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Side by Side, the Jarretts Continue Shared Pursuit
| The Jarretts |
| Ned Jarrett, 67, is the father of Dale, 42, who is the father of Jason, 23. Ned Dale Jason Drove in 11 Busch series races last year with four top-20 finishes. Will run a full schedule this season. |
Special to The Washington Post
Friday, February 12, 1999; Page N7
Jason Jarrett is a few inches shorter than his father, Dale, and he's a little heftier. But their faces show their lineage. You can see some of Ned Jarrett the grandfather and father in each of them. If you listen to one, you can hear the voices of the others. All are racers. One has barely started. One is a star. One is a Hall of Famer.
May 23 is a day the family will remember. Last year's Busch Grand National series Carquest Auto Parts 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway was the first race in which Jason and his father lined up against each other and 41 other cars. Even more, they started in the same row.
"He [Dale] qualified 11th, and I qualified 12th," Jason Jarrett said. "You couldn't have asked for a better situation to start the weekend out. I went in, obviously, with expectations just to make the race and to have the opportunity to race against him. It was kind of weird to qualify beside each other and to have it all."
Jason said he pulled away early he was in the faster lane but Dale soon caught and passed him. Dale finished 12th. Jason was 34th, crashing after 134 laps, but he was happy with the day.
"That's probably the biggest thing I remember about my career so far," he said of racing his father.
There will be other chances, as Jason Jarrett starts his first full season on the Busch Grand National series. Dale Jarrett, who hopes to win his third Daytona 500 on Sunday and dethrone Jeff Gordon as the Winston Cup champion this year, also will enter Busch races.
Jason Jarrett's expectations are realistically high typical of a Jarrett. He would like to qualify for every race and, more importantly, he'd like to run among the leaders, which is where his father is likely to be.
"I don't think I'd put myself in this position if I didn't think I was ready," Jason Jarrett said. "I've heard that a lot lately, but you have to take your opportunities when they're available, whether you're ready or not. You have to just make yourself ready."
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