Former NASCAR Driver Michael Annett Dies at 39 [Cause of Death]

Photo Credits: NASCAR

Former NASCAR driver Michael Annett died at the age of 39, his former team announced on December 5, 2025. The news came from JR Motorsports, where Annett competed from 2017 until his retirement in 2021.

Cause of Death:

• No cause of death was released at the time of the announcement. Annett's management group, RSMG, also shared the news and confirmed the passing, and it looks like he died a natural death.

Annett began his NASCAR career in 2008 with the Craftsman Truck Series for Bill Davis Racing, where he made seven starts and achieved a best finish of second at Kentucky.

He moved to the Nationwide Series, now known as the Xfinity Series, in 2009 with Germain Racing and finished tenth in points during his rookie season. Over the years, Annett drove for teams including Rusty Wallace Racing, Richard Petty Motorsports, Tommy Baldwin Racing, and HScott Motorsports.

In the Xfinity Series, he participated in 321 races with 95 top-10 finishes. His only win occurred in the 2019 NASCAR Racing Experience 300 at Daytona International Speedway, where he started third and led 45 laps.

Annett also competed in 106 NASCAR Cup Series races without a top-10 finish and nine Craftsman Truck Series races with two top-10 results. He ran a total of 436 NASCAR national series races before retiring.

Annett retired after the 2021 season following a stress fracture in his right femur that caused him to miss several races.

He returned briefly and then reaggravated the injury before announcing his departure from racing on October 6, 2021.

JR Motorsports posted on X:

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Annett family with the passing of our friend Michael Annett. Michael was a key member of JRM from 2017 until he retired in 2021 and was an important part in turning us into the four-car organization we remain today.”

RSMG stated:

“We are sad to have lost a family member. Michael Annett will always be in our hearts. Our thoughts are with the Annett family at this time. Rest in peace MA.”

Born in Des Moines, Iowa, Annett initially pursued ice hockey and won the Clark Cup in 2004 with the Waterloo Black Hawks of the USHL before shifting to racing.

He started racing after high school at Hawkeye Downs Speedway in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and competed briefly in ASA and the ARCA Menards Series, where he won two races at Talladega Superspeedway in 2007 and Daytona in 2008.