Former NASCAR driver Michael Annett has passed away at the age of 39.
JR Motorsports shared the news on social media Friday evening, confirming the loss of the driver who raced for their Xfinity Series team for five seasons, from 2017 to 2021.
Annett had a long career in NASCAR, making more than 100 starts in the Cup Series and over 300 in the Xfinity Series. His lone Xfinity Series victory came in 2019 at the season-opening race in Daytona, a season that also included five additional top-five finishes and a ninth-place finish in the overall standings.
He had one of his strongest seasons in 2012 driving for Richard Petty Motorsports, where he recorded six top-five finishes, 17 top-10 finishes, and ended the year fifth in the points standings. During his time at JR Motorsports, he consistently stayed competitive, never finishing outside the top 15 in points.
Annett also competed in 106 Cup Series races between 2014 and 2016. Driving for underfunded teams like Tommy Baldwin Racing and HScott Racing, he faced tough competition but still managed six top-20 finishes, with his best result coming in the 2015 Daytona 500, where he finished 13th.
Injuries played a role in the later stages of his career. He retired after the 2021 season following a stress fracture in his right leg, which caused him to miss seven races. Earlier, in 2013, he missed races after a crash at Daytona left him with a fractured and dislocated sternum.