Visiting Darlington Raceway today to support the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bojangles’ Southern 500, Darrell “Bubba” Wallace, Victory Junction and Richard Petty Motorsports unveiled the No. 43 Chevy that Wallace will drive in the race on September 1.
The 2019 throwback design honors the late Adam Petty, son of Kyle and grandson of Richard. Both Petty’s were on hand for the unveil.
“It’s truly an honor and top throwback that I’ve been a part of and knowing the history behind the Petty family and Adam’s vision and seeing it come to life at Victory Junction,” Wallace said. “I think this really speaks for Adam and what his vision was and I was too young to know him and I feel like we would have had a great time, to grow together and to bring this organization back to where it needs to be.”
Wallace’s No. 43 Chevy will feature a Victory Junction throwback paint scheme honoring Petty. The scheme is a tribute to Adam’s ARCA Racing Series victory at Charlotte on Sept. 20, 1998. It was his only career win in the series. Adam passed away in a practice crash at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in 2000. Both Kyle and Richard were in attendance at the car unveil.
“To be here, to have Bubba drive the car and for it to be my dad’s car and with Victory Junction on the car, it’s our 15th anniversary, it’s hard to believe that he would have been 39 years old this year, so it’s hard to believe it’s been that long,” Kyle said. “But to have this car here, to have it at Darlington and for everything that Darlington means to our family, what it means to this sport, it was just the perfect time.”
This is the 70th running of the Bojangles’ Southern 500, with this season’s throwback weekend paying tribute to the years 1990-94.
This will be the fifth season Darlington Raceway has hosted throwback weekend, with the event having grown into the official throwback weekend of NASCAR and of the most prized weekends on the circuit.
“To have Bubba Wallace and both Richard and Kyle Petty, and the folks at Victory Junction, here today with us, it’s an honor,” said Kerry Tharp, President of Darlington Raceway. “We’re closing in on our race weekend and this will be the fifth year of our throwback weekend and there is no better way to then to throw it back then to have Richard Petty Motorsports here today to honor the legacy of Adam Petty.”
Wallace also paid a visit to the Boys and Girls Club of the Pee Dee in Florence, SC. Wallace conducted a question and answer session for nearly 150 kids in attendance and also visited with family members of Florence Police Sgt. Terrence Carraway.
The Boys and Girls Club of the Pee Dee was a special place for Sgt. Carraway, who was a lifelong resident of Darlington and 30-year veteran of the Florence Police Department He was killed in the line of duty on October 3, 2018. He was a dedicated servant to the Darlington and Florence communities having been involved in a variety of community activities that benefited many residents, including children and teenagers. Carraway devoted countless volunteer hours to the Boys and Girls Club of the Pee Dee.
Darlington Raceway’s award-winning throwback campaign is The Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR featuring the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bojangles’ Southern 500® on Sunday, Sept. 1, 2019 at 6 p.m. on NBCSN. The NASCAR XFINITY Series Sport Clips Haircuts VFW 200 will race on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2019 at 4 p.m. on NBC. Tickets are on sale now by calling 866-459-7223 or visiting DarlingtonRaceway.com.
You can keep up with all of the latest news from Darlington Raceway at DarlingtonRaceway.com, on Facebook atFacebook.com/DarlingtonRaceway and on Twitter at Twitter.com/TooToughToTame. Fans are encouraged to post their Bojangles’ Southern 500 stories and memories at, #BojanglesSo500 and #SportClips200.
Darlington Raceway PR
