NASCAR honored Claude Levinge, a 103-year-old retired Top Gun pilot, in Cherokee County Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Channel 2\u2019s Berndt Petersen was live in Holly Springs.<\/p>\n
Claude Levinge, who served as a fighter pilot in World War II, the Korean War, and Vietnam, was visited by NASCAR officials at The Retreat at Canton, where he resides.<\/p>\n
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For almost all of his 103 years, Claude Levinge has loved things that go fast.<\/p>\n
\u201cKeeps the guy behind me from catching me,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe loves going fast. His famous saying is, \u2018I used to be fast. Now I\u2019m half-fast!\u2019\u201d said Charlie Levinge, Claude Levinge\u2019s son.<\/p>\n
Claude Levinge, known as \u201cThe Captain,\u201d has always had a passion for speed, which he demonstrated throughout his military career.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe catapulted off aircraft carriers. More like drag racing\u2014but faster. He\u2019s used to going real fast,\u201d Charlie Levinge said.<\/p>\n
Daniel Suarez, a stock car driver, visited Claude Levinge and invited him to be an honorary official at an upcoming race.<\/p>\n
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Brandon Hutchison, EchoPark Speedway general manager, expressed gratitude for Levinge\u2019s service, stating, \u201cFor us to have the opportunity to be free rested on the shoulders of guys like you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Levinge\u2019s call sign during his service was \u201cAce,\u201d and he was one of the original graduates of the Top Gun program.<\/p>\n
Levinge plans to attend the NASCAR race as an honorary official, continuing his lifelong connection to speed and aviation.<\/p>\n
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