James Hylton was a former Nascar Cup Series and ARCA Series owner/driver who competed as a driver from 1964-2013 and an owner from 1968-2018. Hylton was the model of consistency during his prime years, finishing inside the top 5 in point standings 8 of the first 10 seasons he ran full-time in NASCAR. Winning the 1966 Nascar Cup Series Rookie of the Year honors, as well as setting the record for highest finishing rookie in point standings. 2nd place, a record that still holds to this day.

Even though Hylton found a way to be consistently competitive, he did so mostly with sponsorship. Only finding victory lane twice, he finished runner up in final points 3 separate times, in 1966, 1967 and 1971. Most of Hylton's Cup Series career was spent driving self owned equipment. Later in life he would start racing in the ARCA Series as his Cup Series career wound down. Making his final Cup Series attempt in the 2007 Daytona 500. He was in position to qualify for the event with 10 laps left in his duel, when a caution came out on the track. On the restart, Hylton's clutch malfunctioned, forcing him to lose the draft and DNQ for the 500. In ARCA his final start came in 2013 at Kansas, where he finished 18th.

Near the end of April in 2018, James Hylton, his son James Hylton Jr and his race teams crew chief Terry Strange were driving home from the ARCA race at Talladega Superspeedway. The team's hauler was in a traffic accident going northbound on I-85, close to Carnesville, Georgia. Both Hylton's lost there lives in the accident, with Strange surviving with some severe injuries.

NASCAR'S First Star In The #48: James Hylton

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