Owensboro’s Favorite Son Darrell Waltrip subject of a TV special

One day after being named a 2011 NASCAR Hall of Fame honoree Owensboro's Darrell Waltrip came to town to film part of a TV show on his life. Darrell Waltrip Hometown Hero will air one hour before the first Sprint Cup Race at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta on July 9.

Darrell, is wife Stevie, along with camera crews, producers, directors and others toured many of the Owensboro locations Waltrip remembered as a kid and a young racer. Darrell had lunch at Moonlite BBQ with a few friends and swapped stories about the 7 time Champ.  I was lucky enough to be among those asked to attend.

It has been a great week for Waltrip. The announcement of the TV special, the first ever cup race in Kentucky and finally a spot in the coveted Hall of Fame. Darrell told his friends and fans, (they are always one in the same) how blessed he has been. "We werent rich people, my Daddy worked as hard as anyone I have ever seen. He would go out each week and try to find me a sponsor for that weekends race. Somehow we usually managed to get enough parts, money and help to field a car. When I got my first sponsor I felt like I was on top of the world", he told the crowd.

The Waltrips left Moonlite a bit behind schedule because Darrell stopped and talked or signed autographs for those who spotted the Race Superstar. I lost track of the amount of times someone asked him to say Boogity, Boogity Boogity.

The group headed to the Convention and Visitors Bureau were Waltrip is featured in the hall of fame, then for a tour of his boyhood home, the school he attended, Daviess County High, and Stevie's parents home where Darrell learned to eat artichoke. (A story I will share some other time but it is well worth the wait.

Darrell Waltrip is indeed a HomeTown Hero and richly deserves his spot in the Hall of Fame. You can watch for the Darrell Waltrip Special which is sponsored by Mountain Dew to air on July 9.  I plan some additional posts with Darrell Waltrips Interview after the Joe Lowe Morning Show Thursday June 16 on 1490 WOMI.