Remembering the legendary Ned Jarrett
It is with a heavy heart that we acknowledge the passing of a true giant of motorsport, Ned Jarrett. The NASCAR legend died at his home in Newton, North Carolina, on Thursday, June 4, 2026, at the age of 93. A two-time champion in the series now known as the NASCAR Cup Series, Jarrett was a man whose influence on stock-car racing spanned from the cockpit to the broadcast booth.
Jarrett’s driving record is nothing short of incredible. Across a 13-year career between 1953 and 1966, he secured 50 premier-series wins in just 352 starts. He took his titles in 1961, driving for B.G. Holloway, and in 1965, while with team owner Bondy Long. His 1965 dominance was cemented by an astonishing victory at the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, where he crossed the line 14 laps ahead of the field. Even after a broken back suffered at Greenville-Pickens Speedway in 1965 and his subsequent retirement at age 34, his legacy remained untouchable, including 43 victories in Ford entries.
Beyond the track, he became a voice for the sport, famously calling his son Dale Jarrett’s 1993 Daytona 500 victory on CBS. His transition from the track to the microphone with CBS, ESPN, and the Motor Racing Network made him a beloved figure to generations of fans. He was a man who understood the grind of the sport better than anyone, once noting that stock-car racing required the discipline of a real business. We have lost a profound ambassador, a Hall of Famer, and an essential piece of racing history.
