Racing Reality

We follow Hurley Haywood at Le Mans to learn what has changed

- Sean Evans

HURLEY HAYWOOD abhors being late. As a three-time champion of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and a five-time winner of the Rolex 24 at Daytona, arriving anywhere first is a trait that’s served the 72-year-old well during his 30-plus years as a race car driver. But at the moment, “Early Hurley” is stuck in an elevator smaller than a bathtub—with seven other people— for nearly half an hour. Perhaps more upsetting than this claustrophobic predicament is the threat to Haywood’s punctuality. Even worse: As the grand marshal of the 2019 24 Hours of Le Mans in June, he’s a guest of honor at a Rolex-sponsored dinner to kick off the famous endurance race. But the finicky elevator within the control tower of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest’s complex in France has a mind of its own.

Upon release, much of the dinner is over and Haywood’s interest in attending has waned. Aggravation may shoulder some blame here, but fatigue factors, too. The requisite grand marshal duties are lengthy and afford few moments of respite. In between photo ops with fellow racing luminaries such as Jacky Ickx or glad-handing the eager cadre of 1,000 volunteer track marshals, many of whom watched Haywood successfully campaign here in 1977, 1983, and 1994, Haywood’s presence has been politely requested at a slew of luncheons, dinners, and other functions, including the drivers’ briefing.

“I remember when you could smoke during these,” Haywood quips quietly during the latter, as we sit in the front row of a room containing 186 drivers, a few seats from returning Le Mans champion and ex-Formula 1 superstar Fernando Alonso.