Darrell Lee Waltrip is a 3-time NASCAR Cup Series champion (
1981The 1981 NASCAR Winston Cup Series began on Sunday, January 11 and ended on Sunday, November 22. Darrell Waltrip won his first Winston Cup championship by 53 points over Bobby Allison...
,
1982The 1982 NASCAR Winston Cup season began on February 14 At the Daytona International Speedway and concluded on November 21 at Riverside International Raceway...
,
1985The 1985 NASCAR Winston Cup Season began on Sunday February 10 and ended on Sunday November 17. Darrell Waltrip, driving for Junior Johnson, was crowned champion at the end of the season...
), 3-time runner-up (
1979The 1979 NASCAR Winston Cup Series began on Sunday, January 14 and ended on Sunday, November 18. Richard Petty won his seventh and final Winston Cup championship, winning by 11 points over Darrell Waltrip...
,
1983The 1983 NASCAR Winston Cup Season began on Sunday February 20 and ended on Sunday November 20. Bobby Allison was Winston Cup champion at the end of the season finishing 47 points ahead of Darrell Waltrip...
, 1986), winner of the
1989 Daytona 500The 31st annual Daytona 500 was held February 19 at Daytona International Speedway. Ken Schrader won the pole for the second time in a row.-General information:...
and 5-time winner of the prestigeous
Coca-Cola 600The Coca-Cola 600, formerly known as the World 600, is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held each year at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina on Memorial Day weekend...
(formerly the World 600), (1978,
1979The 1979 NASCAR Winston Cup Series began on Sunday, January 14 and ended on Sunday, November 18. Richard Petty won his seventh and final Winston Cup championship, winning by 11 points over Darrell Waltrip...
,
1985The 1985 NASCAR Winston Cup Season began on Sunday February 10 and ended on Sunday November 17. Darrell Waltrip, driving for Junior Johnson, was crowned champion at the end of the season...
, 1988, 1989, a record for any driver). He posted a modern series record of 22 top five finishes in 1983, and 21 top five finishes in both 1981, and 1986. Waltrip is the winner of 84 Cup Series races, including seven
consecutive wins at
Bristol Motor SpeedwayBristol Motor Speedway, formerly known as Bristol International Raceway and Bristol Raceway is a NASCAR short track venue located in Bristol, Tennessee. Constructed in 1960, it held its first NASCAR race on July 30, 1961...
, (a record for any driver, all-time), placing him second to
Jeff GordonJeffery Michael "Jeff" Gordon is a professional NASCAR driver. He is the driver of the #24 Drive to End Hunger/DuPont/Pepsi Chevrolet Impala. He is a four-time Sprint Cup Series champion and a three-time Daytona 500 winner. He is third on the all-time wins list, with 85 career wins, and has the...
for the most wins in the modern era of
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
, and tied with
Bobby AllisonRobert Arthur Allison is a former NASCAR Winston Cup driver and was named one of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers. His two sons, Clifford Allison and Davey Allison followed him into racing, and both died within a year of each other....
for fourth on the all-time list. He is winner of 59 Cup Series pole positions (second all-time), including 35 on short tracks, and 8 on road courses (both all-time highs in the series). He has 271 top-five finishes, 390 top-ten finishes, and competed in 809 Cup Series races spanning 29 years (1972–2000).
In addition to
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
's top racing series, he has won 13 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series races, 7
American Speed AssociationThe American Speed Association is a sanctioning body of motorsports in the United States formed in 1968. The Association was based in Pendleton, Indiana and currently is headquarters in Daytona Beach, Florida. ASA was most famous for a national touring series which began in 1973 but was...
(ASA) races, 3
IROCInternational Race of Champions, better known as IROC, was a North American auto racing competition, promoted as an equivalent of an American All-Star Game or The Masters...
races, 2
Automobile Racing Club of AmericaAutomobile Racing Club of America is an auto racing sanctioning body in the United States, founded in 1953 by John Marcum. The current president of ARCA is Ron Drager. The ARCA RE/MAX Series races stock cars similar to those seen in past years in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and indeed most cars...
(ARCA) races, 2
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
All-American Challenge Series events, 2 All Pro Racing Association races, 2
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
All-American Challenge Series events, a USAC race, and has competed in the
24 Hours of DaytonaThe 24 Hours of Daytona, currently known as the Rolex 24 Daytona for sponsorship reasons, is a 24-hour sports car endurance race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is run on a combined road course, utilizing portions of the NASCAR tri-oval and an infield...
, a 24-hour sports car endurance race. Waltrip also holds the all-time track record with 67 wins at the
Music City MotorplexFairgrounds Speedway is a NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racetrack located at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds near downtown Nashville, Tennessee. The track is one of the oldest tracks in the United States. The track held NASCAR Grand National/Winston Cup races from 1958 to 1984...
, formerly Fairgrounds Speedway, in
Nashville, TennesseeNashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, counting NASCAR, USAC, ASA, and local track races.
Waltrip also became the first
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
driver to win $10 million (February 18, 1990). He is a 2-time winner of
NASCAR's Most Popular Driver AwardNASCAR's Most Popular Driver Award is awarded to the fans' favorite NASCAR driver in the Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series, and Camping World Truck Series every year since 1956. It started as a poll of the drivers and then all NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competitors...
, (1989, 1990), was "
American Driver of the YearThe Driver Of the Year Award is an American award founded in 1967 by Martini & Rossi. The award is presented to drivers competing in United States motorsport on four wheels. Today it is privately owned and the voting panel consists of automotive and racing journalists in the United States. Mario...
", (1979, 1981, 1982), and was "
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
's Driver of the Decade", (1980s). In addition, he was the "National Motorsports Press Association Driver of the Year", (1977, 1981, 1982), the "Auto Racing Digest Driver of the Year", (1981, 1982) and the first "Tennessee Professional Athlete of the Year", (1979). He is a 2003
Motorsports Hall of Fame of AmericaThe Motorsports Hall of Fame of America is a Hall of Fame and museum for American motorsports legends. It was originally located in Novi, Michigan and it moved to the Detroit Science Center in 2009.-Museum:...
inductee and a 2005
International Motorsports Hall of FameThe International Motorsports Hall of Fame is a Hall of Fame dedicated to enshrining those who have contributed the most to auto racing either as a driver, owner, developer or engineer...
inductee, and was announced in July, 2009, as one of the initial 25 nominees for the inaugural
NASCAR Hall of FameThe NASCAR Hall of Fame honors drivers who have shown exceptional skill at NASCAR driving, all-time great crew chiefs and owners, and other major contributors to competition within the sanctioning body. NASCAR committed itself to building a Hall of Fame and on March 6, 2006, the city of Charlotte,...
induction class of 2010. Waltrip was named one of
NASCAR's 50 Greatest DriversNASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers is a list of NASCAR drivers.In 1998, as part of its 50th anniversary celebration, NASCAR gathered a panel to select "The 50 Greatest NASCAR Drivers of All Time." It was inspired in part by the NBA's decision to select the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History on its 50th...
(1998), and was awarded the Bill France "Award of Excellence", in 2000. On July 1, 2010, Waltrip was again nominated for the 2011 induction class of the
NASCAR Hall of FameThe NASCAR Hall of Fame honors drivers who have shown exceptional skill at NASCAR driving, all-time great crew chiefs and owners, and other major contributors to competition within the sanctioning body. NASCAR committed itself to building a Hall of Fame and on March 6, 2006, the city of Charlotte,...
. On July 14th, 2011, it was announced that Waltrip, in only his third year of eligibility, will be inducted as one of the five members of the class of 2012, one of only nine top series Nascar drivers to be inducted to the
NASCAR Hall of FameThe NASCAR Hall of Fame honors drivers who have shown exceptional skill at NASCAR driving, all-time great crew chiefs and owners, and other major contributors to competition within the sanctioning body. NASCAR committed itself to building a Hall of Fame and on March 6, 2006, the city of Charlotte,...
thus far.
Waltrip currently owns
Hondais a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
,
VolvoAB Volvo is a Swedish builder of commercial vehicles, including trucks, buses and construction equipment. Volvo also supplies marine and industrial drive systems, aerospace components and financial services...
and
Subaru; is the automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate Fuji Heavy Industries .Subaru is internationally known for their use of the boxer engine layout popularized in cars by the Volkswagen Beetle and Porsche 911, in most of their vehicles above 1500 cc as well as...
auto dealerships in
Franklin, TennesseeFranklin is a city within and the county seat of Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 62,487 as of the 2010 census Franklin is located approximately south of downtown Nashville.-History:...
, and is a lead television analyst and race commentator with
Fox Broadcasting CompanyFox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
and Speed TV, a columnist at
Foxsports.comFoxsports.com provides sports news, scores, sports statistics, sports and entertainment video, sports fantasy leagues and fantasy information. Launched in July 2001, it is a unit of Fox Interactive Media, which also includes other News Corporation online businesses, including MySpace, IGN...
and an author. He is the older brother of
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
driver and MWR team owner
Michael WaltripMichael Curtis Waltrip is a semi-former professional race car driver, co-owner of Michael Waltrip Racing, and a published author. He is the younger brother of three-time NASCAR champion and racing commentator Darrell Waltrip. Waltrip is a two-time winner of the Daytona 500; having won the race in...
. He is married, has two daughters, and resides in
Franklin, TennesseeFranklin is a city within and the county seat of Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 62,487 as of the 2010 census Franklin is located approximately south of downtown Nashville.-History:...
.
Waltrip began his professional driving career on the high banks of the Nashville Speedway. He began racing as a youth racing go-carts and then cars at the Ellis Racetrack (dirt) on US Hwy 60 W between Owensboro and Henderson, Kentucky and began his first asphalt track racing at the
Kentucky Motor SpeedwayKentucky Motor Speedway is a 3/8 mile short track located in Whitesville, Kentucky. The track was built in 1960, with an infield Figure 8 crossover added in 1981. Several NASCAR greats, including Darrell Waltrip, Michael Waltrip, and Jeremy Mayfield, got their start in racing at the speedway...
in
Whitesville, KentuckyWhitesville is a city in Daviess County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 632 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Owensboro, Kentucky Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city was founded in 1844 by Dr. William White, and named for him...
. Brash and outspoken, Waltrip soon dominated the local track with his driving skill and off track commentary. While some fans did not like it, it pleased track management that he was helping sell tickets, leading to packed grandstands and extra paychecks from track operators for his promotional skills. He also embraced
WSMWSM is the callsign of a 50,000 watt AM radio station located in Nashville, Tennessee. Operating at 650 kHz, its clear channel signal can reach much of North America and various countries, especially late at night...
radio host
Ralph EmeryWalter Ralph Emery is a country music disc jockey and television host from Nashville, Tennessee. He gained national fame hosting the syndicated television music series, Pop! Goes the Country, from 1974 to 1980 and the nightly Nashville Network television program, Nashville Now, from 1983 to 1993...
during his early years, forming a bond which would be influential throughout his career. Waltrip would appear frequently on Emery's early morning television show on local Nashville television station, WSMV, and later substitute for Emery in the 1980s on Emery's television show,
Nashville Now on the former TNN cable network (later, Spike TV). Waltrip would use the success he enjoyed at the
Music City MotorplexFairgrounds Speedway is a NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racetrack located at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds near downtown Nashville, Tennessee. The track is one of the oldest tracks in the United States. The track held NASCAR Grand National/Winston Cup races from 1958 to 1984...
, and his notoriety and public speaking skills that he acquired from television appearances in Nashville, as a springboard into NASCAR's big leagues.
Early years in NASCAR
1972–1975
Waltrip started in NASCAR Winston Cup,
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
's top racing series at age 25, on May 7, 1972, at the 1972
Winston 500The Aaron's 499 is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car auto race held at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama. The race has always been held in late April or early May. The Aaron's 499 is also one of four races currently run with restrictor plates, the others being the AMP Energy 500,...
