Michael Annett, a former racecar driver who made 436 combined starts in NASCAR’s three national touring series, has died. He was 39.
JR Motorsports, one of Annett’s former teams, posted the news on social media on Friday. No cause of death was announced.
NASCAR also confirmed the death in a statement on their website, saying, “NASCAR is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former NASCAR driver Michael Annett,” and describing him as a “respected competitor, whose determination, professionalism, and positive spirit were felt by everyone in the garage.”
According to NASCAR, Annett made 321 starts in the Xfinity Series, 158 of which came with JRM. JRM co-owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. signed Annett in 2017. The team said Annett was “a key member of JRM from 2017 until he retired in 2021.”
His career achievement came in 2019 when he won the series’ season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway. A stress fracture in his leg sidelined him for parts of the 2021 season, NASCAR said.
Annett, a native of Des Moines, Iowa, was also a two-time winner in the ARCA Menards Series. He won at Talladega Superspeedway in 2007 and then took the series opener at Daytona in 2008.
