“Godspeed”: NASCAR Insider pens heartfelt note on demise of Al Pearce

Sportsnaut's Matt Weaver recently wrote an emotional note following veteran NASCAR journalist Al Pearce's passing on Wednesday (April 9).

Pearce spent over 50 years covering motorsports, including NASCAR, NHRA, IMSA and Formula One. He spent the bulk of his career at Autoweek, where he served as stock car editor and authored 13 books, including 50 First Victories. Weaver, who worked as the associate motorsports editor at Autoweek for five years, reflected on Pearce's death in a post on X.

"I'm going to miss my friend so much. Al Pearce didn't like me at first. When Autoweek hired me, he thought they were pushing him out, as if I could ever replace what he's meant to that brand and the industry. I was just happy that I could work with him. Over the next decade, Al warmed up to me over his most grumpy crotchety years. He called me Matthew and I loved it," Weaver wrote.

Pearce suffered a heart attack and passed away at the age of 82. Weaver further shared that Pearce never officially retired, despite multiple farewell celebrations planned over the years.

"I loved the shit out of Al. Al never retired, despite the five cakes we baked for him across NASCAR and Autoweek over the past five years, and I admire so much his resolve to doing this to the very end. He loved this the way I love it. Godspeed, hero," Weaver added.

Al Pearce started covering motorsports in 1969, after serving in the Army during the Vietnam War. He got his first reporting job at a small newspaper in Virginia. The Rocky Mount, North Carolina native also earned spots in the International Motorsports Hall of Fame and the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. He covered thousands of races including 56 consecutive NASCAR Daytona 500s.

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NASCAR community mourns loss of team owner Shigeaki Hattori

NASCAR also tragically lost Shigeaki Hattori last week, on April 5, 2025. The NASCAR team owner and former race car driver died in a car crash in North Carolina. He was 61 years old. Several NASCAR personalities, including Xfinity Series driver Austin Hill and Cup Series driver Bubba Wallace, reflected on his passing.

Fox Sports' Bob Pockrass also shared his condolences on X, writing:

"Sad news: Truck Series team owner and former INDYCAR driver Shige Hattori died in a motor vehicle crash Saturday in Huntersville. He was 61 years old. Hattori won a truck title as an owner for Brett Moffitt in 2018. … I always enjoyed my talks with Shige. He will be missed."

Hattori was from Japan and moved to the US in the 1990s to become a race car driver. He raced in IndyCar and NASCAR and later started his own team, Hattori Racing Enterprises. His team won the 2018 NASCAR Truck Series championship and helped many famous drivers.

12-time NASCAR Xfinity Series race winner Austin Hill also made his debut with Hattori Enterprises in 2019 and raced for the team till 2021 before joining Richard Childress Racing.