By Jerry Jordan, Editor
BRISTOL, T.N. – The announcement came that Darrell Waltrip was hanging up the microphone as teams, race fans and media descended on the place the legendary NASCAR Hall of Fame driver won the most races of his career – Bristol Motor Speedway. After 19 years in the broadcast booth for FOX Sports, Waltrip’s will end his broadcast career at the end of the 2019 NASCAR season.
“My family and I have been talking this over the past several months, and I’ve decided to call 2019 my last year in the FOX Sports booth,” Waltrip said. “I have been blessed to work with the best team in the sport for the past 19 years, but I’m 72 and have been racing in some form for more than 50 years. I’m still healthy, happy and now a granddad, so, it’s time to spend more time at home with my family, although I will greatly miss my FOX family.”
At the conclusion of FOX’s portion of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season, Waltrip will have seen 330 races and 1,500 practice and qualifying sessions with the network. Waltrip’s retirement had been speculated for several weeks and as recently as last week at Texas the on-air broadcast seemed to focus on Waltrip just a little more than usual. And as news of the announcement echoed through the Tennessee mountains, notables in the racing industry began to speak out on his impact on the sport.
Waltrip will meet with the media Friday to discuss further his decision.
“For nearly five decades, few people have been as synonymous with NASCAR as Darrell Waltrip,” said NASCAR President Steve Phelps. “A Hall of Famer on the track and in the booth, Waltrip brought quick wit, tireless passion and a wealth of stock car racing knowledge to millions of NASCAR fans on FOX for 19 seasons. We are grateful for Waltrip’s many contributions to the sport over the past 47 years, both as a champion driver and broadcaster. On behalf of everyone at NASCAR, we wish DW all the best in retirement.”
The plaudits came from across the sport but no more so than from the FOX Network family that embraced Waltrip from Day 1. Waltrip has been a mainstay in the booth and brought fans a unique driver’s point of view in breaking down the action on the track.
“Darrell has been the heart and soul of the FOX NASCAR booth since day one, so it’s incredibly bittersweet to know this is his final season,” said Eric Shanks, FOX Sports CEO & Executive Producer. “DW’s unmatched charisma and passion helped FOX Sports build its fan base when we first arrived at Daytona in 2001, and he has been the cornerstone of our NASCAR coverage ever since. We look forward to celebrating DW at Sonoma.”
- David Hill, Former FOX Sports Chairman and Executive Producer: “As important as Darrell Waltrip was to NASCAR when he was a champion driver, DW was far more important to the sport in his career as a FOX Sports broadcaster. DW, who immortalized the phrase, ‘Boogity, Boogity, Boogity, Let’s go racing, boys,’ which became his trademark, had the unique skill to entertain and educate the world about the intricacies of stock car racing.
“As the NASCAR audience grew by millions when FOX Sports took over television coverage in 2001, DW, working alongside Mike Joy and Larry McReynolds, informed and enthralled an audience hungry for his inside knowledge, his historical perspective and the boyish enthusiasm with which he infused every telecast. “I place him with the greats of sports broadcasting, alongside the likes of John Madden and Tim McCarver, and as sad as today’s news is going to make a lot of NASCAR fans, myself included, we can all rest assured that the great DW is handing over his duties to Jeff Gordon in a seamless transition.”
- Mike Joy, FOX NASCAR play-by-play announcer and original member of the network’s broadcast team: “It’s going to be so hard to replace what Darrell has accomplished and witnessed, as well as his pointed opinions on the sport. DW the entertainer will be impossible to replace. “DW and I are and always will be lifelong friends. We laugh at the same jokes, know the words to the same songs and quote many of the same movies. It’s as if we’d gone to different schools together. Seriously, we share a deep passion for this sport, its history and its future. Stevie and Darrell will always be dear friends of ours.
“Of the 50 men in NASCAR’s Hall of Fame, only two multi-championship drivers have enjoyed second careers that could earn them a place in the Hall (of Fame) – Ned Jarrett, radio and TV’s first driver/analyst, and Darrell. That’s rare company. Stepping outside the sport, he frequently guest-hosted “Nashville Now,” hosted the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington and sat on the board of Motor Racing Outreach. The man is a legend.”
- Larry McReynolds, FOX NASCAR analyst and original member of the network’s broadcast team: “You don’t work with someone for 19 years, just flip a switch when they retire and move on. It’s going to be so different without DW next year. The longest I worked with anyone in any capacity until now was probably only five or six years. So, it’s so unique that Mike Joy, Darrell, Matt Yocum, many in the FOX production truck and I have been together since the first weekend in Daytona in 2001.
