"Jim Hunter was one of NASCAR's giants," NASCAR CEO Brian France said. "For more than 40 years Jim was part of NASCAR and its history. He loved the sport, but loved the people even more. It seems as if everyone in the sport called him a friend. Jim will forever be missed by the NASCAR community. Our sympathies go out to his entire family."
Hunter became a NASCAR regular in the 1960s, when he was named public relations director at Darlington Raceway and Talladega Superspeedway. He was named vice president of administration of the sanctioning body in 1983, while ten years later he was appointed president of the Darlington Raceway and corporate vice president of the International Speedway Corporation. He was also a very active journalist and sports editor.
Holder of several awards from different organizations in media and racing, including the National Motorsports Press Association's Joe Littlejohn (2005) and the Buddy Shuman (2006), Hunter left behind a wife and two children. The NASCAR executive was 71.
"With the loss of Jim, everyone was a good friend of him," Juan Pablo Montoya said after qualifying for the first position for tomorrow's Amp Energy Juice 500 Talladega race. "He was such a good person. I'm really going to miss him. It really sucks. It's nice to get the pole here in his memory."
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