Darrell Waltrip

Three Cup Series championships. Eighty-four wins. Darrell Waltrip was the driver everyone loved to hate and eventually came to love unconditionally, a transformation that traced the arc of both his career and the sport itself. The Franklin, Tennessee native talked more, raced harder, and stirred more passion than perhaps any driver of his generation. His championships in 1981, 1982, and 1985 came during an era of fierce competition against Cale Yarborough, Bobby Allison, Richard Petty, and Dale Earnhardt. Waltrip won 12 races in both 1981 and 1982, establishing a dominance that was as much about his psychological edge as his driving ability. He got under opponents' skin with a brashness that earned him the nickname Jaws, and then backed it up with performances that left no room for argument. His 59 poles and 809 career starts span three decades of NASCAR history, and his 1989 Daytona 500 victory -- his first at the Great American Race after years of heartbreak -- produced his legendary declaration to the television audience. That raw, unfiltered emotion was vintage Waltrip. As a broadcaster, Waltrip brought the same energy and personality to the booth that he had brought to the track, becoming one of the most recognizable voices in the sport. His Hall of Fame induction in 2012 recognized a career that was loud, spectacular, and undeniably great.

Written by Richard R. Glover, NASCAR Reference