In his more than 35 years of racing, Darrell Waltrip has become a motor sports icon because of his accomplishments on and off the track. Born in Owensboro, Kentucky, Waltrip made his NASCAR debut in the early 1970s and quickly earned the nickname "Jaws," both because of his tendency to trash-talk and the way he swallowed up competitors on the racetrack. As NASCAR became more popular in the 1980s, so did Waltrip and he became one of the sport's elite drivers with Winston Cup championships in 1981, '82 and '85. He cemented his Hall of Fame career over the next decade and retired in 2000 with a total of 84 NASCAR wins. Known for his trademark phrase "Boogity, Boogity, Boogity," Waltrip moved to the television broadcast booth and now covers the sport for FOX. He even earned an Emmy Award nomination for his work, which features of mix of insight only a former driver can offer, his unique style of humor and serious reporting when the situation calls for it. He is still active in racing through his Darrell Waltrip Motorsports team, and his younger brother Michael Waltrip remains one of the top drivers in NASCAR.

In April 2007, Darrell Waltrip was nominated for a Sports Emmy for Outstanding Event Analyst.