Former NASCAR Driver Gary Myers: Career, Legacy and Latest News

Former NASCAR driver Gary Myers died on September 10, 2026, at age 76, leaving behind a major legacy in North Carolina stock-car racing. His death was announced after a period of declining health, and the news has prompted tributes from his family and the broader racing community. No cause of death has been publicly disclosed.

Myers was more than a former NASCAR Cup Series competitor. He became one of the most recognizable names connected to Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. His racing career included NASCAR’s premier division, the Grand National East Series and Modified competition.

His influence also continued through his family. His sons Burt Myers and Jason Myers became accomplished racers, while his grandson Slate Myers carried the family name into another generation of Modified racing. The Myers family has now been connected with Bowman Gray racing across four generations.

Gary Myers Dies at 76

Gary Myers died Thursday, September 10, 2026. His passing was reported publicly the following day, with racing outlets and media organizations highlighting his decades-long connection to Bowman Gray Stadium.

Jayski reported that Myers had been dealing with declining health before his death. The report confirmed that he was 76 and described him as a Bowman Gray racing legend.

His death marked the end of a career that stretched across several eras of American stock-car racing. Myers competed at a time when NASCAR’s premier series was still known as the Winston Cup Series, while also building an extensive reputation on short tracks.

The circumstances surrounding his death remain limited to what the family and racing community have publicly shared. A cause of death has not been released.

Gary Myers’ NASCAR Career

Myers competed in 46 NASCAR Cup Series races between 1974 and 1978. His time in NASCAR’s premier division came during a period when independent drivers and smaller teams remained an important part of the series.

His Cup career did not produce a victory, pole position or top-10 finish. However, Myers established a presence in the series and gained valuable experience competing against many of the era’s established drivers.

His best Cup points position came in 1978, when he finished 27th in the championship standings. That season represented the strongest statistical year of his Cup career.

The available career records identify the 1974 Yankee 400 at Michigan International Speedway as his first Cup race. His last Cup start came in the 1978 Los Angeles Times 500 at Ontario Motor Speedway.

Gary Myers NASCAR Career at a Glance

The numbers show why his legacy cannot be judged solely by his Cup statistics. Much of Myers’ greatest success came outside NASCAR’s premier division, especially in Modified racing.

His Connection to Bowman Gray Stadium

Bowman Gray Stadium became central to Gary Myers’ life and racing career.

The Myers family’s connection to the Winston-Salem short track began before Gary established himself as a driver. His father, Billy Myers, and uncle, Bobby Myers, were important figures at Bowman Gray during the 1950s.

NASCAR has documented the family’s long association with the stadium. Billy and Bobby helped establish the Myers name there before Gary continued the tradition and eventually passed it to his own sons.

Gary won 38 Modified races at Bowman Gray Stadium. That total places him among the notable winners in the track’s long Modified history. NASCAR also cited his 38 victories when discussing the achievements of his sons and the broader Myers family.

His accomplishments at Bowman Gray gave him a level of recognition that extended beyond his NASCAR Cup statistics. For generations of local racing fans, his name became closely associated with the quarter-mile stadium.

He also remained connected to the venue after his driving career. Myers watched his sons race, supported their careers and continued to be part of the Bowman Gray community.

The 1996 SMART Modified Tour Championship

One of the most important achievements of Myers’ post-Cup racing career came in 1996.

That year, he won the SMART Modified Tour championship. The accomplishment added a major touring-series title to a career that had already included years of short-track success.

The SMART Modified Tour became another important chapter in Myers’ career because it allowed him to compete at a high level in Modified racing after his NASCAR Cup years.

His 1996 championship remains one of the clearest indicators of his ability as a Modified driver. It also helped strengthen his reputation within the Southeast’s short-track racing community.

A Career That Extended Beyond NASCAR

Myers’ racing resume was not limited to the NASCAR Cup Series.

He competed in other forms of stock-car and Modified racing, including the NASCAR Grand National East Series and NASCAR Featherlite Modified Tour. His career also included competition connected to the USAR Hooters Late Model Series and the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing.

Those appearances demonstrate the breadth of his career. Myers was part of an era when drivers frequently moved between different types of stock cars and regional racing series.

That versatility helped make him a recognizable figure throughout the Southeast.

His career also included racing beyond stock cars. Archived motorsports records list Myers in endurance events, including appearances at the 12 Hours of Sebring and other road-racing events during the 1970s and 1980s.

While those races were separate from his NASCAR career, they illustrate the wider range of competition he experienced during his decades in motorsports.

The Myers Racing Family

Gary Myers’ legacy is inseparable from his family.

His father was Billy Myers, while his uncle was Bobby Myers. Both men competed at Bowman Gray and helped establish the family name in North Carolina racing.

Gary then continued that tradition. His sons Burt and Jason Myers became successful Modified racers themselves.

NASCAR has described the Myers family’s history at Bowman Gray as spanning multiple generations. The family’s connection to the track began in the early 1950s and continued through Gary and his sons.

Burt became particularly successful at Bowman Gray. In June 2025, he earned his 101st career Modified victory at the stadium, tying Tim Brown for the venue’s all-time Modified wins record at that point. NASCAR noted that Gary, Burt and Jason had combined for 181 Bowman Gray Modified victories.

