Michael Annett

Michael Annett is an American stock car racing driver who currently competes in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. He recorded more than 360 starts in all three NASCAR national divisions so far.

He made a debut in NASCAR in 2008, waiting for his first and only victory until February 2019 when he won the season-opening race of the Xfinity Series at Daytona International Speedway.

Michael Annett traded pucks for gears

From ice hockey to the ARCA Series

As a child, Michael was a talented ice hockey player who won many awards and trophies in lower tiers but in 2005 he had to leave ice hockey after being told that he is too small to make a career at a higher level. That’s why he decided to try his skills and luck in motorsports what was a pretty late start of a new career.

Annett was lucky enough to have financial backing from TMC Transportation company where his father was CEO. Michael began his racing career in the ARCA series in 2007 and debuted at Iowa Speedway, his home track. He started from pole position and eventually finished 3rd in his first race. In October Michael scored his maiden victory at Talladega Superspeedway while in February of 2008 Annett triumphed in the race at Daytona.

Michael Annett at the 2008 Camping World RV Sales 200

NASCAR debut in the 2008 Truck Series

In 2008 Annett moved from Iowa to North Carolina and made an agreement with Bill Davis Racing to race in selected events of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Michael drove in seven races that year. He debuted at Milwaukee and finished in Top 10 while the 2nd position at Kentucky 201 was his best result that year. At the end of the campaign, Annett got an opportunity to race in the NASCAR Xfinity Series season-closing race at Homestead and finished 39th.

Following two years Annett spent driving the Germain Racing’s Toyota #15 in the Xfinity Series. In his first full-time season, Michael scored four Top 10 finishes before taking the 10th position in the standings. In the season of 2010, he had just two Top 10s but his average finish improved by one position. However, Michael dropped to the 13th place in the points.

Michael Annett in the Richard Petty Motorsport's #43 Ford Mustang

Two seasons with Richard Petty Motorsports

Move to Rusty Wallace Racing’s Toyota #62 in 2011 proved to be a good decision. Annett finished the season 9th in the standings after having seven Top 10 finishes. He left the team at the end of the season and became a driver of Richard Petty Motorsports Ford #43. The 2012 campaign was the best in Annett’s career so far. He had six Top 5 finishes, 17 Top 10s, with the 3rd places at Daytona and Dover as the highlights of the season. At the end of the season, he was 5th in standings of the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

The start of the second year with Richard Petty Motorsports was far from perfect. Annett had a huge crash in the season-opening race at Daytona and was forced to miss following eight races due to an injury that required surgery. He returned to the seat of #43 Ford at Charlotte Motor Speedway but the rest of the season was modest. Michael was able to record only one Top 5 finish and additional three Top 10s, so he dropped to the 15th place overall.

Annet on his NASCAR Cup Series debut at 2014 Daytona 500

NASCAR Cup Series debut in 2014

Annett’s rookie season in the NASCAR Cup Series came in 2014. He raced Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet #7 and even after too many ups and downs, the Des Moines-born finished 4th in the Rookie standings what was a pretty solid achievement.

That was followed by a move to HScott Motorsports where Annett spent the next two years, driving the #46 Chevy. Unfortunately, the results weren’t as good as in his first season in the most popular American racing series. During 2015 and 2016, Annett recorded only two Top 20 finishes, both time at Daytona – in 2015 Daytona 500 and 2016 Coke Zero 400.

Michael scored his first win in the #1 car

Return to the Xfinity Series in 2017, maiden victory in 2019

In November of 2016, Michael announced that he won’t return to Hscott Motorsport in 2017. Actually, he lost the place in the Cup Series and returned to the Xfinity Series, driving the JR Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro #5. In the year of his return, he scored seven Top 10 results, including runner-up spot at Road America as his best result. In 2018, h eas in the Top 10 just three times.

Then, in February 2019, Michael started the new season with a new number on a car and he finally scored his maiden NASCAR victory. He won the Racing Experience 300, the season-opening race of the Xfinity Series at Daytona International Speedway. He did that in the #1 Chevrolet Camaro of JR Motorsports.

February 2019 at Daytona - Michael finally in the Victory Lane

Photo: Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images, thetimes-tribune.com, carsandracingstuff.com, michaelannett.com