Ned Jarrett, one of NASCAR’s most legendary drivers and most respected broadcasters, has passed away at 93 years of age. Jarrett’s passing was announced by his family on Friday afternoon. Among the sport’s most revered pioneers, Jarrett was voted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2011 in the second class of inductees.
As memorable as his personal NASCAR career was, Ned Jarrett is equally remembered as the patriarch of one of racing’s foremost families. His two sons Dale and Glenn Jarrett both followed their father’s footsteps as racers and broadcasters, with Dale being inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2014. Ned’s daughter Patti is now married to Jimmy Makar, the Senior Vice President for Racing Operations at Joe Gibbs Racing.
Jarrett Family Statement
“With profound sadness, the family of NASCAR Hall of Fame driver and radio/TV personality, Ned Jarrett, announces his passing on Thursday, June 4, 2026. He died peacefully of natural causes at his home in Newton, North Carolina, with his family by his side. He was 93 years old. Our father was a devout Christian and a devoted, loving family man. He was a friend to everyone he met and NASCAR’s oldest living champion. By all accounts, he was a true NASCAR legend. While we mourn his passing, we celebrate the remarkable life of an amazing man and truly the best father anyone could have wished for. Rest in Peace, Dad.”
Driving Prowess
From his NASCAR Cup Series debut in 1953 until his last race in 1966, Ned Jarrett was one of the most dominant drivers the sport of stock car racing has ever seen. The North Carolina native won 50 times in 352 races, the ninth-best average finish in NASCAR history.
In 1961 and 1965 Ned Jarrett won the NASCAR Cup Series championship, becoming the sixth driver in series history to win multiple titles. He did so against titans such as Rex White, Joe Weatherly, Junior Johnson, and Marvin Panch. In his 1965 championship campaign Jarrett posted a staggering 4.9 average finish, winning 13 times in 54 races.
Other accomplishments from Ned Jarrett’s driving career include the 1957 and 1958 titles in the NASCAR National Sportsman Division, the 1965 Southern 500 victory, and the Cup Series wins lead in 1964 and 1965. He was also inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1991.
Life in the Booth
Following his racing career, Jarrett became one of the sport’s most beloved broadcasters. He started out hosting his own radio show in North Carolina while still driving, before later taking a job with Motor Racing Network (MRN) in 1978. His radio highlights included interviewing President Ronald Reagan in 1984 and calling the 200th and final win for Richard Petty on the same day.
Starting in 1979, Jarrett began another career as a television color analyst. He worked for CBS from 1984 to 2000 and for ESPN from 1988 to 2000. While in the booth, Jarrett got to commentate for his son Dale’s first career victory in 1991. One of NASCAR’s most iconic calls came in the 1993 Daytona 500, when Ned Jarrett narrated the tense last-lap battle between Dale Jarrett and Dale Earnhardt Sr. He christened the finish ‘The Dale and Dale Show’, making it one of NASCAR’s most recognizable finishes.
Jarrett’s final contributions to NASCAR television coverage came in 2015 through 2017, when he joined the coverage of Darlington Raceway’s throwback weekends. He reunited with his son Dale, also an accomplished broadcaster, and longtime colleague Ken Squier.
