DW is Remembered© Thomas M. Sampson
Nov 27, 2000
DW's retirement party, rookie of the year, and most popular driver award.
DW's Retirement Party.........
With the race cancelled last Sunday, ESPN took the time to air some specials. Darrell Waltrip's retirement party was the highlight of the day. In a live telecast, former champions paid tribute to DW, bearing gifts and a story or two about some past racing incidents and altercations with DW on the racetrack.
Dale Earnhardt was the first to approach DW bearing an old fashioned Oak rocking chair for DW to use in his up-coming retirement. Dale said one of these days when he was ready to retire, that they would both sit in their chairs and rock together, talking about old times on the racetrack.
Rusty Wallace was next in line with an illustration of the time he wrecked DW to win the '87 Winston. He also gave Darrell a large symbolic bag of money to make up for the $200,000 he took away from him by winning. The two traded stories and Rusty made his way to a stool beside Earnhardt in a small semi-circle behind the microphones.
Terry Labonte made his entrance bearing an encased box of Kellogg's Corn Flakes champion's edition featuring DW mounted on a base. They traded stories of past experiences and then Jeff Gordon came in with a steering wheel with a picture attached to it of the two as they posed for Gentlemen of the year in '95. Gordon told the story of how the worst day he's ever had in racing was once when he hit DW, spinning him out and wrecking him.
Dale Jarrett entered and provided one of the most touching moments in the celebration when he presented DW with a crystal cross signifying DW's contribution to bringing and maintaining a Christian atmosphere to the Winston Cup racing community.
Bill Elliott was the last former champion to make an entrance. Bill presented a plaque with a $7.85 broken shifter mechanism that relegated him a 31st place finish in the '85 season finale at Riverside, Calif., allowing DW to win his third championship.
Ending the ceremonies, Michael Waltrip entered and presented his brother a framed poster of the two them hugging after Michael won the Winston in '96. The two had some very touching stories, and as brothers, produced some emotional moments. After their first hug, Michael told a story about being stranded in California after a race in his younger years, and borrowing $200 from DW to get back home. He reached into his pocket and handed DW the $200, saying, "See, I told you I'd pay you back."
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