With cancer in remission, Hunter returns to favorite stomping grounds

Jim Hunter is back doing to the two things he loves the most — being at the race track and playing golf.

That wasn’t the case seven months ago when the former Darlington Raceway president was diagnosed with small-cell lung cancer in his right lung Oct. 31.

The diagnosis was made after Hunter was taken to the hospital in Talladega where doctors found a blood clot in his neck.

The news, however, wasn’t a complete shock to Hunter.

“I wasn’t surprised when I first heard the diagnosis. Having been a smoker for 58 years, how could I be surprised? However, I told everybody I thought it was the preservatives they put in food and not
necessarily tobacco,” he jokingly said. “Figured I needed to do what the doctors said and try to whip it.”

That’s what Hunter set out to do. He began chemotherapy in the first week of November that lasted until a week before the Daytona 500.

Hunter was away from the track during that time and missed the Sprint Cup awards banquet in Las Vegas for the first time since the mid-1970s.

“I really missed being at the track and not seeing all my friends for that three months or so. But they stayed in touch,” Hunter said. “ It was unbelievable; the calls, the cards, the e-mails, the prayers.”

Hunter credits his wife, Ann, and his family for their support during the treatments. He’s also appreciative of the support from the NASCAR community — from drivers, crew members andco-workers.

Hunter also received support from some former drivers, including A.J. Foyt and Johnny Rutherford.

“Rutherford asked me when he called if I was out of the crash house,” Hunter said. “That’s the term he always used for hospitals and Johnny spent his share of time in the crash house.”

In March, doctors told Hunter the cancer was in remission. He still has to go back for checkups, but is able to go back to the track on a regular basis, something he’s been accustomed to for the better
part of four decades.

“I was thrilled when he got the good news about his cancer (being) in remission,” Darlington Raceway president Chris Browning said. “Hunter has been a great source of knowledge and input anytime we
needed it.”

Hunter also was able to resume his other passion — golf. His game might not be the best, but he’s just glad he is able to be out there.

“I’m working hard on my golf game, which is pretty much a lost cause because I don’t seem to get any better,” he said “ As Juan Pablo (Montoya) tells people, I’m one of the guys who spends lots of
money trying to buy a better golf game and still can’t hit the ball out of my shadow. Unfortunately, he’s right.”

Hunter said he will cut back on his traveling a little now and try to spend time with his family and grandchildren. He also plans on writing some fiction books.

“Having cancer makes you appreciate the ones you love even more,” Hunter said. “It has also intensified my appreciation for friends in the motorsports world, which has been so much a part of my life for
so many years.”

Petty, Earnhardt added to Legends Walk
Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt both have been added to the Darlington Legends Walk at Darlington Raceway.

Earnhardt is second in wins at the track with nine and Petty won three times there.

Each of the Darlington Legends Walk monuments resembles a Goodyear racing tire and old-style pit board. Each monument is made of solid granite and marble and weighs nearly 2,300 pounds.

This is the third consecutive year new monuments have been added and the track plans to continue adding new monuments each year.