, at Talladega, Alabama, with a used Mercury Cyclone which was originally the 1967
FordFord Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
driven by
Mario AndrettiMario Gabriele Andretti is a retired Italian American world champion racing driver, one of the most successful Americans in the history of the sport. He is one of only two drivers to win races in Formula One, IndyCar, World Sportscar Championship and NASCAR...
to victory in the 1967
Daytona 500The Daytona 500 is a -long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is one of four restrictor plate races on the Cup schedule....
. Waltrip finished 38th in his first NASCAR Winston Cup race after retiring on lap 69 due to engine failure. The car was owned by Waltrip and sponsored by Terminal Transport of , Waltrip's first major sponsor.
The early years found Waltrip competing against legendary stock car racers such as
Richard PettyRichard Lee Petty is a former NASCAR driver who raced in the Strictly Stock/Grand National Era and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series...
, David Pearson,
Cale YarboroughWilliam Caleb "Cale" Yarborough , is a farmer, businessman and former NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver and owner. He is one of only two drivers in NASCAR history to win three consecutive championships...
, and
Bobby AllisonRobert Arthur Allison is a former NASCAR Winston Cup driver and was named one of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers. His two sons, Clifford Allison and Davey Allison followed him into racing, and both died within a year of each other....
among others. Brash and outspoken, Waltrip soon earned the respect of his more experienced peers. He was given the #95 as a number but Waltrip preferred car #17 because his hero, David Pearson, had success with the number. As an owner/driver, Waltrip ran 5 races in 1972, 14 races in 1973, 16 races in 1974, with 7 top-five finishes, and 17 races as owner/driver in 1975, with his first Winston Cup victory coming at his home track, May 10, 1975, in the Music City 420, outpacing the field by two laps at the track where he won 2 track championships in , in the #17 Terminal Transport
ChevroletChevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
, a car Waltrip owned.
During the 1973 season, Waltrip drove 5 Nascar cup races for
Bud Moore EngineeringBud Moore Engineering was a championship-winning NASCAR team. It was owned and operated by mechanic Bud Moore and ran out of Spartanburg, South Carolina. While the team was a dominant force in the 60s and 80s, the final years were tumultuous due to lack of sponorship and uncompetitive race cars.-...
.
DiGard years
1975–1980
Except for five races in 1973, driving for
Bud Moore EngineeringBud Moore Engineering was a championship-winning NASCAR team. It was owned and operated by mechanic Bud Moore and ran out of Spartanburg, South Carolina. While the team was a dominant force in the 60s and 80s, the final years were tumultuous due to lack of sponorship and uncompetitive race cars.-...
, Waltrip primarily drove his own cars at the beginning of his
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
career until the middle of the 1975 Winston Cup season when he was signed to replace driver
Donnie AllisonDunkiny "Donnie" Allison is a former driver on the NASCAR Grand National/Winston Cup circuit, who won ten times during his racing career, which spanned the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s. He was part of the "Alabama Gang," and is the brother of 1983 champion Bobby Allison and uncle of Davey Allison...
to drive the #88
DiGardDiGard Motorsports was a championship-winning race team in NASCAR Winston Cup that had its most success in the late 1970s and early 1980s...
ChevroletChevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
. The
DiGardDiGard Motorsports was a championship-winning race team in NASCAR Winston Cup that had its most success in the late 1970s and early 1980s...
racing team was founded in part by Mike DiProspero and Bill Gardner, who were brothers-in-law, with the legendary Robert Yates as engine builder. Waltrip’s first race with
DiGardDiGard Motorsports was a championship-winning race team in NASCAR Winston Cup that had its most success in the late 1970s and early 1980s...
came on August 17, 1975, at the Talladega 500,
Talladega SuperspeedwayTalladega Superspeedway is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama, United States. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base just outside the small city of Lincoln. It was constructed by International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France Family, in...
, in , finishing 42nd after experiencing engine failure. Waltrip would compete in ten more races in the 1975 season for
DiGardDiGard Motorsports was a championship-winning race team in NASCAR Winston Cup that had its most success in the late 1970s and early 1980s...
, sponsored by Terminal Transport, and get his second career NASCAR Winston Cup victory October 12, 1975, in the Capitol City 500, in . He would post three top-five and four top-ten finishes in the 11 races he ran for
DiGardDiGard Motorsports was a championship-winning race team in NASCAR Winston Cup that had its most success in the late 1970s and early 1980s...
in 1975.
During the early years of Waltrip's career, his wife, Stevie Waltrip, was the first NASCAR wife to attend the races and sit in the pit box, something almost all the NASCAR wives now do. Stevie learned to calculate gas mileage, a hugely important function in the sport, and would monitor the race listening to race communications between the crew chief and Waltrip.
In 1976,
GatoradeGatorade is a brand of sports-themed food and beverage products, built around its signature product: a line of sports drinks. Gatorade is currently manufactured by PepsiCo, distributed in over 80 countries...
became Waltrip’s primary sponsor as he started his first full race season at age 29, driving the
DiGardDiGard Motorsports was a championship-winning race team in NASCAR Winston Cup that had its most success in the late 1970s and early 1980s...
Gatorade
ChevroletChevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
. Waltrip won only one NASCAR Winston Cup race in 1976, the
Virginia 500The Goody's Fast Relief 500 is a 500-lap NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held at the Martinsville Speedway in , just outside of Martinsville...
, at
Martinsville SpeedwayMartinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation-owned NASCAR stock car racing track located in Henry County, near Ridgeway, Virginia, just to the south of Martinsville. At in length, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The track was also one of the first paved...
in , but in 1977 and 1978, working with legendary Nascar crew chief Buddy Parrott, he won six times
each year, including his first of four career victories at the
Talladega SuperspeedwayTalladega Superspeedway is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama, United States. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base just outside the small city of Lincoln. It was constructed by International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France Family, in...
, in Talladega, AL, on May 1, 1977, and his first of a record five career victories in the prestigious
Coca-Cola 600The Coca-Cola 600, formerly known as the World 600, is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held each year at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina on Memorial Day weekend...
(formerly the World 600), May 28, 1978. Waltrip and Parrott would win 21 Nascar races together between 1977 through 1980.
In the 1979 season, Waltrip won seven NASCAR Winston Cup races and was a serious contender for what would have been his first NASCAR Winston Cup Championship. At the start of the final race of the season, the
Los Angeles Times 500The Los Angeles Times 500 was an annual NASCAR Winston Cup race held at Ontario Motor Speedway in Ontario, California, USA, in February from 1971 to 1972 and in November from 1974 to 1980.-Race winners:Miller High Life 500*1971 - A.J. Foyt*1972 - A.J...
, at
Ontario Motor SpeedwayThe Ontario Motor Speedway, located in Ontario, California, east of Los Angeles, was the first and only automobile racing facility built to accommodate major races sanctioned by all of the four dominant racing sanctioning bodies: IndyCar Series and USAC for open-wheel oval car races; NASCAR for a ...
, , Waltrip led
Richard PettyRichard Lee Petty is a former NASCAR driver who raced in the Strictly Stock/Grand National Era and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series...
by a scant 2 points in the year-long championship battle after finishing the race 5th ahead of Petty's 6th place finish in the previous race, the Dixie 500,
Atlanta Motor SpeedwayAtlanta Motor Speedway is a track just outside Hampton, Georgia, twenty miles south of Atlanta. It is a quad-oval track with a seating capacity of over 125,000. It opened in 1960 as a standard oval. In 1994, 46 condominiums were built over the northeastern side of the track...
, November 4, 1979. However, Petty won an unprecedented seventh, and his final, NASCAR Winston Cup Championship by finishing the final race of the season in 5th position, as Waltrip finished 8th. The final margin of Petty's Championship victory over Waltrip was only 11 points, the second-closest points race in NASCAR Winston Cup history.
Waltrip closed out the 1970s driving the #88
DiGardDiGard Motorsports was a championship-winning race team in NASCAR Winston Cup that had its most success in the late 1970s and early 1980s...
ChevroletChevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
, sponsored by
GatoradeGatorade is a brand of sports-themed food and beverage products, built around its signature product: a line of sports drinks. Gatorade is currently manufactured by PepsiCo, distributed in over 80 countries...
, ranked NASCAR's #2 driver, having won 22 NASCAR Winston Cup races in just 149 race starts. His aggressive driving style and outspoken demeanor earned him the
nicknameA nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
"Jaws", a reference to
the 1975 filmJaws is a 1975 American horror-thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg and based on Peter Benchley's novel of the same name. In the story, the police chief of Amity Island, a fictional summer resort town, tries to protect beachgoers from a giant man-eating great white shark by closing the beach,...
about a killer
sharkSharks are a type of fish with a full cartilaginous skeleton and a highly streamlined body. The earliest known sharks date from more than 420 million years ago....
. The nickname was given to Waltrip by rival
Cale YarboroughWilliam Caleb "Cale" Yarborough , is a farmer, businessman and former NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver and owner. He is one of only two drivers in NASCAR history to win three consecutive championships...
in an interview after Waltrip crashed Yarborough out of a race. Waltrip himself preferred the nicknames
"D.W." or
"D-Dubya" but he acknowledged Yarborough by displaying an inflatable toy shark in his pit at the next race.
At the height of his NASCAR Winston Cup success in the early 1980s, fans often booed Waltrip, in large part because of his success on the track defeating more established drivers with large fan followings, but also because of his open criticism of NASCAR, his aggressive "take no prisoners", "win at all costs" approach to driving, and his public attempt to be released from his driving contract with
DiGardDiGard Motorsports was a championship-winning race team in NASCAR Winston Cup that had its most success in the late 1970s and early 1980s...
in 1980, a year in which Waltrip won five NASCAR Winston Cup races. Still, Waltrip had a huge and devoted fan following. It was often said by race commentators and sports columnists that "you either hate him or love him". But, Waltrip, the constant focus of national media attention, dominated all aspects of the sport in the early and middle years of the 80's.
Ironically, it was Waltrip's rival and long-time nemesis Cale Yarborough, the hard-charging, and hugely successful driver for legendary driver/owner
Junior JohnsonRobert Glenn Johnson, Jr. , better known as Junior Johnson, is a retired moonshiner in the rural South who became one of the early superstars of NASCAR in the 1950s and 1960s. He won 50 NASCAR races in his career before retiring in 1966...
, that privately told Waltrip that he intended to cut back on his racing appearances and leave the highly coveted
Junior JohnsonRobert Glenn Johnson, Jr. , better known as Junior Johnson, is a retired moonshiner in the rural South who became one of the early superstars of NASCAR in the 1950s and 1960s. He won 50 NASCAR races in his career before retiring in 1966...
team at the end of the 1980 season, opening the position for a new driver. Waltrip, the most successful Nascar driver at the time, was offered Nascar's top ride by Johnson, but only if Waltrip could successfully negotiate an early termination of his DiGard contract for which Waltrip was contractually obligated to drive.
Waltrip bought out his contract with DiGard, driving his final race for them November 15, 1980, freeing him to sign a new contract to drive for the former moonshine runner, former driver and car owner, the legendary Junior Johnson, starting in the 1981 season. Johnson, the subject of the movie
The Last American HeroThe Last American Hero is a 1973 sports drama film based on the true story of American NASCAR driver Junior Johnson...
(a.k.a.
Hard Driver), was convicted in 1956 for making whiskey and served 11 months of a two-year sentence. On December 26, 1986, President
Ronald ReaganRonald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
granted him a presidential pardon for his 1956 conviction. The Junior Johnson-prepared cars were considered by most in the sport to be the best ride in NASCAR Winston Cup at the time.
