Turner | 56 Ford | $ | 500.5 | |
| 1957 | Monday | September 2 | Speedy Thompson | 57 chevy | $ | 500.5 | |
| 1958 | Monday | September 1 | Fireball Roberts | 57 chevy | $ | 500.5 | |
| 1959 | Monday | September 7 | Jim Reed | 57 chevy | $ | 500.5 | |
| 1960 | Monday | September 5 | Buck Baker | 60 Pontiac | $ | 500.5 | |
| 1961 | Monday | September 4 | Nelson Stacy | 61 Ford | $ | 500.5 | |
| 1962 | Monday | September 3 | Larry Frank | 62 Ford | $ | 500.5 | |
| 1963 | Monday | September 2 | Fireball Roberts | 63 Ford | $ | 500.5 | |
| 1964 | Monday | September 7 | Buck Baker | 64 Dodge | $ | 500.5 | |
| 1965 | Monday | September 6 | Ned Jarrett | 65 Ford | $ | 500.5 | |
| 1966 | Monday | September 5 | Darel Dieringer | 66 Mercury | $ | 500.5 | |
| 1967 | Monday | September 4 | Richard Petty | 67 Plymouth | $ | 500.5 | |
| 1968 | Monday | September 2 | Cale Yarborough | 68 Mercury | $ | 500.5 | |
| 1969 | Monday | September 1 | LeeRoy Yarbrough | 69 Ford | $ | 316.25 | |
| 1970 | Monday | September 7 | Buddy Baker | 69 Dodge | $ | 501.322 | |
| 1971 | Monday | September 6 | Bobby Allison | 69 Mercury | $ | 501.322 | |
| 1972 | Monday | September 4 | Bobby Allison | 72 Chevrolet | $ | 501.322 | |
| 1973 | Monday | September 3 | Cale Yarborough | 73 Chevrolet | $ | 501.322 | |
| 1974 | Monday | September 2 | Cale Yarborough | 74 Chevrolet | $ | 501.322 | |
| 1975 | Monday | September 1 | Bobby Allison | 75 Matador | $ | 501.322 | |
| 1976 | Sunday | September 5 | David Pearson | Mercury | $ | 501.322 | |
| 1977 | Monday | September 5 | David Pearson | Mercury | $ | 501.322 | |
| 1978 | Monday | September 4 | Cale Yarborough | Oldsmobile | $ | 501.322 | |
| 1979 | Monday | September 3 | David Pearson | Chevrolet | $ | 501.322 | |
| 1980 | Monday | September 1 | Terry Labonte | Chevrolet | $ | 501.322 | |
| 1981 | Monday | September 7 | Neil Bonnett | Ford | $ | 501.322 | |
| 1982 | Monday | September 6 | Cale Yarborough | Buick | $ | 501.322 | |
| 1983 | Monday | September 5 | Bobby Allison | Buick | $ | 501.322 | |
| 1984 | Sunday | September 2 | Harry Gant | Chevrolet | $ | 501.322 | |
| 1985 | Sunday | September 1 | Bill Elliott | Ford | $1,053,725 | 501.322 | |
| 1986 | Sunday | August 31 | Tim Richmond | Chevrolet | $ | 501.322 | |
| 1987 | Sunday | September 6 | Dale Earnhardt | Chevrolet | $ | 275.932 | |
| 1988 | Sunday | September 4 | Bill Elliott | Ford | $ | 501.322 | |
| Heinz Southern 500 | |||||||
| 1989 | Sunday | September 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Chevrolet | $ | 501.322 | |
| 1990 | Sunday | September 2 | Dale Earnhardt | Chevrolet | $ | 501.322 | |
| 1991 | Sunday | September 1 | Harry Gant | Oldsmobile | $ | 501.322 | |
| Mountain Dew Southern 500 | |||||||
| 1992 | Sunday | September 6 | Darrell Waltrip | Chevrolet | $ | 407.068 | |
| 1993 | Sunday | September 5 | Mark Martin | Ford | $ | 479.466 | |
| 1994 | Sunday | September 4 | Bill Elliott | Ford | $ | 501.322 | |
| 1995 | Sunday | September 3 | Jeff Gordon | Chevrolet | $ | 501.322 | |
| 1996 | Sunday | September 1 | Jeff Gordon | Chevrolet | $ | 501.322 | |
| 1997 | Sunday | August 31 | Jeff Gordon | Chevrolet | $ | 501.322 | |
| Pepsi Southern 500 | |||||||
| 1998 | Sunday | September 6 | Jeff Gordon | Chevrolet | $ | 501.322 | |
| 1999 | Sunday | September 5 | Jeff Burton | Ford | $ | 368.82 | |
| 2000 | Sunday | September 3 | Bobby Labonte | Pontiac | $ | 448.048 | |
| Mountain Dew Southern 500 | |||||||
| 2001 | Sunday | September 2 | Ward Burton | Dodge | $ | 501.322 | |
| 2002 | Sunday | September 1 | Jeff Gordon | Chevrolet | $ | 501.322 | |
| 2003 | Sunday | August 31 | Terry Labonte | Chevrolet | $ | 501.322 | |
| 2004 | Sunday | November 14 | Jimmie Johnson | Chevrolet | $ | 501.322 | |
- Notes
- 1969 230 laps / 316.25 miles due to rain, darkness
- 1980 Terry Labonte's first victory
- 1985 Bill Elliott clinched Winston Million
- 1987 202 laps / 275.932 miles due to rain
- 1992 Darrell Waltrip's final Cup Series victory; 298 laps / 407.068 miles due to rain
- 1993 351 laps / 479.466 miles due to rain, darkness)
- 1997 Jeff Gordon clinched Winston Million
- 1999 50th Running; 270 laps / 368.82 miles due to rain)
- 2000 328 laps / 448.048 miles due to rain)
- 2003 Terry Labonte's last Cup Series victory
Race broadcasting
- For the 1995 Pepsi 400 and Southern 500, ESPN ran what was a bit of prelude to DirecTV's Hotpass. ESPN showed the race, while ESPN2 showed onboard cameras and radio with some of the teams.