Three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and one of the sport’s greatest-ever drivers, Darrell Waltrip’s family provided an update on his medical condition on Wednesday, September 23. The news quickly drew an outpouring of support from across the NASCAR community, and now his legendary brother Michael has added his voice, taking to social media to address Darrell’s condition.
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“Prayers for these two lovebirds. Stevie and the family will be by your side, big bro. I love you,” Michael Waltrip wrote on X earlier today, along with an image of a young Darrell and Stevie embracing each other after a race.
Darrell’s family released a statement confirming that the 79-year-old Kentucky native was diagnosed with Frontotemporal Degeneration (FTD). This may have been a result of the injuries he suffered during his racing career, the statement said.
FTD generally occurs due to ageing, although genetics can also play a role. In this case, however, the family said the condition was complicated by CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy).
FTD is a serious condition in which the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain shrink and eventually waste away, affecting a person’s personality, behavior, and speech. Meanwhile, CTE occurs when an abnormal, toxic protein called tau builds up in the brain, gradually damaging brain tissue and potentially leading to memory problems and physical difficulties.
For now, the family has stated that Darrell is doing well. The disease will “inevitably progress,” but he is spending time with his wife, Stevie, his two daughters, and his three grandchildren. Michael, as expected, offered further support, letting the NASCAR community know that he would be by his brother’s side and there for whatever he needs.
Darrell Waltrip’s career spanned decades, with the three-time Cup Series champion taking part in 809 races over 29 years. Sadly, he also suffered multiple head-related injuries during his career. In Daytona in 1983, he spun out and slammed into an earthen embankment near pit road, an impact that knocked him unconscious. At the same track, he suffered another concussion during practice in 1990. The following year, he flipped violently down the backstretch after his car touched the grass, resulting in severe trauma to his neck and head.
It was an era when injuries that were not immediately life-threatening were often not taken as seriously as they are today. In 2016, Darrell himself acknowledged this.
“NASCAR has to help keep us from hurting ourselves, because we’ll get back in the car no matter what. We’ll get back in the car with a broken leg, broken arm, concussion, whatever, because that’s how we think,” he told NBC in an interview.
There are several stars from the past who spent their later lives dealing with brain diseases. Bobby Allission, after a big crash in Pocono in 1988, reportedly forgot an entire year of his life, including the fact that he won the Daytona 500 just a few months before. Fred Loreznen, who suffered numerous concussions in the 1960s, was diagnosed with dementia before he passed away in 2024.
It’s a scary thought for drivers to deal with, and in recent years, NASCAR has taken a stricter approach to protecting them from such consequences. Since 2014, drivers have been required to undergo compulsory neuropsychological testing before each season. Since 2017, following major crashes, drivers have also been required to undergo a SCAT (Sport Concussion Assessment Tool) evaluation.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. became one of the pioneers pushing for NASCAR and its drivers to take concussions more seriously. In 2016, he sat out the entire second half of the season, missing 18 races because he was dealing with severe balance and vision issues.
His experience, along with the changes NASCAR has made over the years, highlights how much the approach to head injuries has evolved.
For Darrell Waltrip, the focus now is on his family and the people closest to him. As he begins this difficult chapter, his brother Michael has made it clear that he will be right there beside him, offering his support and standing by Darrell and his family every step of the way.