Over 18 years, Darrell Waltrip (DW) Had NASCAR fans excited for every Weekend race with his entertaining commentary. However, the 74-y-o still finds himself still calling races from his couch because he misses the booth it so much.
DW joined the broadcast booth for FOX Sports back in 2001, a year after he retired from racing in NASCAR. He also spent 15 years calling races with Mike Joy and Larry McReynolds in the booth.
“To have had the job I’ve had for the last 19 years is pretty incredible,” Waltrip said after he retired. “I thought when I got out of the car and walked off the track at Atlanta that day that it was over. That was my platform; I was a race car driver. Where do I go from here? And David Hill hired me to come to work for Fox Sports and that was the best thing that ever happened to me. It gave me the opportunity to take what I had accomplished in racing and apply it somewhere else.”
Darrell Waltrip has only been retired from broadcasting for just about two years, however, he’s already missing his time in the booth.
“I can’t say that I’ve enjoyed being retired,” Waltrip said. “But by the same token, when I look back and COVID-19 hit and the way they had to do TV last year — they did all the races from a studio in Charlotte — I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed that because I’m a see it, feel it, touch it, hear it, smell it kind of guy. I like to be at the track.
“So I guess the good Lord was looking out for me and the timing was probably better than I thought. I did go to a couple of races last year. I went to the Daytona 500 with President Trump and that was a fun day. And the only other race I went to was the All-Star Race in Bristol and I went with Governor (Bill) Lee, our governor of Tennessee. Other than that, I haven’t been to any tracks or any races, I watch them all on TV.”
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The 72-y-o NASCAR legend says he will cross the finish line of his television broadcasting career at the end of Fox Sports’ NASCAR race coverage this campaign, which ends on June 23 with the Toyota/Save Mart 350 in Sonoma, California.
Even though DW hasn’t graced the FOX Sports airwaves for over two years, he hasn’t stopped playing broadcaster. He told NASCAR.com that he subconsciously calls races while watching NASCAR races from his home,
DW we’ve definitely regret your retirement your voice was the best in the booth
I remember DW,from way back.I even went to the track,i believe he started at in Ky.Watched him thru Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway,driving P.B Crowell’s # 48 car.Then enjoyed him as commentor for racing.He’s a wonderful speaker,funny,good quotes.I live in Fairview,Tn now.Years ago i use to go by P.B. Crowell’s shop,would see DW there sometimes,he always said hi,always nice.
He is a bum. Deluxe. I couldn’t wait for him to walk away or when NBC took over the races. I don’t miss him one bit. Take Mike with you….
Wow. How do you really feel about him? If you have this much venom for a 72 year old retired Christian professional race car driver and sportscaster, I’d hate to see how much you have for someone who really deserves your hate. Waltrip may have been a bit brash when he was a “youngster”, but I think his outspokenness was good for the sport, and exactly what it needed at the time. A good looking, well spoken young man when the races were first being broadcast on live TV, to counter the mostly poor spoken “red neck” drivers we had back then. The only reason I can think of that might make you think he’s a bum, is you must have been or are a big Earnhardt or Bobby Allison fan, both drivers he had rivalries with.
Couldn’t have said it better myself. Listening to DW and Mikey was like fingernails on a chalkboard to me.
Agreed. Enjoyed him on the track, never enjoyed him in the booth.
So I guess this is a reposted story. The Sonoma race this year is June 6th, 2021.
We love DW, but he had left fox in 2019.
So glad he’s gone, could barely stand him when he started and stopped watching soon after. DON’T COME BACK
We need that connection to the past. The story from the past that got us all understand just how hard it was to make nascar what it is today. I wish you would return to the booth.
Please come back DW!
I am laughing out loud at the Earnhardt and Allison fans on here who don’t “appreciate” what ol’ DW brought to the broadcast booth. I’m sure they didn’t appreciate it when he was taking wins away from their favorite drivers either! NASCAR fans are nothing if they aren’t loyal to their drivers, that’s for sure! Hahahaha
That’s true but he wasn’t taking any wins away from anyone his last 8 years in the sport….he was pretty much a backmarker at that point.
My husband and I enjoyed your commentary of all . Your knowledge of the job made it so enjoyable. Would love for you to come back at your leisure. Boogety booger boogety.
Should have known he would be a trump supporter. Imho he did more to destroy nascar in the booth than about anything else.