In June 2023, Kerry Tharp, a veteran who juggled hats as the former USC sports information director and a seasoned NASCAR executive, announced he was hanging up his boots this year. Tharp’s journey, spanning over decades in NASCAR, is nothing short of remarkable. But, as it is—parting ways—it’s never a cakewalk, especially when you’ve poured your heart and soul into it. The statement rings true for Kerry Tharp, who once steered the ship at Darlington Raceway with confidence.

Recently, Kerry Tharp, who is the prestigious Order of the Palmetto awardee, turned to Twitter to share a heartfelt swan song. With a mix of nostalgia and pride, he penned a touching farewell, closing the chapter on the seven-year tenure he shouldered with dedication and passion.

Darlington Raceway commander Kerry Tharp expressed his gratitude for what he calls the honor of his life

Since 2016, Kerry Tharp, the Kentucky native, has been the guiding force behind “The Lady in Black,” a role he stepped into after 11 years of steering NASCAR’s communications ship. Before this, he worked as a NASCAR executive for more than a decade in Charlotte. Throughout his years at Darlington, Tharp, fondly dubbed “The Commander” by many, has been a pivotal figure in NASCAR’s narrative. However, 2023 felt like the perfect time to pass the baton of this legendary track to fresh hands.

When the hour of farewell struck, the official Twitter handle of ‘The Lady in the Black’ shared a touching tribute, saying, “Farewell to our Commander ♥️ Thank you @Kerry_Tharp for all the years of service and happy retirement. We love ya.”

This heartfelt message stirred deep emotions in Tharp, prompting him to retweet it with his own poignant words: “It has been the honor of a lifetime. Thank you @NASCAR, the fans, drivers, teams, owners, sponsors, media, & thank you @TooToughToTame !”

In an earlier teleconference, he also reflected on his remarkable 44-year journey in the sports and entertainment world. “You know, I worked about 25 years in college athletics and then now the past 19 years at NASCAR, and about eight of those have been at Darlington. And I have loved every minute of it, absolutely. And we just came off of just an outstanding event last month with a Throwback Weekend that coincided with the 75th anniversary (of NASCAR), and that was as much fun as I’ve ever had in my career,” he shared.

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He further added, “[…] And I said, ‘You know what? I think it’s time to go out.’ And if you’re gonna go out, go out on top. And I think I’m doing that.” But how did Kerry Tharp’s path unfold from a public relations executive to the president of one of NASCAR’s most celebrated race tracks?

The remarkable NASCAR odyssey of the Darlington leader

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Kerry Tharp was initially associated with collegiate athletics. However, later he entered the arena of motor racing, and that changed the course of his career. He has had two decades under his belt as the Associate Athletics Director for Media Relations at the University of South Carolina. And then, in 2005, Tharp got an opportunity in NASCAR’s licensing division as a public relations executive. Soon after, he embraced this new chapter, albeit for a brief six months. And then, when Jim Hunter, a USC football alum and a titan in NASCAR, drew him into the competitive fold, despite initial doubts, the move was a game-changer for him.

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“11 years working as the director of communications for competition and got to go to every race track at the time that was on the schedule and work with so many great people and so many of the drivers and owners and really the media, because I worked in the media center and just really developed strong relationships with them and just had a ball,” Tharp recalls.

At Darlington, Kerry Tharp was pivotal in steering NASCAR through the uncharted waters of the 2020 COVID pandemic. With the world on pause, he and the NASCAR team huddled to chart a course for a safe return to the racetrack. As for what lies ahead, Tharp hasn’t mapped out all the details, but topping his list is relishing the joys of being a grandfather.