That figure highlights the extraordinary depth of the family’s racing history.

Gary Myers and Sons Burt and Jason

Gary played an important role in the racing careers of Burt and Jason Myers.

Burt became a multiple-time Bowman Gray track champion and one of the stadium’s most successful Modified drivers. Jason also developed into a prominent Modified racer.

The brothers’ careers extended the family tradition that Gary inherited from Billy and Bobby.

Gary’s influence was not limited to being their father. His experience as a driver gave Burt and Jason a direct connection to the techniques, competition and culture of short-track racing.

Burt publicly described his father as his hero after Gary’s death. He said Gary taught him everything he knew and expressed both his grief and gratitude for the years they shared.

Jason’s racing team also remembered Gary as the family’s patriarch and emphasized the close relationship between father and son.

The Fourth Generation: Slate Myers

The Myers racing story did not stop with Gary’s sons.

Gary’s grandson Slate Myers has also entered the Modified racing world. Slate began competing in 2024 and has raced in the SMART Modified Tour.

His involvement created a direct four-generation connection between the Myers family and racing.

The family progression is significant:

• Billy Myers helped establish the family’s Bowman Gray legacy.
• Gary Myers continued it as a driver and Modified champion.
• Burt and Jason Myers extended the tradition through their own careers.
• Slate Myers became the next generation of the family’s racing line.

NASCAR has previously highlighted this family history while discussing Burt Myers and the family’s connection to Bowman Gray and North Wilkesboro Speedway.

Gary Myers’ Final Years in Racing

Although Myers’ active driving career belonged largely to earlier decades, he remained connected to racing long after his primary NASCAR years.

His presence at Bowman Gray continued through his sons and later his grandson. In 2025, Gary and his wife Pam attended the celebration after Burt earned his 101st Modified victory at Bowman Gray. NASCAR reported that the couple were taken by golf cart from the pit area to Victory Lane for the celebration.

That appearance became particularly meaningful because Burt acknowledged his father’s health at the time.

The moment also reflected Gary’s changing role within the sport. He was no longer simply competing against other drivers. He had become a father, mentor and elder statesman within a racing family.

His presence around the track connected several generations of racers and fans.

Why Gary Myers Was Important to Bowman Gray

Bowman Gray Stadium has a unique place in American racing. The compact Winston-Salem venue became famous for intense Modified competition and for producing drivers who developed their skills in close quarters.

Gary Myers fit naturally into that environment.

His 38 Modified victories demonstrate his competitiveness at the stadium. More importantly, his career helped connect the track’s early history with its later generations.

He watched his father and uncle race there. He later competed himself. Then he watched his sons compete and eventually saw his grandson enter the sport.

That four-generation connection is one of the most distinctive parts of the Gary Myers story.

It also explains why his death has resonated beyond the statistics in his NASCAR record.

Gary Myers’ NASCAR Statistics in Perspective

A review of Myers’ NASCAR record shows a driver who competed in the sport’s top division without recording a Cup victory.

His 46 Cup starts came across five seasons. His best championship result was 27th in 1978. That season included multiple finishes inside the top 20, with his strongest recorded race finishes coming during a campaign in which he competed regularly.

Yet his career cannot be measured only through Cup wins.

The strongest portion of his competitive record came in Modified racing. His 38 Bowman Gray victories and 1996 SMART Modified Tour championship established a legacy that was particularly strong in the Southeast.

This distinction matters when discussing a driver whose name remains important to short-track racing.

Myers was part of the broader ecosystem that helped produce generations of American stock-car drivers.

Tributes Following His Death

Tributes began appearing after news of Myers’ death.

Burt Myers shared an emotional message about losing his father and described him as his hero. He also reflected on the lessons Gary had passed down through their years together.

Jason Myers’ racing operation also paid tribute to Gary, remembering him as a patriarch and close friend who had taught his sons about racing.

Bowman Gray Stadium also expressed condolences to the Myers family. Its statement recognized Gary’s 38 Modified victories and his NASCAR career while remembering his importance to the stadium’s racing community.

The tributes have reinforced the same theme: Gary Myers’ importance extended well beyond the races he entered.

What Gary Myers Leaves Behind

Gary Myers leaves behind a racing legacy that covers more than five decades of connection to Bowman Gray Stadium.

He competed in NASCAR’s premier division during the 1970s. He won Modified races at one of America’s most historic short tracks. He captured a SMART Modified Tour championship. He then helped guide the next generation of his family through the sport.

His 38 Bowman Gray Modified victories stand as a lasting competitive achievement.

His 46 NASCAR Cup Series starts remain an important part of his national racing résumé.

But his greatest legacy may be the continuation of the Myers family name in racing.

Burt and Jason carried the family tradition forward, while Slate became part of the fourth generation. That progression gives Gary’s career a significance that goes beyond a traditional list of statistics.

As the racing community remembers him in September 2026, the focus has shifted from his final years to the decades of competition, family and mentorship that defined his life.

For Bowman Gray fans, Gary Myers was not simply a former NASCAR driver. He was one of the people who helped make the stadium’s racing culture a family tradition.

Gary Myers’ legacy continues through the drivers, family and racing community he inspired, and readers can share their memories or stay updated as more confirmed tributes emerge.