Michael Annett died at age 39, and JR Motorsports announced the news on social media while NASCAR confirmed the death with a tribute describing him as a “respected competitor, whose determination, professionalism, and positive spirit were felt by everyone in the garage.”Annett made 436 starts across NASCAR's three national touring series, including 321 Xfinity Series starts—158 of them with JR Motorsports—and his career highlights included the 2019 Daytona win and two ARCA Menards Series victories at Talladega Superspeedway and Daytona, and he played defense for the Waterloo Black Hawks before racing.Dale Earnhardt Jr. signed Annett in 2017, JR Motorsports said he was a key member until his retirement in 2021 after a 2021 stress fracture ended his last full-time season, the cause of death has not been disclosed, and condolences came from fellow drivers including Brad Keselowski.