Darlington Raceway doesn’t need a public relations department to promote the track and help secure its future in NASCAR’s Nextel Cup Series.

It just needs Tony Stewart.

The driver of the No. 20 Chevrolet began Tuesday by selling three tickets for the May 7 race during a visit to the ticket office at stock car racing’s oldest superspeedway.

He then flew his helicopter onto the front lawn of the Governor’s Mansion, where he told Gov. Mark Sanford and other high-ranking officials what a mistake it would be if NASCAR eliminated the track from the schedule.

He then spent an hour lecturing a sports and entertainment marketing class at the University of South Carolina, where between answering questions about why his front right tire came off on Sunday at Martinsville and what he likes to do in his free time, he put in a few plugs for the track.

“It’s a speedway that is so rich in tradition that even NASCAR understands no matter how big markets get, no matter what happens in the Darlington area ... this is a speedway that in no circumstances can they afford to lose this date,” Stewart said.

“People from the South wouldn’t let NASCAR do that. They couldn’t get down to (NASCAR headquarters in) Florida fast enough if they thought they were going to take that date away.”

Stewart and fellow driver Jeremy Mayfield were in town to help government officials promote the track that last year lost its traditional Labor Day date and this year lost one of its two Cup weekends.

They offered their support with words. The state’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism offered its support with a three-year deal that included the purchase of signage to promote the track and the state.

“In the course of three days we’ll have 100,000 people come through there,” said track president Chris Browning, pointing out that tickets have been sold to people from 48 states.

“They can promote the parks and the beach and all the different things South Carolina has to offer.”

Browning said from his knowledge this is the first time the state has made a financial commitment to the 60,000-seat track that brings millions to the state economy.

Stewart said nobody has to sell Darlington Raceway — at least from a driver’s perspective. He said speculation that the track could be eliminated from the schedule if ticket sales don’t improve and the track doesn’t expand concerns him.

“It’s hard to imagine having a season without a race at Darlington,” he said. “I would find it real hard for NASCAR to be able to take both dates away.”

So would Mayfield.

“If you want to see good racing, which is what built NASCAR, it doesn’t get any better than Darlington,” he said. “We can go to the biggest city in the world, and if we don’t put on a good show ... what would that do?

“Hopefully, NASCAR realizes that.”

Reach Newton at (803) 802-2091 or sportsscribe01@aol.com.