Top Five NASCAR TV Pit Reporters of All-Time

Ned Jarrett

A man who made our list of Top Five NASCAR Analysts of All-Time also makes the cut for pit reporters. “Gentleman Ned” Jarrett began broadcasting following a hall of fame racing career, and would become synonymous with many historic moments in NASCAR.

While Jarrett would call many of these classic racing moments from the booth alongside colleagues like Ken Squier and Eli Gold, he spent some time patrolling the pit lane, getting unique interviews with drivers and other officials. In fact, he served as one of the first pit reporters when CBS Sports presented flag-to-flag coverage of the Daytona 500 in 1979. He also reported for MRN Radio over the late 1970s into the 1980s, landing a special interview with President Ronald Reagan following Richard Petty’s 200th career win in the 1984 Firecracker 400.

What stands out about Jarrett’s role on pit road is the unique perspective he provided, and special circumstances in which he did so. Rarely today will you find a pit reporter in NASCAR who has competed at the top level of the sport and won a championship doing so. He also got in close with the drivers, on more than one occasion interviewing them while they were still in their cars. Today, that level of access is merely reserved for before the race, and would never happen like it did then, in the middle of green flag pit stops.

While Ned Jarrett is no longer a pit reporter, many NASCAR broadcasters continue to look up to a great man.