Dale Jarrett facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dale Jarrett |
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Jarrett in 2011
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| Born | Dale Arnold Jarrett November 26, 1956 Conover, North Carolina, U.S. |
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| Achievements | 1999 Winston Cup Series Champion 1993, 1996, 2000 Daytona 500 Winner 1996, 1999 Brickyard 400 Winner 1996 Coca-Cola 600 Winner 1998 Winston 500 Winner 1996, 2000, 2004 Budweiser Shootout Winner |
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| Awards | Named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers (1998) 2004 USG Person of the Year Award NASCAR Hall of Fame (2014) Named one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers (2023) |
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| NASCAR Cup Series career | |||||||
| 668 races run over 24 years | |||||||
| Best finish | 1st (1999) | ||||||
| First race | 1984 Sovran Bank 500 (Martinsville) | ||||||
| Last race | 2008 Food City 500 (Bristol) | ||||||
| First win | 1991 Champion Spark Plug 400 (Michigan) | ||||||
| Last win | 2005 UAW-Ford 500 (Talladega) | ||||||
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| NASCAR Xfinity Series career | |||||||
| 329 races run over 20 years | |||||||
| Best finish | 4th (1984, 1986) | ||||||
| First race | 1982 Goody's 300 (Daytona) | ||||||
| Last race | 2007 Food City 250 (Bristol) | ||||||
| First win | 1986 L.D. Swain 150 (Rougemont) | ||||||
| Last win | 1995 Jiffy Lube Miami 300 (Homestead) | ||||||
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| Statistics current as of December 20, 2012. | |||||||
Dale Arnold Jarrett (born November 26, 1956) is a famous American former race car driver. He is also a racing commentator for NBC. Dale is well-known for winning the exciting Daytona 500 race three times. He won it in 1993, 1996, and 2000. He also won the NASCAR Winston Cup Series championship in 1999.
Dale Jarrett comes from a racing family. His father, Ned Jarrett, was a two-time Grand National Champion. His brother, Glenn Jarrett, and son, Jason Jarrett, also raced. After he stopped driving, Dale joined the ESPN/ABC broadcasting team. Since 2015, he has been a part of the NBC Sports broadcasting crew for NASCAR events. He was honored by being inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2014. He was also named one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers in 2023.
Contents
Early Life and Racing Dreams
Dale Jarrett was born on November 26, 1956, in Conover, North Carolina. He was the middle child of Ned and Martha Jarrett. His older brother is Glenn, and his younger sister is Patti. Dale's father, Ned, was a successful NASCAR driver. He won two series championships in 1961 and 1965. After retiring, Ned became a well-known racing commentator.
Growing up, Dale traveled to many of his father's races. He loved sports and played golf, football, basketball, and baseball in high school. He even led his high school golf team to three championships. After graduating in 1975, Dale worked at Hickory Motor Speedway. This was the track his father managed. Even though he was offered a golf scholarship, Dale wanted to follow his father's path in racing.
Starting His Racing Journey
In April 1977, Dale Jarrett entered his first professional race. It was in the Limited Sportsman Division at Hickory. He drove a 1968 Chevrolet Nova. Dale started in last place but finished an impressive 9th. This race made him realize he wanted to be a professional driver.
He raced in the Limited Sportsman Division for two years. Then, he moved up to the Dash Series. After that, he competed in the Late Model Sportsman Division. He earned his first victory in that series.
Climbing the Ranks: 1982-1991
Dale Jarrett raced in the 1982 NASCAR Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series. He had 14 top-10 finishes and ended the season 6th in points. In 1983, he earned four pole positions and 17 top-5 finishes. He finished 5th in the points standings that year.
In 1984, Dale made his Winston Cup Series debut. He drove for Emanuel Zervakis at Martinsville Speedway. He finished 14th in his first Cup race. In 1986, he earned his first career victory in the Busch Grand National Series. He won at Orange County Speedway in Rougemont, North Carolina.
