NASCAR WCUP: Jarrett Ready to Capture First Winston Cup Title
4 January 1999
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Ever since joining Robert Yates Racing as a replacement for then-injured Ernie Irvan in the No. 28 Texaco Havoline Ford in 1995, Jarrett has blossomed into one of the sports most recognized figures. He was one of the top stories in 1996 as he and his new team won the Busch Clash and Daytona 500 in their debut with the No. 88 Quality Care Service/Ford Credit Ford. Jarrett went on to win four times that season and finish third in the final point standings. He improved on that in `97 with a career-high seven wins and 23 top-10 finishes, but he missed out on the championship by 14 points to Jeff Gordon.
Last season was another solid one for the Hickory, N.C., native as he won three times and registered two poles. His most memorable moment likely came late in the year at Talladega where he outdueled Gordon to win the coveted Winston 500 and his first career million dollar bonus. Jarrett's other victories came in the TranSouth 400 at Darlington and MBNA Platinum 400 at Dover bringing his career total of wins to 18 going into the 1999 season.
The tenacity and competitiveness with which Jarrett approaches his role behind the wheel was never more apparent than late in the year when he battled a painful gallstone condition. Just prior to the Dura-Lube/Kmart 500 at Phoenix, Jarrett was hit with severe pain in his abdomen. He spent most of his pre-race time in the infield care center getting treatment, but after starting the race and running more than 100 laps he was forced to give way to relief driver Michael Waltrip. Tests later that night revealed that Jarrett had gallstones and that his gall bladder needed to be surgically removed.
After consulting with his doctors, Jarrett decided to forego the operation until he finished competing in the final two races of the season at Rockingham and Atlanta. Despite a weakened condition and continued discomfort, Jarrett somehow managed to run up front and finish second in both events. The gall bladder surgery took place two weeks later and was deemed a complete success meaning Jarrett will once again be back at 100 percent in 1999.
Recognized along with his father, Ned, as one of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers, Jarrett has made the nineties his personal coming out party. After starting the decade with the Wood Brothers and winning his first career race with that team in 1991 at Michigan, Jarrett moved over to Joe Gibbs Racing and won the 1993 Daytona 500. His big break, however, came when he took over for Irvan, who was seriously injured in a practice crash at Michigan in 1994. Jarrett won at Pocono that first season with Yates in 1995 and when Irvan was pronounced ready to return the next season, he was paired with crew chief Todd Parrott on a newly-formed second team.
Since then Jarrett has won 14 times in the No. 88 Ford and posted three straight top-three finishes in the point standings.
And while Jarrett's accomplishments on the track have been outstanding, he has worked equally hard in his free time helping a variety of worthwhile causes. He was named the True Value Man of the Year in 1997 for his fund-raising efforts on behalf of Brenner Children's Hospital in Winston-Salem, N.C. He promptly donated his portion of the award ($25,000) to the hospital and Motor Racing Outreach.
This past year he and his wife, Kelley, have joined the fight against breast cancer through the Susan B. Komen Foundation. Jarrett, along with sponsor Ford Credit, have teamed up to help fight this disease. Each time Jarrett finishes in the top three of a NASCAR Winston Cup event, or wins a pole, Ford Credit makes a donation on Jarrett's behalf. Last year, Jarrett helped raise $105,000 for the organization and was recognized by the United States Postal Service for his efforts with a 40-cent stamp in which a portion went toward breast cancer research.
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