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[[File:Darlington raceway.svg|thumb|right|The Darlington Raceway's unconventional "egg" shape]]
[[File:Darlington raceway.svg|thumb|right|The Darlington Raceway's unconventional "egg" shape]]
The '''Unocal-Darlington Record Club''' was a club in the [[NASCAR]] [[Sprint Cup Series#Strictly Stock and Grand National|Grand National]] and [[Sprint Cup Series#Winston Cup|Winston Cup Series]] from 1959 to about 2001, based at [[Darlington Raceway]]. Membership was achieved based on setting qualifying records during time trials for the annual [[Southern 500 (1950–2004)|(Heinz/Mountain Dew) Southern 500]] held on [[Labor Day]] weekend. During its heyday, it was considered one of the most prestigious and exclusive clubs in motorsports.<ref name="NASCAR 94">{{Cite book|title=The Official NASCAR Preview and Press Guide 1994|publisher=UMI Publications, Inc.|year=1994|location=[[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]]}}</ref><ref name="NASCAR 01">{{Cite book|title=The Official NASCAR Preview and Press Guide 2001|publisher=UMI Publications, Inc.|year=2001|location=[[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]]}}</ref><ref name="Rudd article">{{cite news|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/web/COM1033330/2/index.htm|title=Manic Monday|publisher=[[Sports Illustrated]]|first=Ricky|last=Rudd|date=2003-08-27}}</ref>
The '''Unocal-Darlington Record Club''' was a club in the [[NASCAR]] [[Sprint Cup Series#Strictly Stock and Grand National|Grand National]] and [[Sprint Cup Series#Winston Cup|Winston Cup Series]] from 1959 to about 2001, based at [[Darlington Raceway]]. Membership was achieved by setting qualifying records during time trials for the annual [[Southern 500]] held on [[Labor Day]] weekend. During its heyday, it was considered one of the most prestigious and exclusive clubs in motorsports.<ref name="NASCAR 94">{{Cite book|title=The Official NASCAR Preview and Press Guide 1994|publisher=UMI Publications, Inc.|year=1994|location=[[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]]}}</ref><ref name="NASCAR 01">{{Cite book|title=The Official NASCAR Preview and Press Guide 2001|publisher=UMI Publications, Inc.|year=2001|location=[[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]]}}</ref><ref name="Rudd article">{{cite news|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/web/COM1033330/2/index.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130119154304/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/web/COM1033330/2/index.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 19, 2013|title=Manic Monday|publisher=[[Sports Illustrated]]|first=Ricky|last=Rudd|date=2003-08-27}}</ref>


The club was sponsored by longtime NASCAR sponsor [[Unocal Corporation|Unocal/Union 76]]. Previously it was sponsored by [[Pure Oil]]. At some time after the 2001 season, the club was quietly retired, as NASCAR made rule changes that effectively eliminated its usefulness. The club ended permanently when Unocal left the sport in 2003, and the [[Ferko v. National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc.|Ferko lawsuit]] resulted in the Southern 500 moving off of Labor Day weekend for over a decade.
The club was sponsored by longtime NASCAR sponsor [[Pure Oil]], which in 1965 was acquired by [[Unocal Corporation|Union Oil]], and later [[Tosco Corporation]] (1997), [[Phillips Petroleum]] (2001), and after a merger, [[ConocoPhillips]]. At some time after the 2001 season, the club was quietly retired, as NASCAR made rule changes that effectively eliminated its usefulness. The club ended permanently when ConocoPhillips ended its sponsorship and was replaced by [[Sunoco]], and the [[Ferko v. National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc.|Ferko lawsuit]] resulted in the ''lineal'' Southern 500 being removed from the schedule until the lineal changes of 2020, with the ''lineal'' Southern 500 returning to its fall date in 2021.


