Eddie Jordan (1948–2025), Formula One team owner

Eddie Jordan was a businessman who founded Jordan Grand Prix, which helped launch seven-time Formula One champion Michael Schumacher’s career, and a television commentator for the BBC.

Malcolm Smith (1941–2024), Baja 1000 racing legend

Malcolm Smith was a racing driver known for his five wins at the Baja 1000 and four at the Baja 500, both notoriously grueling desert races.

Mary McGee (1936–2024), pioneering motorcycle racer

Mary McGee was one of the first women to race motorcycles, profiled in the recent ESPN documentary, “Motorcycle Mary.” 

Bobby Allison (1937–2024), NASCAR Hall of Fame driver

Bobby Allison was a NASCAR Hall of Fame racecar driver whose triumphs include 85 Winston Cup victories and three Daytona 500 wins over the course of his decades-long career.

Bobby Gill (1959–2024), NASCAR truck racer 

Bobby Gill was a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series racer known as a tough competitor on the track.

Chad McQueen (1960–2024), Karate Kid actor, son of Steve McQueen

Chad McQueen was an actor and race car driver best known for his work in “Karate Kid” and for being the son of movie star .

Paul Goldsmith (1925–2024), nine-time NASCAR Cup winner

Paul Goldsmith was an auto racing pioneer who was a nine-time NASCAR Cup winner and the oldest living Indianapolis 500 veteran.

Scott Bloomquist (1963–2024), Hall of Fame dirt track racer

Scott Bloomquist was a Hall of Fame dirt racer who tallied over 600 career wins and nine championships in his storied, decades-long career.

Parnelli Jones (1933–2024), 1963 Indy 500 winner

Parnelli Jones was a racing driver who won the 1963 Indianapolis 500 and was a two-time champion at the Baja 1000 desert race.

Eddie Gossage (1958–2024), president of Texas Motor Speedway

Eddie Gossage was a race promoter and president of Texas Motor Speedway, credited with helping bring NASCAR back to Texas after its long absence. 

Wally Dallenbach Sr. (1936–2024), influential Indy car racer

Wally Dallenbach Sr. was an Indy car champion and Hall of Fame racer who, as Chief Stewart of Competition for Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) for more than 20 years, pushed for new safety reforms still used today.

Ken Squier (1935–2023), Hall of Fame NASCAR broadcaster

Ken Squier was a longtime NASCAR broadcaster and the first to do play-by-play for the Daytona 500 on national television, as well as the originator of the event’s moniker as “The Great American Race.”

Ashlea Albertson (1998–2023), 24-year-old racing driver

Ashlea Albertson was a talented young car racing driver from Indianapolis sponsored by the Tony Stewart Racing team.

Dietrich Mateschitz (1944–2022), Red Bull co-founder

Dietrich Mateschitz was an Austrian billionaire who co-founded the energy drink company Red Bull and was the owner of the Red Bull Formula One Racing Team.

Ryan Fellows (2022), “Street Outlaws: Fastest in America” star

Ryan Fellows was a cast member of the Discovery reality show “Street Outlaws: Fastest in America.”

Bobby East (1984–2022), former NASCAR driver

Bobby East was a former NASCAR driver as well as a record-setter with the United States Auto Club (USAC).

Bruton Smith (1927–2022), NASCAR track owner and Hall of Famer

Bruton Smith was the founder and CEO of Speedway Motorsports, who owned NASCAR tracks including the Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Martha Earnhardt (1930–2021), racing family matriarch

Martha Earnhardt was the matriarch of the Earnhardt racing family that includes NASCAR legends Dale Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Al Unser Sr. (1939–2021), four-time Indy 500 winner

Al Unser Sr. was a racing driver who became one of only four people to win the Indianapolis 500 four times.

Frank Williams (1942–2021), Formula One racing driver and team founder

Frank Williams was an English Formula One racing driver who founded Williams Racing.

Bob Bondurant (1933–2021), racing driver and instructor

Bob Bondurant was a racing driver who founded the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving, where he taught celebrities including and Tom Cruise.

Bob Jenkins (1947–2021), longtime Indianapolis 500 announcer

Bob Jenkins was a TV and radio sports announcer, best known for decades of Indianapolis 500 coverage.

Jack Ingram (1936–2021), NASCAR’s “Iron Man”

Jack Ingram was a NASCAR Hall of Famer known as “The Iron Man,” who won Xfinity Series championships in 1982 and 1985.

Sabine Schmitz (1969–2021), racing driver and “Top Gear” star

Sabine Schmitz was a racing driver who was the first and, to date, only woman to win the famed 24 Hours Nürburgring race. She was also a star of TV’s “Top Gear.”

Jim Pace (1961–2020), racing driver who won Daytona and Sebring

Jim Pace was a sports car racing driver who won both the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1996.

“Kentucky” Chris Ellis (1980–2020), star of Discovery’s “Street Outlaws”

“Kentucky” Chris Ellis was an auto mechanic who was featured in several seasons of the Discovery Channel reality series “Street Outlaws.”

Bob Lazier (1938–2020), Indy 500 driver and father of Indy winner Buddy Lazier

Bob Lazier was a race car driver who was the Rookie of the Year at the 1981 Indianapolis 500, as well as the father of drivers Buddy Lazier and Jacques Lazier.

Stirling Moss (1929–2020), legendary British racecar driver

Stirling Moss was a top Formula One racer called "the greatest driver never to win the World Championship," though he was runner-up four times.  

Mike Stefanik (1958–2019), nine-time NASCAR champion

Mike Stefanikwas a champion of NASCAR whose nine total championship wins made him one of the two drivers with the most championships in NASCAR history.

Niki Lauda (1949–2019), three-time Formula One champion

Niki Lauda was a three-time Formula One champion known for his remarkable comeback after a serious accident at the 1976 German Grand Prix.

Race Car Drivers Who Have Died

Fast, competitive, and determined, these race car drivers loved the thrill of the track. Whether you're a Formula One fan or can't get enough NASCAR, join us in paying tribute to some of auto racing's greatest drivers.

David Pearson (1934–2018), NASCAR’s “Silver Fox”

Hall of Fame driver, second in all-time wins.

Dan Gurney (1931–2018), legendary race car driver

First driver with wins in each of the Formula One, IndyCar and NASCAR Cup series…

Ted Christopher (1958 - 2017), NASCAR short track champ

Champion racer was known for his hard driving style…

Pete Hamilton (1942 - 2017), Daytona 500 winner

Pete Hamilton, the former NASCAR driver who won the Daytona 500 race in 1970, died Wednesday, March 22, 2017. He was 74. NASCAR announced Hamilton's death on its website, issuing a statement: "NASCAR extends its deepest condolences to the friends and family of Pete Hamilton. Hamilton’s career may seem relatively brief at first glance, but a careful study of the gentleman racer makes it abundantly clear that Hamilton achieved excellence during his extraordinary tenure in NASCAR."

Bryan Clauson (1989 - 2016), dirt track racer

Dirt track racer Bryan Clauson died Sunday of injuries sustained in a crash, according to the United States Auto Club (USAC). He was 27.