Updated Dec. 6, 2025 / 9:25 PM EST
Michael Annett, a veteran of NASCAR who made 436 combined starts across the sport’s three national touring series, has died. He was 39.
JR Motorsports, one of the teams Annett drove for, posted the news on social media Friday; no cause of death was released. NASCAR later confirmed his passing and praised him as a “respected competitor” whose determination, professionalism and positive spirit were widely felt in the garage.
Annett recorded 321 starts in the Xfinity Series, including 158 outings with JR Motorsports. Dale Earnhardt Jr., a JRM co-owner, signed Annett in 2017, and the team described him as a key member from 2017 until his retirement in 2021.
The highlight of Annett’s NASCAR career came in 2019 when he won the Xfinity season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway. NASCAR noted that a stress fracture in his leg kept him out of competition for parts of the 2021 season.
A native of Des Moines, Iowa, Annett also found success in the ARCA Menards Series, winning at Talladega Superspeedway in 2007 and taking the series season opener at Daytona in 2008.
He is remembered by teammates, competitors and fans for his steady presence on the track and his commitment to the sport.