Darlington Raceway extends sponsor agreement

DARLINGTON, S.C. (AP) Darlington Raceway has extended its Southern 500 sponsorship with Bojangles fast-foot chain through 2019.

Track officials announced the agreement Friday at Richmond International Raceway. The deal restores the five-year commitment to the Bojangles' Southern 500 the parties first reached in 2012. Last week, NASCAR said the Southern 500 would return to its traditional Labor Day weekend race date starting with the 2015 schedule.

The Southern 500 had been run on Labor Day weekend for 53 years from 1950-2003 before it went to California and then Atlanta.

Darlington Raceway President Chip Wile said the track and Bojangles have seen strong value from the partnership and wanted that to continue.