WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — The racing community is mourning the death of Gary Myers, a longtime NASCAR competitor, Bowman Gray Stadium standout and patriarch of one of the most recognizable racing families in North Carolina.
Myers died Thursday, September 10, 2026, at the age of 76, following a period of declining health, according to current reports. His death marks the passing of a figure whose connection to motorsports stretched across more than six decades.
For generations of racing fans, particularly those familiar with Bowman Gray Stadium, Myers represented much more than a former driver. He was part of a family tradition that helped shape modified racing in the Southeast.
His sons, Burt Myers and Jason Myers, continued that tradition behind the wheel, extending the Myers name into another generation of competitive racing. NASCAR has previously highlighted the family’s long association with Bowman Gray, where Myers’ father, Billy Myers, and uncle Bobby Myers raced during the 1950s before Gary eventually continued the family legacy.
A Racing Family’s Longtime Patriarch
Gary Myers was born on March 4, 1950, in Walnut Cove, North Carolina.
His introduction to racing came through his family, whose history at Bowman Gray Stadium dates back to the early years of the track.
His father, Billy Myers, and uncle Bobby Myers were prominent competitors during the 1950s. After their deaths, Gary carried the family name forward and eventually watched his own sons pursue racing careers.
That made the Myers family connection to Bowman Gray span multiple generations.
NASCAR has described the family as having raced at Bowman Gray since the early 1950s. Burt Myers later became a 10-time track champion, helping bring the family’s total to 14 Bowman Gray track championships.
Gary’s role in that history was therefore both personal and competitive. He was a driver in his own right while also becoming the father and mentor of racers who continued the family tradition.
Gary Myers’ NASCAR Career
Myers competed in NASCAR’s top-level series during the 1970s, racing in what was then known as the NASCAR Winston Cup Series.
His Cup career included 46 starts between 1974 and 1978. He made his debut in the 1974 Yankee 400 at Michigan and competed through the 1978 Los Angeles Times 500 at Ontario.
Although Myers did not record a Cup Series victory, his career placed him among the drivers who helped define the sport during an important period in NASCAR history.
His racing career extended beyond the Cup Series.
He also competed in the NASCAR Grand National East Series and the NASCAR Featherlite Modified Tour, among other forms of stock-car competition.
A Champion Beyond NASCAR’s Cup Series
Some of Myers’ most significant accomplishments came outside the NASCAR Cup Series.
He became a prominent figure in modified racing and was a founding member of the SMART Modified Tour.
In 1996, Myers won the SMART Modified Tour championship and recorded 15 wins during his broader modified-racing career, according to current reporting.
That success helped establish Myers as more than a former Cup driver.
His name became closely associated with modified racing, particularly throughout the Southeast, where Bowman Gray and other short tracks have long served as important parts of the regional racing culture.
Six Decades Connected to Bowman Gray
Bowman Gray Stadium was central to Gary Myers’ life in motorsports.
The Winston-Salem track has a distinctive place in American racing history, and Myers was connected to it for more than 60 years.
He first experienced the track through his family’s involvement before eventually becoming a competitor himself.
Later, he watched his sons carry the family name onto the track.
That generational connection made the Myers family one of the most recognizable racing families associated with Bowman Gray.
NASCAR’s account of the family’s history notes that the Myers racing tradition continued from Billy and Bobby Myers through Gary and then to Burt and Jason.
Father of Burt and Jason Myers
Gary Myers’ influence on racing continued through his sons.
Burt Myers became one of the most successful drivers in Bowman Gray history, while Jason Myers also established himself as a competitor.
The family tradition later reached another generation through Gary’s grandson Slate Myers, who competes in the SMART Modified Tour.
That progression—from Gary’s father and uncle, to Gary, to his sons and then grandchildren—illustrates just how deeply racing became embedded in the Myers family.
The family was not simply connected to motorsports as a business or hobby. Racing became a multigenerational way of life.
More Than a Driver
While Gary Myers’ racing statistics provide one measure of his career, his importance to the sport extended beyond results.
Short-track racing is built around relationships among drivers, teams, mechanics, families and fans.
Drivers who remain involved for decades become part of the identity of the tracks where they compete.
Myers’ long association with Bowman Gray gave him that kind of connection.
