Dale Jarrett

Dale Arnold Jarrett (born November 26, 1956) is a former American race car driver and current sports commentator known for winning the 1999 NASCAR Winston Cup Series championship. He is the son of two-time Grand National Champion Ned Jarrett, younger brother of Glenn Jarrett; a former NASCAR driver himself and pit commentator, father of former driver Jason Jarrett, and cousin of Todd Jarrett. Beginning in 2007, Jarrett joined the ESPN/ABC broadcasting team as an announcer in select Nationwide Series races. In 2008, after retiring from driving following the 2008 Food City 500, Jarrett joined ESPN permanently as the lead racing analyst replacing Rusty Wallace. Jarrett was born in Conover, North Carolina. Upon graduation from Newton-Conover High School in 1975, Jarrett was offered a full golf scholarship from the University of South Carolina, which he declined. Jarrett began racing in 1977 at Hickory Motor Speedway, a track his father owned and operated. In his first race, he started in last place but finished in the ninth position. He competed in the Limited Sportsman Division at Hickory, before moving up to the NASCAR Busch Series. Jarrett began racing in 1982 in the #24 Ford for