Light Up the Night Planned for Thursday at Speedway

April 21, 2009

Cayce, SC – April 21, 2009 –  For most of its NASCAR history, weekly stock car races at the Columbia Speedway were held on Thursday nights. So, to honor the “soul and spirit” of the historic oval’s legacy and in preparation for the Love Chevrolet Columbia Speedway Spring Festival and Racers Reunion to be held Saturday, April 25, there will be a symbolic Candlelight Vigil at the track this Thursday starting at 8 p.m.  

“You walk on this track and it oozes with history, you feel it, it’s still alive,” said Jeff Gilder, the creator of RacersReunion.com and promoter of the event. “We think this will be a colorful way to honor the people who raced here for about 30 years including Richard Petty who won ran, then won, his very first race here. The greats all ran here.” 

Drivers who will be on hand Saturday are Buddy Baker, Ned Jarrett, Rex White, Paul “Little Bud” Moore, Haskell Willingham and more than a dozen others including Johnny and Dick Dangerfield, two local drivers from Cayce who were star drivers at the track in the 1950s. 

There is no admission or parking charge. A history laden feature articles and race track photos souvenir magazine will be on sale. Concession stands and other vendors will be on hand. Also, restroom facilities will be plentiful. 

One of Thursday’s highlights will be a one-lap walk around the oval as participants light candles, hand-held propane lighters, even flashlights to pay homage to one of NASCAR’s earliest racetracks that began operation on April 25, 1948, exactly 61 years ago. 

The Columbia Speedway is located on U.S. Highway 321 south in Cayce, or 2001 Charleston Highway, 29033.