FRANKLIN, Tenn. (AP) — Darrell Waltrip, who parlayed a Hall of Fame driving career in NASCAR into a long-time broadcasting stint at Fox Sports, has stepped away from public life due to a progressive brain disease.
Waltrip and his family shared a statement on Wednesday that noted the former driver, “has been diagnosed with Frontotemporal Degeneration (FTD) complicated by possible Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) – likely from injuries incurred during his racing career.”
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The 79-year-old Waltrip was one of NASCAR’s storied characters, one of the first to build a brand around his supersized personality, and he served for decades as one of the sport’s strongest ambassadors.
Waltrip won 84 races and Cup Series championships in 1981, 1982 and 1985 before moving straight into the broadcast booth. He was inducted into the third class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in January 2012.
Waltrip was Fox Sports’ first hire when the network launched its NASCAR coverage in 2001 and became widely known for his signature “Boogity! Boogity! Boogity! Let’s go racing, boys” call.
A fearless Kentucky boy who first showed up on the NASCAR scene in 1972 at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama, Waltrip aggravated his competitors by beating them on the track and then running his mouth out of the car.
Rivals nicknamed him “Jaws” and Waltrip was at the forefront of parlaying his personality and fame into a lucrative side hustle of appearances, celebrity endorsing and, finally, the broadcast booth.
“While this disease will inevitably progress, thankfully it is currently limited to some minor noticeable symptoms,” the family said in a statement. "As a result, he will be stepping further away from the public limelight. Be assured, Darrell is happy and otherwise healthy — spending his time with his wife, Stevie, two daughters and his three young grandchildren. We are all grateful for your continued prayer, love and support!
Boogity! Boogity! Boogity!"
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