Ned Jarrett, a two-time NASCAR premier-series champion, member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, widely popular broadcaster and one of the most respected figures in NASCAR’s long history, has died. He was 93.Emerging as a star driver during NASCAR’s formative years, Jarrett won premier championships in 1961 and 1965. He won 50 races in NASCAR’s top division, now known as the Cup Series, and his win in the 1965 Southern 500 by 14 laps remains the largest in Cup history and a record that isn’t likely to be topped.“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,” the Jarrett family said in a statement. “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.”
The NASCAR family is saddened by the loss of Ned Jarrett, a NASCAR Hall of Famer, two-time Cup Series champion and one of our sport's greatest ambassadors.