The original eight charter members were selected in 1959: [[Dick Joslin]] (Dodge), [[Marvin Panch]] (Ford), [[Joe Caspolich]] (Oldsmobile), [[Bob Burdick]] (Thunderbird), [[Speedy Thompson]] (Chevrolet), [[Richard Petty]] (Plymouth), [[Elmo Langley]] (Buick), and [[Fireball Roberts]] (Pontiac). Roberts was selected as the first president; Former [[Darlington Raceway]] president Bob Colvin contributed in creating the club.<ref>[http://www.legendsofnascar.com/Dick_Joslin.htm Dick Joslin Facts]</ref>
The original eight charter members were selected in 1959: [[Dick Joslin]] (Dodge), [[Marvin Panch]] (Ford), [[Joe Caspolich]] (Oldsmobile), [[Bob Burdick]] (Thunderbird), [[Speedy Thompson]] (Chevrolet), [[Richard Petty]] (Plymouth), [[Elmo Langley]] (Buick), and [[Fireball Roberts]] (Pontiac). Roberts was selected as the first president; Former [[Darlington Raceway]] president Bob Colvin contributed in creating the club.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.legendsofnascar.com/Dick_Joslin.htm |title=Dick Joslin Facts |access-date=2011-10-07 |archive-date=2011-09-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110917211618/http://www.legendsofnascar.com/Dick_Joslin.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>


==Membership qualifications==
==Membership qualifications==
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Drivers who qualified for the club attended a special dinner and reception and received a special blue [[blazer]]. Drivers who entered the club by setting an overall [[Darlington Raceway|Darlington]] track record, however, received the more prestigious white blazer. A ring,<ref>{{Cite web
Drivers who qualified for the club attended a special dinner and reception and received a special blue [[blazer]]. Drivers who entered the club by setting an overall [[Darlington Raceway|Darlington]] track record, however, received the more prestigious white blazer. A ring,<ref>{{Cite web
|url=http://www.fireballroberts.com/Pure_Record_Club.htm
|url=http://www.fireballroberts.com/Pure_Record_Club.htm
|title= Pure Record Club Members
|title=Pure Record Club Members
|publisher=FireballRoberts.com
|publisher=FireballRoberts.com
|access-date=2011-10-10
⚫
|accessdate=2011-10-10}}</ref> a plaque and a cash award were also presented. Entry into the club was a lifetime membership, but only active members participated in actual duties. The reception dinner was held on the Friday of Labor Day weekend (two days prior to the Southern 500), and would recognize the drivers who qualified based on the previous year's event.<ref name="NASCAR 94"/><ref name="NASCAR 01"/>
|archive-date=2011-09-17
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110917051758/http://www.fireballroberts.com/Pure_Record_Club.htm
|url-status=dead
⚫
}}</ref> a plaque and a cash award were also presented. Entry into the club was a lifetime membership, but only active members participated in actual duties. The reception dinner was held on the Friday of Labor Day weekend (two days prior to the Southern 500), and would recognize the drivers who qualified based on the previous year's event.<ref name="NASCAR 94"/><ref name="NASCAR 01"/>


Only records set in the September [[Southern 500]] were recognized for the club. Any records set during the [[Carolina Dodge Dealers 400|spring race]], or support races (added in 1983 to the Southern 500 weekend) were not eligible.<ref name="NASCAR 94"/><ref name="NASCAR 01"/>
Only records set in the September [[Southern 500]] were recognized for the club. Any records set during the [[Carolina Dodge Dealers 400|spring race]], or support races (added in 1983 to the Southern 500 weekend) were not eligible.<ref name="NASCAR 94"/><ref name="NASCAR 01"/>
Line 30: Line 34:
Once the membership was established, the active members of the club were eligible for the annual Competition Board. All active members who qualified for the race within 2% of the fastest car in the field (later 1%) were placed on the board. The board's primary responsibilities were to assist NASCAR in training rookies for racing at each race during the season.<ref name="NASCAR 94"/><ref name="NASCAR 01"/>
Once the membership was established, the active members of the club were eligible for the annual Competition Board. All active members who qualified for the race within 2% of the fastest car in the field (later 1%) were placed on the board. The board's primary responsibilities were to assist NASCAR in training rookies for racing at each race during the season.<ref name="NASCAR 94"/><ref name="NASCAR 01"/>


