No Track For (Really) Old Men: The James Hylton Saga

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Weather permitting, Inman, S.C., native James Harvey Hylton will make his 171st and final ARCA start at Kansas Speedway on Friday night (8:30 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1).

During his career, Hylton competed in 602 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, winning two races, earning 140 top-five finishes and twice finishing in the runner-up position in the points standings.

But what you really need to know?

Hylton turned 79 years old on August 26th.

That's not a misprint.

Seventy-freakin'-nine years old.

And if the rain holds off, he'll be going 180 miles per hour around the fast 1.5-mile Kansas track. At night.

Think about it.

More importantly, think about how much your own grandfather can scare the living bejeezus out of you at 55 mph on the freeway and then contemplate someone granddad's age going more than three times as fast for an entire race and one run at night, no less.

How old is James Hylton?

So, congrats to James Hylton on a noteworthy - and remarkably lengthy - career.

Now please enjoy retirement. Really.