During the late 1970s, Waltrip would begin his domination of Nascar's short track venues, especially at the Bristol International Speedway, in Bristol, Tn.,
Martinsville SpeedwayMartinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation-owned NASCAR stock car racing track located in Henry County, near Ridgeway, Virginia, just to the south of Martinsville. At in length, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The track was also one of the first paved...
, Martinsville, VA., and the
Music City MotorplexFairgrounds Speedway is a NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racetrack located at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds near downtown Nashville, Tennessee. The track is one of the oldest tracks in the United States. The track held NASCAR Grand National/Winston Cup races from 1958 to 1984...
, Nashville, TN.. Waltrip still holds the track record at Bristol International Speedway, for wins with 12 victories, and for pole positions at
Martinsville SpeedwayMartinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation-owned NASCAR stock car racing track located in Henry County, near Ridgeway, Virginia, just to the south of Martinsville. At in length, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The track was also one of the first paved...
, with 8 pole position awards. His short-track success would continue into the 1980s, and was key to his winning 3 Nascar championships.
Junior Johnson years
1981–1986
Waltrip's success driving the
Junior JohnsonRobert Glenn Johnson, Jr. , better known as Junior Johnson, is a retired moonshiner in the rural South who became one of the early superstars of NASCAR in the 1950s and 1960s. He won 50 NASCAR races in his career before retiring in 1966...
prepared cars came immediately and even surpassed the highly successful years he had with
DiGardDiGard Motorsports was a championship-winning race team in NASCAR Winston Cup that had its most success in the late 1970s and early 1980s...
. In his first two years as driver for the
Mountain DewMountain Dew is a citrus-flavored carbonated soft drink brand produced and owned by PepsiCo. The original formula was invented in the 1940s by Tennessee beverage bottlers Barney and Ally Hartman and was first marketed in Marion, VA, Knoxville and Johnson City, Tennessee. A revised formula was...
sponsored,
Junior JohnsonRobert Glenn Johnson, Jr. , better known as Junior Johnson, is a retired moonshiner in the rural South who became one of the early superstars of NASCAR in the 1950s and 1960s. He won 50 NASCAR races in his career before retiring in 1966...
prepared
Buick RegalThe Buick Regal is a mid-size car introduced by General Motors for the 1973 model year. North American production ended in 2004 and began again in 2011. For the 2011 model year, Buick re-introduced the Regal to the North American market, positioned as an upscale sport sedan...
, Waltrip won 12 races
each year, 14 pole positions in
each year, and his first two NASCAR Winston Cup Championships, in 1981 and 1982. Waltrip's success and driving prowess helped to bring the Buick GNX into prominence, since he drove a
RegalThe Buick Regal is a mid-size car introduced by General Motors for the 1973 model year. North American production ended in 2004 and began again in 2011. For the 2011 model year, Buick re-introduced the Regal to the North American market, positioned as an upscale sport sedan...
(whose platform spawned the GNX) during his years of sponsorship by
Mountain DewMountain Dew is a citrus-flavored carbonated soft drink brand produced and owned by PepsiCo. The original formula was invented in the 1940s by Tennessee beverage bottlers Barney and Ally Hartman and was first marketed in Marion, VA, Knoxville and Johnson City, Tennessee. A revised formula was...
. The company later honored the Waltrip years with throwback paint schemes, once in 2006 and again in 2008.
It was during the early 1980s with
Junior JohnsonRobert Glenn Johnson, Jr. , better known as Junior Johnson, is a retired moonshiner in the rural South who became one of the early superstars of NASCAR in the 1950s and 1960s. He won 50 NASCAR races in his career before retiring in 1966...
that Waltrip first worked with Jeff Hammond, a pit crewman for
JohnsonRobert Glenn Johnson, Jr. , better known as Junior Johnson, is a retired moonshiner in the rural South who became one of the early superstars of NASCAR in the 1950s and 1960s. He won 50 NASCAR races in his career before retiring in 1966...
. Hammond was at first skeptical of Waltrip's driving style since it differed so much from the former driver for whom he worked,
Cale YarboroughWilliam Caleb "Cale" Yarborough , is a farmer, businessman and former NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver and owner. He is one of only two drivers in NASCAR history to win three consecutive championships...
.
YarboroughWilliam Caleb "Cale" Yarborough , is a farmer, businessman and former NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver and owner. He is one of only two drivers in NASCAR history to win three consecutive championships...
made adjustments to his driving based on the handling of the car in a particular race whereas Waltrip wanted the car adjusted around his driving style. Hammond eventually came to appreciate Waltrip's "finesse" and smooth driving style which proved highly successful. Waltrip and Hammond would benefit from each others knowledge and abilities and would work together for most of their careers in the sport. Waltrip and Hammond work together even today as broadcaster and analyst at
Fox SportsFox Sports is a division of the Fox Broadcasting Company . It was formed in 1994 with Fox's acquisition of broadcast rights to National Football League games...
, and Speed TV.
During the
1983 Daytona 500In 1983, Cale Yarborough was the first driver to run a qualifying lap of more than at the 1983 Daytona 500 in his #28 Hardees Chevrolet Monte Carlo. However, on his second of two qualifying laps, Yarborough crashed and flipped his car in turn four. The car had to be withdrawn, and the lap did not...
, on February 20, 1983, Waltrip, a pre-race favorite to win the race, driving the
Junior JohnsonRobert Glenn Johnson, Jr. , better known as Junior Johnson, is a retired moonshiner in the rural South who became one of the early superstars of NASCAR in the 1950s and 1960s. He won 50 NASCAR races in his career before retiring in 1966...
prepared 1983 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS Pepsi Challenger, spun on lap 64, at exit of turn 4, at nearly 200 mph, as he was making an evasive maneuver to avoid rear-ending a much slower car ahead of him. Waltrip locked his brakes but the car slid for several hundred feet, then slammed hard into an earthen embankment near the entrance to pit road. The force of the impact was so violent that the car was thrown back onto the track, in front of oncoming traffic. The car then made hard contact again with the outside concrete retaining wall. The car again bounced off the concrete retaining wall, again into oncoming traffic.
Cale YarboroughWilliam Caleb "Cale" Yarborough , is a farmer, businessman and former NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver and owner. He is one of only two drivers in NASCAR history to win three consecutive championships...
, the eventual winner of the race, barely avoided hitting the demolished Pepsi Challenger. Waltrip suffered a concussion and was taken to nearby Halifax Medical Center for observation and medical treatment. The crash was a wake-up call and a life-changing event for Waltrip. The years following that crash would see a different Darrell Waltrip, one who worked hard to repair and rebuild his relationship with fans and fellow drivers. Years later, Waltrip would be voted by
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
fans "Most Popular Driver", two years in a row, (1989, 1990).
Waltrip would continue his success driving for
Junior JohnsonRobert Glenn Johnson, Jr. , better known as Junior Johnson, is a retired moonshiner in the rural South who became one of the early superstars of NASCAR in the 1950s and 1960s. He won 50 NASCAR races in his career before retiring in 1966...
through the 1986 NASCAR Winston Cup season, winning his third and final NASCAR Winston Cup Championship, in 1985, winning the inaugural all-star race, The Winston, in 1985, and compiling 43 additional wins. Waltrip drove his final race for
Junior JohnsonRobert Glenn Johnson, Jr. , better known as Junior Johnson, is a retired moonshiner in the rural South who became one of the early superstars of NASCAR in the 1950s and 1960s. He won 50 NASCAR races in his career before retiring in 1966...
November 16, 1986, in a
ChevroletChevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
sponsored by
BudweiserBudweiser is a German adjective describing something or someone from the city of České Budějovice in Southern Bohemia, Czech Republic.Beer brewing in České Budějovice dates back to the 13th century...
, finishing 4th, in the
Winston Western 500The Winston Western 500 was an annual NASCAR Winston Cup race held at Riverside International Raceway in Riverside, California, USA, in January, and then in later years, November. From 1963 to 1981, the race was held in January and was the season opening race...
,
Riverside International RacewayRiverside International Raceway was a race track or road course in Riverside, California. The track was in operation from September 22, 1957, to July 2, 1989...
in
Riverside, CaliforniaRiverside is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, and the county seat of the eponymous county. Named for its location beside the Santa Ana River, it is the largest city in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area of Southern California, 4th largest inland California...
.
Hendrick Motorsports years
1987–1990
Waltrip's partnership with car owner
Junior JohnsonRobert Glenn Johnson, Jr. , better known as Junior Johnson, is a retired moonshiner in the rural South who became one of the early superstars of NASCAR in the 1950s and 1960s. He won 50 NASCAR races in his career before retiring in 1966...
led to huge success with three national championships, and 43 NASCAR Winston Cup wins. But the connection between fast cars and alcohol consumption became a concern for Waltrip. Waltrip's last championship was in the Budweiser-sponsored #11, but he began to seek other opportunities after a conversation with his friend and pastor, Cortez Cooper. In 1984, Waltrip gained new sponsorship when
BudweiserBudweiser is a German adjective describing something or someone from the city of České Budějovice in Southern Bohemia, Czech Republic.Beer brewing in České Budějovice dates back to the 13th century...
was replaced by
Mountain DewMountain Dew is a citrus-flavored carbonated soft drink brand produced and owned by PepsiCo. The original formula was invented in the 1940s by Tennessee beverage bottlers Barney and Ally Hartman and was first marketed in Marion, VA, Knoxville and Johnson City, Tennessee. A revised formula was...
, as Waltrip's primary sponsor.
Years before, Waltrip had opened a Honda dealership in his home town of
Franklin, TennesseeFranklin is a city within and the county seat of Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 62,487 as of the 2010 census Franklin is located approximately south of downtown Nashville.-History:...
, with the help of his friend,
Rick HendrickJoseph Riddick Hendrick III , better known as Rick Hendrick, is the current owner of the American NASCAR team, Hendrick Motorsports and founder of the Hendrick Automotive Group and Hendrick Marrow Program. He attended Park View High School in South Hill, Virginia, and began his career in auto...
, owner of
Hendrick MotorsportsHendrick Motorsports , originally named All Star Racing, is a current American auto racing team created in 1984 by Rick Hendrick. The team currently competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with Chevrolet Impalas...
. During the 1986 season, Waltrip and Hendrick discussed the possibility of Waltrip joining the Hendrick organization, which fielded cars for
Geoff BodineGeoffrey Eli Bodine is an American motorsport driver and bobsled builder. He is the oldest of the three Bodine brothers . Bodine currently lives in Cornelius, North Carolina....
and
Tim RichmondTim Richmond was an American race car driver from Ashland, Ohio. He competed in IndyCar racing before transferring to NASCAR's Winston Cup Series . Richmond was one of the first drivers to change from open wheel racing to NASCAR stock cars full-time, which has since become an industry trend...
. Waltrip was eventually convinced to join the team for 1987, but would have to break his contract with Johnson in order to do so. As he recounted in an interview for the Fox Sports Net series
Beyond the GloryBeyond the Glory was a documentary series that profiles some of the most legendary and controversial athletes in recent history. Executive produced by Steve Michaels and Frank Sinton and narrated by accomplished actor and voice-over artist D. B...
in 2001, Waltrip broke the contract by asking Johnson for a raise; he said that one of Johnson's cardinal rules was to never discuss money matters with him and as a result, he was released from his contract and free to sign with Hendrick Motorsports. After signing, Hendrick formed a third team for Waltrip, carrying the #17 and sponsorsed by
TideTide is the brand-name of a popular laundry detergent manufactured by Procter & Gamble and first introduced to the United States consumer in 1946. It is also marketed in Canada, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, India and several other countries...
.
