HAYDEN: Beyond the Visor; Legends

“Heroes get remembered, but legends never die.” If you have ever watched The Sandlot, you likely remember that famous James Earl Jones quote toward the end of the movie. But really, what makes someone a legend?

If you look up the definition, it is either a famous or notorious person, or a historical story that is popular but may or may not be entirely true. So if you combine those definitions, I think that is what Mr. Myrtle meant in the movie. A legend is a person whose fame is carried on by stories that may or may not be entirely true, but transcend time.

Take Babe Ruth, for instance. Did he really call his shot when he hit that home run? Did Andre the Giant really drink over 100 beers in an evening? Those are the stories we have heard that are part of the legend of those individuals. Whether or not they are true, or partially true, we may never know. But those stories are part of what has made those people be considered legends.

I would consider my uncle, “Fast” Eddie Hayden, a legend. Admittedly, I was not extraordinarily close to him growing up or in my adult life. Sure, we saw each other at family gatherings and, obviously, at the racetrack and occasionally in the race shop. We raced against each other in street stocks, and in recent years, he has come to cheer me on in the stands as I have continued in racing. But a lot of what I know about my uncle comes from the stories others have told me about him.

For instance, when Fast Eddie started racing in the early ’70s, he went through seven radiators in his first seven weeks of racing. Every Sunday, he and his buddies and brothers would go to the junkyard in search of a radiator. They would put it in the racecar, and he would go race and apparently hit something and destroy it, then repeat the following week.

I have heard a tale of “The Fast One” winning a feature at Auto City Speedway in the 1980s and then, after spending some time at one of the famous after-race bonfires, asking someone, “Man, who won the feature tonight?” The guy looked at him and said, “Fast Eddie, you won the feature tonight.” Eddie grinned and said, “Well, hell yeah.”

One story I have told others was from when I was probably 10 years old. We were at Auto City, and Fast Eddie was in the street stock class at that time. They would get 50–60 street stocks every week. One week, Fast Eddie had fast time and took “the challenge” to start last in the consolation race and would receive a bonus if he swept the features. I remember watching him drive to the lead of the consi in the first eight laps to win it, then starting last in the semi-feature and driving to the lead with a couple of laps to go. Starting last in the A feature, he picked his way to the front and took the lead on the last lap to win it. I had never seen that happen before, and I have never seen that happen since. When Fast Eddie was behind the wheel of a good car, he could make magic happen.

There are so many more Fast Eddie Hayden stories out there. For instance, the sign at the pit entrance at Auto City has two street signs: Gasoline Alley and Hayden Road. I have heard multiple stories on how those signs ended up there, but I don’t really know the truth.

To this day, when I meet people at autograph sessions or after the races, one of the first questions I get is, “How are you related to Fast Eddie?” And they almost all have a story about a race he won or some other shenanigans that took place. The other thing, too, is that everyone who mentions him does so with a smile on their face.

“Fast” Eddie Hayden passed away on April 18, 2026, after battling cancer. He was inducted into the Michigan Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2022, which was one of his proudest moments. I had a chance to sit down and chat with him just a couple of days before he passed. It just so happened that another Hall of Famer, Dennis Berry, stopped by at that same time. Eddie, Dennis, my dad Kenny Hayden, and my uncle Bobby Hayden grew up together in Flint and were linked by their passion for racing. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Eddie and Dennis reminisce about the old days, and I heard plenty of stories that I had never heard before. One thing Eddie said that day: “I’m not going to cry or feel sorry for myself. How could I cry over such a great life?” I’m very fortunate that moment will be my last memory with The Fast One.

I don’t know your own definition of a legend, but I think Fast Eddie Hayden certainly is one. Even though he is gone, his stories and the memories we have of him will carry on. So I guess Mr. Myrtle was right—legends never die. Rest in peace, Fast One!

As always, please feel free to leave feedback on Facebook, or you can email me at kylehayden2214@gmail.com. Until next time—race on!