[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 10]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 14342]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO DARRELL WALTRIP

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MARSHA BLACKBURN

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 23, 2011

  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, on this week when NASCAR's Chase for the 
Cup begins, I rise today to celebrate another landmark achievement for 
a 3-time Cup winner and resident of Tennessee's 7th District who I am 
truly privileged to call a good friend. Darrell Waltrip will join the 
third class of inductees in the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
  Darrell was born and raised in Owensboro, Kentucky, but began making 
his mark as a professional driver at the old Nashville Speedway in the 
1970s. We are proud that Darrell and his wife, Stevie call Franklin, 
Tennessee home.
  This much-deserved accolade caps D.W.'s legendary career which 
included three NASCAR Cup series championships, 84 Cup victories, the 
1989 Daytona 500, and five-time winner of The Coca-Cola 600. Darrell 
had 271 top-five finishes and 390 top-tens, not to mention 13 Grand 
National Series wins. He's been the American Driver of the Year three 
times, the Auto Racing Digest Driver of the Year twice, and once 
NASCAR's Driver of the Decade.
  We've seen him race the track, we now seen him announce the sport he 
loves, and we look forward to watching him be enshrined into the NASCAR 
Hall of Fame. Mister Speaker, I rise today to honor Darrell Waltrip on 
this great success and ask my colleagues to join me in one hearty 
``Boogity, Boogity, Boogity''. Way to go, D.W. It's another checkered 
flag for you.

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