NASCAR Community Mourns the Loss of Zachary Yager: Veteran Pit Crew Member
It’s a tough day in the NASCAR garage. The kind of day where the roar of the engines feels a little quieter, and the smell of burning rubber and fuel doesn’t quite hit the same. We lost one of our own. Zachary Yager, a man who lived and breathed this sport as an over-the-wall pit crew member for a decade, has passed away at the age of 34. The news hit like a ton of bricks, leaving a hole in the heart of the pit road community.
Zach wasn’t just a crew member. He was a warrior. A guy who went over the wall into the chaos of a hot pit box, race after race, since 2014. He was part of the silent army that makes this sport tick. The guys who can change four tires and fuel a car in the time it takes most people to find their keys. His sudden passing has left his family, friends, and teammates reeling.
A Career Built on Grit and Versatility
Zachary Yager wasn’t a person who stuck to just one thing. In a world where specialization is key, he was a throwback, a jack-of-all-trades on pit road. He could carry tires, jack the car, or fuel it, and he did it all with the kind of grit you’d expect from a New York native who made his way down to the heart of stock car racing.
His journey took him through some of the biggest names in the sport. He put in time at Richard Childress Racing, Team Penske, and RFK Racing. He was part of the JTG Daugherty Racing crew, now HYAK Motorsports, that stunned the world and won the Daytona 500 in 2023. Can you imagine that feeling? Standing in Victory Lane at the Great American Race, knowing your hands helped put that car there. That’s a memory that lasts forever.
This season, Zachary Yager brought his talent to Elite Race Services, a company that assembles top-tier pit crews for teams across NASCAR’s national series. He was the jackman for the No. 39 RSS Racing team in the Xfinity Series and the No. 88 ThorSport Racing team in the Truck Series. He was in the thick of it, week in and week out.
The NASCAR Community Mourns Zachary Yager
The news of his death was a gut punch to everyone who knew him. Cory DeMarco, the owner of Elite Race Services, was in disbelief. “Obviously, nobody saw this coming, and we’re in total disbelief,” he told TobyChristie.com. “All of the guys send our thoughts and prayers out to his dad and family, right now.” You can feel the shock in those words. This wasn’t supposed to happen.
ThorSport Racing, where Zachary Yager was a key part of the No. 88 crew, shared a similar sentiment. “We are deeply saddened by the unexpected passing of our friend and teammate, Zachary Yager,” the team said in a statement. “He was an important part of our family, and our hearts are with his loved ones and community as we grieve this loss together.”
He was more than just a teammate. He was family. That’s what this sport is all about. It’s a traveling circus, a band of brothers and sisters who spend more time with each other than with their own families. When you lose one, everyone feels it. The details surrounding his death haven’t been released, but what we do know is that he had been reported missing by his family just days before the tragic news broke.
Final Thoughts
It’s a stark reminder that the guys who go over the wall are more than just athletes in firesuits. They are sons, brothers, and friends. Zachary Yager was a vital piece of the NASCAR puzzle, a dedicated professional who helped make the show happen every weekend. He will be deeply missed on pit road and in the garage. Rest in peace, Zach.