Once the Competition Board was established, the board members voted amongst themselves to select the Club President and Club Vice-President. Each had a tenure of one year. The president's duties primarily were to lead the rookie training, and conduct the annual Southern 500 rookie orientation meeting/test.<ref name="NASCAR 94"/><ref name="NASCAR 01"/><ref name="Rudd article"/> Until 1993, rookies were required to pass a special rookie orientation test (similar to the [[Indianapolis 500]]) before attempting to qualify at Darlington for either race. Likewise, they were not allowed to qualify on the first day of time trials, and were relegated to the second round only (starting 21st or lower).
Once the Competition Board was established, the board members voted amongst themselves to select the Club President and Club Vice-President. Each had a tenure of one year. The president's duties primarily were to lead the rookie training, and conduct the annual Darlington Raceway rookie orientation meeting and further rookie test that they had to pass (similar to the [[Indianapolis 500]]) before attempting to qualify at Darlington for either race. Likewise, they were not allowed to qualify on the first day of time trials, and were relegated to the second round only (starting 21st or lower).<ref name="NASCAR 94"/><ref name="NASCAR 01"/><ref name="Rudd article"/>


By 1982, NASCAR added a support race in the [[NASCAR Nationwide Series|Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series]] of 200 miles for the Rebel 500 weekend, and in 1983 another Late Model Sportsman race was run on Southern 500 weekend as a 250-mile race (owing to Blue Laws in South Carolina, the race was set to the state's 250-mile minimum for Sunday races). In 1984, NASCAR decided that that series (now the Nationwide Series) would race on both weekends. As younger drivers using the series had gained Darlington experience through the two 200-mile races annually, the rookie panel and NASCAR decided in 1993 to abolish both the rookie test and the first-round rookie prohibition, as even "rookies" in most years had typically made four or more starts through support races.<ref name="Rudd article"/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1842&dat=19880326&id=-mYeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qsgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4202,4286845|title=Martin paces 2nd day of qualifying|date=March 26, 1988|work=Times Daily Tennessee Edition|location=Florence, AL|accessdate=2011-10-07}}</ref>
In 1977, Darlington Raceway began adding support races that helped inexperienced drivers gain experience in shorter events with less-powerful cars. The Baby Grand National series ran 150 kilometer (94.5 mile) races for four-cylinder cars, which ran until 1984. In 1982, the second-tier series (now the [[NASCAR Xfinity Series]]) added a 200 mile race for the Rebel 500 weekend, and in 1983 another second-tier race was run on Southern 500 weekend as a 250-mile race (owing to Blue Laws in South Carolina, the race was set to the state's 250-mile minimum for Sunday races). From 1984 to 2004, support races for the second-tier series were added to both weekends. Since these drivers had gained experience at Darlington through support races (up to 294 laps of experience in two lower-tier races each year), the rookie panel and NASCAR decided in 1993 to abolish both the rookie test and the first-round rookie prohibition, as Cup Series rookies had typically made four or more starts through support races, if they had at least two full seasons of support series events. When the rule was abolished in 1993, the three primary rookies had each made at least four Darlington starts through the two second-tier series races each of the previous two seasons. Since 2005, the second-tier series has run one race (two from 2020-2024) and the current tertiary [[Craftsman Truck Series]] also a single race at Darlington, annually since 2020 (two in 2021), allowing drivers to gain even more experience. <ref name="Rudd article"/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1842&dat=19880326&id=-mYeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qsgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4202,4286845|title=Martin paces 2nd day of qualifying|date=March 26, 1988|work=Times Daily Tennessee Edition|location=Florence, AL|access-date=2011-10-07}}</ref> As of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series schedule, the Xfinity Series races on the spring weekend and the Truck Series runs on the Southern 500 weekend.


