Motorsports journalist Al Pearce dies at 82
Al Pearce, who covered NASCAR auto racing for over half-a-century as a reporter, passed away Wednesday, April 9. He was 82.
Pearce worked for Autoweek for decades. Pearce started working with the outlet’s magazine in 1973 and later its online platforms. Among his achievements include covering 56 straight Daytona 500s.
Pearce first covered NASCAR in 1969 for the Newport News Daily Press of Newport News, Va., where he retired from in 2004.
Additionally, Peace authored 13 racing books, including his most recent book, “NASCAR 75 Years” in 2023 co-authored alongside Mike Hembree, Kelly Crandall and Jimmy Creed.
Before his time covering NASCAR, Pearce served his country as an officer in the U.S. Army and the Vietnam War.
The Rocky Mount, N.C. native won awards including the American Motorsports Media Award of Excellence (2004). Pearce was also a member of the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame.
Pearce is survived by his wife Francie and daughter Annie.
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Dominic Aragon View All
Dominic Aragon is currently the editor-in-chief for The Racing Experts.
From Grants, New Mexico, USA, Aragon started watching NASCAR in 2004 and has been covering the sport since 2009. Aragon is a 2012 graduate of Grants High School and a May 2016 graduate of the University of New Mexico with a B.A. in Mass Communications & Journalism. Aragon has worked in local and national media, as a musician, and an educator. He is co-author of the 2024 book "All of It: Daytona 500 Champion Tells the Rest of the Story" with racer Geoff Bodine.
Aragon, his wife Feliz, and son Christopher currently reside in Grants, New Mexico, USA.
You can reach Dominic at daragon@theracingexperts.net.