| NED JARRETT | | | | didn't have $2,000. I had known that Junior had won |
| Ned Jarrett is well known in the world of NASCAR as | | | | in that car on several occasions and I felt that was |
| "Gentleman Ned Jarrett" because of a certain | | | | the car I needed to make myself known in the |
| calmness about him. Behind the wheel of a race car | | | | Grand Nationals." |
| however, he was fierce competitor. His 13 year | | | | Needless to say, Ned won both races and the car |
| racing career brought him two cup championships. | | | | was his. In 1966, Ned was in contention for another |
| Ned developed an interest in driving early in life. His | | | | championship when Ford withdrew their sponsorship |
| father let him drive to church every Sunday when he | | | | in NASCAR. He decided it was time to retire while he |
| was just nine years old. At the age of 12, he began | | | | was at the top of his game. He was just 34 years |
| working for his father in his sawmill, but that's not | | | | old and the only driver to retire as a NASCAR |
| where he wanted to stay. | | | | champion. The Jarrett family is one of the first |
| His heart was at the track. When he was 20 years | | | | families of NASCAR. Ned is the father of Dale Jarrett |
| old, he drove his first race at Hickory Motor | | | | who won a championship in 1999 and recently retired |
| Speedway. It was the first race held at this track. | | | | from driving the UPS #44 for Michael Waltrip Racing. |
| Ned finished 10th. His father however, was not as | | | | Ned and Dale are the second father-son pair to win |
| excited as Ned was. He said that Ned could work on | | | | cup championships (behind Richard and Kyle Petty). |
| cars all he wanted but he wasn't allowed to race. | | | | Born: October 12, 1932 (1932-10-12) (age 75) |
| Around this time, Ned's brother-in-law was doing | | | | Birthplace: Newton, North Carolina |
| some racing. Once, he was unable to drive for a race | | | | Awards: 1961 Grand National Champion |
| due to an illness and asked Ned to fill in for him. So, | | | | 1965 Grand National Champion |
| using his brother-in-law's name, he drove in the race | | | | Named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers (1998) |
| and placed second. | | | | Myers Brothers Memorial Award (1964, 1965, 1982, |
| Ned was so pleased with how this plan worked out | | | | 1983) |
| that he began to drive in more races using an | | | | National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame |
| assumed name. Before long, his father got wind of | | | | (1972) |
| what was going on. He looked at Ned and said "If | | | | North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame (1990) |
| you're going to drive, at least use your own name". | | | | International Motorsports Hall of Fame (1991) |
| So that's exactly what he did. After winning | | | | Oceanside Rotary Club Stock Car Hall of Fame (1992) |
| championships in the Sportsman series (now | | | | National Auto Racing Hall of Fame (United States) |
| Nationwide) in 1957 and'58 Ned wanted to enter the | | | | (1992) |
| Grand National Cup series (now Sprint). | | | | American Auto Race Writers & Broadcasters |
| He found a Junior Johnson Ford he wanted to buy | | | | Association Hall of Fame (1992) |
| for $2000. He didn't have enough money in the bank | | | | Jacksonville, Florida Speedway Hall of Fame (1993) |
| to cover the check so he waited until after the bank | | | | Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (1997) |
| closed, wrote the check to purchase the car with | | | | Talladega Walk of Fame (1997) |
| the intention of winning two races, earning enough | | | | Hickory Metro Sports Hall of Fame (2001) |
| money for the cost of the car. "I wanted that Ford | | | | NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Statistics |
| in the worst way," said Jarrett. "Only problem was I | | | | 352 races run over 13 years. |