==Record Club by car make==
==Record Club by car make==
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! Speed ([[Miles per hour|mph]])
! Speed ([[Miles per hour|mph]])
|-
|-
|1959||[[Speedy Thompson]] ||
|1959||[[Speedy Thompson]] ||123.387
|-
|-
|1960||[[Rex White]] ||125.698
|1960||[[Rex White]] ||125.698
|-
|-
|1961||[[Dave Mader]] ||125.578
|1961||Dave Mader ||125.578
|-
|-
|1962||[[Rex White]] ||127.462
|1962||[[Rex White]] ||127.462
Line 211: Line 215:
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
|-
|-
!colspan=3|[[Pontiac]]
!colspan=3|[[Pontiac (automobile)|Pontiac]]
|-
|-
!Year
!Year
Line 277: Line 281:
|2000||[[Johnny Benson]] ||169.409
|2000||[[Johnny Benson]] ||169.409
|-
|-
|2001||[[Ken Schrader]] ||
|2001||[[Ken Schrader]] ||167.254
|}
|}
{{col-end}}
{{col-end}}
Line 290: Line 294:
! Speed ([[Miles per hour|mph]])
! Speed ([[Miles per hour|mph]])
|-
|-
|1959||[[Dick Joslin]] ||112.910
|1959||Dick Joslin ||112.910
|-
|-
|1960||[[Jim Whitman]] ||117.710
|1960||Jim Whitman ||117.710
|-
|-
|1961||[[T. C. Hunt]] ||121.988
|1961||T. C. Hunt ||121.988
|-
|-
|1962||[[Larry Thomas (racing driver)|Larry Thomas]] ||123.773
|1962||[[Larry Thomas (racing driver)|Larry Thomas]] ||123.773
Line 324: Line 328:
|1978||[[Earle Canavan]] ||147.247
|1978||[[Earle Canavan]] ||147.247
|-
|-
|2001||[[John Andretti]] ||
|2001||[[John Andretti]] ||167.493
|}
|}
{{col-3}}
{{col-3}}
Line 385: Line 389:
! Speed ([[Miles per hour|mph]])
! Speed ([[Miles per hour|mph]])
|-
|-
|1959||[[Joe Caspolich]] ||121.808
|1959||Joe Caspolich ||121.808
|-
|-
|1960||[[Tiny Lund]] ||118.840
|1960||[[Tiny Lund]] ||118.840
Line 480: Line 484:
|1985||[[Greg Sacks]] ||154.773
|1985||[[Greg Sacks]] ||154.773
|-
|-
|1986||[[Bobby Hillin, Jr.]]||156.397
|1986||[[Bobby Hillin Jr.]]||156.397
|-
|-
|1988||[[Morgan Shepherd]] ||158.198
|1988||[[Morgan Shepherd]] ||158.198
Line 490: Line 494:
{{col-3}}
{{col-3}}
{{col-end}}
{{col-end}}
{{anchor|thunderbird note}} Note that in 1959 & 1960, the [[Ford Thunderbird (second generation)|Ford Thunderbird]] was categorized separately from [[Ford]].
{{anchor|thunderbird note}} Note that in 1959 & 1960, the [[Ford Thunderbird (second generation)|Ford Thunderbird]] was categorized separately from [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]].


Sources:<ref name="NASCAR 94"/><ref name="NASCAR 01"/>
Sources:<ref name="NASCAR 94"/><ref name="NASCAR 01"/>
Line 497: Line 501:
'''Bold''' indicates track record member (white blazer)
'''Bold''' indicates track record member (white blazer)


