Ned Jarrett, a NASCAR Hall of Famer and one of the greatest drivers in the sport's history, passed away on June 4 at the age of 93.
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"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," a statement distributed by NASCAR said. "He died peacefully of natural causes at his home in Newton, N.C. 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."
Jarrett, a native of North Carolina, delivered significant success during his time competing at NASCAR's top level. He only started 352 races between 1953-1966, but he won a staggering 50 times.
Ned Jarrett won a NASCAR Grand National (Cup) race at New Asheville Speedway 62 years ago today. 🏁
He lapped everyone but Richard Petty.#NASCARLegends 🏁 pic.twitter.com/0RmMomARgm
— NASCAR Legends (@LegendsNascar) July 15, 2025
He did so while competing against such luminaries as seven-time champion Richard Petty, two-time champion Buck Baker, three-time champion David Pearson, and 50-time winner Junior Johnson.
Jarrett won only a single race during the 1961 season, but he captured the championship by 830 points over Rex White. He won his second championship in 1965 after winning 13 of the 55 races. He finished in the top 10 in 45 of the 54 races he started.
The North Carolina native, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011, holds an unbeatable record. He won the Southern 500 crown jewel race by a staggering 14 laps in 1965. This is the largest margin of victory in the sport's history.
While Jarrett stopped competing after the 1966 season, he remained a part of the sport. He worked in broadcasting and had the opportunity to call son Dale Jarrett's Daytona 500 win in 1993.
RIP Ned Jarrett pic.twitter.com/zonEGfviqG
— Nick Yeoman (@NYeoman) June 5, 2026
"Despite his calm demeanor, 'Gentleman' Ned Jarrett was as fierce a competitor as NASCAR has ever seen," NASCAR CEO Steve O'Donnell said in a statement. "His on-track accomplishments speak for themselves with wins and championships across several NASCAR divisions. But it was his off-the-track persona that separated Ned from his peers.
"He was as kind as his nickname indicated. And his endearing personality helped him excel in his second career as a broadcaster. Ned was an outstanding ambassador for the sport for more than six decades and he will be dearly missed. On behalf of the France family and all of NASCAR, I offer my deepest condolences to all of Ned's family and friends on the loss of a NASCAR legend."
