Ned Jarrett

Ned Jarrett won two Cup Series championships, in 1961 and 1965, and in his final championship season, he won 13 races with a driving style so clean, so controlled, and so tactically brilliant that he earned the nickname Gentleman Ned. The Newton, North Carolina native was the rare driver who could dominate without making enemies, winning with a consistency and grace that earned universal admiration. His 1965 season included a victory at Darlington's Southern 500 by 14 laps, the largest margin of victory in a major NASCAR race and a performance so dominant it defies comprehension even decades later. Jarrett retired at just 34 years old, walking away at the peak of his abilities because he valued his family's well-being above any additional trophies. After retiring from driving, Jarrett built a distinguished broadcasting career that put him in the booth for some of the sport's most memorable moments, including his son Dale's Daytona 500 victories. The emotion in his voice as he called Dale home was pure, unrehearsed, and unforgettable. Inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2011, Ned Jarrett's legacy is unique -- a champion twice over, a broadcast pioneer, and the patriarch of a racing family whose impact on the sport spans generations. He proved that you could race hard, race clean, and still beat everyone.

Written by Richard R. Glover, NASCAR Reference