Dale Jarrett
A smooth-driving champion who emerged from his father's shadow to win NASCAR's biggest race three times and secure his own Winston Cup title.
Born 1956 (age 70)·American racing driver·Birthday: November 26·Baby Boomers
Biography
Dale Jarrett carried the weight of a famous name—his father, Ned, was a champion and beloved broadcaster—but he carved his own path with a calm, consistent style. He didn't burst onto the scene; he methodically worked his way up, earning a reputation for intelligence and clean driving. His breakthrough came with a stunning upset victory in the 1993 Daytona 500, a win famously called by his emotional father in the broadcast booth. That moment announced his arrival as a premier superspeedway racer, a status he cemented with two more Daytona 500 wins. The pinnacle came in 1999, when his focus and the powerhouse Robert Yates Racing team delivered a Winston Cup championship. Jarrett's persona, that of a thoughtful, gracious family man, made him a fan favorite. After retiring, he seamlessly transitioned to the broadcast booth, bringing his champion's insight to a new generation of viewers.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Dale was born in 1956, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Dale Was Born
The biggest hits of 1956
#1 Movie
The Ten Commandments
Best Picture
Around the World in 80 Days
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Dale's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1956Born
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1961Started school
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1969Became a teenager
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1972Could drive
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1974Could vote
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1977Turned 21
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1986Turned 30
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 40
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 50
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 60
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 70
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the NASCAR Winston Cup Series championship in 1999, driving the #88 Ford for Robert Yates Racing.
- Captured the Daytona 500 three times (1993, 1996, 2000), one of only a handful of drivers to achieve that feat.
- Earned 32 career victories in NASCAR's premier series, including prestigious wins at the Coca-Cola 600 and the Brickyard 400.
- Inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2014, recognizing his impact as a champion and popular figure in the sport.
Did You Know?
His first Daytona 500 win in 1993 was called on live television by his father, former champion and broadcaster Ned Jarrett.
He played college basketball at the University of South Carolina before focusing full-time on racing.
The famous "DJ" logo on his car stood for "Dale Jarrett," not "disc jockey."
He began his broadcasting career with ESPN/ABC before moving to NBC Sports.
“You win races by being smart and hitting your marks, not just holding the wheel straight.”
