NASCAR stock car racing legend and broadcaster Ned Jarrett will join fellow golden-era superstar Junior Johnson to greet fans in the Neon Garage during the Feb. 26-28 NASCAR Weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Both Jarrett and Johnson will be accompanied by one of their restored race cars in the Neon Garage. Jarrett will be reunited with his familiar blue No. 11 Ford, while Johnson will sit next to his No. 3 Holly Farms Chevrolet.
Jarrett competed at the sport’s highest level – the Grand National division, now known as the Sprint Cup Series – from 1960-1965. In 353 starts, he won 50 races and two championships (1961 and 1965). Jarrett also won NASCAR Sportsman division titles in 1957 and 1958. The father of 1999 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Dale Jarrett was named one of NASCAR’s Greatest Drivers in 1998 (NASCAR’s 50th anniversary year). He retired from racing at the relatively-young age of 34 in 1966.
After retiring from racing, the Newton, N.C., native promoted Hickory Motor Speedway near Statesville, N.C. (he won Hickory’s 1955 track championship), worked in real estate and later joined the Motor Racing Network (MRN) radio team in 1978. Most present-day fans remember Ned from the NASCAR broadcast teams of CBS and ESPN.
LVMS is beginning what it hopes to be an annual tradition by inviting legendary NASCAR drivers to take part in the racing activities at the speedway.
Neon Garage tickets are available by calling the LVMS ticket office at (800) 644-4444 or online at www.lvms.com. Tickets for the Feb. 28 Shelby American NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race and the Feb. 27 Sam’s Town 300 also are available.
