Ned Jarrett facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ned Jarrett
Jarrett working for MRN in 1985
Born	(1932-10-12)October 12, 1932 Conover, North Carolina, U.S.
Died	June 4, 2026(2026-06-04) (aged 93) Newton, North Carolina, U.S.
Achievements	1961, 1965 Grand National Series Champion 1957, 1958 NASCAR National Sportsman Division Champion 1965 Southern 500 Winner Led Grand National Series in wins 2 times (1964, 1965)
Awards	International Motorsports Hall of Fame (1991) NASCAR Hall of Fame (2011)
NASCAR Cup Series career
352 races run over 13 years
Best finish	1st (1961, 1965)
First race	1953 (Hickory)
Last race	1966 American 500 (Rockingham)
First win	1959 (Myrtle Beach)
Last win	1965 Tidewater 300 (Moyock)
Wins Top tens Poles 50 239 35
Statistics current as of May 3, 2013.

Ned Jarrett (October 12, 1932 – June 4, 2026) was a famous American race car driver and a popular broadcaster. He was known as "Gentleman Ned Jarrett" because of his calm and kind personality. Ned won the top NASCAR championship, the Grand National Series, two times. He was also the proud father of two other race car drivers, Glenn Jarrett and Dale Jarrett.

The Amazing Racing Journey of Ned Jarrett

Early Days and First Races

Ned Jarrett loved cars from a young age. His father even let him drive the family car to church when he was just nine! By age 12, Ned was working in his father's sawmill. But what he really wanted to do was race.

Ned drove in his very first race in 1952 at Hickory Motor Speedway in North Carolina. He finished tenth in a Sportsman Series Ford. His father wasn't happy about him racing. So, Ned sometimes raced using his brother-in-law's name. He even won a race before his father found out! After that, his father told him to at least use his own name.

Ned entered his first Grand National Series race in 1953. This was at the 1953 Southern 500 at Darlington Speedway. Unfortunately, his car's engine had a problem early in the race.

Becoming a Champion Driver

Ned became the track champion at Hickory Motor Speedway in 1955. He also did very well in the Sportsman Series, winning national championships in 1957 and 1958. This series is similar to today's Xfinity Series.

In 1959, Ned wanted to race in the Grand National Series, which was NASCAR's top level. He bought a Ford race car for $2,000. He didn't have enough money right away, so he quickly entered and won two races to pay for his new car!

Ned won five races in 1960. Then, in 1961, he won his first Grand National championship! He had one win that year, along with 22 top-five finishes and 34 top-ten finishes in 46 races.

Ned was known as "Gentleman Ned" for his good character. For example, he sold his 1961 Chevrolet race car to Wendell Scott. Wendell Scott was the first African American driver in NASCAR. This showed Ned's fairness and support for other racers. Race teams in those days worked very hard. They often had only a few people to prepare the cars. Ned's team once had to combine parts from different Ford cars to build a new one for a big race!

In 1964, Ned joined a new team with owner Bondy Long. With support from Ford, he won 15 races. He also got his first win on a "superspeedway" (a very large track) at Atlanta Motor Speedway. However, he finished second in the championship to Richard Petty.

The Unforgettable 1965 Southern 500

The year 1965 was a huge one for Ned. He won 13 races and his second Grand National championship! He finished in the top five in 42 out of 54 races.

One of his most famous wins was the 1965 Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. It was a very eventful race. There was a serious accident involving rookie driver Buren Skeen early on. Later, another driver, Cale Yarborough, had a dramatic crash where his car rolled many times. Ned Jarrett kept racing steadily. With 44 laps left, the two leading cars had engine problems. Ned took the lead and won the race by an amazing 14 laps! This is the largest winning margin in NASCAR history. Ned won the final race of the season at Dog Track Speedway to secure his championship. This turned out to be his last NASCAR victory.

Retiring as a Champion

In 1966, Ned raced in fewer events. When Ford announced they were leaving NASCAR, Ned decided to retire from racing. He was only 34 years old. Ned Jarrett is the only driver in NASCAR history to retire as the reigning champion. After racing, he worked in real estate and other businesses. He also helped manage Hickory Motor Speedway.

Ned Jarrett: From Driver to Broadcaster

Ned Jarrett didn't stay away from racing for long. He returned as a popular radio and television announcer.

Sharing Racing Stories on Radio

Ned started his own radio program in the early 1960s. He shared racing news and stories with his listeners. He often recorded several shows at once to fit around his busy racing schedule. Ned said that taking a Dale Carnegie class helped him a lot with his speaking skills.

In 1978, Ned became a radio broadcaster for MRN Radio. He even interviewed U.S. President Ronald Reagan live at the 1984 Firecracker 400 race in 1984. Ned also hosted a daily radio show called "Ned Jarrett's World of Racing" for many years. He retired from that program in 2009.

Calling Races on TV

Ned also became a well-known television broadcaster. He worked for CBS from 1979 to 2000 and for ESPN from 1988 to 2000. He called some of NASCAR's most memorable moments.

One special moment was when he called his son Dale's first victory in 1991. Dale won by a very small margin! Another famous moment was when Dale won the 1993 Daytona 500. Ned, as a proud father, openly cheered for his son on the last lap. He famously said, "It's the Dale and Dale show, and you know which Dale I'm pulling for!" He later tried to apologize to Dale Earnhardt, who finished second, but Earnhardt just smiled and said, "I'm a father, too."

Ned also hosted other racing shows, like Inside Winston Cup Racing on TNN and NASCAR Tech on FSN. He made special guest appearances in the broadcast booth for races in 2007, 2015, 2016, and 2017.

A Family of Racers

Ned Jarrett started a true racing family!

His son, Dale Jarrett, followed in his footsteps and became a NASCAR champion in 1999. Dale is now a race broadcaster for NBC Sports. Ned and Dale were only the second father-son duo to both win NASCAR Cup championships.

Ned's other son, Glenn Jarrett, also raced in the Busch Series and had some starts in the Cup Series. Glenn is now a race broadcaster for UHF television. Ned also had a daughter named Patti. Patti is married to Jimmy Makar, who was a successful crew chief in NASCAR. Ned's grandson, Jason Jarrett, also raced and won in the ARCA Series.

Ned Jarrett's Legacy and Awards

Ned Jarrett was a highly respected figure in motorsports.

Honored in Halls of Fame

By 2004, Ned had been inducted into 12 different motorsports and sports Halls of Fame. He was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1997. In 2010, he was chosen for the NASCAR Hall of Fame and officially inducted in 2011. Ned was also named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers in 1998 and one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers in 2023.

Daytona 500 Race History

Here's a look at Ned Jarrett's finishes in the famous Daytona 500 race:

See also

In Spanish: Ned Jarrett para niños