In 1987, his first year with
Hendrick MotorsportsHendrick Motorsports , originally named All Star Racing, is a current American auto racing team created in 1984 by Rick Hendrick. The team currently competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with Chevrolet Impalas...
, Waltrip had limited success, compared to his previous years with
JohnsonRobert Glenn Johnson, Jr. , better known as Junior Johnson, is a retired moonshiner in the rural South who became one of the early superstars of NASCAR in the 1950s and 1960s. He won 50 NASCAR races in his career before retiring in 1966...
. He won only 1 race and had 6 top-five finishes. In 1988, he won twice, including his fourth
Coca-Cola 600The Coca-Cola 600, formerly known as the World 600, is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held each year at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina on Memorial Day weekend...
(formerly the World 600) win.
In the first scheduled NASCAR event of 1989, the
1989 Daytona 500The 31st annual Daytona 500 was held February 19 at Daytona International Speedway. Ken Schrader won the pole for the second time in a row.-General information:...
, Waltrip won the race for the first time, in his 17th career attempt with a fuel mileage strategy along with his long-time crew-chief Jeff Hammond, making his final pit stop for fuel a distant 53 laps, (132 miles), from the finish. Most of the other cars could run no more than 45 or 46 laps on a tank of fuel, so that meant Waltrip would need to feather the throttle and "draft" off other cars in order to save enough fuel to make it to the finish without an additional pit stop. Jeff Hammond, interviewed by television pit reporters during the final stint of the race, said that his strategy was for Waltrip to "draft off anybody, and everybody", to save fuel. Even though Waltrip's car ran much slower than other cars in the last 53 laps, he was able to avoid making the additional pit stop for fuel that the other cars had to make. The strategy provided Waltrip with the track position needed to win the race. His post-race interview with CBS pit reporter
Mike JoyMike Joy is an American TV sports announcer, who currently serves as the lap-by-lap voice of FOX Sports' NASCAR Sprint Cup coverage. His color analysts are Darrell Waltrip and Larry McReynolds. Joy has broadcast more than 30 Daytona 500s, NASCAR's biggest event...
, became famous, with Waltrip shouting
"I won the Daytona 500! I won the Daytona 500! Wait, this is the Daytona 500 ain't it? ...Thank God!", accompanied by the "
Ickey ShuffleThe Ickey Shuffle was a touchdown celebration done by former National Football League fullback Elbert "Ickey" Woods of the Cincinnati Bengals after he would score a touchdown...
" dance in Victory Lane. Waltrip later visited with Pres.
George H. W. BushGeorge Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
, at the
White HouseThe White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
, in
Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, after his 1989 Daytona 500 win.
Waltrip's popularity as a driver would come full circle on the evening of
The WinstonThe NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, formerly known as The Winston until 2004, then the NEXTEL All-Star Challenge from 2004 until 2007, is a race open to race winners from the previous season as well as the current season, plus the past ten event winners and past decade's Cup Series champions...
, May 21, 1989, at
Charlotte Motor SpeedwayCharlotte Motor Speedway is a motorsports complex located in Concord, North Carolina, United States 13 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina. The complex features a quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend and the Sprint All-Star Race...
. On the final lap, Waltrip was leading the race and poised to win when
Rusty WallaceRussell William Wallace, Jr. is a past NASCAR Winston Cup Champion, currently a broadcaster on ESPN, car owner in the Nationwide Series, and a co-host of NASCAR Angels.-Early racing career:...
hit Waltrip's car exiting the 4th turn and spun Waltrip to the infield costing him the victory and the $200,000 purse. Not only was Waltrip and his crew upset at being knocked out of the victory, the 150,000 fans watching the race issued boos to the winner,
Rusty WallaceRussell William Wallace, Jr. is a past NASCAR Winston Cup Champion, currently a broadcaster on ESPN, car owner in the Nationwide Series, and a co-host of NASCAR Angels.-Early racing career:...
. The two crews scuffled in the pits and harsh words were said after the race. Waltrip was quoted after the race as saying "I hope he chokes on it", meaning the $200,000 that
WallaceRussell William Wallace, Jr. is a past NASCAR Winston Cup Champion, currently a broadcaster on ESPN, car owner in the Nationwide Series, and a co-host of NASCAR Angels.-Early racing career:...
collected for the victory. Waltrip's car was clearly superior to that of Wallace and, had it not been for the contact initiated by Wallace on the final lap, Waltrip would have won the all-star event. During the 1989, and 1990 seasons, Waltrip was voted Nascar's Most Popular Driver by fans.
Waltrip would win 6 NASCAR Winston Cup races in 1989, his best year with
Hendrick MotorsportsHendrick Motorsports , originally named All Star Racing, is a current American auto racing team created in 1984 by Rick Hendrick. The team currently competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with Chevrolet Impalas...
, and help develop
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
’s version of the new
Chevrolet LuminaThe North American Chevrolet Lumina sedan , coupe and minivan were first introduced in 1989 for the 1990 model year as a new range of vehicles from the Chevrolet brand of General Motors to replace the Chevrolet Camaro, Chevrolet Celebrity sedan, and the Monte Carlo coupe. The Lumina was an answer...
in 1989, and delivered its first victory by winning a historic and unprecedented fifth
Coca-Cola 600The Coca-Cola 600, formerly known as the World 600, is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held each year at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina on Memorial Day weekend...
(formerly the World 600), that May. Besides establishing a race record for victories, the win prepared him for a chance to win the one remaining "major race" which had eluded him since his first race at the Heinz Southern 500 at
DarlingtonDarlington Raceway is a race track built for NASCAR racing located near Darlington, South Carolina. It is nicknamed the "Lady in Black" and "The Track Too Tough to Tame" by many NASCAR fans and drivers and advertised as "A NASCAR Tradition"...
. A Darlington victory would award him a one million dollar bonus for winning three of the sport's four majors in the same season, the
Daytona 500The Daytona 500 is a -long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is one of four restrictor plate races on the Cup schedule....
, the
Winston 500The Aaron's 499 is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car auto race held at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama. The race has always been held in late April or early May. The Aaron's 499 is also one of four races currently run with restrictor plates, the others being the AMP Energy 500,...
,
Coca-Cola 600The Coca-Cola 600, formerly known as the World 600, is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held each year at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina on Memorial Day weekend...
, and the Mountain Dew Southern 500. The pressure of both the million dollar bonus and Career Grand Slam adversely affected Waltrip. He contacted the wall early in the 1989 Southern 500 and was never a contender for winning the race, and the million dollar bonus.
For many reasons, Waltrip was unable to carry his success of the previous year into
1990.The 1990 NASCAR Winston Cup began on Sunday February 11 and ended on Sunday November 18. Because of a highly controversial penalty to Mark Martin early in the season, Dale Earnhardt with Richard Childress Racing was crowned the Winston Cup champion for the fourth time, edging out Martin by 21...
Waltrip failed to visit victory lane all season although he actually won a NASCAR Winston Cup race for which he is officially posted as finishing 2nd. The win came April 22, 1990, in the
First Union 400The First Union 400 was a former NASCAR Winston Cup race held at North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, USA, in late March or early April from 1951 to 1996...
, at
North Wilkesboro SpeedwayNorth Wilkesboro Speedway was a short track that held races in NASCAR's top three series from NASCAR's inception in 1949 until its closure in 1996...
in
North Wilkesboro, North CarolinaNorth Wilkesboro is a town in Wilkes County, North Carolina, United States. The population was approximately 4,116 at the 2000 census and is now 4,245 as of the 2010 census. North Wilkesboro is the birthplace and original home of Lowe's Home Improvement, which continues to have a major presence in...
, in his final year with
Hendrick MotorsportsHendrick Motorsports , originally named All Star Racing, is a current American auto racing team created in 1984 by Rick Hendrick. The team currently competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with Chevrolet Impalas...
. 1990 was the first year since 1974, that Waltrip did not win a race.
Brett BodineBrett Bodine is a former NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver and is the current driver of the pace car in Sprint Cup events. Brett is the younger brother of 1986 Daytona 500 winner Geoff Bodine and the older brother of 2006 Craftsman Truck Series champion Todd Bodine...
was credited with the official victory, although
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
, and even
Larry McReynoldsLawrence Joseph McReynolds III is a former NASCAR crew chief and currently serves as a racing analyst on Fox Sports, TNT and a columnist on Foxsports.com. He currently lives in Mooresville, North Carolina...
, the crew chief at the time for
Brett BodineBrett Bodine is a former NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver and is the current driver of the pace car in Sprint Cup events. Brett is the younger brother of 1986 Daytona 500 winner Geoff Bodine and the older brother of 2006 Craftsman Truck Series champion Todd Bodine...
, later admitted to Waltrip, that
BodineBrett Bodine is a former NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver and is the current driver of the pace car in Sprint Cup events. Brett is the younger brother of 1986 Daytona 500 winner Geoff Bodine and the older brother of 2006 Craftsman Truck Series champion Todd Bodine...
did not actually win the race. Jeff Hammond, Waltrip’s crew chief, appealed to
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
officials to correct what was clearly an error in Nascar's scoring of the event. Waltrip even protested to
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
head
Bill France, Jr.William Clifton France , nicknamed "Bill Jr." and "Little Bill," was an American motorsports executive who served from 1972 to 2000 as the head of NASCAR, the sanctioning body of United States-based stock car racing. He succeeded the founder of NASCAR, his father Bill France, Sr., as its head...
. Although
FranceWilliam Clifton France , nicknamed "Bill Jr." and "Little Bill," was an American motorsports executive who served from 1972 to 2000 as the head of NASCAR, the sanctioning body of United States-based stock car racing. He succeeded the founder of NASCAR, his father Bill France, Sr., as its head...
knew that a scoring error had been made,
BodineBrett Bodine is a former NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver and is the current driver of the pace car in Sprint Cup events. Brett is the younger brother of 1986 Daytona 500 winner Geoff Bodine and the older brother of 2006 Craftsman Truck Series champion Todd Bodine...
, had already been declared the race winner. According to Waltrip,
FranceWilliam Clifton France , nicknamed "Bill Jr." and "Little Bill," was an American motorsports executive who served from 1972 to 2000 as the head of NASCAR, the sanctioning body of United States-based stock car racing. He succeeded the founder of NASCAR, his father Bill France, Sr., as its head...
, told him to “leave that boy alone, D.W., that’s his first win and you are going to win a lot more races". The controversy was the result of a scoring error on the part of
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
when the pace car collected the wrong car after a caution flag.
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
spent 18 laps under caution attempting to determine the true race leader. This was before the current computerized timing and scoring technology that is now used.
BodineBrett Bodine is a former NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver and is the current driver of the pace car in Sprint Cup events. Brett is the younger brother of 1986 Daytona 500 winner Geoff Bodine and the older brother of 2006 Craftsman Truck Series champion Todd Bodine...
, actually finished the race on the tail end of the lead lap, almost a full lap behind Waltrip, but is officially credited with the win, the only victory of his career.
Much of the
Hendrick MotorsportsHendrick Motorsports , originally named All Star Racing, is a current American auto racing team created in 1984 by Rick Hendrick. The team currently competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with Chevrolet Impalas...
team’s focus and resources had earlier been devoted to providing numerous racing "movie" cars and drivers for
Days of Thunder , a 1990 American romantic
drama filmA drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
released by Paramount Pictures, and produced by
Don SimpsonDonald Clarence "Don" Simpson was an American film producer, screenwriter, and actor. He is known for producing such hits as Flashdance, Beverly Hills Cop, Top Gun and The Rock...
and
Jerry BruckheimerJerome Leon "Jerry" Bruckheimer is an American film and television producer. He has achieved great success in the genres of action, drama, and science fiction. His best known television series are CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: Miami, CSI: NY, Eleventh Hour, Without a Trace, Cold Case, The...
