Photo: Yahoo News
On Saturday, NASCAR’s K&N Pro Series West race took place at Tucson Speedway in Arizona. The race would have been just like any other, hadn’t it been for veteran racer Hershel McGriff.
McGriff is 90 years old and entered the race which took place last Saturday together with his 61-year old son, who took the role of crew chief. Behind the wheel of a Toyota wearing the banners of Bill McAnally Racing, the veteran officially became the oldest driver to compete and nearly complete – he ran for 94 of the 100 laps of the race - a NASCAR-sanctioned event.
The elder even was the star of the event, kicking off the race by playing the trombone. According to Tucson Speedway president John Lashley, McGriff was more nervous about that than about racing drivers in their prime.
According to ESPN, McGriff finished 18th in the first race at Tucson. His achievement, given his age, is explainable considering the fact that he used to race starting back in the 1950s.
His first race took place in 1945, just as the racing events were resuming across the U.S. following World War II. He won the first Carrera Panamericana in 1950, being talked into trying a new career in America's prime racing series by NASCAR founder Bill France, Sr.
Officially, the 90-year old man retired from racing when he turned 74. By that time, he already won the the Grand National competition - currently NASCAR Cup Series - four times and the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West in 1986.
McGriff was inducted in the first class of the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame in 2002 and also in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America.
"I've had a great life. I wouldn't backtrack for anything," McGriff said, according to the source. "I have family that's with me, and behind me, so it's great."
The elder even was the star of the event, kicking off the race by playing the trombone. According to Tucson Speedway president John Lashley, McGriff was more nervous about that than about racing drivers in their prime.
According to ESPN, McGriff finished 18th in the first race at Tucson. His achievement, given his age, is explainable considering the fact that he used to race starting back in the 1950s.
His first race took place in 1945, just as the racing events were resuming across the U.S. following World War II. He won the first Carrera Panamericana in 1950, being talked into trying a new career in America's prime racing series by NASCAR founder Bill France, Sr.
Officially, the 90-year old man retired from racing when he turned 74. By that time, he already won the the Grand National competition - currently NASCAR Cup Series - four times and the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West in 1986.
McGriff was inducted in the first class of the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame in 2002 and also in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America.
"I've had a great life. I wouldn't backtrack for anything," McGriff said, according to the source. "I have family that's with me, and behind me, so it's great."
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