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NASCAR and its long-time fans are mourning the loss of a legend and his son following race weekend at Talladega Superspeedway. While traveling home from Friday night\u2019s ARCA Series race on Interstate 85, 83-year-old NASCAR veteran James Hylton and his son James Tweety Hylton, Jr. were involved in a fatal traffic accident that left both deceased at the scene.<\/p>\n
According to surviving driver Terry Strange, who also suffered several broken bones, the racing family\u2019s GMC truck and trailer \u201cleft the road, went across the median and across another lane of traffic before hitting an embankment after Hylton Sr. claimed to be having a heart attack.\u201d<\/p>\n
While the Hylton team survived another highway accident last July, after a race at Iowa Speedway, this time around the two weren\u2019t so lucky.<\/p>\n
A statement released by both NASCAR and ARCA recalled that James Hylton\u2019s dedication, passion and longevity in motorsports was virtually unmatched.<\/p>\n
\u201cHylton won the rookie of the year at NASCAR\u2019s highest level, the 1972 race at Talladega Superspeedway and regularly contended for championships during the early years of his career. His racing influence continued into the ARCA series, where he competed as a driver and, most recently, a car owner. We have lost a truly special member of the racing family and a beloved figure among generations of competitors and race fans alike. We extend our deepest condolences to the Hylton family on the tragic loss of James Hylton and his son James Jr.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hylton made 602 starts in what is now the Monster Energy Series, a career that spanned from 1964 to 2007. He was the series\u2019 Rookie of the Year in 1966 and finished second three times (1966, \u201967, \u201971) in the overall standings. Hylton also worked on Ned Jarrett\u2019s crew during his championship years in the 1960s.<\/p>\n