© Suburban Journals of Chicago photo by Dan
Peters
Dream Weaver ..... 72-year-old veteran hopes to race at Bristol
in a “Car of Tommorow
by Dan Peters
With six laps to go in the first of two Gatorade qualifying races,
veteran driver James Hylton was in a position to complete his
impossible dream. At 72 years of age, he was in the 2007 Daytona 500.
An with that, he would have been the oldest driver to ever start the
“Great American Race” But it was not meant to be.
Along with Hylton, 17 other drivers and a few former winners would join
him on the long trip back home, and to try another day.
Hylton was running eighth
in his Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS and in the top two among those who
hadn't already earned qualifying spots when Ganassi driver Reed
Sorenson engine expired, bringing out a caution flag that ultimately
put an end to Hylton's chances of making the race.
On the restart, Hylton struggled to get his car in gear and got
freight-trained out of line. He soon found himself lon the outside line
looking in as a bevy of cars drove past him, eventually relegating him
to a 23rd-place finish.
"If I could have gotten going on the restart, we would have been fine,"
Hylton said. "But I had a clutch problem ... I couldn't speed-shift it
like I needed to, and they pulled by me on the restart. Once you give
one of those guys an opening, they're going to take it. Once they got
me on the outside, it was over."
Hylton's flirtation with this Nextel Cup season is not yet over,
however. He said he felt so good about his performance in Thursday's
race that he wants to attempt to qualify for this spring's Bristol race
in a Car of Tomorrow.
How about this…the man from past piloting a Car of Tomorrow. Stay
tuned this March to see if he can make a comeback.
Hylton said work already has begun on building his car of the future,
with assistance from Richard Childress Racing -- which also assisted
him in his Daytona qualifying attempt.
"We're going to try to run Bristol," Hylton said. "We're working with
RCR, trying to get the car built. It will really be tight. We were
thinking of putting a younger driver in it, but I'm seasoned now. I
might just drive it myself.
"Why should I let a young driver get in my brand-new car?"
Along with Bristol, Hylton hints he will try a few more Nextel Cup
races this year, namely, Michigan, Pocono and Kansas.
James Hylton left NASCAR Cup racing to become an owner/driver in the
ARCA REMAX Series. He made 16 starts in ARCA last season with a best
finish of 18th He also flirted last year in the NASCAR
Busch Series, making the field at the Milwaukee Mile in June.
At 72 he was considering retirement when his long time friend Weaver
approched him with the Daytona 500.
Country-music singer J.C. Weaver, financially backs Hylton's efforts,
said that he backs Hylton 100 percent in his efforts. He also said that
he thought Hylton showed the younger folks a thing or two in Thursday's
race.
"James Hylton is a legend in racing and NASCAR," Weaver said. "We're so
thankful NASCAR let us come here. James was 72 and we knew there was
some question about his ability to run here -- but I think he proved
[Thursday] that he's more alert and active at age 72 than a lot of
people. We're very proud of James. He's pretty spry.
“We don’t do things by age (in making decisions); we go by dreams and
visions, and we said this hound dog is going to hunt. We’re here to
have a good time. Said Weaver.
"He feels bad that he's not in the 500. But the car gave him problems
all day. He couldn't shift it."
While may in the garage are behind his efforts, a few drivers hold
out some concern. Take Jeremy Mayfield. He wonders if Hyltons age puts
him at serious risk in a wreck. His NASCAR license does contain a
restriction that allows the sanctioning body to change drivers if he
can’t keep pace.
Seven-Time Cup Champion and racing legend Richard Petty retired in 1992
at the age of 55. Petty had the strongest reaction to Hylton making a
comeback, especially at Daytona. “Basically, he ain’t got no business
out there – not at the age he is.” But Petty did say he picked
the right place to try it. “But (trying) it at Daytona or Talladega
would be a lot easier for …. Anybody of (that) age who’s maybe not
(such) a good driver because its all car.”
Mark Martin took a different view… “I think its cool.” Matrin himself
is in the latter stages of his career and can relate to Hylton. “ I
know what a challenge he faces today. It means a lot to an old-school
guy to see somebody come and try.”
The James Hylton File:
Won $100 for
finishing 19th in his first Cup race in July 1964 at age 29
Last won a race in August of 1972, one of two career Cup wins.
601 starts over a 27-year career that appeared to be over
after the 1993 season.
He was the circuit's rookie of the year in 1966 when he
ran his first full-time season.
Won Richmond 500 in 1970 & at Talladega in 1972.
After Thursday's race, Hylton was
still a popular driver for both
fans and media alike, doing several
media interviews and signed autographs for fans. One small girl asked
him to sign an autograph helmet, which he did. Then he applied a
grandfatherly hug and offered some advice to all.
"That means everything," Hylton said of the child asking for his
autograph. "We're not just here for the seniors. We would like for
all the generations to pull for us. Little kids don't seem to have a
problem with the gray hair or how old you are. They just look at
you like a racecar driver.
"I think I might put a quietness on all that kind of stuff. ... Racing
with these kids, we had no problem with it. They just better hope I
don't start doing this on a regular basis."
Good Luck James, we
will all be watching for you.
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