NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip Diagnosed With FTD

Darrell Waltrip's family released a health update to FOX Sports on Sept. 23, 2026 stating that the 79-year-old NASCAR Hall of Famer has been diagnosed with Frontotemporal Degeneration (FTD) complicated by possible Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), likely from injuries incurred during his racing career. The family said that while the disease will inevitably progress, it is currently limited to some minor noticeable symptoms, so he will be stepping further away from the public limelight. They said he is happy and otherwise healthy and spending time with his wife, Stevie, two daughters and three young grandchildren, and closed with his sign-off, "Boogity! Boogity! Boogity!" Waltrip won three Cup Series titles (1981, 1982, 1985) and the 1989 Daytona 500. He raced from 1972 to 2000, entered the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2012, and was named one of NASCAR's 75 greatest drivers in 2023. He spent 19 seasons as FOX Sports' primary NASCAR analyst before retiring from the booth in June 2019 and made a guest appearance at Darlington in March 2026. He also voiced Darrell Cartrip in Pixar's Cars franchise. Most outlets report 84 Cup Series victories; The Tennessean reports 83.