NEWTON, NORTH CAROLINA — Ned Jarrett died on Thursday, June 4, 2026, at the age of 93. Jarrett died peacefully of natural causes at his home in Newton, North Carolina, with his family present.
Jarrett won 50 NASCAR Cup Series races in 352 career starts between 1953 and 1966. He also secured NASCAR Cup Series championships in 1961 and 1965. In 1961, Jarrett won one race in 46 starts and recorded 34 top-10 finishes, driving a Chevrolet owned by W.G. Holloway Jr. He finished ahead of Rex White in the 1961 championship standings.
In 1964, he won 15 of 59 races and finished second in the final standings to Richard Petty. He also won Sportsman Division championships in 1957 and 1958.
During his 1965 championship season, Jarrett won 13 races in 54 starts and achieved 45 top-10 finishes while driving for Brandy Long. He won the 1965 championship by more than 3,000 points over Dick Hutcherson, with Darel Dieringer finishing third, more than 14,000 points behind. Jarrett also won the 1965 Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway by a margin of 14 laps, which remains the largest margin of victory in NASCAR Cup Series history.
Jarrett broke his back in a crash at Greenville-Pickens Speedway in 1965. He retired from professional driving at age 34 following this injury.
In 1998, Jarrett was named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers. He was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2011 as part of the second induction class. His wife, Martha, resides in Hickory, North Carolina.
Following his retirement from driving, Jarrett hosted a daily radio program called 'Ned Jarrett's World of Racing.' He joined NASCAR's MRN Radio in 1978 and worked as a television analyst for CBS from 1984 to 2000. He served as the broadcast announcer for the conclusion of the 1993, 1996, and 2000 Daytona 500 races.
Jarrett and his son, Dale Jarrett, who won the 1999 NASCAR Cup Series championship, are one of five father-son pairings inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame as drivers. Other such pairings include the Pettys; Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Dale Earnhardt Jr.; Buck Baker and Buddy Baker; and Bobby Allison and Davey Allison.
Steve O'Donnell, CEO of NASCAR, offered his condolences. "Despite his calm demeanor, Gentleman Ned Jarrett was as fierce a competitor as NASCAR has ever seen." He added that Jarrett's on-track accomplishments, including wins and championships across several NASCAR divisions, speak for themselves. He also stated that Jarrett's off-the-track persona distinguished him. "He was as kind as his nickname indicated." He noted Jarrett's 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." He said, "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."