Michael Annett's NASCAR journey remembered through his most meaningful moments

Michael Annett’s career is being revisited across the garage after JR Motorsports announced he has died at age 39. The news arrived Friday (December 6), closing the book on the life of a driver who spent more than a decade competing across NASCAR’s national series and who built a steady, hard-earned path through the sport.

Annett stepped away from driving after the 2021 season, when a stress-related leg injury ended what became his final campaign. Messages from across the industry followed immediately. JR Motorsports called him a key figure in the team’s growth during his five-year run. NASCAR’s statement remembered him as a respected competitor whose attitude made an impact inside the garage.

Annett’s path into NASCAR was far from conventional. Before he committed to motorsports, he was a defenseman with the USHL’s Waterloo Black Hawks, earning a “Most Improved Player” honor during the team’s Clark Cup-winning 2004 season. He raced alongside future NHL veteran Joe Pavelski before pivoting away from hockey and moving into stock cars full-time.

Michael Annett at Phoenix International Raceway on March 17, 2017. Source: Getty

When Michael Annett shifted toward racing, he did so with the backing of his family and the support of TMC Transportation, the company his late father, Harrold, once led. The move placed him into stock-car development at the national level, setting up the next stages of his career. That switch led to ARCA in 2007, where he wasted little time establishing himself.

Annett’s earliest memorable moment came in the ARCA Menards Series. He won at Talladega in 2007, then opened the next season with a victory at Daytona. It was a quick rise, and it marked the moment when NASCAR teams began to take notice. That form carried him into the Xfinity Series by 2008 and a full-time seat by 2009. The standout memory for many, though, came much later.

After years of work, lineup changes, and midseason struggles, Annett delivered the biggest result of his NASCAR life in 2019. Driving the No. 1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet- an offseason change from the No. 5 - he controlled the final 45 laps at Daytona to score his first Xfinity win.

It was his 230th start and a moment that reshaped how many saw his persistence. Teammate Justin Allgaier chased him to the line, but Michael Annett never cracked under pressure. It remained the defining victory of his career.

---

Michael Annett’s career remembered through heartfelt tributes

Michael Annett's #1 car before the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Darlington Raceway. Source: Imagn

Michael Annett made 106 Cup Series starts between 2014 and 2016, driving for Tommy Baldwin and later Harry Scott. His best finish came in the 2015 Daytona 500, in P13. But most of his career was spent in the Xfinity Series. Across 321 starts, he became a steady presence for JR Motorsports, producing 95 top-tens and providing the stability the team valued during its expansion years.

The tributes highlighted how many different corners of the garage his career touched. Brad Keselowski, who rose through the same era, wrote on X:

“Michael was an up-and-comer at the same time I was and he was looking really good… all of us who knew him and the talent he had are sad to see him go.”

Noah Gragson shared a simple message, posting that he was “heartbroken” and would miss the driver he called “Diesel Mike.” Sammy Smith said Annett meant a great deal to his family and was someone they would miss deeply.

Veterans such as Todd Bodine, Landon Cassill, and Jeremy Clements also offered condolences, joining a wave of insiders from the industry. Their reflections pointed to the same core sentiment that Annett was appreciated for his attitude, professionalism, and endurance through a long, challenging career.