Waltrip first considered retiring in '17, as 17 was his preferred car number when he racedGETTY IMAGES
Darrell Waltrip on Friday emphasized that his decision to retire from Fox’ NASCAR booth following the completion of the net’s ’19 race package was left up to him by Fox Sports CEO & Exec Producer Eric Shanks. Waltrip said he first broached the idea of retiring in June to Shanks during a meeting at last year’s race at Sonoma Raceway, though Shanks gave him through February to confirm. “I’ve never been under any pressure (from Shanks) to retire or, ‘You’ve got to do or make some changes,’” Waltrip said. “It’s been up to me the whole time, and I felt like it was a great time to step aside and let someone else have some fun.” Waltrip said he initially wanted to make it through Fox’ broadcast package without announcing the move, but was eventually swayed otherwise. He credited fellow Fox NASCAR analyst Jeff Gordon with convincing him to reveal the news around this weekend’s race at Bristol Motor Speedway, where he has deep roots and won 12 times. Waltrip said he has not yet discussed the possibility of doing occasional appearances for Fox in the future, and he also stopped short of saying who he would like to see as his successor in the booth. Waltrip has been with Fox since its first race, the ’01 Daytona 500. Waltrip: “It’s lasted a lot longer than I ever thought it would. I didn’t know if it would be temporary or permanent, or if I’d enjoy it or have fun, so (for it to last this long), it’s been a dream job for me” (Adam Stern, THE DAILY).
BEEN IN HIS MIND SINCE '17: Waltrip said that he "first considered retiring" in '17, as the number 17 was his "preferred car number." However, he worked through '18 before the "desire to call it a career returned at the start of this season." Waltrip has found that "one of his favorite activities today is babysitting" his granddaughter, Luisa. Gordon's addition to the Fox booth also "played a role in Waltrip's decision," as it reminded him that he "wasn't quite as hip as he once was." He said, "Gordon coming along beside of me has just made me aware of what I know I know -- that I'm old school. ... When he talks to the drivers they talk a different language than I ever talked. When he relates to the drivers he relates to them in a different way than I do. And so it just became obvious to me it's a young man's sport. I'm not a young man anymore" (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 4/5).
ROUGH & ROWDY: NBCSPORTS.com's Dustin Long wrote Waltrip was "outspoken and passionate" and sought to "reach out to NASCAR fans in his own way" (NBCSPORTS.com, 4/4). AWFUL ANNOUNCING's Phillip Bupp wrote even fans who may have wanted Waltrip to retire or "didn’t care for his lighthearted broadcasting style cannot discount how important Waltrip has been to the sport over the past 45 years" (AWFULANNOUNCING.com, 4/4). In Daytona Beach, Ken Willis writes Waltrip's catchphrase, “Boogity, boogity, boogity,” was "cute at first, eye-roll-inducing eventually, but years from now, trust me, you’ll still hear people using it at the start of something, anything, that involves movement." Willis: "You might even grow to miss it. No, really" (Daytona Beach NEWS-JOURNAL, 4/5).
