Dale Jarrett overcame tough start to become a star


By STEVE WINZENREAD
Media General News Service

Dale Jarrett's career is a bridge between the early growth period of NASCAR to the established force the sport is today.

His father Ned excelled on the track and in the broadcast booth, paving the way for his son to follow in both. But that's too simple of a description of what it takes to succeed in the ultra competitive world of modern stock car racing. Dale Jarrett made it in that world, but not just because his father did. He struggled along the way before finding success.

"I don't think there's anything more difficult than being the son of a great race driver because everybody expects so much of you. Usually they don't make it," said H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler, Lowe's Motor Speedway president and general manager.

Through it all, the Jarretts are popular because they are down-to-earth despite their stature in NASCAR. Dale Jarrett, one of the top money winners in NASCAR history, credits his sponsors and his father for his popularity.

"I think having good sponsors helps a lot," he said. "I feel like I have the best sponsor in UPS in the garage area here. So I'm very fortunate in that respect.They do a lot of neat things at the track and away from the track, so I think that helps a lot."

Being associated with other companies such as Ford Motor Company, and Coca-Cola, Citi Financial, you have opportunities like that, you get to meet a lot of people, a lot of my sponsors understand that I like to play golf, so a lot of my appearances are based around a golf course or playing golf or something like that. I think I get the opportunity to get to know people a little bit better than maybe a lot of other people do. The fans have been great to me over my career. I'm sure a lot of it has to do with my dad, and people just kind of following me from that point on."

For several years, Jarrett developed his skills on local short tracks including his hometown track, Hickory Motor Speedway, driving in Late Model Series events and eventually the NASCAR Busch Series.

He didn't start competing in the top NASCAR series on a regular basis until 1987.

Jarrett's breakthrough came from the Wood Brothers in 1990 when, five races into the season, he was selected to fill in for the injured Neil Bonnett.

He drove to his first win in NASCAR's top series at Michigan International Speedway in 1991.

So highly regarded was Jarrett that when Joe Gibbs started a racing team in 1992, he picked Jarrett to drive for him.

Just a year later, in 1993, Jarrett drove to victory in the Daytona 500 with his father cheering him to the finish line on national TV.

Jarrett drove for Gibbs through 1994, and then started thinking about owning his own team. While Jarrett was considering a move, engine builder and car owner Robert Yates needed a driver.

A crash at Michigan in August threatened to end Ernie Irvan's career, sidelining him for the remainder of 1994 and through most of 1995. Although the ride was only available as a one-year deal, Jarrett saw opportunities in driving for Robert Yates Racing.

He wanted to take what he learned from Yates and build on it when he formed his own Cup team beginning in 1996. But as the 1995 season went on, both Jarrett and Yates realized they might not want to break up a good thing.

Jarrett scored a win at Pocono in July and had nine top-five and 14 top-10 finishes by season's end. Rather than lose Jarrett, Yates expanded to a two-car operation, adding the No. 88 team with Jarrett as the driver.

With guidance from young crew chief Todd Parrott, Jarrett succeeded immediately by winning the 1996 Bud Shootout at Daytona. A week later, Jarrett repeated his 1993 win in the Daytona 500 by again beating Dale Earnhardt Sr., to the line for his second victory in the season-opening event.

Jarrett added three more wins in 1996, including the prestigious Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, to close the year with 17 top-five and 21 top-10 finishes, and a then career-best third in the point standings.

For the next 10 years, Jarrett raced the 88, with the crowning achievement of both Jarrett's and Yates' careers being the 1999 series championship.

Jarrett became only the second driver in NASCAR history to notch a second win in the Brickyard 400, and is among the few who can say they've won the Daytona 500 three times.

At the start of the 2001 season, UPS took over primary sponsorship of the 88 team, and the "Race the Truck" campaign was born.

Jarrett and the UPS Racing Team combined to score eight wins, 34 top-five and 69 top-10 finishes.

When Jarrett went to Michael Waltrip Racing to drive Toyotas, UPS went, too.

Jarrett's final race is scheduled Saturday (May 17) in the Sprint All-Star event at Lowe's Motor Speedway. His latest career move is working for ESPN as a racing broadcaster.

"NASCAR has been very good to myself and my family," Jarrett said. "The all-star race is an opportunity to say goodbye to the fans. That is really my opportunity to get in front of a huge crowd in a place that means a lot to me."