Ned Jarrett, two-time Cup champion and Hall of Famer, dies at 93

Ned Jarrett, two-time Cup champion and Hall of Famer, dies at 93

Ned Jarrett, one of NASCAR’s most decorated figures as both a driver and a broadcaster, died of natural causes at his home in Newton, North Carolina. He was 93. Jarrett was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame and was named among NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers in 1998.

Jarrett competed in the Cup Series from 1953 to 1966, having taken up racing after Hickory Speedway opened near the family farm and sawmill where he worked. He accumulated 43 wins in Ford-powered cars, a total that stands as the all-time record for wins by a Ford driver. According to the draft, Team Penske’s Joey Logano is the highest active driver on that list, with 35 of his 37 career victories recorded in Fords.

After retiring from competition, Jarrett built a second career in broadcasting. He began as a pit reporter on radio with the Motor Racing Network before moving to television with CBS and ESPN. His most celebrated moment behind the microphone came at the 1993 Daytona 500, when he called the closing laps of a race his son Dale Jarrett won over Dale Earnhardt Sr. – openly declaring his allegiance on air in an exchange that became one of the sport’s most replayed broadcasts. Both Dale and his brother Glenn also pursued broadcasting careers after their own time in racing ended.

Jarrett is survived by his family. His wife Martha, to whom he was married for 67 years, died in 2023.