{{col-begin}}
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
{{col-1-of-4}}
*'''[[Bobby Allison]]'''
*'''[[Bobby Allison]]'''
*'''[[Davey Allison]]'''
*'''[[Davey Allison]]'''
Line 517: Line 520:
*[[Ward Burton]]
*[[Ward Burton]]
*[[Earle Canavan]]
*[[Earle Canavan]]
*[[Joe Caspolich]]
*Joe Caspolich
*[[Neil Castles]]
*[[Neil Castles]]
{{col-2-of-4}}
*[[Curtis Crider]]
*[[Curtis Crider]]
*[[Darel Dieringer]]
*[[Darel Dieringer]]
Line 528: Line 530:
*[[Jeff Gordon]]
*[[Jeff Gordon]]
*[[Pete Hamilton]]
*[[Pete Hamilton]]
*[[Bobby Hillin, Jr.]]
*[[Bobby Hillin Jr.]]
*[[T. C. Hunt]]
*T. C. Hunt
*[[Ernie Irvan]]
*[[Ernie Irvan]]
*'''[[Kenny Irwin, Jr.]]'''<nowiki>*</nowiki>
*'''[[Kenny Irwin Jr.]]'''<nowiki>*</nowiki>
*'''[[Dale Jarrett]]'''
*'''[[Dale Jarrett]]'''
*[[Bobby Johns]]
*[[Bobby Johns]]
*'''[[Junior Johnson]]'''
*'''[[Junior Johnson]]'''
*[[Dick Joslin]]
*Dick Joslin
*[[Alan Kulwicki]]
*[[Alan Kulwicki]]
*[[Bobby Labonte]]
*[[Bobby Labonte]]
*[[Terry Labonte]]
*[[Terry Labonte]]
*[[Elmo Langley]]
*[[Elmo Langley]]
{{col-3-of-4}}
*[[Fred Lorenzen]]
*[[Fred Lorenzen]]
*[[Tiny Lund]]
*[[Tiny Lund]]
*[[Dave Mader]]
*Dave Mader
*[[Dave Marcis]]
*[[Dave Marcis]]
*[[Sterling Marlin]]
*[[Sterling Marlin]]
Line 552: Line 553:
*[[Marvin Panch]]
*[[Marvin Panch]]
*[[Benny Parsons]]
*[[Benny Parsons]]
*[[Jim Pascale]]
*[[Jim Paschal]]
*'''[[David Pearson (NASCAR driver)|David Pearson]]'''
*'''[[David Pearson (NASCAR driver)|David Pearson]]'''
*'''[[Richard Petty]]'''
*'''[[Richard Petty]]'''
Line 561: Line 562:
*[[Joe Ruttman]]
*[[Joe Ruttman]]
*[[Greg Sacks]]
*[[Greg Sacks]]
{{col-4-of-4}}
*[[Ken Schrader]]
*[[Ken Schrader]]
*[[Morgan Shepherd]]
*[[Morgan Shepherd]]
Line 575: Line 575:
*[[Joe Weatherly]]
*[[Joe Weatherly]]
*[[Rex White]]
*[[Rex White]]
*[[Jim Whitman]]
*Jim Whitman
*'''[[Cale Yarborough]]'''
*'''[[Cale Yarborough]]'''
*'''[[LeeRoy Yarbrough]]'''
*'''[[LeeRoy Yarbrough]]'''
*[[Emanuel Zervakis]]
*[[Emanuel Zervakis]]
{{col-end}}
{{div col end}}


<nowiki>*</nowiki>Posthumous induction. Irwin won pole and set the track record in 1999 during Pepsi Southern 500 qualifying, but was killed at during Cup practice at [[Lenox Industrial Tools 301|the Loudon July race]] ten months later.
<nowiki>*</nowiki>Posthumous induction. Irwin won pole and set the track record in 1999 during Pepsi Southern 500 qualifying, but was killed at during Cup practice at [[Lenox Industrial Tools 301|the Loudon July race]] ten months later.
Line 586: Line 586:


One of the award plaques presented to [[Bobby Allison]] was featured on the television program ''[[American Pickers]]''. It was acquired for display at the [[NASCAR Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{Cite episode
One of the award plaques presented to [[Bobby Allison]] was featured on the television program ''[[American Pickers]]''. It was acquired for display at the [[NASCAR Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{Cite episode
|title=NASCAR Challenge|series=Top NASCAR Races|
|title=NASCAR Challenge|series=Top NASCAR Races
|episodelink=American Pickers
|episode-link=American Pickers
|network=[[History (U.S. TV channel)|History Channel]]
|network=[[History (U.S. TV channel)|History Channel]]
|airdate=2011-04-11
|airdate=2011-04-11
Line 595: Line 595:
Tenure runs for 12 months, from September to September of each year.
Tenure runs for 12 months, from September to September of each year.


{{col-begin}}
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
{{col-1-of-5}}
*1960-61 [[Fireball Roberts]]
*1960-61 [[Fireball Roberts]]
*1961-62
*1961-62
Line 607: Line 606:
*1968-69
*1968-69
*1969-70 [[Bobby Allison]]
*1969-70 [[Bobby Allison]]
{{col-2-of-5}}
*1970-71
*1970-71
*1971-72
*1971-72
Line 618: Line 616:
*1978-79
*1978-79
*1979-80 [[Donnie Allison]]
*1979-80 [[Donnie Allison]]
{{col-3-of-5}}
*1980-81 [[Ricky Rudd]]
*1980-81 [[Ricky Rudd]]
*1981-82
*1981-82
Line 626: Line 623:
*1985-86
*1985-86
*1986-87
*1986-87
*1987-88 [[Bobby Hillin, Jr.]]
*1987-88 [[Bobby Hillin Jr.]]
*1988-89 [[Darrell Waltrip]]
*1988-89 [[Darrell Waltrip]]
*1989-90
*1989-90
{{col-4-of-5}}
*1990-91
*1990-91
*1991-92
*1991-92
Line 639: Line 635:
*1998-99
*1998-99
*1999-00 [[Ricky Rudd]]
*1999-00 [[Ricky Rudd]]
{{col-5-of-5}}
*2000-01
*2000-01
*2001-02
*2001-02
*[[Ken Schrader]]
*[[Ken Schrader]]
*[[Jeff Gordon]]
*[[Jeff Gordon]]
{{col-end}}
{{div col end}}


