In September, Florence Motor Speedway welcomed Dale Earnhardt Jr. back to its four-tenths-mile oval, where he raced alongside drivers still building their careers. It was a reminder of what made this South Carolina venue special. NASCAR names could share a track with local racers, giving rising talents a chance to prove themselves. Just weeks later, the speedway delivered a troubling announcement about its future.
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“It comes with great sorrow to announce that Florence Motor Speedway will not be putting out a schedule for the upcoming 2027 season, and furthermore, there are no current plans for racing on the 4/10 mile oval in 2027,” the speedway announced on October 20.
The news leaves a major question hanging over regional racing. Florence is not a NASCAR Cup Series venue, but its importance extends well beyond its place on a calendar. For years, it has provided a home for grassroots competition. Now, its management says the struggle to keep racing alive has reached a breaking point.
Florence Motor Speedway opened in 1982 and sits roughly 15 miles south of Darlington Raceway. The asphalt oval became a NASCAR-sanctioned weekly racing venue, hosting local divisions and touring series while developing a reputation across the Southeast.
Its value comes from the opportunities it offers drivers. Weekly short-track racing teaches competitors to handle traffic, defend positions and manage their cars over long runs. Those skills matter when they move into tougher fields. Florence gave racers a place to develop before chasing opportunities in NASCAR’s national series.
The track also attracted established names. Dale Earnhardt Jr. returned for major Late Model Stock Car events, bringing attention to a form of racing that often operates outside NASCAR’s national spotlight. His appearances connected his own early racing background with drivers hoping to follow a similar path.
Florence also helped preserve the IceBreaker after Myrtle Beach Speedway closed in 2020. The event moved to Florence, carrying its history into a new home. Past winners included Ty Gibbs, Josh Berry, Lee Pulliam and Timothy Peters, underlining the event’s standing in short-track racing.
The South Carolina 400 carried that tradition forward. It became the successor to the Myrtle Beach 400, keeping a major end-of-season Late Model Stock Car race alive after its former venue disappeared. Winners such as Ty Majeski and Brenden Queen helped establish Florence as an important stop for leading regional competitors.
The CARS Tour brought competitive fields. Its September 2026 doubleheader featured Late Model Stock Cars and Pro Late Models, with Caden Kvapil and Kaden Honeycutt winning their respective features. Earnhardt and Shane van Gisbergen also raced that weekend.
These events show why Florence matters to NASCAR without hosting Cup races. It gives emerging drivers opportunities to compete against strong fields, while established names help attract fans and attention. Losing that platform means fewer opportunities for the regional racing community to grow.
The speedway’s management has not provided a detailed breakdown of the problems behind its decision. However, its statement makes clear that the difficulties developed over several years.
“Since taking over the reigns in 2020, we have tried everything in our power to keep soldiering on, but each season has been increasingly difficult,” the announcement read.
Steve Zacharias took over operations in 2020, helping keep established events running after Myrtle Beach Speedway shut down. Yet maintaining Florence became harder with every season, despite efforts to find a way forward.
“Unfortunately, we have now reached the point to where we feel we have exhausted all possible options and it no longer seems feasible to continue,” the speedway added.
The announcement also raises concerns about the choices available to South Carolina racers. With Florence stepping away, local competitors will have fewer in-state pavement venues for regular racing. Touring series must also account for another established track missing from their future schedules.
NASCAR has not announced any specific intervention or rescue plan for Florence. The speedway has not confirmed whether it will close permanently, be sold, or reopen. For now, there are simply no plans to race there in 2027.
The immediate focus is on finishing 2026 with three remaining events: a two-day monster truck show, the South Carolina 250 and the 34th annual South Carolina 400. That final race carries added significance because it continues a tradition that survived the loss of Myrtle Beach Speedway.
Florence’s management says it wants to end the season on a high note. Its final events will give racers and fans another opportunity to gather at a venue that has connected local competition with NASCAR’s wider racing world.
The loss would extend beyond a missing date on the calendar. Florence has offered drivers a place to develop and fans a chance to watch future stars before they reach the national stage. Its uncertain future now leaves the short-track community facing a difficult question: who will fill that space if the speedway never returns?