As someone who has traveled to countless races and tracks for more than 40 years, and watched even more via television, YouTube, and live streaming, it’s easy to become jaded or lethargic to the sport sometimes. It’s not that I don’t love drag racing; it’s simply that when you spend so much time following one thing, it can begin to blend together over time.
But once in a while, an event comes along that is different…special. I felt that way when I traveled to Bandimere Speedway in 2018 for the Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod, and the feeling has only grown stronger since it moved to Bradenton Motorsports Park.
Entering Shadyside Dragway on Saturday morning during Memorial Day weekend, I sensed that same feeling – which I’m willing to admit I did not expect. Did I believe King of the South would be a good race? Absolutely. But flying into Charlotte Friday night, I couldn’t have anticipated the absolute chaos to follow.
It began outside the facility, where I sat in traffic nearly half a mile from the entrance waiting to get in. There are two houses on the property, and spectators were already having to park in the front yard of one house and in the field beyond (later, they’d be parking across the street). My media credentials allowed me to drive beyond that, but not by much, as nearly every available inch of space was full. Race cars were even pitted in the driveway and yard of the other house sitting near the return road.
Shadyside features a unique three-tier pit area, and all along the hills and various levels I could see RVs, tents, canopies, barbeque grills, and lawn chairs covering the landscape. Music drifted through the air as groups tailgated like they were at an NFL game. It was a unique situation, in that while it was incredibly crowded, it didn’t feel claustrophobic, nor was there the usual tension generated by people forced into such a situation. Everyone I saw seemed genuinely happy and having a good time. It felt more like a family reunion than a drag race – if your family reunion included roughly 5,000 people.
That small-town, family feel is something that has made Shadyside a special track to visit since at least 1982, when the late Ronnie Buff – who the Memorial Day weekend race is named after – bought the track. Nowadays, his grandsons Seth and Zach Buff run the track, and they’ve maintained that same atmosphere through 2025.
“I feel like that is something that is special here,” says Seth. “I’ve been telling people they’ll never understand how grateful we really are. I go to promoter meetings and talk to different tracks, and they say, ‘Well, you know how people are.’ And I kind of don’t. Our fans and drivers are so supportive.
“The family aspect…there’s a lot of people here that watched us grow up, which is crazy to hear,” Seth continues. “I meet these people, shake their hand, look them in the eye, and thank them. We’re a fourth generation, and we both have kids, so that’s a fifth generation running through here. I don’t know the words to express how much it means to us. I think it’s something that has to grow organically. You have to love it, and you have to love these people.”
Loving the fans isn’t just lip-service, either. Zach spent much of the weekend shuttling spectators in and out of the track on a golf cart in an effort to help fans not have to walk so far. During the rides, he would tell them the history of the track and his family, allowing for an intimate experience you’d never see from a track owner at a larger facility – or perhaps anywhere.
“The support’s been overwhelming,” says Zach. “Everybody is having a great time. A ton of people that came knew our grandpa, or came here when he was still alive and running the place. That was wholesome to see and hear, and meant a lot to me. It’s really humbling to have this many people here that just love racing and want to support us.”
By Saturday afternoon, the track announced they were at capacity. The fire marshal wouldn’t allow anyone else on the property. They had previously announced they could no longer allow any more racers on the property either, as every available spot was full – evidenced by the aforementioned driveway and yard.
Despite the huge crowd, I was impressed with the entire track staff in maintaining a good environment. Were there some overflowing trash cans? Sure, it’d be impossible for there not to be. But the restrooms (at least the men’s) were nice every time I used them, and there was always soap in the dispensers. The hand dryer didn’t work, but that was merely a minor inconvenience.
Meanwhile, the food lines were always long – again, it’d be impossible for them not to be – but while I can’t speak on the various food trucks on the property, I was amazed at how quickly the track’s concession stand line moved, and how polite everyone waiting in line were to each other.
Some may think these are small items in the grand scheme of things, but anyone who has been to as many tracks as I have can attest that those small items make a huge difference.
As for the racing (I mean, that’s what everyone came to see, right?), it was spectacular. You had drivers from all aspects of racing, from radials to no prep, converging in one spot for $75,000. Names like Ryan Martin, Kye Kelley, Lyle Barnett, Brad Edwards, and event winner Larry Larson, just to list a few.
King of the South promoter Corey Stamper found the perfect sweet spot, prepping the track so drivers could make good, clean passes, while not going so far overboard that fans were stuck watching tractors more than the cars. Although the track crew dealt with one major oildown and a few wrecks over the course of the weekend, Sunday’s final eliminations ran smoothly – which is just how Stamper had drawn it up when he first presented the idea.
“It was at a point where radials had gotten big, no prep had gotten big…but there was no in-between,” Stamper says. “It’s something we talked about for a while – what does the future need to be? This is what the in-between is. You’ve got the radial guys on slicks, and you’ve got the no-prep guys on prep. And honestly, both sides love it. I think a lot of people are enjoying the action they’re seeing. We’ve merged worlds of fans that never would have been together. This is the biggest race I’ve ever been a part of in my life. I love it.”
The fans – myself included – definitely enjoyed the action, and were treated to an amazing final round Sunday night between Larson and Barnett, where Larson took the $75,000 win by just four-thousandths of a second. It was the perfect end to a nearly perfect weekend.
While the 2026 edition of King of the South is still a year away, I’m already counting the days until I can head back to Shadyside, and I’d recommend to anyone that missed out this year to join the “family.” Just remember to get there early before the facility fills up to capacity, as it undoubtedly will, or you’ll be stuck missing it again.
This story was originally published on May 29, 2025. 
The post OPINION: What Makes Shadyside Dragway’s King of the South Special first appeared on Drag Illustrated.