Come Saturday, Feb. 9, ARCA/REMAX Series fans will have one last shot to see a legend tour the 31-degree high banks of historic Daytona International Speedway. “This will be my last time to race here at Daytona,” said 73-year-old James Hylton from the garage at historic Daytona International Speedway Saturday, the second day of a three-day ARCA RE/MAX Series test session in preparation for the ARCA 200 ARCA RE/MAX Series race. “I want to go out on a high note. I want to win the ARCA race here in February and I’d like to make the Daytona 500. That would be a great way to finish my run here at Daytona.”

Hylton, who has been testing a #48 Chevrolet for owner John Carter this weekend, has been a mainstay at DIS since 1959 when the facility first opened. But only this past February, he gained the notoriety fit for a king. Hylton, the 1966 NASCAR Rookie of the Year, was the center of attention prior to 2007 Daytona 500 as he looked to become the oldest man to run in NASCAR’s biggest, richest and most prestigious race. The media frenzy that went with it is something he enjoyed, but nothing he’ll miss.

“I’m trying to work out a deal to be able to do that again (run in the 50th running of the Daytona 500),” Hylton said. “I don’t have anything yet, but I’m working on getting back in. As far as (2007) went, I think things got a little out of hand with all that. They were writing the story not because I was the greatest driver that ever showed up. It was just hard for a lot of people to believe a 72-year-old man could drive a race car. Don’t get me wrong: I enjoyed my ‘15 minutes of fame,’” he said. “But I respect the age thing. I’ll be around, maybe as a mechanic or something else. But I won’t be behind the wheel.”