Al Pearce, a longtime auto racing reporter who covered the sport for over half a century, died Wednesday.
The Rocky Mount, North Carolina, covered every kind of motorsport while pulling double duty for the Newport News Daily Press and Autoweek for decades. Even after retiring from the Press in 2004, he continued writing for Autoweek magazine and website. While he wrote about all kinds of races and leagues, he most notably covered 56 consecutive Daytona 500s.
If there’s a significant auto-racing journalism award, Pearce has won it. He was also a member of the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame.
Pearce wrote 13 auto-racing books, his most recent of which was “NASCAR 75 Years,” which he co-authored in 2023 with Mike Hembree, Kelly Crandall, and Jimmy Creed.
Before working as a reporter, Pearce served as an officer in the U.S. Army.
Tributes from his peers and NASCAR luminaries poured in on Thursday as the news of Pearce’s passing spread.
Sad news: Al Pearce, career sportswriter and most recently Autoweek’s Nascar editor, passed yesterday.
Al also administered the Henry McLemore Award, now the American Motorsports Media Award of Excellence, voted on annually by past winners, including Al.— Mike Joy (@mikejoy500) April 10, 2025
Al Pearce covered 56 Daytona 500s and more than 90 Cup Series races at Richmond alone during one of the longest careers for any NASCAR writer. He served in Vietnam and is a member of the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. But what I’ll remember most about Al is how willing he was to… pic.twitter.com/qR4kju3Xwx
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) April 10, 2025
I’m going to miss my friend so much.
Al Pearce didn’t like me at first. When Autoweek hired me, he thought they were pushing him out, as if I could ever replace what he’s meant to that brand and the industry.
I was just happy that I could work with him. Over the next decade,… pic.twitter.com/RI4kAI9ZHb
— Matt Weaver (@MattWeaverRA) April 10, 2025
Thank you Al for your service to our country, and our sport. May you rest in peace.
— Denny Hamlin (@dennyhamlin) April 10, 2025
There isn’t enough space to list the motorsports media accomplishments of Al Pearce. A caretaker of the sport for six decades, even when the newspaper industry and his health seemed so determined to stop him. They did not. The media center will be so strange without him there.
— Ryan McGee (@espnmcgee.bsky.social) April 10, 2025 at 11:43 AM
Devastating news. In college, I emailed Al Pearce my NASCAR column every week for his critiques. He always took time for aspiring journalists, and introduced me to dozens of industry professionals.
He is one of the absolute best at his craft & will be greatly missed. https://t.co/jFvCydgICV
— Kaitlyn Vincie (@kaitlynvincie) April 10, 2025
Al Pearce loved journalism and wasn’t afraid to take a different / non-conforming look at things as NASCAR changed throughout the decades. Will miss seeing him at media centers and reading his stories. RIP. https://t.co/BdeP1jPJ9F
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) April 10, 2025
Pearce is survived by his wife Francie and daughter Annie.
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.