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Dale Jarrett Named Honorary Pace Car Driver For Goodyear 400 At Darlington Raceway

by Press Release May 3, 2023 0 comments

DARLINGTON, S.C.  – One of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers will lead its current stars to the green flag on Sunday, May 14.

Darlington Raceway announced today (April 25) that NASCAR Hall of Famer and 1999 NASCAR Cup Series champion Dale Jarrett will serve as the Honorary Pace Car Driver for the Goodyear 400. He joins an illustrious list of living legends who will be on hand for the culmination of The Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR and the pinnacle of NASCAR’s 75^th Anniversary celebration.

“Dale Jarrett is more than just a legendary driver and broadcaster, he’s an incredible ambassador for NASCAR,” said Darlington Raceway President Kerry Tharp. “Not only does he provide a powerful connection to our past, he also promotes our present and serves as a shining example for our future. We’re thrilled he’ll lead the field to green for the Goodyear 400.”  

A year before winning his NASCAR Cup Series championship, Jarrett was named as one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers of All Time. He was enshrined in the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2014 following a 24-year career that included three DAYTONA 500 triumphs and two Brickyard 400 wins.

From 1996-2001, Jarrett was a Darlington force behind the wheel of the iconic No. 88 Ford owned by fellow NASCAR Hall of Famer Robert Yates. During that stretch, Jarrett won three NASCAR Cup Series races (1997-98, 2001) and three poles at Darlington, cementing his legacy at The Track Too Tough to Tame.

“I’ve always had a tremendous amount of respect and admiration for Darlington Raceway,” said Jarrett, who now serves a NASCAR on NBC broadcaster. “The track is challenging, the fans are passionate and the racing is always fantastic. It was a major achievement to win races there, and I’m grateful to have this opportunity to drive the pace car on this historic day for our sport.”

As part of its 75^th Anniversary celebration, NASCAR has invited every living member of its 75 Greatest Drivers list to Darlington Raceway. Many have already RSVP’d, and beginning on Friday, May 12, NASCAR fans will have the opportunity to meet and greet several of those legends at the Track Too Tough to Tame.

Racing begins that night with the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series’ Buckle Up South Carolina 200 and continues Saturday, May 13, with the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ Shriners Children’s 200. That sets a splendid table for Sunday’s Goodyear 400, featuring today’s stars of the NASCAR Cup Series and a once-in-a-lifetime tribute to NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers.

Darlington Raceway announced earlier that Ricky Craven and Kurt Busch will wave the green flag, 20 years after their unforgettable side-by-side Darlington battle produced the closest finish in NASCAR Cup Series history.

Fans are encouraged to purchase their tickets now at darlingtonraceway.com so they don’t miss out on this historic opportunity.

About Darlington Raceway

Darlington Raceway, nicknamed The Lady in Black and the track Too Tough To Tame, is home to the award-winning Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR and annually hosts two NASCAR Cup Series race weekends, along with the NASCAR Xfinity Series and/or NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Opening in 1950, Darlington Raceway is “A NASCAR Tradition” and NASCAR’s original superspeedway with its famed 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval, challenging the sports best in one of the most iconic NASCAR races, the Southern 500®. For more information about Darlington Raceway, visit darlingtonraceway.com. Stay connected to Darlington Raceway on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and the NASCAR Tracks App.

About NASCAR

Celebrating its 75^th Anniversary in 2023, the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 16 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR sanctions races in three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series™), four international series (NASCAR Brasil Sprint Race, NASCAR Mexico Series, NASCAR Pinty’s Series (Canada), NASCAR Whelen Euro Series), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour) and a local grassroots series (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races annually in 12 countries and more than 30 U.S. states. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).

Source/Photo Credit: Darlington Raceway