Passing Lane

A NASCAR BLOG BY Mike Hembree

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AARP alert - Hylton’s back

Dec 21

Bring out the adult diapers jokes. James Hylton is back in Daytona.

To understand the unusual nature of all this, you have to keep reminding yourself that Hylton, who was NASCAR’s Cup series rookie of the year in 1966 - yes, 1966 - is 73 years old. Yet he has been at Daytona International Speedway this month testing a car for the Automobile Racing Club of America opener in February, and he plans to make another - the final, he says - run at making the Daytona 500 field.

Hylton added an interesting storyline to the 2007 Daytona 500 as, at 72, he tried to bring a “senior division” into NASCAR’s most important race. Hylton’s unusual quest created a lot of media attention, particularly among journalists who were absolutely astonished that a guy who qualified for Social Security a decade earlier could race at speeds approaching 200 miles per hour. One suggested he might have to pit for a diaper change.

For those of us who have known Hylton for more than a quarter-century, his seemingly outlandish quest was no surprise. He has sailed against the wind for many years, and he needs only the hint that he can’t do something to make the attempt to do it.

Few experts gave him a shot at qualifying for the 2007 race, but he almost did it, missing by a few seconds in one of the Thursday qualifiers.

Now he’s talking about trying to race in the 50th anniversary 500, and then hanging up his firesuit. One or both of those things could happen, but Hylton’s life has been so full of surprises and wacky doings that almost nothing is guaranteed.

Don’t bet your AARP card against him.