After veteran commentator Ken Squier, another star in the sky of NASCAR has fallen. At the age of 84, legendary driver and Hall of Famer, Cale Yarborough has sadly passed away. Needless to say, it is a day of sorrow for every motorsport enthusiast out there.
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The departed icon stood 6th in the all-time NASCAR wins list with 83 career Cup wins. He also won the crown jewel races of the Southern 500 at Darlington Speedway and the Daytona 500, five and four times, respectively. Moreover, his Daytona triumph seconds only Richard Petty’s record of 7 wins in the historic race.
The fallen star was one of the biggest names and perhaps one of the toughest competitors in the arena of NASCAR. The CEO of NASCAR, Jim France, said of his passing, “Cale Yarborough was one of the toughest competitors NASCAR has ever seen. His combination of talent, grit and determination separated Cale from his peers, both on the track and in the record book.”
“On behalf of the France family and NASCAR, I offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Cale Yarborough,” he added.
Other veterans, like Richard Petty, Kyle Petty, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Jimmie Johnson among others, expressed their sincerest condolences on social media:
Richard Petty and The Petty Family extend their deepest condolences to the family of Cale Yarborough. pic.twitter.com/9sU2pJlNNQ
— Richard Petty (@therichardpetty) December 31, 2023
My heart is sad today. Cale was a part of so many of my childhood memories. I watched him race my dad and all the greats and I was blessed to race against him. Cale was a great man. I’ll always remember him sawing the wheel fighting for the win. My prayers go out to his family. pic.twitter.com/Iv0JOe6CS1
— Kyle Petty (@kylepetty) December 31, 2023
Sad news about the passing of Cale today. A legend behind the wheel for sure, but he had a personality, grit, and swagger that attracted fans around the world to him and to Nascar. He truly made the sport far better for being a part of it. My heart goes out to his family. pic.twitter.com/D8lFkCF8HL
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) December 31, 2023
Cale Yarborough was my childhood hero. What an honor to be tied with the legend for 83 Cup series wins. He was “the man” and the legacy of Cale Yarborough will forever live on. My deepest condolences to Cale’s family. pic.twitter.com/xcikjl2pu6
— Jimmie Johnson (@JimmieJohnson) December 31, 2023
Cale was a great friend, he gave me a heads up about Jr Johnson wanting to hire me, I don’t know of anyone tougher than Cale, love you
my friend, RIP— Darrell Waltrip (@AllWaltrip) December 31, 2023
R.I.P. Cale Yarborough pic.twitter.com/mRwprt3Wb4
— Joey Logano (@joeylogano) December 31, 2023
Tough way to finish the year.
Great racer and nascar superstar. #GodSpeed https://t.co/v4MCNti63w— Brad Keselowski (@keselowski) December 31, 2023
Thank you Cale Yarborough for everything you did for NASCAR. He was one of the greatest, and my favorite driver growing up. He was everything I wanted to be as a driver. He could win at any track, and was as tough as the come. Rest in Peace pic.twitter.com/sxPgopUJ90
— Jeff Burton (@JeffBurton) December 31, 2023
One of the most iconic moments in NASCAR involving Cale Yarborough
Of all the great moments Cale Yarborough enjoyed in NASCAR, there was one notable one which, while the Hall of Famer may not have enjoyed so much, it regardless led to one of the most talked about feuds in sport’s history. It was back in February 1979, at the Daytona International Speedway, the first time a NASCAR race was aired on TV from the start to the end to the audience.
But what the race ended up being remembered for is Yarborough’s iconic fight with the Allison brothers.
As Richard Petty took off to the victory lane, an altercation broke between Yarborough and Bobbie, and Donnie Allison. Although left unharmed, they got into a fistfight in the infield afterward, where Donnie Allison pulled up to check on his brother. The cameras panned on the skirmish as Ken Squier captured the drama in his usual exciting discourse.
The unforgettable lines mouthed by Ken Squier still send the chills down the spines of every NASCAR fan to this day: “And there’s a fight between Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison!” Squier exclaimed. “The tempers, overflowing. They are angry. They know they have lost. And what a bitter defeat.”
Truly, it was one of the most iconic moments in NASCAR history, that involved one of the most iconic names from NASCAR’s history, for whom we say a prayer as the sport mourns the loss of a true icon.