, and directed by
Tony ScottAnthony D. L. "Tony" Scott is an English film director. His films include Top Gun, Beverly Hills Cop II, The Last Boy Scout, True Romance, Crimson Tide, Enemy of the State, Spy Game, Man on Fire, Déjà Vu, The Taking of Pelham 123, and Unstoppable...
, starring
Tom CruiseThomas Cruise Mapother IV , better known as Tom Cruise, is an American film actor and producer. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards and he has won three Golden Globe Awards....
,
Nicole KidmanNicole Mary Kidman, AC is an American-born Australian actress, singer, film producer, spokesmodel, and humanitarian. After starring in a number of small Australian films and TV shows, Kidman's breakthrough was in the 1989 thriller Dead Calm...
,
Robert DuvallRobert Selden Duvall is an American actor and director. He has won an Academy Award, two Emmy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards and a BAFTA over the course of his career....
,
Randy QuaidRandall Rudy "Randy" Quaid is an American actor perhaps best known for his role as Cousin Eddie in the National Lampoon's Vacation movies, as well as his numerous supporting roles in films, including his Oscar nominated performance in The Last Detail, Independence Day, Kingpin and Brokeback Mountain...
,
Cary ElwesIvan Simon Cary Elwes , known professionally as Cary Elwes, is an English actor. The son of Dominick Elwes and Tessa Georgina Kennedy, Elwes acted in off-Broadway plays during college and moved to the United States in the early 1980s. He is known for his role as Westley in the cult classic The...
and
Michael RookerMichael Rooker is an American actor.-Early life:Rooker, who has eight brothers and sisters, was born in Jasper, Alabama and studied at the Goodman School of Drama in Chicago, where he moved with his mother and siblings at the age of thirteen, after his parents divorced.-Movie career:He made his...
. The film also features appearances by real life racers, such as
Rusty WallaceRussell William Wallace, Jr. is a past NASCAR Winston Cup Champion, currently a broadcaster on ESPN, car owner in the Nationwide Series, and a co-host of NASCAR Angels.-Early racing career:...
,
Neil BonnettLawrence Neil Bonnett was a NASCAR driver who compiled 18 victories and 20 poles over his 18-year career. The Alabama native currently ranks 35th in all-time NASCAR Cup victories. He appeared in the 1983 film Stroker Ace and the 1990 film Days of Thunder...
, and
Harry GantHarry Phil Gant is a retired American racecar driver best known for driving the #33 Skoal Bandit car on the NASCAR Winston Cup circuit during the 1980s and 1990s.-Nicknames:...
. Commentator Dr.
Jerry PunchDr. Jerry Punch is an American auto racing and college football commentator on ESPN. Punch also does local radio spots in Knoxville.-Early life and career:...
, of
ESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
, has a cameo appearance, as does co-producer
Don SimpsonDonald Clarence "Don" Simpson was an American film producer, screenwriter, and actor. He is known for producing such hits as Flashdance, Beverly Hills Cop, Top Gun and The Rock...
. The movie was a fictional account based loosely on
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
characters, the car-owner character a composite of several owners, one of whom was
Rick HendrickJoseph Riddick Hendrick III , better known as Rick Hendrick, is the current owner of the American NASCAR team, Hendrick Motorsports and founder of the Hendrick Automotive Group and Hendrick Marrow Program. He attended Park View High School in South Hill, Virginia, and began his career in auto...
, owner of
Hendrick MotorsportsHendrick Motorsports , originally named All Star Racing, is a current American auto racing team created in 1984 by Rick Hendrick. The team currently competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with Chevrolet Impalas...
.
While practicing for his 500th career
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
start in the Pepsi 400, at the
Daytona International SpeedwayDaytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, one of the most prestigious races in NASCAR. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts races of ARCA, AMA Superbike, Grand-Am and Motocross...
, Waltrip's car spun in oil laid down by another car experiencing engine failure, and was hit by an oncoming car driven by
Dave MarcisDave Marcis is a retired driver on the NASCAR Winston Cup circuit whose career spanned five decades. Marcis won five times over this tenure, twice at Richmond, including his final win in 1982...
. Waltrip suffered a broken arm, a broken leg, and a concussion. He missed the Pepsi 400, but came back to run one lap at
PoconoPocono Raceway also known as the Tricky Triangle, is a superspeedway located in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania at Long Pond...
, before giving way to
Jimmy HortonJimmy Horton is a racecar driver from Folsom, New Jersey. He raced in 48 NASCAR Winston Cup races in eight seasons. He was a regular on the ARCA circuit in the 1980s and 1990s...
as a relief driver. (A driver who starts, and completes one lap, is credited the Nascar points regardless of who is driving the car at the finish). Despite missing the next five races due to his injuries, Waltrip finished 20th in driver points and the team finished 5th in owner points with substitute drivers taking turns in the car —
Greg SacksGreg Sacks is a NASCAR driver. He is married to his wife Vicky and lives in Ormond Beach, Florida. Together they had three children: Paul, Brian, and Rachel. He and his sons are partners in Grand Touring Vodka.Sacks has spent most of his career as a Research & Development driver for many NASCAR...
' second place finish at Michigan, in August, was the best finish of the team's season. The Jeff Hammond-led team scored only one DNF for the season, when
Sarel van der MerweSarel Daniel van der Merwe is a South African former rally driver, who was a multiple South African Rally Drivers Champion. He is sometimes referred to as "Supervan"....
crashed late in the race at Watkins Glen International Speedway, a roadcourse in Watkins Glen, NY.
Owner/Driver years
After his 4th season as driver for
Hendrick MotorsportsHendrick Motorsports , originally named All Star Racing, is a current American auto racing team created in 1984 by Rick Hendrick. The team currently competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with Chevrolet Impalas...
, Waltrip formed his own team to field cars in the 1991 NASCAR Winston Cup season. Driving his own cars had been his passion since he successfully drove his own cars in his early
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
career in the early and mid-'70s. He would continue his relationship with
ChevroletChevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
and drive a
Chevrolet LuminaThe North American Chevrolet Lumina sedan , coupe and minivan were first introduced in 1989 for the 1990 model year as a new range of vehicles from the Chevrolet brand of General Motors to replace the Chevrolet Camaro, Chevrolet Celebrity sedan, and the Monte Carlo coupe. The Lumina was an answer...
with
Western AutoWestern Auto Supply Company was a specialty retail chain of stores that supplied automobile parts and accessories. It operated approximately 1200 stores across the United States. It was started in 1909 in Kansas City, Missouri, by George Pepperdine, who later founded Pepperdine University...
as the primary team sponsor. Waltrip purchased team assets, including the racing facilities, from his former owner
Rick HendrickJoseph Riddick Hendrick III , better known as Rick Hendrick, is the current owner of the American NASCAR team, Hendrick Motorsports and founder of the Hendrick Automotive Group and Hendrick Marrow Program. He attended Park View High School in South Hill, Virginia, and began his career in auto...
in
Charlotte, North CarolinaCharlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
, and hired long-time friend and crew chief, Jeff Hammond, to oversee the building of race cars and to continue as crew chief. Waltrip and Hammond enjoyed much success together as Hammond had been with Waltrip during the championship winning years with
Junior JohnsonRobert Glenn Johnson, Jr. , better known as Junior Johnson, is a retired moonshiner in the rural South who became one of the early superstars of NASCAR in the 1950s and 1960s. He won 50 NASCAR races in his career before retiring in 1966...
, and most of the
Hendrick MotorsportsHendrick Motorsports , originally named All Star Racing, is a current American auto racing team created in 1984 by Rick Hendrick. The team currently competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with Chevrolet Impalas...
years, and was Waltrip's crew chief for his
1989 Daytona 500The 31st annual Daytona 500 was held February 19 at Daytona International Speedway. Ken Schrader won the pole for the second time in a row.-General information:...
win and 3 of his 5
Coca-Cola 600The Coca-Cola 600, formerly known as the World 600, is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held each year at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina on Memorial Day weekend...
(formerly the World 600) wins.
In the 1991 season, Waltrip visited victory lane twice, his first win in his second stint as owner/driver came in only the 7th race of the ’91 season on April 21, 1991, in the
First Union 400The First Union 400 was a former NASCAR Winston Cup race held at North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, USA, in late March or early April from 1951 to 1996...
, at
North Wilkesboro SpeedwayNorth Wilkesboro Speedway was a short track that held races in NASCAR's top three series from NASCAR's inception in 1949 until its closure in 1996...
in
North Wilkesboro, North CarolinaNorth Wilkesboro is a town in Wilkes County, North Carolina, United States. The population was approximately 4,116 at the 2000 census and is now 4,245 as of the 2010 census. North Wilkesboro is the birthplace and original home of Lowe's Home Improvement, which continues to have a major presence in...
. His second win of the year came in the 13th race of the season on June 16, 1991, in the Champion Spark Plug 500, at
Pocono RacewayPocono Raceway also known as the Tricky Triangle, is a superspeedway located in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania at Long Pond...
, in
Long Pond, PennsylvaniaLong Pond is an unincorporated community in Monroe County in the Pocono Mountains region of Pennsylvania, a part of the Appalachian Mountains. The zip code is 18334....
.
Just two races after celebrating his second win of 1991, Waltrip would again be involved in another serious crash, again at the
Daytona International SpeedwayDaytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, one of the most prestigious races in NASCAR. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts races of ARCA, AMA Superbike, Grand-Am and Motocross...
, in
Daytona BeachDaytona Beach is a city in Volusia County, Florida, USA. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city has a population of 64,211. Daytona Beach is a principal city of the Deltona – Daytona Beach – Ormond Beach, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which the census bureau estimated had...
,
FloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. It came after completing the 119th of 160 laps on the 2.5 mile superspeedway. Waltrip and driver
Alan KulwickiAlan Dennis Kulwicki , nicknamed "Special K" and the "Polish Prince", was an American NASCAR Winston Cup Series racecar driver. He started racing at local short tracks in Wisconsin before moving up to regional stock car touring series...
were racing side by side, leading a large grouping of cars, battling for 5th position. The car drafting
Alan KulwickiAlan Dennis Kulwicki , nicknamed "Special K" and the "Polish Prince", was an American NASCAR Winston Cup Series racecar driver. He started racing at local short tracks in Wisconsin before moving up to regional stock car touring series...
bumped the
KulwickiAlan Dennis Kulwicki , nicknamed "Special K" and the "Polish Prince", was an American NASCAR Winston Cup Series racecar driver. He started racing at local short tracks in Wisconsin before moving up to regional stock car touring series...
car, causing his car to hit Waltrip’s
Western AutoWestern Auto Supply Company was a specialty retail chain of stores that supplied automobile parts and accessories. It operated approximately 1200 stores across the United States. It was started in 1909 in Kansas City, Missouri, by George Pepperdine, who later founded Pepperdine University...
ChevroletChevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
at speeds approaching 200 mph on the long backstretch. Waltrip’s car slowed and was collected by driver
Joe RuttmanJoe Ruttman , is an American former racecar driver. He currently lives in Franklin, Tenn. He actively competed in NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series, and Camping World Truck Series and is a 13 time winner in the Truck Series, the seventh most wins by any driver in the Truck...
’s car, both cars sliding sideways several hundred feet on the grassy infield. The tires of Waltrip’s car clipped the edge of an access road causing it to become airborne and tumbling end over end several times before coming to a stop, up-side down, in a grassy area near turn 3. Waltrip was extricated and only suffered minor injuries but many feared that he could have re-injured his shattered leg from the crash at the same track the previous year. (Slow-motion video and still photography showed that Waltrip's left arm was outside the car as the car tumbled, and came to rest). Waltrip still had a plate in his left leg from the compound fractures he suffered in the earlier crash at the Pepsi 400, at the Daytona International Speedway. Waltrip would compete in the following race, the summer race at the
Pocono RacewayPocono Raceway also known as the Tricky Triangle, is a superspeedway located in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania at Long Pond...
