Darrell Waltrip's family revealed the three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion was recently diagnosed with a progressive brain disorder.
FRANKLIN, Tenn. -- Darrell Waltrip's family revealed the three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion was recently diagnosed with a progressive brain disorder.
Waltrip's family stated he was diagnosed with Frontotemporal Degeneration (FTD), complicated by possible Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). The family stated the diagnosis is "likely" from injuries he sustained during his career.
The family added the disease will "inevitably progress" but is currently limited to some "minor noticeable symptoms."
Because of the diagnosis, Waltrip will be stepping away from the public limelight. The family reassured everyone he is "happy and otherwise healthy" and spending time with his family members, including his wife, Stevie.
Waltrip turned 79 years old in February. Born on Feb. 5, 1947, in Owensboro, Kentucky, where he graduated from Daviess County High School in 1965, Waltrip relocated to Franklin, Tennessee, where he made his home and his racing career.
Waltrip made his NASCAR Cup Series debut in 1972, making five starts with a chassis Mario Andretti won the 1967 Daytona 500 with, according to multiple accounts. Although Waltrip blew an engine in his debut, at Talladega Superspeedway, he earned three top-10 finishes -- eighth at the current EchoPark Speedway Atlanta, third at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway and sixth at Charlotte Motor Speedway -- in the next four races.
After running a limited schedule in two more seasons, Waltrip went full-time in 1975. He earned his first win May 10, 1975, at Nashville Fairgrounds after leading 147 of 420 laps. It was the first of 84 wins in a career that saw him win the Cup championship in 1981, 1982 and 1985.
Waltrip's 84 wins included 12 at Bristol Motor Speedway, five in the Coca-Cola 600, the 1992 Southern 500 -- and the 1989 Daytona 500 where he did his own version of the Ickey Shuffle as he exclaimed, "I won the Daytona 500! I won the Daytona 500!" to Mike Joy.
After Waltrip retired from full-time racing in 2000, he reunited with Joy in the NASCAR on FOX booth in 2001. Combined his "Boogity! Boogity! Boogity!" call at the start of every race and fellow analyst Larry McReynolds to bounce off of and paint the picture of some of the most iconic moments in the sport's history, the booth itself became one of the most memorable and recognizable in the sport's history during their run through 2015.
Waltrip stayed in the booth through 2019 before stepping away. His final race was the June 2019 race at Sonoma Raceway, where Matt DiBenedetto drove a No. 95 car designed in the style of Waltrip's white and orange No. 95 car from early on in his career.
Waltrip has made appearances at the track since stepping away from the booth, such as to accept the honor of again being named one of NASCAR's Greatest Drivers in 2023.
Waltrip is also a 2012 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee.