In 1987, Dale won his second Busch Grand National Series race at Hickory. He also started racing full-time in the Winston Cup Series. He finished 26th in points and was second for Rookie of the Year. In 1989, he had five top-10 finishes for Cale Yarborough's team.
Dale had great success in the Busch Series in 1990 and 1991. He won races at Bristol, Charlotte, Rockingham, and Darlington. In 1990, he joined Wood Brothers Racing. The next year, he won his first career Winston Cup race at Michigan International Speedway. He finished a career-best 17th in the points standings.
Becoming a Champion: 1992-1999
After his first Cup win, Dale Jarrett moved to Joe Gibbs Racing in 1992. In 1993, he won the famous Daytona 500. This race was known as "The Dale and Dale Show" because he battled Dale Earnhardt for the win. He finished 4th in the final standings that year.
In 1995, Dale joined Robert Yates Racing. He drove the No. 28 Texaco Ford. He won his first Cup race for Yates at Pocono Raceway. In 1996, he won the Daytona 500 for the second time. He also won the Coca-Cola 600, Brickyard 400, and a race at Michigan. He finished 3rd in the points standings. After winning the Brickyard 400, Dale started a tradition of "kissing the bricks" at Indianapolis. Many drivers still do this today.
In 1997, Dale won a career-high seven races. However, he finished 2nd in the championship to Jeff Gordon. In 1998, he won three races and finished 3rd in points.
The year 1999 was amazing for Dale Jarrett. He took the points lead early in the season and held it. He won the Winston Cup title by a large margin. He had four wins, 24 top-5 finishes, and 29 top-10 finishes. This was a record for the modern era. He also stopped racing in the Busch Series to focus on his Cup career.
Later Career and Retirement: 2000-2008
After winning the championship, Dale Jarrett won the Daytona 500 for a third time in 2000. This was a huge achievement! In 2001, he won three of the first eight races. He even shared the points lead with Jeff Gordon for a few weeks. However, he later suffered a concussion from a crash.
In 2002, Dale reunited with his crew chief, Todd Parrott. He won two more races that year at Pocono and Michigan. In 2003, he won at North Carolina Speedway. In 2005, Dale had his last career Cup series win at Talladega Superspeedway. He finished 15th in the standings that year.
In 2006, Dale Jarrett had four top-10 finishes. This was his last year racing for Robert Yates Racing. In 2007, he moved to Michael Waltrip Racing to drive the No. 44 Toyota. He faced challenges because his new team did not have enough owner points. This meant he had to qualify for races based on speed.
Dale Jarrett announced his retirement from full-time racing in October 2007. His final points race was the 2008 Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. He gave a heartfelt speech to his fellow drivers before the race. He thanked them for allowing him to race against the best.
After his final race, Dale joined ESPN's NASCAR coverage full-time. He became a lead announcer, sharing his knowledge and experience with fans.
Personal Life and Hobbies
Dale Jarrett has a close family. His brother-in-law, Jimmy Makar, was his crew chief at Joe Gibbs Racing. Jimmy is married to Dale's sister, Patty.
Dale is a very good golfer. He has a 2 handicap in golf. He even appeared in a commercial with famous athletes like Phil Mickelson, Michael Jordan, and Wayne Gretzky. Dale was also a member of the Coca-Cola Racing Family of Drivers during his racing career.
He used to own a Ford dealership in Indian Trail, North Carolina. Dale Jarrett now lives in Hickory, North Carolina. In 2002, he participated in the Olympic Torch Relay for the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. His son, Zach, is a professional baseball outfielder.
Awards and Special Recognitions
- 1997, 1999 Richard Petty Driver of the Year
- 1998 Named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers
- 2000 Received the Best Driver ESPY Award
- 2014 Inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame
- 2023 Named one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers
Images for kids
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Jarrett in 2011
See also
In Spanish: Dale Jarrett para niños
