Cale Yarborough’s story is like something out of a movie. As a teenager, he bent the truth about his age to jump behind the wheel of a stock car. The bold move for him kicked off a legendary career, marked by snagging three championships back-to-back. Sadly, Yarborough’s race came to an end at the age of 84 after battling a rare genetic illness for a long time, as his family shared with the Associated Press.

He was truly one of the last NASCAR drivers who came from humble, working-class roots. The news of his passing has cast a shadow over the NASCAR community. Big names in the sport, like Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Denny Hamlin, and Dale Jarrett, have all taken to social media to share their touching tributes.

Cale Yarborough was the first to achieve the feat, followed by Jimmie Johnson and others

Cale Yarborough first carved a niche in NASCAR history with a hat-trick of championships between 1976 and 1978. He was the trailblazer in this feat, a record untouched until Jimmie Johnson clinched five consecutive titles from 2006 to 2010. Hailing from South Carolina, Yarborough also boasted five victories in the Southern 500 at his home turf in Darlington and five Daytona 500 victories.

The bond between Jimmie Johnson and Cale Yarborough goes beyond their shared triumph of three straight championships. They’re neck and neck with an impressive tally of 83 NASCAR wins each. But Yarborough’s journey to the racetrack was far from straightforward. As a young lad of 11, after his father’s tragic plane crash, he shouldered the responsibility of his family’s farm, working in tobacco and cotton fields.

While Yarborough shone brightly on the racetrack, his first foray into sports wasn’t there. He dabbled in football and boxing, even securing a football scholarship to Clemson. However, the call of the racetrack was too strong to ignore. Later on, he made his NASCAR debut in 1957 at the Darlington Raceway, close to where he grew up. His start was humble, finishing at the back in his first race, and he even got into a pickle for fibbing about his age on his NASCAR license.

Yarborough’s NASCAR career spanned over four decades, peaking in 1980 with six race wins. He wasn’t just about stock cars; his need for speed took him to open-wheel racing, including four stints at the Indianapolis 500. Post-retirement in 1988, he didn’t stray far from the track, running Cale Yarborough Motorsports until 2000 and managing several other ventures.

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Boasting such a beautiful racing career, with his passing, the NASCAR world mourns deeply, having lost a true icon of the sport.

The NASCAR world is coming together, sending prayers and heartfelt messages 

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Jimmie Johnson, who always looked up to Cale as his hero, mourned the loss of his hero on Twitter: “Cale Yarborough was my childhood hero. What an honor to be tied with the legend for 83 Cup series wins. He was “the man” and the legacy of Cale Yarborough will forever live on. My deepest condolences to Cale’s family.”

Dale Earnhardt Jr also shared his condolences with some kind words, “Sad news about the passing of Cale today. A legend behind the wheel for sure, but he had a personality, grit, and swagger that attracted fans around the world to him and to Nascar. He truly made the sport far better for being a part of it. My heart goes out to his family.”

Dale Jarrett, who shared the track with Cale, reflected, “Sad to hear about Cale’s passing today. Great competitor and friend. Not sure if my career would have been the same without the opportunity he gave me! Prayers to his family.”

Darrell Waltrip, a close friend of Yarborough, remembered him fondly, “Cale was a great friend, he gave me a heads up about Jr Johnson wanting to hire me, I don’t know of anyone tougher than Cale, love you my friend, RIP.” Denny Hamlin, who followed in Yarborough’s tracks driving the No. 11, kept his tribute succinct, “Rip 11. #legend.”

Watch: 3-Time NASCAR Champion Cale Yarborough Once Created a Unique Record