NASCAR exec Jim France, Jimmie Johnson, Brad Keselowski mourn passing of Cale Yarborough
The NASCAR community is mourning the loss of Cale Yarborough, who passed away in Florence, South Carolina, Sunday at the age of 84.
Many executives and drivers within the sport took to X to offer tributes of the NASCAR legend, regarded as one of the best to ever strap into a race car.
NASCAR Chairman and CEO Jim France issued a statement to Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports on the passing of Yarborough.
“Cale Yarborough was one of the toughest competitors NASCAR has ever seen,” France said. “His combination of talent, grit and determination separated Cale from his peers. Both on the track and in the record book. He was respected and admired by competitors and fans alike and was as comfortable behind the wheel of a tractor as he was behind the wheel of a stock car. On behalf of the France family and NASCAR, I offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Cale Yarborough.”
Cale Yarborough remembered as one of NASCAR’s best
In a career spanning over three decades, Yarborough raced his way to victory lane 83 times in the Cup Series, tied for sixth all-time with Jimmie Johnson. He won three consecutive Cup Series championships from 1976-78, the first driver to accomplish the feat. Only Johnson has since done it, winning five in a row from 2006-10. Yarborough notched four Daytona 500 wins (1968, 1977, 1983, 1984). Only Richard Petty (seven) has claimed more victories in the “Great American Race.”
Johnson, whose career is very comparable to that of Yarborough’s, referred to him as his “childhood hero.”
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“Cale Yarborough was my childhood hero,” Johnson wrote. “What an honor to be tied with the legend for 83 Cup series wins. He was “the man” and the legacy of Cale Yarborough will forever live on. My deepest condolences to Cale’s family.”
Brad Keselowski, the 2012 Cup Series champion and future NASCAR Hall of Famer, offered his condolences to the all-time great.
“Tough way to finish the year,” Keselowski wrote. “Great racer and NASCAR superstar.”
Yarborough took his place in the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2012 alongside Richie Evans, Dale Inman, Darrell Waltrip and Glen Wood.
“Racing is kind of like a big, tall ladder,” Yarborough said during his induction speech, via NASCAR.com. “When you begin, you start off on the bottom step of that ladder. And it’s a long, hard climb to the top. But I feel like tonight that I’m finally standing on the top step.”