Race fan's incredible Daytona 500 streak to continue

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about the plight of Jack Hege, likely one of the few _ if only person _ in the world who has attended every Daytona 500 (that's 51 heading into this year).

At the time, it looked as if Hege would miss his first Daytona 500. He didn't have tickets and didn't have a ride to Daytona.

Well, Jack is back.

Upon reading about Hege's plight, a childhood friend will take Hege to Daytona and they'll attened the Daytona 500 together, keeping Hege's streak alive. This will make 52 consecutive Daytona 500s and 53 consecutive years he's been to Daytona for the races (he attended the beach race the year before it moved to the big track). Hege, who is paying for half of the two tickets for his friend and another person, will sit in the DePalma Grandstands in Section B, Row 22, near the entrance to pit road _ about the area Hege has watched every Daytona 500 from.

Hege, who turns 83 on Feb. 9, also will delay knee surgery to attend the race. He was excited as I talked to him today, a change from two weeks ago when he seemed resigned to having his streak end.

"Everybody needs something to look forward to,'' Hege said. "It keeps you going.''

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