NORTH CAROLINA AUTO RACING HALL OF FAME

TO HONOR DARRELL WALTRIP AND WADDELL WILSON

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (July 19, 2006) – Three-time NASCAR champion Darrell Waltrip and legendary engine builder Waddell Wilson will be honored by the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame at its annual induction ceremonies on Oct. 11 at Mooresville's Charles Mack Citizens Center.

Waltrip, winner of 84 races and 59 poles, will be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Wilson, who began building winning engines in the 1960s with the legendary Holman and Moody and then became one of the circuit's top crew chief and engine builders in the 1980s, will receive the coveted Snap-On Golden Wrench Award for his outstanding contributions to the sport.

"Both of these men brought something different to the sport," said Don Miller, co-founder and chairman of the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame. "Darrell was the stock car driver who led the competitors into corporate America's board rooms and showed they could be valuable in a firm's marketing plans with their on-track performances. He was often criticized for being brash, but he always backed up his statements, much as New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath did in the NFL. He also was an owner/driver during a portion of his career, gaining a different perspective on the sport that now serves him well in his broadcasting career with Fox Sports.

"Wilson was an extremely talented engine builder before becoming a crew chief. He came from the North Carolina mountains to rise to NASCAR stardom with the powerful engines he built."

Waltrip, nicknamed "Jaws" during his career because of his outspoken demeanor, won his three NASCAR Winston Cup championships in 1981-82 and '85 while driving for the legendary Junior Johnson. He made his debut on NASCAR's premier circuit in 1972 with his own team. The Owensboro, Ky., native competed in a car he owned through the first 17 races of 1975. He then joined DiGard Racing where he had the first non-automotive sponsor with Gatorade. Waltrip remained with DiGard through 1980, then joined Johnson in 1981. He moved to Hendrick Motorsports in 1987, and later formed his own team in 1991. His last NASCAR Cup victory came in 1992 in the Mountain Dew Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. He competed through the 1999 season, totaling 809 starts during his career.

Wilson's powerful engines carried some of NASCAR's most famous drivers to victory through four decades. In the 1960s, he went to victory lane with Fred Lorenzen, Dick Hutcherson and David Pearson, while in the 1980s the list included Buddy Baker and Cale Yarborough. In 1980-84, cars powered by Wilson-built engines won three of five Daytona 500s.

The 2006 induction ceremonies will be presented by Alltel in association with Snap-On Tools. Alltel owns and operates the nation's largest wireless network and has more than 10 million wireless customers.

Located in Mooresville, the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame celebrates the rich heritage of motorsports and its cultural contributions to society. It opened its doors in 1994 and now welcomes more than 300,000 visitors annually. More than 30,000 fans visited the Hall of Fame during Charlotte race weeks in May 2006.

A non-profit museum, the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame is dedicated to all forms of motorsports – from drag racing to stock cars. It houses more than 35 cars as well as numerous displays and showcases. Past inductees into the museum's Hall of Fame include Tim Flock, Bobby Allison, Richard Petty, Bill France Sr., Junior Johnson, Ned Jarrett, Cale Yarborough, Ralph Moody Jr., Dale Earnhardt and David Pearson. For more information about the museum and the 10th annual induction ceremony, log on to www.ncarhof.com.

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CONTACT:

Donna DeNardo
Phone 704-663-5331
Fax 704-663-6949
Email: donna@ncarhof.com

   
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