==See also==
==See also==
Line 652: Line 647:
==Sources==
==Sources==
*''The Official NASCAR Preview and Press Guide'', 1994 & 2001 edition
*''The Official NASCAR Preview and Press Guide'', 1994 & 2001 edition
*[http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2000/aug/31/speed_doctor/ Rookies get scoop on each track from veteran Rudd], August 31, 2000
*[https://archive.today/20130128220709/http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2000/aug/31/speed_doctor/ Rookies get scoop on each track from veteran Rudd], August 31, 2000
*[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1876&dat=19700729&id=m30sAAAAIBAJ&sjid=wMwEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6539,4530527 Brooks, Allison, Tyner To Be Inducted Into Record Club]
*[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1876&dat=19700729&id=m30sAAAAIBAJ&sjid=wMwEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6539,4530527 Brooks, Allison, Tyner To Be Inducted Into Record Club]


Latest revision as of 22:10, 7 September 2024

The Darlington Raceway's unconventional "egg" shape

The Unocal-Darlington Record Club was a club in the NASCAR Grand National and Winston Cup Series from 1959 to about 2001, based at Darlington Raceway. Membership was achieved by setting qualifying records during time trials for the annual Southern 500 held on Labor Day weekend. During its heyday, it was considered one of the most prestigious and exclusive clubs in motorsports.[1][2][3]

The club was sponsored by longtime NASCAR sponsor Pure Oil, which in 1965 was acquired by Union Oil, and later Tosco Corporation (1997), Phillips Petroleum (2001), and after a merger, ConocoPhillips. At some time after the 2001 season, the club was quietly retired, as NASCAR made rule changes that effectively eliminated its usefulness. The club ended permanently when ConocoPhillips ended its sponsorship and was replaced by Sunoco, and the Ferko lawsuit resulted in the lineal Southern 500 being removed from the schedule until the lineal changes of 2020, with the lineal Southern 500 returning to its fall date in 2021.

The original eight charter members were selected in 1959: Dick Joslin (Dodge), Marvin Panch (Ford), Joe Caspolich (Oldsmobile), Bob Burdick (Thunderbird), Speedy Thompson (Chevrolet), Richard Petty (Plymouth), Elmo Langley (Buick), and Fireball Roberts (Pontiac). Roberts was selected as the first president; Former Darlington Raceway president Bob Colvin contributed in creating the club.[4]

Membership qualifications

[edit]

Drivers were awarded membership in the club based on official time trials for the Southern 500. The fastest single driver of each car make (e.g. Chevrolet, Ford, etc.) each won the membership. The general requirements for eligibility were as follows:[1]

  • Car making the qualifying attempt must be a current model year car.
  • At least three cars from each car make must be entered for that make to have an automatic berth in the club for that year.
  • The fastest single driver from each of the various car makes qualified for the club, provided their speed was within 2% of the fastest overall car in the field.

Special provisions were made for other cars:[1]

  • If only one car from a particular make is entered, that driver was only eligible if he set a track record for that car make; and was within 2% of the fastest overall car in the field (i.e., the pole position winner for the race)
  • If the car was not a current model year chassis, that driver was only eligible if he was the overall fastest driver for that make (i.e., faster than all the current model year chassis of that same make); and he was within 2% of the fastest overall car in the field.

