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Industry News
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Darrell Waltrip
Waltrip quickly developed into one of the nation’s top short-track drivers and made his first NASCAR Winston Cup start in 1972 at Alabama’s Talladega Superspeedway. He continued to make sporadic NASCAR starts while earning a living as a barnstorming short-track racer. Finally in 1975, Waltrip decided it was time to become a full-time NASCAR Winston Cup competitor. He recalled: “Wherever I would go, I was almost assured I was going to win one or two races a week and I made a good living doing that. It was difficult to step to the big leagues and be just another fish in a big pond. So it took some time for me to make up my mind that I needed to get in there, give it 100 percent and make my mark.” And the rest is history. Miscellaneous Records and Statistics • 84 NASCAR Winston Cup victories: tied for third with Bobby Allison on all-time list. • 37 Superspeedway victories: seventh on all-time list. • 59 Winston Cup poles: fourth on all-time list. • 23 Superspeedway poles: tied for sixth with Bobby Allison on all-time list. • Won 1989 Daytona 500. • Only driver to win $500,000 or more in a season 18 times. • Only 5-time winner of the Coca-Cola 600 (1978, 1979, 1985, 1988 and 1989) at Charlotte Motor Speedway. • Won inaugural The Winston at Charlotte in 1985. • Won modern era record of 8 races from pole in 1981; tied all-time record of 4 straight. • Won 7 of 10 short track races in 1982; shares record. • Won 1981 Busch Clash. • First Winston Cup driver to earn $10 million (Feb. 18, 1990). In addition to his activities on the NASCAR Winston Cup circuit, Darrell Waltrip has competed, and won, in a number of other series. They include: NASCAR Busch Grand National Series 13 wins American Speed Association 7 International Race of Champions 3 Automobile Racing Club of America 2 NASCAR All-American Challenge Series 2 All Pro Racing Association 2 United States Auto Club 1 ARTGO Challenge Series 1 Included among Waltrip’s victories is the 1987 All-American 400 at the fairgrounds oval in Nashville, Tenn. The All-American 400 is recognized as one of the nation’s premier short-track races. • Bill France Award of Excellence - 2000 • NASCAR Winston Cup Champion – 1981, 1982, 1985 • Most Popular Driver Award – 1989, 1990 • NASCAR Winston Cup Illustrated Person of the Year – 1997 • American Driver of the Year – 1979, 1981, 1982 • NASCAR Driver of the Decade – 1980s • National Motorsports Press Ass’n Driver of the Year – 1977, 1981, 1982 • Auto Racing Digest Driver of the Year – 1981, 1981, 1982 • Tennessee Professional Athlete of the Year – 1979
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