NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip steps back from public life for serious health concerns

FRANKLIN, Tenn. (AP) – Darrell Waltrip, who parlayed a Hall of Fame driving career in NASCAR into a long-time broadcasting stint at Fox Sports, has stepped away from public life due to a progressive brain disease.

What happened

Waltrip and his family shared a statement on Wednesday that observed the former driver, "has been diagnosed with Frontotemporal Degeneration (FTD) complicated by possible Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) – likely from injuries incurred during his racing career."

Meanwhile, the 79-year-old Waltrip was one of NASCAR's storied characters, one of the first to build a brand around his supersized personality, and he served for decades as one of the sport's strongest ambassadors.

Waltrip won 84 races and Cup Series championships in 1981, 1982 and 1985 before moving straight into the broadcast booth. He was inducted into the third class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in January 2012.

The bottom line

In short, NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip steps back from public life for is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.