Longtime NASCAR owner and engine builder Robert Yates has died. The 74-year-old had been battling liver cancer. Yates started in auto racing as an engine builder and eventually won 57 Cup races as an owner. They included three Daytona 500s with drivers such as Davey Allison and Dale Jarrett. Yates was selected for the NASCAR Hall of Fame earlier this year and will be inducted in January.
In a statement, the Hall of Fame said:
"Robert Yates was enormously successful as a winning and championship engine builder and car owner in his professional life in NASCAR, earning him a well-deserved selection as a NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee in the Class of 2018…He was among the most respected and beloved members of the NASCAR community—gracious, humble, genuine and a true gentleman. He will be dearly missed, but his impact and legacy on NASCAR and the many fortunate enough to know him will live with us forever. Again, we offer our sincere condolences to the entire Yates family."