For many fans, his name represented an era of racing that stretched from the 1970s into the modern modified-racing period.
A Legacy That Continues Through His Family
Perhaps the most lasting part of Gary Myers’ racing legacy is the family he leaves behind.
His sons continued racing after him, and the Myers name remains connected with modified competition.
Burt Myers’ success at Bowman Gray has been particularly significant, with his 10 track championships contributing to a family total of 14.
The family’s continuing presence means Gary’s influence will remain visible at racetracks even after his death.
For those who knew him personally, however, his legacy will undoubtedly extend beyond racing accomplishments.
He was a father, grandfather, mentor and longtime member of the racing community.
Racing Community Pays Tribute
News of Myers’ death has prompted tributes from people connected to NASCAR and modified racing.
The Smart Modified Tour was among those acknowledging his passing, describing Myers as one of its important figures and remembering his contribution to the sport.
Fans have also been reflecting on his decades around Bowman Gray and the role his family played in the track’s history.
For longtime racing followers, Myers’ death represents the end of another chapter in an era when family-owned teams and generations of drivers were central to the identity of short-track racing.
Gary Myers’ Cause of Death
Current reports indicate that Gary Myers died after a period of declining health.
No more specific medical cause has been established in the reliable information currently available.
Because additional medical details have not been publicly confirmed, speculation about a particular illness or condition should be avoided.
The focus following his death has instead centered on his racing career, his family and the decades he spent contributing to motorsports.
Funeral and Memorial Information
Specific funeral or memorial arrangements for Gary Myers had not been fully established in the information available at the time of this report.
Additional details may be announced by his family or through racing organizations and funeral-service providers.
Those wishing to pay their respects should rely on official announcements for confirmed information.
Gary Myers’ Racing Legacy
Gary Myers leaves behind a remarkable motorsports legacy.
He competed in NASCAR’s top series during the 1970s, raced in multiple modified divisions, won the 1996 SMART Modified Tour championship and remained closely connected to Bowman Gray Stadium for decades.
But his greatest contribution may have been helping keep the Myers racing tradition alive.
His father and uncle established the family’s early reputation.
Gary continued it.
His sons Burt and Jason carried it forward.
And the next generation has already begun adding its own chapter.
What to Know About Gary Myers
- Name: Gary Myers
- Age: 76
- Born: March 4, 1950
- Birthplace: Walnut Cove, North Carolina
- Died: September 10, 2026
- Profession: Stock-car and modified racing driver
- NASCAR Cup Series: 46 starts
- Cup Series career: 1974–1978
- SMART Modified Tour: 1996 champion
- Racing connection: Bowman Gray Stadium
- Sons: Burt Myers and Jason Myers
- Legacy: Multigenerational Myers racing family
- Cause of death: Reported period of declining health
- Funeral arrangements: Not fully available in current reports
A Final Look at Gary Myers’ Life
Gary Myers spent much of his life around racing.
He grew up in a family already connected to Bowman Gray and eventually established his own place behind the wheel.
His career took him onto the NASCAR Cup Series and into modified racing, where he achieved championship success.
But perhaps the most remarkable aspect of his story was what happened after his own driving career became part of racing history.
He watched his sons race.
He helped preserve the Myers family name at Bowman Gray.
He remained part of the racing community as new generations entered the sport.
That kind of legacy cannot be measured simply by wins, starts or championships.
It is measured through the people who continue the tradition.
Gary Myers Remembered
The death of Gary Myers at 76 represents a significant loss for the NASCAR and modified-racing communities, particularly those connected to Bowman Gray Stadium.
He leaves behind a racing legacy that began with his father and uncle, continued through his own career and lives on through his sons and grandchildren.
For fans who followed Myers during his NASCAR years, he will be remembered as a determined competitor.
For Bowman Gray supporters, he will remain part of the track’s long and colorful history.
For his family, however, he was much more than a racing figure.
He was a father, grandfather and patriarch whose influence reached well beyond the racetrack.
Gary Myers’ name will remain woven into the history of Bowman Gray and the Myers racing family. His legacy will continue through the drivers who carry that name forward and through the generations of racing fans who remember the era in which he competed.
May Gary Myers rest in peace, and may his family, friends and the racing community find comfort in the memories of his remarkable life.