Darlington race to be a sellout

UPDATE Darlington Sellout: Darlington Raceway president Chris Browning had two reasons to celebrate Saturday. It was his birthday and he was assured that NASCAR’s oldest superspeedway would have its first sellout before race day and only the second since the track expanded to 60,000 seats in 1997. Browning said 428 tickets remained for the May 7 Nextel Cup race when he left the track around noon Saturday to celebrate his birthday with his oldest daughter in Columbia. That’s well under the range International Speedway Corporation requires for a sellout. The State 04/25/05 Darlington Raceway officials hope to announce within the next two weeks their first sellout prior to race day since the track expanded to 60,000 seats in 1997. Only about 3,000 tickets remain for the first-ever night Nextel Cup race at Darlington on May 7. A sellout would enhance the track’s position to keep its remaining Cup date and make a case for expansion. The only other sellout since expansion came two years ago at the final running of the Southern 500 on Labor Day weekend. Track president Chris Browning is preparing a five-year plan that includes expansion for a presentation at the fall meeting of International Speedway Corporation board. The State