, in
Long Pond, PennsylvaniaLong Pond is an unincorporated community in Monroe County in the Pocono Mountains region of Pennsylvania, a part of the Appalachian Mountains. The zip code is 18334....
, but was crashed again when driver
Ernie IrvanVirgil Earnest Irvan, more commonly known as Ernie Irvan is a former race driver in NASCAR. He is best remembered for his comeback after a serious head injury at Michigan International Speedway which earned him numerous awards and respect from his fellow drivers...
spun driver
Hut StricklinWaymond Lane "Hut" Stricklin is a former NASCAR race car driver. He was born on June 24, 1961, in Calera, Alabama. He married Pam Allison, the daughter of NASCAR legend Donnie Allison after they were introduced by her cousin Davey. Hut was the last member of the Alabama Gang.In 1986, Stricklin won...
, in front of almost the entire field. Waltrip won the year's spring race at the track just 5 weeks before.
Waltrip finished the first year of his second stint as owner/driver 8th in the overall NASCAR Winston Cup points championship, after being as high as 3rd place after 14 races. His first year was generally viewed as a successful first year outing. However, Waltrip was now 44 years old, had children, and had many pressures as owner/driver that he did not concern himself with driving for multi-million dollar, highly financed race teams, such as
Hendrick MotorsportsHendrick Motorsports , originally named All Star Racing, is a current American auto racing team created in 1984 by Rick Hendrick. The team currently competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with Chevrolet Impalas...
.
In 1992, Waltrip collected three more wins, including the
Mountain Dew Southern 500The Southern 500 was a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held from 1950 to 2004 at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina, United States. The 2004 race distance was long, and consisted of 367 laps.-History:...
, a race held at
Darlington RacewayDarlington Raceway is a race track built for NASCAR racing located near Darlington, South Carolina. It is nicknamed the "Lady in Black" and "The Track Too Tough to Tame" by many NASCAR fans and drivers and advertised as "A NASCAR Tradition"...
in
Darlington, South CarolinaDarlington is a city in and the county seat of Darlington County, in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of South Carolina. It is a center for tobacco farming. The population was 6,720 at the 2000 census and is part of the Florence Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, USA, September 6, 1992, (the last major race which had eluded his 20-year career), and finished 9th in points, after being as high as 6th after 22 races. That would be Waltrip’s 84th, and final
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
career victory, tying him with
Bobby AllisonRobert Arthur Allison is a former NASCAR Winston Cup driver and was named one of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers. His two sons, Clifford Allison and Davey Allison followed him into racing, and both died within a year of each other....
for what was then third on the all-time list, behind
Richard PettyRichard Lee Petty is a former NASCAR driver who raced in the Strictly Stock/Grand National Era and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series...
, with 200 wins, and David Pearson, with 105 wins. Both he and Allison have since been passed by
Jeff GordonJeffery Michael "Jeff" Gordon is a professional NASCAR driver. He is the driver of the #24 Drive to End Hunger/DuPont/Pepsi Chevrolet Impala. He is a four-time Sprint Cup Series champion and a three-time Daytona 500 winner. He is third on the all-time wins list, with 85 career wins, and has the...
, who currently has 85 wins.
In 1993, Waltrip signed former
Richard Childress RacingRCR Enterprises, LLC, doing business as Richard Childress Racing, is a NASCAR team based in Welcome, North Carolina, and is owned and operated by former driver Richard Childress...
engine builder Lou LaRosa, to build engines, and Barry Dodson, a former championship winning crew chief. He posted four top ten finishes, but did not finish higher than third. 1994 saw him make his final appearance in the top ten in championship points by finishing 9th. He had a then unprecedented streak over two seasons, of 40 races, without a DNF, all with in-house engines. His only engine failure in the season was after the car crossed the finish line. Waltrip finished 16th in points in 1995 when he crashed at The Winston, and was forced to let relief drivers take over for several weeks. His second half of the season was highlighted by his final career pole position at the NAPA 500.
In 1996, Waltrip posted two top-ten finishes.
Western AutoWestern Auto Supply Company was a specialty retail chain of stores that supplied automobile parts and accessories. It operated approximately 1200 stores across the United States. It was started in 1909 in Kansas City, Missouri, by George Pepperdine, who later founded Pepperdine University...
remained the sponsor as part of Waltrip's 25th anniversary celebration. While the year was one of Waltrip's most profitable, his results continued to fall off.
At the 1997 UAW-GM Quality 500, Waltrip failed to qualify for the first time in over 20 years as
Terry LabonteTerrance Lee Labonte is a semi-retired NASCAR driver who occasionally drives in the Sprint Cup Series when called upon and is a two-time Winston Cup and IROC champion. He currently drives the #32 U.S. Chrome Ford for FAS Lane Racing. Labonte was introduced to the sport through his father, who had...
also failed to make the race. Because Labonte was a more recent Cup champion (in fact, he was the defending Cup champion that season), he was able to take the past champion's provisional. Waltrip, who was 20th in owner points, was too low in the owner points position to make the race (only the top four in owner points of cars not in the field, excluding the most recent former champion not in the field, were added after qualifying under 1997 rules). After the season, Waltrip and his team were struggling to find sponsors, but were able to put together a last-minute deal with the Ohio-based company Speedblock for 1998. Speedblock only paid portions of what was promised, and the deal was canceled. Waltrip’s team at this point was nearly bankrupt, and he sold the team to
Tim BeverlyTim Beverly is former NASCAR team owner. He founded Tyler Jet, an airplane sales company that was based in Tyler, Texas, in 1986. In 1998, he purchased DarWal Inc. and ISM Racing and merged them together to form Tyler Jet Motorsports. He fielded cars for Darrell Waltrip, Rich Bickle, David Green,...
.
Beverly chose not to race the team immediately, instead choosing to rebuild the team (now part of
Dale Earnhardt, Inc.Dale Earnhardt, Inc. was a NASCAR-related organization located in Mooresville, North Carolina, United States working to continue the legacy of Dale Earnhardt. It was originally formed in 1980 by seven-time Winston Cup champion Dale Earnhardt who died in a crash on the closing lap of the 2001...
after two sales and a merger). During this time, Waltrip signed with
Dale Earnhardt, Inc.Dale Earnhardt, Inc. was a NASCAR-related organization located in Mooresville, North Carolina, United States working to continue the legacy of Dale Earnhardt. It was originally formed in 1980 by seven-time Winston Cup champion Dale Earnhardt who died in a crash on the closing lap of the 2001...
to drive the #1
PennzoilPennzoil is an American oil company founded in Los Angeles, California in 1913. In 1955, it was acquired by Oil City, Pennsylvania company South Penn Oil, a former branch of Standard Oil. In 1963, South Penn Oil merged with Zapata Petroleum; the merged company took the Pennzoil name. During the...
Chevy, filling in for injured rookie
Steve ParkStephen Park is a professional race car driver. Park is currently racing in the #35 Waste Management Recycle America Monte Carlo in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East....
. During his tenure with DEI, Waltrip posted a fifth place finish at the
California 500The Auto Club 400 is a long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. Prior to 2005, the race was held in late April or early May, and until 2010, the race was run at a length of 500 miles. When the NASCAR Realignment of 2005 was made, the race...
, and led in the final stages of the
Pocono 500The 5-hour Energy 500 is the first of two stock car races held at the Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, on the NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule in mid-June, the other being the Pennsylvania 500, usually held in early August. The Pocono 500 replaced a 400-mile race at Texas World Speedway on...
and finished sixth. In 2008, Waltrip admitted the reason that he failed as a driver-owner team was because he thought like a driver, not as an owner.
Waltrip officially won 84 NASCAR races, but one additional uncounted "win" was as relief driver for
Donnie AllisonDunkiny "Donnie" Allison is a former driver on the NASCAR Grand National/Winston Cup circuit, who won ten times during his racing career, which spanned the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s. He was part of the "Alabama Gang," and is the brother of 1983 champion Bobby Allison and uncle of Davey Allison...
, at the 1977 Talladega 500. Allison received credit for the win because he was driving the car when the race started. In that race, Waltrip retired after 106 laps. Allison sought a relief driver for his #1 Hawaiian Tropic car due to the excess heat of the day and Waltrip stepped up to complete the race in Allison's car. The irony was that Waltrip replaced Allison at the
DiGardDiGard Motorsports was a championship-winning race team in NASCAR Winston Cup that had its most success in the late 1970s and early 1980s...
#88 race team just two years previously, which was part of the long lore of the Allisons vs Waltrip battle that lasted more than 16 years.
His 84 wins in the Cup series are tied for third place in NASCAR history, with
Bobby AllisonRobert Arthur Allison is a former NASCAR Winston Cup driver and was named one of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers. His two sons, Clifford Allison and Davey Allison followed him into racing, and both died within a year of each other....
; he and Gordon shared the record for most wins in the "modern era" of NASCAR, which began in 1972, and ended in 2011, with rationalization of the schedule and elimination of dirt-track races from the Cup series.
Final years
At the Brickyard 400, Beverly returned the team as the #35
Chevrolet Monte CarloThe Chevrolet Monte Carlo was an American-made two-door coupe introduced for model year 1970, and manufactured over six generations through model year 2007. It was marketed as a personal-luxury coupe through most of its history, with the last model version being classified as a full-sized coupe...
with
Tabasco sauceTabasco sauce is the brand name for a hot sauce produced by US-based McIlhenny Company of Avery Island, Louisiana. Tabasco sauce is made from tabasco peppers , vinegar, and salt, and aged in white oak barrels for three years. It has a hot, spicy flavor...
sponsorship. A sponsorship conflict with Tabasco would switch the team to the
Pontiac Grand PrixPicking up where the Pontiac Ventura model left off, the Grand Prix first appeared in the Pontiac line for 1962. It was essentially a standard Pontiac Catalina coupe with minimal outside chrome trim and a sportier interior...
. Waltrip resigned at the end of the season. After a brief flirtation with retirement, Waltrip signed to drive the #66 Big K
Ford TaurusThe Ford Taurus is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in the United States. Originally introduced in the 1986 model year, it has remained in near-continuous production for more than two decades, making it the fourth oldest nameplate that is currently sold in the North American...
for Haas-Carter Motorsports, and teammate with
Jimmy SpencerJimmy Spencer is a current television commentator, and a former NASCAR driver. He formerly hosted the NASCAR inspired talk show, “What’s the Deal?”, on SPEED. He is the former co-host, with John Roberts and Kenny Wallace, of the SPEED's pre-race and post-race NASCAR shows NASCAR RaceDay and...
. Waltrip failed to qualify seven times during that season with a new qualifying rule for the Past Champion's Provisional. During his retirement year of 2000, Waltrip's best run came at the Brickyard 400, where he qualified on the outside pole and finished eleventh. His final race came November 19, 2000, in the Napa 500, at the
Atlanta Motor SpeedwayAtlanta Motor Speedway is a track just outside Hampton, Georgia, twenty miles south of Atlanta. It is a quad-oval track with a seating capacity of over 125,000. It opened in 1960 as a standard oval. In 1994, 46 condominiums were built over the northeastern side of the track...
, where he posted a 34th place finish in the Haas-Carter Motorsports owned #66 Route66 Big K
Ford TaurusThe Ford Taurus is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in the United States. Originally introduced in the 1986 model year, it has remained in near-continuous production for more than two decades, making it the fourth oldest nameplate that is currently sold in the North American...
