Labor Day weekend at The Lady in Black never disappoints, and Sunday, September 6, 2026, gave our group another memorable 2026 Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina. There’s just something special about bringing guests to this historic track, and our Darlington Raceway NASCAR packages make it possible to pair race-day excitement with a relaxing stay on the coast. By the time we headed toward Darlington, I could tell our group was ready for a good night of racing.
Welcoming Our RaceAway Group in Myrtle Beach
I was especially happy to see so many familiar faces this weekend. More than half of our guests had traveled with RaceAway before, and quite a few were on their third trip—or more—with us. As a host, that means a lot. You get to know folks over the years, hear which tracks they’ve already visited, and find out which ones are still waiting on the bucket list.
For the September 2026 weekend, our home base was the Embassy Suites Myrtle Beach Oceanfront Resort, where the package included Saturday and Sunday nights. The two-room suites, oceanfront setting, and cooked-to-order breakfast make it a comfortable place to settle in before and after race day. It’s a nice combination: a little beach time in Myrtle Beach and one of NASCAR’s most historic races about 90 miles away in Darlington.
On race day, I met our guests at the hotel and helped get everybody aboard our private motorcoach. One of the things I enjoy most about hosting is taking care of those little logistical details so our guests can concentrate on the reason they came—the race.
For our September 2026 event, round-trip motorcoach transportation between the hotel and Darlington Raceway was included with the package. Once everyone was settled in, we could leave the driving and race-day parking behind and enjoy the ride through South Carolina together.
A Southern 500 Worth the Trip
Darlington is unlike anywhere else we go. The egg-shaped track has a personality all its own, and it doesn’t take long before the cars start showing those familiar Darlington stripes from getting a little too friendly with the wall.
For our September 2026 package, guests also received a Sunday pre-race track pass that provided frontstretch access before the race. That gives fans a chance to experience Darlington from another perspective before heading up to their seats.
Our group watched the Southern 500 from Tyler Tower Section F on the frontstretch. From there, guests had an excellent view across the track and pit road, which is especially valuable at Darlington. There is so much strategy unfolding during this race that being able to follow the action around the speedway and keep an eye on pit road adds a lot to the experience.
And this year, strategy certainly mattered.
Christopher Bell made his move late in the race, chasing down Kyle Larson after Larson stayed out on older tires. Bell took the lead with 12 laps remaining and went on to win the Cook Out Southern 500, giving our group plenty to talk about on the ride back to Myrtle Beach. It was exactly the kind of finish that suits Darlington: tire management, tough decisions, and a driver making a charge when it counted.
Highlights from Our 2026 Darlington Weekend
- More than half of our group had traveled with RaceAway previously, with many joining us for at least their third race weekend.
- We stayed two nights at the Embassy Suites Myrtle Beach Oceanfront Resort, giving guests an oceanfront home base for Labor Day weekend.
- Our September 2026 package included hosted round-trip motorcoach transportation between Myrtle Beach and Darlington Raceway.
- Guests had a Sunday pre-race track pass before settling into Tyler Tower Section F for the Cup race.
- Christopher Bell’s late charge to the lead gave us an exciting finish to the Cook Out Southern 500.
- Sam K. told us afterward that he and his wife loved the racing at Darlington and were excited to check another track off their bucket list.
That last one is always good to hear. I love watching longtime RaceAway guests come back for another trip, but it’s just as rewarding to help someone add a new speedway to their list. Darlington has so much history and character that it feels like one every NASCAR fan ought to experience at least once.
It was another fine Labor Day weekend in South Carolina, with good company, great racing, and plenty of memories from The Lady in Black. If Darlington is still on your own bucket list, take a look at RaceAway’s current Darlington NASCAR packages—or explore our other NASCAR travel packages and find the track you’d like to visit next.