FOX—-TUSCON, AZ – Herschel McGriff Sr. is 90 years old. On Saturday, he’ll be making history as the oldest-known person ever to compete in a NASCAR race.
“When we get in the car, when I get my helmet on and the suit, they don’t know who’s in there — they don’t know I’m 90 years old,” McGriff Sr. said. “So, they might think, ‘Hey, here’s some 23-year-old wanting to pass me.’”
Instead, it’ll be McGriff Sr. driving in NASCAR’s K&N Pro Series West race at Arizona’s Tucson Speedway on May 5.
“NASCAR, they want to make sure — you know, 90 years old, a lot of them are in a wheelchair or pushing carts around and walkers, that kind of thing,” McGriff Sr. said. “They don’t quite understand my abilities, I guess. Since I hadn’t driven for over three years, they sent a guy out here [from Charlotte] to test me. I had to run 50 laps on the track. I borrowed my son’s car to do it in. Then they had to have a letter from my cardiologist to make sure that my ticker was good and so my cardiologist, he put me through the whole thing.” more
Come to my town on a Sunday morning. You’ll see all the elderly race car drivers you’ll ever want to.
Pretty neat! I’d watch that today, but unfortunately it’s only on NBCSC, a rather obscure pay network.
And the fact that it’s NBC…
F ’em if they can’t take a joke!
DANG! More “Old people doing stuff”.
“Speaking the truth in times of universal deceit is a revolutionary act.” Geo. Orwell
Due to the pussification of NASCAR I stopped watching it two years ago. It’s a damn shame NASCAR officials made cookie cutter cars standard equipment. That decision took all the personality and cutting edge engineering out of the races. Now the admin divides the races into segments so the drivers can have a rest period. What’s next, safe spaces. Thanks for the memories, but no thanks. I have better things to do with my time.
I do congratulate any 90 year old that is capable of competing in any sport.
They made him run 50 laps?
I couldn’t do that at 25.
He will be easy to spot. His turn signal will be on the whole race.
Will it be the ‘old man in a hat’ that unexpectedly weaves into your lane after you attempt to pass him, or will it be the ‘can’t see ’em over the steering wheel’ that impedes all traffic and looks overwhelmed while doing it?