06/09/2026
Ned Miller Jarrett, 93, of Newton, NC passed away Thursday, June 4, 2026. Born October 12, 1932, he was the son of the late Homer Keith Jarrett and Eoline Marie Leatherman Jarrett.
Ned Jarrett was an American race car driver and broadcaster. He was a two-time NASCAR Grand National Series champion, winning titles in 1961 and 1965. He was inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame in 1990 and the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1991. Ned was named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers in 1998 and was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2011.
After retiring as a driver, he managed Hickory Motor Speedway in Hickory, NC from 1967 to 1977 and won Promoter of the Year twice during that span. He later enjoyed a distinguished broadcasting career, serving as a motorsports announcer for 22 years with CBS Sports and 19 years with ESPN. He hosted the TV show Inside NASCAR for 19 years on TNN and hosted his own radio show, Ned Jarrett’s World of Racing, in association with MRN Radio for 31 years. His contributions to motorsports broadcasting earned numerous honors, including induction into the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame in 1972 and the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 1992.
Ned hosted a charity golf tournament benefiting the American Cancer Society for 25 years, raising more than $1 million. He was instrumental in raising funds for the construction of the Catawba County YMCA in Conover, NC. He was a member of Beth Eden Lutheran Church from 1958 to 2026 and supported numerous church charities. He was also a founding member of the Newton Elks Lodge, which supported many local Catawba County youth and outreach programs. Ned was awarded an honorary doctorate from Lenoir-Rhyne University in 1997. An avid golfer and member of the Catawba Country Club for more than 50 years, Ned and Martha built their home in 1984 overlooking the club’s eighth hole.
He is survived by his daughter, Patricia Jarrett Makar and her husband, Jimmy of Statesville, NC; his sons, Glenn Jarrett of Hickory, NC and Dale Jarrett of Scottsdale, AZ; his grandchildren, Jason Jarrett and his wife, Christina, Alex Makar Pekarek and her husband, Brian, Dillon Makar, Natalee Jarrett, Karsyn Jarrett, and Zachary Jarrett; and his great-grandchildren, Ford Jarrett and Kendall Pekarek.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife of 67 years, Martha Bowman Jarrett.
A memorial service will be held at 1:00 PM on Thursday, June 11, 2026, at the P.E. Monroe Auditorium of Lenoir Rhyne University, 625 7th Ave NE, Hickory, NC 28601.
Memorials may be made to Beth Eden Lutheran Church, 400 N Main Ave, Newton, NC 28658 or to the American Cancer Society.
