3-time NASCAR Cup champion Cale Yarborough dies at 84

Jan. 1 (UPI) — Hall-of-status experience car driver Cale Yarborough has died, NASCAR announced. He become 84.

The racing group reported his loss of life on Sunday.

The South Carolina native become a three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and obtained the Daytona 500 four occasions. He tallied 83 wins in his respectable occupation, tying him with Jimmie Johnson for the sixth-most wins all-time.

“Cale Yarborough become indubitably a few of the toughest opponents NASCAR has ever viewed,” Jim France, NASCAR chairman and CEO, talked about in a observation. “His aggregate of skills, grit and backbone separated Cale from his mates, both on the note and in the legend e book. He become revered and admired by opponents and fans alike and become as pleased in the abet of the wheel of a tractor as he become in the abet of the wheel of a inventory car.”

A entire lot of varied NASCAR legends shared their condolences for Yarborough’s family on social media, including longtime rival “The King” Richard Petty.

“His rivalry and competitive spirit with The King will constantly be a eminent section of NASCAR historic past, showcasing their mutual appreciate and the intensity of their competition on the note,” a observation posted on Petty’s social media legend talked about.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. shared photos of himself and Yarborough on X, beforehand knowns as Twitter, recalling him as a “myth in the abet of the wheel for definite.”

Driver Jimmie Johnson referred to as Yarborough his hero and talked about he is honored to be tied with him on the all-time wins checklist.

“He become ‘the particular person’ and the legacy of Cale Yarborough will without a raze in sight continue to exist,” Johnson posted. “My deepest condolences to Cale’s family.”

Yarborough become diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder in step with family participants. He is survived by his wife, Betty Jo, and his daughters B.J., Julie and Kelley.