NASCAR Hall of Fame Statement On the Passing of Ned Jarrett
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (June 5, 2026) – The following is a statement from NASCAR Hall of Fame Executive Director Winston Kelley on the passing of Ned Jarrett.
“On behalf of the NASCAR Hall of Fame team, I want to offer our sincere condolences to Ned’s children, Glenn, Dale and Patti, and all his family.
Known universally as “Gentleman Ned” for his kind, calm and gracious off-track presence, Ned Jarrett was a tough competitor on the track and one of NASCAR’s earliest superstars as a two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion with 50 Cup series wins along with two Sportsman Division championships.
His retirement from driving at just 34 years of age opened a new chapter as a versatile and trusted broadcaster, the first former driver to take on such a role. His award-winning career included working for the Universal Racing and Motor Racing (Radio) Networks, and CBS, TNN and ESPN television networks. He also served as a brand ambassador for several commercial products within NASCAR.
Coupling his accomplishments on the racetrack with his contributions to NASCAR in a wide range of endeavors off track resulted in Ned being one of the first ten inductees into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2011. His truly gentleman nature and concern for others was never more evident than when the first thing he told me on the day of his selection into the NASCAR Hall of Fame was “I want to make you and your team a good Inductee.”
NASCAR and the NASCAR industry have lost one of our most accomplished and versatile contributors to NASCAR’s remarkable history and one of our staunchest and most active ambassadors of all time. Along with many others, we at the NASCAR Hall of Fame have lost a cherished friend. Ned’s remarkable legacy and accomplishments in and for NASCAR will live in our minds, our hearts and the archives of the NASCAR Hall of Fame forever."