Ex-NASCAR Star Dies Tragically At 42

Former NASCAR driver Chase Pistone, who followed his famous grandfather onto the track and built a racing career of his own, has died at 42.

His brother, Nick Pistone, announced the news in a gut-wrenching Facebook post.

“Well, my young brother and best friend is gone,” Nick Pistone posted on Facebook. “I’m broken-hearted and don’t know if I’ll ever get over this. I miss you Chase already and I hope you are you are in a better place. I love you and I miss you so much already!!!!!!!”

Pistone competed across several NASCAR ranks, including the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and the ARCA Menards Series, carving out a reputation as a steady presence in the garage and a fierce competitor on the asphalt. He logged starts in Trucks and Xfinity competition during the late 2000s and early 2010s, battled on short tracks across the Southeast, and later shifted focus to developing young drivers through his own Legends and Late Model programs.

Legends Nation confirmed his death on Monday.

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“Chase was not only a wheelman in Legends and Late Models, but his Chase Pistone Inc. Legends team was a force to be reckoned with every time they showed up at a track, and they usually walked away with the winner’s trophy,” Legends Nation posted on X.

No cause of death was released. However, Chase’s brothers, Tom and Nick, asked that Legends Nation “post the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which is 988 on a phone or text.”

Pistone carried a storied racing name. He was the grandson of NASCAR legend Tom Pistone, who won two NASCAR Cup Series races in 1959 during the sport’s early, hard-charging days.

Tributes poured in from across the racing world.

“Heartbroken to hear about the passing of our friend Chase Pistone,” Brian Murphy of RFK Racing said on X. “He was not only a talented racer but a true mentor who poured his time, knowledge, and passion into the next generation.”

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