By 2000, the "within 2%" rule was tightened to "within 1%."[2]

Drivers who qualified for the club attended a special dinner and reception and received a special blue blazer. Drivers who entered the club by setting an overall Darlington track record, however, received the more prestigious white blazer. A ring,[5] a plaque and a cash award were also presented. Entry into the club was a lifetime membership, but only active members participated in actual duties. The reception dinner was held on the Friday of Labor Day weekend (two days prior to the Southern 500), and would recognize the drivers who qualified based on the previous year's event.[1][2]

Only records set in the September Southern 500 were recognized for the club. Any records set during the spring race, or support races (added in 1983 to the Southern 500 weekend) were not eligible.[1][2]

Competition Board

[edit]

Once the membership was established, the active members of the club were eligible for the annual Competition Board. All active members who qualified for the race within 2% of the fastest car in the field (later 1%) were placed on the board. The board's primary responsibilities were to assist NASCAR in training rookies for racing at each race during the season.[1][2]

Once the Competition Board was established, the board members voted amongst themselves to select the Club President and Club Vice-President. Each had a tenure of one year. The president's duties primarily were to lead the rookie training, and conduct the annual Darlington Raceway rookie orientation meeting and further rookie test that they had to pass (similar to the Indianapolis 500) before attempting to qualify at Darlington for either race. Likewise, they were not allowed to qualify on the first day of time trials, and were relegated to the second round only (starting 21st or lower).[1][2][3]

In 1977, Darlington Raceway began adding support races that helped inexperienced drivers gain experience in shorter events with less-powerful cars. The Baby Grand National series ran 150 kilometer (94.5 mile) races for four-cylinder cars, which ran until 1984. In 1982, the second-tier series (now the NASCAR Xfinity Series) added a 200 mile race for the Rebel 500 weekend, and in 1983 another second-tier race was run on Southern 500 weekend as a 250-mile race (owing to Blue Laws in South Carolina, the race was set to the state's 250-mile minimum for Sunday races). From 1984 to 2004, support races for the second-tier series were added to both weekends. Since these drivers had gained experience at Darlington through support races (up to 294 laps of experience in two lower-tier races each year), the rookie panel and NASCAR decided in 1993 to abolish both the rookie test and the first-round rookie prohibition, as Cup Series rookies had typically made four or more starts through support races, if they had at least two full seasons of support series events. When the rule was abolished in 1993, the three primary rookies had each made at least four Darlington starts through the two second-tier series races each of the previous two seasons. Since 2005, the second-tier series has run one race (two from 2020-2024) and the current tertiary Craftsman Truck Series also a single race at Darlington, annually since 2020 (two in 2021), allowing drivers to gain even more experience. [3][6] As of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series schedule, the Xfinity Series races on the spring weekend and the Truck Series runs on the Southern 500 weekend.

Record Club by car make

[edit]

Note that in 1959 & 1960, the Ford Thunderbird was categorized separately from Ford.

Sources:[1][2]

Alphabetical member list

[edit]

Bold indicates track record member (white blazer)

*Posthumous induction. Irwin won pole and set the track record in 1999 during Pepsi Southern 500 qualifying, but was killed at during Cup practice at the Loudon July race ten months later.

Sources:[1][2][7]

One of the award plaques presented to Bobby Allison was featured on the television program American Pickers. It was acquired for display at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.[8]

Club presidents

[edit]

Tenure runs for 12 months, from September to September of each year.

See also

[edit]

Sources

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i The Official NASCAR Preview and Press Guide 1994. Charlotte: UMI Publications, Inc. 1994.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h The Official NASCAR Preview and Press Guide 2001. Charlotte: UMI Publications, Inc. 2001.
  3. ^ a b c d Rudd, Ricky (2003-08-27). "Manic Monday". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on January 19, 2013.
  4. ^ "Dick Joslin Facts". Archived from the original on 2011-09-17. Retrieved 2011-10-07.
  5. ^ "Pure Record Club Members". FireballRoberts.com. Archived from the original on 2011-09-17. Retrieved 2011-10-10.
  6. ^ "Martin paces 2nd day of qualifying". Times Daily Tennessee Edition. Florence, AL. March 26, 1988. Retrieved 2011-10-07.
  7. ^ Racing-Reference.info - Race Results at Darlington Raceway
  8. ^ "NASCAR Challenge". Top NASCAR Races. Season 2. 2011-04-11. History Channel.
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