“Darrell absolutely has had two Hall of Fame careers. His driving career speaks for itself, but the mark he has left on the sport from a broadcast standpoint is unbelievable. He always knew the right thing to say at the right time – unscripted. He always came up with things that amazed me with their insight, humor and timeliness. “Darrell is one of my best friends. Through the first 18 years, I spent a lot of time at his motor coach hanging out before the garage opened or after it closed. I have always felt I can go to him with anything and he would have strong words of wisdom, whether professionally or personally.”
- Jeff Gordon, NASCAR Hall of Famer and FOX NASCAR analyst: “The more I have gotten to know him, the bigger a DW fan I have become. He has a heart of gold, has experienced so much in the sport and has given so much back to it. I have been blessed to witness his passion for the sport and hear stories about everything from cars he has driven to interactions with other competitors, contract negotiations with Junior Johnson and races he won and lost. I’ve also been fortunate to have him by my side as I began my FOX TV career and to benefit from the many ways in which he has revolutionized the TV analyst role. DW changed the sport on and off the track. His stats on the track speak for themselves, particularly as we roll into Bristol. Then, what he did with FOX, as the network came into NASCAR, to elevate the sport and expose it to millions more fans. DW helped introduce drivers, like myself, to viewers, and brought a different perspective on how races are broadcast. I tell him all the time that while he’s a Hall of Fame driver, he has equally contributed to the sport as a broadcaster.
- “I’m really going to miss DW. I love and care about him as a person and colleague. He has taught me how to view the sport, reminding me of its evolution and the importance of its past. I always learn something from him, particularly as he consistently reminds us of something David Hill taught him – about the ‘why?’ Why are we talking about this? Why is this team doing this? Why is that driver struggling? I’m going to miss that reminder, and when I walk in on Fridays for our first practice next year, I’ll miss the chuckle we always share when we first see each other and catch up on our weeks. He won’t be there for that next year, and I certainly will miss that.”
- Matt Yocum, FOX NASCAR pit reporter and original member of the network’s broadcast team: “When this journey began 19 years ago, we couldn’t have imagined the history our team would see and create. Darrell Waltrip was the leader; he set the tone. From our first show, he shared his passion for NASCAR in a refreshing, energetic and entertaining way that brought a new perspective to the viewer. No matter the situation, Darrell could find the right words and emotion in a genuine, honest way. Through the years, he never changed, and along the way, he revolutionized the role of a race analyst, setting a new standard. Working with DW brought me lessons and laughter that I will cherish forever. There is only one DW, and I will miss him.”
- Chris Myers, FOX Sports host and original member of the network’s broadcast team: “Darrell always had a way of making you notice him. He is a Hall of Fame driver and personality who was a game changer in NASCAR. He also is a warm, caring guy who shows his true emotions. I will always consider myself fortunate to have worked alongside of him as a broadcaster for so many years.”
- Barry Landis, FOX NASCAR race and NFL game producer and original member of the network’s broadcast team: “My first encounter with DW was during the 2000 NFL regular season. FOX had just obtained the rights to NASCAR and Darrell came out to one my regular season games to promote our newly acquired NASCAR property. He stopped by our production truck prior to the game to say hello to our crew. True to form as the consummate showman, he lit up the control room with pleasantries and excitement. He was larger than life. Typically, in these situations, the star makes a grand entrance and leaves on a high note, but he lingered until every person received a handshake and a brief dialogue. Authentic is the best way to describe this encounter and 19 years later, my opinion of DW has not changed. He has a true passion for his job, his family and his sport. It’s not often we get to meet our heroes, let alone work with them for nearly two decades, so I feel truly blessed. DW has guided our NASCAR coverage from day one. He has always taken the time to impart his knowledge to anyone who would listen. Conversely, he has taken the time to listen to those knowledgeable in broadcasting so as to improve upon his craft. He is the ultimate team player
“What he has done in the broadcast booth has transcended the sport. He has become one of the best to have ever put on a headset — not just in NASCAR but in all of sport. His success and longevity as an analyst are due to the same characteristic that made him one of the all-time greats on the track – his passion. From our first race in 2001 up to present day, DW cannot wait for the race to start. It is his passion and commitment to entertain, as well as to be the best, that has been the driving force for FOX’s NASCAR coverage for nearly two decades.”
- Richie Zyontz, FOX NASCAR coordinating producer and original member of the network’s broadcast team: “There will never be another one like him. He changed the sport as a driver and a broadcaster. NASCAR got on the big boy map, in part, due to the passion and personality of Darrell Waltrip. He is kind to his fans and beloved by his crew at FOX, and that is a Hall of Fame legacy.”