. He finished 36th in points that season.
Craftsman Truck Series
In 1995, Waltrip built a
Craftsman Truck SeriesThe NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing...
team, and found success by 1997, when Rich Bickle, finished second in overall season standings winning three races, and made Waltrip one of the few car owners to have won races in NASCAR's three national series. When Sears ceased sponsorship of the team in 1997, Waltrip suspended his truck team, not returning until 2004, when he re-entered the series as an owner and part of Toyota's NASCAR development program.
Announcing career
After his 2000 retirement, Waltrip signed with
FoxFox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
, to be lead
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
analyst and race commentator on the network's
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
telecasts, teaming with
Mike JoyMike Joy is an American TV sports announcer, who currently serves as the lap-by-lap voice of FOX Sports' NASCAR Sprint Cup coverage. His color analysts are Darrell Waltrip and Larry McReynolds. Joy has broadcast more than 30 Daytona 500s, NASCAR's biggest event...
and
Larry McReynoldsLawrence Joseph McReynolds III is a former NASCAR crew chief and currently serves as a racing analyst on Fox Sports, TNT and a columnist on Foxsports.com. He currently lives in Mooresville, North Carolina...
. Waltrip had previously appeared on several
IROCInternational Race of Champions, better known as IROC, was a North American auto racing competition, promoted as an equivalent of an American All-Star Game or The Masters...
broadcasts for ABC, prior to his signing during the 1999, and 2000 seasons. Waltrip also appeared on many Busch Series races on TNN with Mike Joy, in 1994 and 1995, on weekends when Winston Cup was not participating.
Waltrip began his career with Fox, in the 2001 Daytona 500, the first race of 2001. His younger brother,
Michael WaltripMichael Curtis Waltrip is a semi-former professional race car driver, co-owner of Michael Waltrip Racing, and a published author. He is the younger brother of three-time NASCAR champion and racing commentator Darrell Waltrip. Waltrip is a two-time winner of the Daytona 500; having won the race in...
, won the race, but Michael's victory was overshadowed by the tragic
death of Dale EarnhardtDale Earnhardt was an American race car driver who gained fame driving stock cars for NASCAR and winning seven championships. He was involved in a car accident during the last lap of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 18, 2001. He was taken to Halifax Medical Center,...
. Earnhardt and Waltrip were bitter rivals on the track during the 1980s. Earnhardt envied Waltrip's status as
NascarThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
's top driver. But, as the year's passed, the rivalry and bitterness gave way to a deep respect and close friendship between the two. On the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500, Waltrip's joy at his brother's victory turned to sadness and grief on live national television as Waltrip called the final moments of the race. Earnhardt's car made contact with the car driven by
Sterling MarlinSterling Marlin is a retired NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver. He is the son of late NASCAR driver Coo Coo Marlin. He is married to Paula and has a daughter, Sutherlin, and a son, Steadman, who sometimes races in the Nationwide Series....
, as the Earnhardt car drifted low on the track into the path of Marlin, probably attempting a blocking maneuver so that either
Michael WaltripMichael Curtis Waltrip is a semi-former professional race car driver, co-owner of Michael Waltrip Racing, and a published author. He is the younger brother of three-time NASCAR champion and racing commentator Darrell Waltrip. Waltrip is a two-time winner of the Daytona 500; having won the race in...
or
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.* NOTE: References to "Earnhardt", "he", and "him" refer to the subject of this article, unless otherwise specified. References to his father will include "Sr."...
, could win the race. Both cars, that of
Michael WaltripMichael Curtis Waltrip is a semi-former professional race car driver, co-owner of Michael Waltrip Racing, and a published author. He is the younger brother of three-time NASCAR champion and racing commentator Darrell Waltrip. Waltrip is a two-time winner of the Daytona 500; having won the race in...
, and
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.* NOTE: References to "Earnhardt", "he", and "him" refer to the subject of this article, unless otherwise specified. References to his father will include "Sr."...
were fielded by
DEIDale Earnhardt, Inc. was a NASCAR-related organization located in Mooresville, North Carolina, United States working to continue the legacy of Dale Earnhardt. It was originally formed in 1980 by seven-time Winston Cup champion Dale Earnhardt who died in a crash on the closing lap of the 2001...
, although Earnhardt (Sr) himself, drove for
RCRRCR Enterprises, LLC, doing business as Richard Childress Racing, is a NASCAR team based in Welcome, North Carolina, and is owned and operated by former driver Richard Childress...
. After Earnhardt's car contacted the Marlin car, Earnhardt's car suddenly veered right, and slammed hard into the retaining wall in turn four while simultaneously being contacted by the car driven by
Ken SchraderKenneth Schrader is a second-generation race car driver. He currently races on local dirt and asphalt tracks around the country while driving part-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and the ARCA Racing Series for his own Ken Schrader Racing. He also runs part time in the NASCAR Camping...
. This was before Nascar mandated the "SAFER" (Steel and Foam Energy Reduction) barriers used at all Nascar tracks today. After the cars of Earnhardt and Schrader came to rest in the infield, Schrader immediately exited his car and went to the attention of Earnhardt. Schrader gestured for the rescue crews to hurry to the Earnhardt car, but Earnhardt had passed away. Waltrip was later taken from the Fox Broadcast booth to the Halifax Medical Center, to meet with the Earnhardt family and later gave the invocation at his funeral.
A week after Daytona, Waltrip interviewed NASCAR President
Mike HeltonMichael Helton is the president of the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing . He replaced Bill France, Jr. in November 2000 as the company's third president. He was named the Chief Operating Officer of NASCAR in February 1999....
for a pre-race segment during the broadcast at
North Carolina SpeedwayRockingham Speedway, formerly North Carolina Motor Speedway and later North Carolina Speedway is a racetrack located near Rockingham, North Carolina...
(Rockingham). Waltrip believed that four deaths in the previous ten months, all caused by
basilar skull fractureA basilar skull fracture is a fracture of the base of the skull, typically involving the temporal bone, occipital bone, sphenoid bone, and/or ethmoid bone....
s incurred in accidents, were too many, and was not shy about asking Helton for an explanation. Helton's responses irritated Waltrip, who was referred to by one magazine as "acting a lot more like the next
Mike WallaceMyron Leon "Mike" Wallace is an American journalist, former game show host, actor and media personality. During his 60+ year career, he has interviewed a wide range of prominent newsmakers....
(of
60 Minutes60 Minutes is an American television news magazine, which has run on CBS since 1968. The program was created by producer Don Hewitt who set it apart by using a unique style of reporter-centered investigation....
) than the next
John MaddenJohn Earl Madden is a former American professional football player in the National Football League, a former Super Bowl-winning head coach with the Oakland Raiders in the American Football League and later the NFL, and a former color commentator for NFL telecasts. In 2006, he was inducted into...
."
He then pushed for mandatory head-and-neck restraints, and two weeks later, demonstrated the device during the broadcast in
Atlanta Motor SpeedwayAtlanta Motor Speedway is a track just outside Hampton, Georgia, twenty miles south of Atlanta. It is a quad-oval track with a seating capacity of over 125,000. It opened in 1960 as a standard oval. In 1994, 46 condominiums were built over the northeastern side of the track...
, explaining the device. Seven months later, NASCAR mandated the devices after a crash during an ARCA Re/Max Series race, held after qualifying for the UAW-GM Quality 500, killed driver
Blaise AlexanderBlaise Alexander was a stock car racer from Montoursville, Pennsylvania. He began racing at the age of 12 in go-karts, winning the coveted World Karting Association East Regional championship in 1992. In 1995, he moved south to Mooresville, North Carolina and was named Rookie of the Year in the...
.
As the cars take the green flag to start each race, Waltrip shouts "Boogity, boogity, boogity, let's go racing boys!" This somewhat nonsensical phrase has become Waltrip's trademark in recent years. (The phrase "boogity, boogity, boogity" also appears in the 1960 doo wop
parodyA parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
"Who Put the Bomp" by
Barry MannBarry Mann is an American songwriter, and part of a successful songwriting partnership with his wife, Cynthia Weil.-Career:...
.)
Humble PieTo eat humble pie, in common usage, is to apologize and face humiliation for a serious error. Humble pie, or umble pie, is also a term for a variety of pastries, originally based on medieval meat tripe pies.- Etymology :...
used the shorter phrase "boogity-boogity" in their 1970 song "Red Light Mama, Red Hot".
Ray StevensRay Stevens is an American country music, pop singer-songwriter who has become known for his novelty songs.-Early career:...
used the phrase throughout his 1974 hit,
The Streak"The Streak" is a popular country/novelty song written, produced, and sung by Ray Stevens. It was released in March 1974 as the lead single to his album Boogity Boogity...
.
Jerry ReedJerry Reed Hubbard , known professionally as Jerry Reed, was an American country music singer, innovative guitarist, songwriter, and actor who appeared in more than a dozen films...
also said this phrase in the 1977 movie "
Smokey and the BanditSmokey and the Bandit is a 1977 American film starring Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jackie Gleason, Jerry Reed, Pat McCormick, Paul Williams, and Mike Henry. It inspired several other trucking films, including two sequels, Smokey and the Bandit II, and Smokey and the Bandit Part 3...
." Interestingly, Waltrip was featured on a 1992 home video from Ray Stevens entitled the
Amazing Rolling Revue. In this home video Waltrip played the part of the out of control driver of the tour bus/rolling venue. Waltrip explained that the catchphrase arose because, as a driver, he grew tired of hearing his spotter or crew chief say "green, green, green" at the start of every race and wanted to hear something more original. The catchphrase is always preceded by fellow analyst and former crew chief
Larry McReynoldsLawrence Joseph McReynolds III is a former NASCAR crew chief and currently serves as a racing analyst on Fox Sports, TNT and a columnist on Foxsports.com. He currently lives in Mooresville, North Carolina...
telling Waltrip to "reach up there and pull those belts tight one more time!"
He also lends his unique wordings to his commentary, talking about "co-opitition" when racers work together, but keep each other under a watchful eye, "s'purnce" when talking about driving skills of a veteran driver, and "using the chrome horn", when a driver somewhat purposefully bumps a car that's in the way (bumpers on cars used to be made of metal and coated in chrome). In early 2007, Waltrip was nominated for an Emmy in the category "Outstanding Event Analyst".
In March, 2011, FOX awarded Waltrip a 2-year contract extension, taking him through 2014, the same year the network’s NASCAR contract ends.
Currently
Waltrip fielded a Toyota sponsored by Japanese industrial giant NTN for his
Craftsman Truck SeriesThe NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing...
team in 2004.
David ReutimannEmil David Reutimann is the driver the #00 Aaron's Dream Machine/Tums/Best Western Toyota Camry for Michael Waltrip Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series...
drove the truck for the team and earned Rookie of the Year honors that year. Waltrip's team expanded to two trucks in 2005. In August 2005, the revived Darrell Waltrip Motorsports won its first race, the
Toyota Tundra 200The Lucas Deep Clean 200 is a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race held at Nashville Superspeedway in Nashville, Tennessee. The race, originally held in August, moved to July for the 2011 season...
at
Nashville SuperspeedwayNashville Superspeedway is a motor racing complex located in Gladeville, Tennessee , United States, about 30 miles southeast of Nashville. On August 2, 2011, it was announced that Nashville Superspeedway will not host any NASCAR events in 2012. It is a concrete oval track 1 1/3 miles in...
with Reutimann driving. During the 2007 season, A.J. Allmendinger drove the #00 Red Bull Toyota but with minimal success. By years end the team was sold to
The Racer's GroupThe Racer's Group, or TRG, is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Camping World Truck Series and Rolex Sports Car Series racing team located in Petaluma, California owned by Kevin Buckler and his wife Debra. In addition to stock car racing, TRG has competed professionally in road racing since 1995...
