Previewing Florence Motor Speedway’s South Carolina 400

The temperature is dropping, leaves are falling and Thanksgiving is less than a week away.

That can only mean one thing. It’s South Carolina 400 week at Florence Motor Speedway.

One of Late Model Stock car racing’s crown jewel events is back and bigger than ever, with a stacked entry list, a sold out crowd expected and the return of an iconic paint scheme.

Here’s everything you need to know for this weekend’s South Carolina 400.

The History

If you were to look up the previous winners of the 400, you’d only find three names. Ty Majeski in 2020-2021, Brenden Queen in 2022 and Kade Brown in 2023.

But the event is listed as the 32nd Annual South Carolina 400, so where do the previous 27 years come from?

The answer lies down the road. The South Carolina 400 is a spiritual successor to the Myrtle Beach 400, held at the now-extinct Myrtle Beach Speedway from 1993 to 2019. The Myrtle Beach 400 was one of Late Model Stock racing’s iconic events, but it was at risk of facing a similar fate to the track itself with the speedway set to be demolished.

Fortunately, Myrtle Beach promoter Steve Zacharias purchased Florence Motor Speedway and preserved the history of the historic track, including its marquee event. It was rebranded as the South Carolina 400 for 2020 and beyond.

Since then, a unique tradition has been added for winners of the 400 at Florence. Drivers that claim the event now receive a commemorative palm tree on the property, decked out with a race winner’s banner. They line the drive up to the track. The tradition began back in 2023 and all four previous races are displayed on the property, further adding to the prestige of winning the race.

Bud is Back

You read that correctly.

For anyone who hasn’t heard the news, Dale Earnhardt Jr. will return to the 400 this weekend, driving the famed No. 8 Budweiser car for the first time in 17 years.

Earnhardt last drove the car in 2007 while competing for Dale Earnhardt Inc. in the NASCAR Cup Series before departing the team for Hendrick Motorsports and new sponsors in 2008.

Since then, the widow of Dale Earnhardt Sr., Teresa Earnhardt, has held the trademarks for nearly everything DEI-related, including the font of Earnhardt Jr’s famed No. 8 and the Budweiser sponsorship.

Teresa released the trademarks for both this past summer, allowing Earnhardt Jr. to acquire what he…