The NASCAR community is mourning the loss of Michael Annett, a former driver who competed across the sport’s national touring series for over a decade. JR Motorsports announced his death on Dec. 5, 2025. He was 39 years old.
No cause of death was announced by the team or NASCAR officials. However, fellow driver and team owner Brad Keselowski suggested in his statement that Annett may have been ill, saying he was “glad he is no longer suffering” while expressing sadness at his passing.
Annett made 436 combined starts across NASCAR’s three national touring series during his racing career, which spanned from 2008 until his retirement in 2021. The majority of his success came in the Xfinity Series, where he recorded 321 starts throughout his career. His time with JR Motorsports, co-owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr., proved to be the most productive stretch of his racing journey.
The Des Moines, Iowa native signed with JRM in 2017 and competed with the team through his 2021 retirement. During those five seasons, Annett made 158 starts with the organization and earned 61 top-10 finishes, helping to establish JRM as the four-car organization it remains today. His presence on the team contributed to its growth and competitiveness within the Xfinity Series.
Annett’s crowning achievement came in February 2019 when he won the Xfinity Series season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway. The victory marked his only win at NASCAR’s national level and represented a breakthrough moment for the driver who had shown consistent competitiveness throughout his career. For Earnhardt Jr., the win held special significance, comparing it to meaningful victories in the sport’s history.
Before transitioning to stock car racing, Annett pursued a different athletic path entirely. He played ice hockey as a defenseman for the United States Hockey League’s Waterloo Black Hawks. His 2004 season earned him a Most Improved Player award as his team won the Clark Cup. Among his teammates was Joe Pavelski, who went on to have an 18-season career in the National Hockey League with the San Jose Sharks and Dallas Stars.
Annett found early success in motorsports through the ARCA Menards Series, where he secured two victories. He won at Talladega Superspeedway in 2007, followed by a triumph in the series opener at Daytona in 2008. These wins helped establish his credentials as he moved up the racing ladder to compete in NASCAR’s national series.
His Xfinity Series debut came in 2008, and he quickly transitioned to full-time competition. Annett also spent three years competing at NASCAR’s top level in the Cup Series from 2014 through 2016, with Tommy Baldwin Racing (2014) and HScott Motorsports (2015-2016). During those 106 Cup Series starts, he never recorded a top-10 finish, though he demonstrated the determination to compete at the sport’s highest level.
Annett’s final season in 2021 was complicated by medical issues. A stress fracture in his leg sidelined him for parts of the season, ultimately contributing to his decision to retire from competitive racing. The injury prevented him from completing a full schedule during what would be his final year behind the wheel.
His racing efforts received significant support from family business connections. Annett’s father, Harrold, served as CEO of TMC Transportation, which sponsored much of his son’s racing career. The elder Annett also co-owned a sprint car team that fielded cars for accomplished dirt track driver Sammy Swindell, collecting 35 wins during their four-year partnership. TMC Transportation and Pilot Flying J continue to sponsor JRM’s Xfinity efforts through driver Sammy Smith, who pilots the team’s No. 8 Chevrolet.
NASCAR released a statement expressing the organization’s grief. “NASCAR is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former NASCAR driver Michael Annett,” the statement read in part.
The racing community has responded with an outpouring of tributes honoring Annett’s memory. JRM posted that Annett was “a key member” of their organization and played an important role in the team’s development. Driver Sammy Smith, who currently drives for JRM with sponsorship that traces back to Annett’s family connections, described him as someone who meant much to him and his family, noting they would miss him greatly.
NASCAR driver Jeremy Clements reflected on their years of competition, calling it a pleasure to race door to door with Annett and saying he would be missed. The sentiment was echoed across the racing community as drivers, teams, and fans remembered a competitor who represented the sport with integrity and passion throughout his career.
Annett’s legacy in NASCAR includes not only his on-track accomplishments but also his role in helping build one of the Xfinity Series’ most successful organizations into the competitive four-car operation it remains today.