Dropping the Hammer: Remembering Motorsports Writer Ed Hinton

For most of my professional writing career, I’ve had three north stars when it came to journalists who inspired my craft.

They’ve been ESPN’s Ryan McGee, Yahoo! Sports’ Dan Wetzel and Ed Hinton.

Sadly, over the weekend, the motorsports world learned that Hinton died on Thursday (Feb. 6) at the age of 76.

You’re forgiven if you’ve never heard of Ed.

He retired from the brutal journalism industry at the end of 2014 at 66, after half a decade spent writing for ESPN.

Over the previous 40 years, he plied his craft for Sports Illustrated, the Orlando Sentinel, the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the Chicago Tribune and even the National Sports Daily, an all-sports newspaper led by famed writer Frank Deford that lived from Jan. 31, 1990 to June 1991.

Before I go any further, make sure you read a feature profile Ed wrote for that paper in 1991: “The Last Ride of AJ Foyt.” I made sure to print off a copy of it 10 years ago. Remember, kids, the Internet is not forever.

Also, find yourself a copy of his 2002 book Daytona: From the Birth of Speed to the Death of the Man in Black.

You will not regret it.

Even though he wrote for everyone a sports journalist could have dreamed of being published by, I wasn’t aware of Ed until 2014.

Though I’ve followed NASCAR for almost my entire life, I never really paid attention to motorsports journalism as a kid outside of watching “RPM 2Night” on ESPN.

So Ed and I didn’t cross paths until he was in the twilight of his career and I was starting mine.

At the time I was earning my sports journalism master’s degree, I was doing it via the Sports Capital Journalism Program at Indiana University in Indianapolis.

I found out about Ed while doing research for an independent study project: an oral history of the 1992 Indianapolis 500.

Ed, who was with Sports Illustrated at the time, was among the many journalists who covered the 500 that year. He was one of the voices I included in a 50-page document I submitted to my professor in mid-May.

Here’s some of what Ed remembered about Al Unser Jr.’s first Indy 500 win, which was a wreckfest.

“Start to finish, I guess ‘92 was probably the most memorable Indy 500 for a lot of bad reasons and a lot of good reasons.

“I remember very well with all the crashes and injuries, Jill (Lieber), a fabulous reporter, but it was all the two of us could do to keep up with all that was going on that day. We were running all over the place, to the infield hospital, to the various garages, just all over the place.

“I remember telling Jill at one point, we were kind of catching our breath in the garage trying to decide where to go next. In mid-race, I remember telling Jill, ‘Now I have some idea, some idea anyway, what it’s like for war correspondents.’”

Days after I turned that project in, I started covering my first Indy 500.

During a very busy two weeks, I don’t think I met Ed in person, but I remember him asking questions at various press conferences.

That summer I reached out to Ed again.

The emails are lost on a long-dead student email account, but I do remember him being complimentary of questions I asked in the post-Indy 500 press conferences.

The reason I emailed Ed again was I wanted to write a feature profile on him for my program’s website.

So over what had to be two hours at least, I talked with Ed over the phone about his 40-year career. At one point, Ed apologized for being so exhaustive about his life and career.

“This is like therapy,” I remember him telling me.

I pray that I have a printed copy of the mammoth story I wrote. The website it was published on no longer exists and I couldn’t find it on archive.org.

Remember, the Internet isn’t forever.

During our marathon interview, one story Ed shared with me best exemplified the difficulty a motorsports specialist could have in covering their beat for a mainstream publication.

It came during his time writing for Sports Illustrated.

At one point an editor told him it would be a good idea to explain what a lap was for readers.

Seriously.

I’m relieved that I’ve never had to deal with someone that pedantic.

In July 2015, half a year into his retirement, I reached back out to Ed. Via email I let him know I was working at NBC Sports covering motorsports and I had moved to Fort Worth to be close to Texas Motor Speedway.

Ed responded later that day.

“First, congratulations!  It would seem to me that NBCSports.com is the place to be for motor racing coverage now. It’s my understanding that Nate Ryan has moved to NBC from USA Today, and he’s a very nice guy who’ll be very helpful whenever you ask. I’m guessing you didn’t care much for Charlotte — I never did. You’re logistically better off now, because DFW allows you to go anywhere non stop.

“Actually I’ve paid little to no attention to this season. I watched a couple of laps of the Daytona 500, found it same ol’ same ol’, and haven’t watched any racing since. Right now don’t even know who’s leading the points in any of the leagues.

“Currently I’m living on the coast of Mississippi — best kept secret on the entire Gulf of Mexico, what with about 10 times more to do than the other Gulf states due to a dozen casino resorts that have big time entertainment a la Vegas, and I do enjoy the poker rooms. Way different and more diverse than the rest of Mississippi. Dozens and dozens of fabulous places to eat, due to the heavy migration from Louisiana over here. And, I’m 40 minutes from New Orleans and an hour from Mobile Bay, for even more stuff to do.

“People here from many states and several countries, all taking advantage of the big secret. Know a guy who has liquidated holdings in Beliz and moved here because he likes it better. The ratio of widows and divorcees to eligible men is highly favorable, so no problem there. And it’s amazing how well they take care of themselves.

“And the risk of hurricanes is kind of stimulating.  I’ve been shopping for high-rise beach condos, including a 14th floor penthouse that is certified to have withstood Katrina without so much as window leakage. Anything over about 7th floor would be above the worst possible storm surge, and all glass now certified up to 180 mph.  Plus, the HOA dues cover all wind and flood insurance, with retained attorneys to deal with the insurance companies.

“So, as the Cajuns say, Laisse le vent souffler — let the storm winds blow.

Ed”

In another email he said I was “a better pure writer” than my colleagues and “and if that still matters, you’ll move up.”

That meant the world to me, even if I didn’t believe it myself.

In his last email to me, he gave me some handy advice.

“Oh, one other thing, always have your bullshit meter running at all times around (Eddie) Gossage. He’s a lot of fun but watch him.”

Aside from a couple of Facebook messages, that was the last I heard from Ed.

I close this column with Ernest Hemingway.

Specifically, a Hemingway quote that Ed used in the introduction of Daytona 23 years ago.

“There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games”

Laisse le vent souffler, Ed.