NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip has been diagnosed with frontotemporal degeneration (FTD), complicated by possible chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), according to a statement his family put out Wednesday.
Waltrip, now 79, won 84 races over a nearly 30-year NASCAR Cup Series career, including three championships. His family said the possible CTE stems from “injuries incurred during his racing career.”
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“While this disease will inevitably progress, thankfully it is currently limited to some minor noticeable symptoms,” the statement, put out by Darrell and his wife, Stevie, said. “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!”
Fox Sports NASCAR announcer Darrell Waltrip speaks with Clint Bowyer, driver of the Rush Truck Centers Ford, during Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice for the Toyota/Save Mart 350 on June 21, 2019, at Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma, Calif. (Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Darrell Waltrip is a beloved racer and broadcaster
Stunning news out of the NASCAR world. You won’t find a more universally loved racer in the series than Darrell Waltrip. He’s a three-time champ, a Daytona 500 winner, and his 84 wins are fifth-most in NASCAR Cup Series history.
Of course, to a large portion of the fanbase, he’s better known as the NASCAR on FOX analyst who coined the term “Boogity Boogity Boogity” at the start of every race.
Waltrip spent 19 years in the FOX booth before retiring in 2019. His first race was the infamous 2001 Daytona 500, where Dale Earnhardt died on the final lap, and Waltrip’s brother, Michael, won his first race.
“I sure hope Dale’s OK,” Waltrip famously said from the booth while Michael was doing his victory lap.
A fan shows support for Darrell Waltrip during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., on June 23, 2019. (Getty Images)
NASCAR fans haven’t seen nearly as much of Waltrip since he retired in 2019, but he has occasionally rejoined the broadcast booth for brief cameos. His most recent surprise visit came earlier this year, when he gave another “Boogity Boogity Boogity” from the booth at Darlington in March.
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According to the American Brain Foundation, frontotemporal degeneration (also known as frontotemporal dementia), is a group of neurodegenerative disorders associated with changes in the brain’s frontal and temporal lobes. These areas of the brain control functions related to personality, behavior, and language.
The Mayo Clinic says this could impact the way one acts and could make someone impulsive or show less response to other people’s feelings. Others lose the ability to use or understand language.
Darrell Waltrip celebrates his seventh-place finish in the Winston Western 500 at Riverside Speedway with wife Stevie and teammates as he clinched his third NASCAR Grand National driving championship on Nov. 17, 1985, in Riverside, Calif. (Getty Images)
As for the possible CTE …
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Waltrip obviously got into hundreds of wrecks over his nearly 30-year racing career. That’s just the nature of the beast. He also raced during a much different era in NASCAR.
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The cars were not nearly as safe back then as they are now. Frankly, it’s not even close. Drivers got seriously injured during Waltrip’s racing career. Some died. Earnhardt’s crash in 2001 changed things for good, but even his son, Dale Earnhardt Jr., famously dealt with concussions toward the end of his racing career.
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Earlier this year, Hendrick Motorsports driver Alex Bowman missed several races because of vertigo. He missed five races in 2022 due to a concussion.
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Bowman said last month he plans to retire after next season.