, a road racing operation.
Waltrip has made occasional starts (three or less each year) in the
Craftsman Truck SeriesThe NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing...
and
Busch SeriesThe NASCAR Nationwide Series is a stock car racing series owned and operated by the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing. It is promoted as NASCAR's "minor league" circuit, and is a proving ground for drivers who wish to step up to the organization's "big leagues"; the Sprint Cup circuit...
since his "retirement" in 2000. Each of these races have been either at
Martinsville SpeedwayMartinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation-owned NASCAR stock car racing track located in Henry County, near Ridgeway, Virginia, just to the south of Martinsville. At in length, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The track was also one of the first paved...
or
Indianapolis Raceway ParkLucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis is a racing circuit complex in Brownsburg, Indiana...
.
Waltrip was the honorary starter at the 2007
Food City 500The Food City 500 is a 500 lap race NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held on the track at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee. This is one of two NASCAR races held at Bristol, the other being the Irwin Tools Night Race, and is considered one of NASCAR's best races...
and was also the honorary starter for the 2008
Gatorade DuelThe Gatorade Duel is NASCAR Sprint Cup Series preliminary event to the Daytona 500 held annually in February at Daytona International Speedway. It consists of two races, and serves as a qualifying race for the Daytona 500...
as Gatorade was one of Waltrip's former sponsors. He also started/completed a Busch Series race at Martinsville in his brother's "Aaron's Dream Machine" after appearing in ads in 2003–2005 begging his brother to drive the Aaron's Dream Machine.
In 2009, he appeared in commercials for Rejuvenate Auto with his #11 Mountain Dew Chevrolet. Waltrip also appeared in Fox public service announcements for
breast cancerBreast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
awareness.
In 2010, and 2011, Waltrip voiced his support for saving the old Nashville Fairgounds Speedway, now known as the
Music City MotorplexFairgrounds Speedway is a NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racetrack located at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds near downtown Nashville, Tennessee. The track is one of the oldest tracks in the United States. The track held NASCAR Grand National/Winston Cup races from 1958 to 1984...
, in
NashvilleNashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
. The speedway was first opened in 1904, and hosted a weekly racing series for decades. It is the track where Waltrip first had success at weekly racing events in the 60's and 70's, winning two track championships and where his first
NascarThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
victory came May 10, 1975. The speedway and adjacent Tennessee State Fairgrounds, is located in an urban area of south
NashvilleNashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, only 2 miles from its downtown business district. Some residents living close to the speedway have complained of noise and many local politicians have proposed closing the speedway and developing the property.
Currently, Waltrip continues as a race commentator for
Fox Broadcasting CompanyFox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
and Speed TV, and remains active in the sport. In March, 2011, FOX announced that Waltrip would continue as their lead Nascar analyst and race commentator through 2014.
Legacy
Waltrip is recognized by many who closely follow motorsports as
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
's first "total package" driver. He was media savvy, articulate, attractive and possessed the driving skills that would take him to the pinnacle of the sport. His style attracted big-budget sponsors that are necessary to fund the multi-million dollar
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
teams. Today, it is customary for the team's sponsor to have considerable input into who the team's driver will be that represents their brand or product on the track. Today's
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
driver fits the mold that Waltrip first ushered in to
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
in the 1970s.
As a
Fox SportsFox Sports is a division of the Fox Broadcasting Company . It was formed in 1994 with Fox's acquisition of broadcast rights to National Football League games...
analyst and broadcaster, Waltrip's opinions, views and comments carry considerable weight with drivers, team owners, fans and
NascarThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
heads. Waltrip has never been shy about expressing his views, even if controversial. His critical comments about safety have played a significant role in many safety innovations current drivers enjoy today.
Waltrip has been a design consultant on some of the newer tracks including the Kentucky Motor Speedway, and the
Nashville SuperspeedwayNashville Superspeedway is a motor racing complex located in Gladeville, Tennessee , United States, about 30 miles southeast of Nashville. On August 2, 2011, it was announced that Nashville Superspeedway will not host any NASCAR events in 2012. It is a concrete oval track 1 1/3 miles in...
.
Waltrip has a building which holds many of the race cars he drove throughout his career.
On June 14, 2011, he was selected to the
NASCAR Hall of FameThe NASCAR Hall of Fame honors drivers who have shown exceptional skill at NASCAR driving, all-time great crew chiefs and owners, and other major contributors to competition within the sanctioning body. NASCAR committed itself to building a Hall of Fame and on March 6, 2006, the city of Charlotte,...
Class of 2012.
Film and television
Waltrip's entertainment appearances were influenced by his early 1970s work with
Ralph EmeryWalter Ralph Emery is a country music disc jockey and television host from Nashville, Tennessee. He gained national fame hosting the syndicated television music series, Pop! Goes the Country, from 1974 to 1980 and the nightly Nashville Network television program, Nashville Now, from 1983 to 1993...
in Nashville radio and television, and that led to his work as a fill-in for Emery.
In the 1980s and 1990s, he would substitute for Emery on
The Nashville NetworkSpike is an American cable television channel. It launched on March 7, 1983 as The Nashville Network , a joint venture of WSM, Inc...
's
Nashville Now and later hosted himself the network's two successor variety shows, "Music City Tonight" and "Prime Time Country".
Waltrip worked on
Days of ThunderDays of Thunder is a 1990 American auto racing film released by Paramount Pictures, produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Tony Scott. The cast includes Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Robert Duvall, Randy Quaid, Cary Elwes and Michael Rooker. The film also features appearances...
as Hendrick Motorsports was a major provider of cars and drivers (he helped hire
Bobby HamiltonCharles Robert Hamilton, Sr. was a driver and owner in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series circuit and the winner of the 2004 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship. Hamilton owned Bobby Hamilton Racing, which fielded three entries in each NCWTS event...
for the project), and one of his injury substitutes was lead stunt driver
Greg SacksGreg Sacks is a NASCAR driver. He is married to his wife Vicky and lives in Ormond Beach, Florida. Together they had three children: Paul, Brian, and Rachel. He and his sons are partners in Grand Touring Vodka.Sacks has spent most of his career as a Research & Development driver for many NASCAR...
.
Waltrip has twice been a presenter at the
GMA (Gospel Music Association) Music AwardsThe Gospel Music Association Dove Awards are presented annually by the Gospel Music Association for outstanding achievements in the Christian music industry. The awards are usually presented during a ceremony in Nashville, Tennessee, that features performances by a number of the industry's newest...
, partnering with
Kathy TroccoliKathleen Colleen "Kathy" Troccoli is a contemporary Christian singer, author, and speaker.-Personal:Born in Brooklyn, New York, on June 24, 1958, Troccoli moved at age three and was raised in Islip Terrace, Long Island, New York, graduating from East Islip High School. At 15, she lost her father...
both times. In 1999, they presented the "Song of the Year" award to
Mitch McVickerMitch McVicker is a GMA Dove Award-winning Contemporary Christian Music singer-songwriter.-Biography:McVicker attended Friends University in Wichita Kansas, in the early-1990s where he met and befriended the late CCM recording artist, Rich Mullins...
and
Rich MullinsRichard Wayne "Rich" Mullins was an American Contemporary Christian music singer and songwriter born in Richmond, Indiana. He had two sisters and two brothers....
for "My Deliverer". Rich Mullins and Mitch McVicker were thrown from their truck after not wearing seat belts, and Mullins was killed in the accident.
In 2006, Waltrip and
Nicole C. MullenAileen Nicole Coleman-Mullen, known professionally as Nicole C. Mullen, is an award-winning singer, songwriter, and choreographer. She was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio.-Music career:...
hosted a
DirecTVDirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
special,
Songs of Faith. Also in 2006, he played a color commentator for the
DisneyThe Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
/
PixarPixar Animation Studios, pronounced , is an American computer animation film studio based in Emeryville, California. The studio has earned 26 Academy Awards, seven Golden Globes, and three Grammy Awards, among many other awards and acknowledgments. Its films have made over $6.3 billion worldwide...
movie
CarsCars is a 2006 American animated family film produced by Pixar and directed by John Lasseter and co-directed by Joe Ranft. It is the seventh Disney·Pixar feature film, and Pixar's final, independently-produced motion picture before its purchase by Disney...
. He played the role as Darrell Cartrip, an obvious pun on his name. Waltrip reprised that role in
Cars 2Cars 2 is a 2011 American computer-animated action film produced by Pixar, and it is the sequel to the 2006 film, Cars. In the film, race car Lightning McQueen and tow truck Mater head to Japan and Europe to compete in the World Grand Prix, but Mater becomes sidetracked with international espionage...
, which premiered in June 2011. He also appeared in the broadcast booth in the movie
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky BobbyTalladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby is a 2006 American comedy film, directed by Adam McKay and starring Will Ferrell. The film also features John C. Reilly, Michael Clarke Duncan, Leslie Bibb, Amy Adams, Gary Cole, Jane Lynch, and Sacha Baron Cohen. Various Saturday Night Live alumni also...
where his phrase was "in racing you have good days and bad days and Ricky Bobby just had himself a bad day". On December 15, 2006, Waltrip played the role of Mother Ginger in the Nashville Ballet's production of
The NutcrackerThe Nutcracker is a two-act ballet, originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The libretto is adapted from E.T.A. Hoffmann's story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King". It was given its première at the Mariinsky Theatre in St...
.
He currently appears in advertisements for Toyota and Aaron's alongside his brother, Michael, where his gimmick is constantly asking Michael's permission to drive the Aaron's Dream Machine (a nickname for the #99 Nationwide Series car). Waltrip has also made a number of appearances in "comedic" segments appearing during his actual Fox broadcasts.
He was featured in two NASCAR Series videos
Darrell Waltrip: Quicksilver which explained Waltrip's career and future and he appeared in the NASCAR Video series where he teaches helpful driving tips for driving on the freeway and long-distance drives.
In February, 2011, Waltrip appeared in
The Day which was a one hour documentary about the tragic death of
Dale EarnhardtRalph Dale Earnhardt, Sr. was an American race car driver, best known for his involvement in stock car racing for NASCAR...
at the
2001 Daytona 500The 2001 Daytona 500, the 43rd running of the event, was held on February 18, 2001 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida over 200 laps on the 2.5 mile asphalt tri-oval. Bill Elliott won the pole. The race will be forever remembered for the final lap...
.
Books and magazines
Waltrip has also been successful in the publishing field. In September 1994, he was featured as the cover story in
Guideposts.
His autobiography,
DW: A Lifetime Going Around in Circles, was a New York Times best-seller when it was released around the 2004 Daytona 500. The book was co-written with Jade Gurss.
In May 2004, Waltrip became the second sports figure to be featured in former NBA player and basketball coach
Jay CartyJay J. Carty Jr. is a retired American basketball player.He played collegiately for Oregon State University, and was selected by the St. Louis Hawks in the 6th round of the 1962 NBA Draft. He played for the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA for 28 games.-External links:*...
's One-on-One series of devotional books.
Darrell Waltrip One-on-One: The Faith that Took Him to the Finish Line is a sixty-day devotional book featuring Waltrip's stories and how they can relate to Christian faith, and Carty's devotionals. (The series also features
John WoodenJohn Robert Wooden was an American basketball player and coach. Nicknamed the "Wizard of Westwood", he won ten NCAA national championships in a 12-year period — seven in a row — as head coach at UCLA, an unprecedented feat. Within this period, his teams won a record 88 consecutive games...
and
Mike SingletaryMichael "Mike" Singletary is an American football coach and former professional football player. He is currently the linebacker coach and assistant head coach for the Minnesota Vikings of the NFL....
.)
External links