Having been in the racing industry for more than 20 years, I have met a lot of interesting and unique people along the way. Some have had a long-lasting impact on my life because of what I have learned from them.
One of the things I learned along the way is the fact that what we leave behind really becomes the story of who we are. What we do and how we handle ourselves becomes a sort of sum total of our lives and will therefore become our individual legacy by which we are remembered.
A personal legacy may not be important to some, but to others, it is what drives them. Being remembered well is at the core of many people's actions. Of course, there are those who simply do what they wish, regardless of what may be left behind.
Fortunately for those who are racers and race fans, we have been blessed with a number of talented racers, who have left us with glowing records of their racing careers and lives. In racing, we have more positive legacies than negative.
Among racing's luminaries who have furnished us with outstanding life long records are men such as Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough, Bobby Allison, and David Pearson. Each of these men have provided racing enthusiasts with remarkable achievements that will forever be the hallmarks of their lives.
As racing continues in its unparalleled growth, there will, of course, be future legacies that will speak well of the current crop of racers. Today's harvest of racers will no doubt leave records of unequaled achievements. However, the gift that has been given to us by the early kings of racing will stand alone in their contribution to the sport.
The Great WarriorOne such driver is ol' DW, and as he takes his last laps in Winston Cup racing in 2000, Darrell Waltrip leaves behind a legacy that is rich and proud.
Waltrip's contributions to racing are too many to list, but it can be said that he helped bring racing to the nationally recognized status that it currently enjoys. Of course, no one man is totally responsible for the rise of NASCAR, but Waltrip has certainly played an important role in its rise.
To illuminate his career and provide a reminder of what his role in what NASCAR racing has become, we are pleased to have a substantial story on the great warrior in this month's issue.
The story is rich with Waltrip's his-tory and his outlook on racing. He also explains how he acquired a bad-boy image early in his career and what was done to correct it. Overall, the story is revealing, insightful, and entertaining-and is vintage Darrell Waltrip.
In the end, this article shows the richness of character and career of Darrell Watrip. And it gives a glimpse into the legacy that will remain behind long after he has exited racing. We think you will find this extraordinary man has provided us with a lifelong legacy on which we race enthusiasts can be proud to point to as one of the all-time greats.-David Miller
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