Darlington Raceway president Kerry Tharp retiring at end of season

By PETE IACOBELLI
AP Sports Writer

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Darlington Raceway president Kerry Tharp says he’s retiring after nearly two decades of a NASCAR career. Tharp is stepping away at the end of the season. Tharp had spent 26 years in college athletic communications before joining the sport in 2005 where he became its chief spokesman for much of a decade before leading the track “Too Tough To Tame” since 2015. Tharp helped initiate a “Throwback Weekend” celebrating the sport’s rich history in his first season. In September, the Southern 500 will open NASCAR’s playoffs for the fourth straight season.