Título: Darrell Waltrip
Seção: Early years in NASCAR: 1972-1975
Background: Darrell Lee Waltrip (born February 5, 1947) is an American motorsports analyst, author, national television broadcaster, and former racing driver. He is also a three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion (1981, 1982, 1985) and a three-time NASCAR Cup Series runner-up (1979, 1983, 1986). Posting a modern NASCAR series record of 22 top five finishes in 1983 and 21 top five finishes both in 1981 and 1986, Waltrip won 84 NASCAR Cup Series races, including the 1989 Daytona 500, a record five in the Coca-Cola 600 (formerly the World 600) (1978, 1979, 1985, 1988, 1989), and a track and Series record for any driver at Bristol Motor Speedway with 12 (seven consecutive from 1981 to 1984). Those victories tie him with Bobby Allison for fourth on the NASCAR's all-time wins list in the Cup Series and place him second to Jeff Gordon for the most wins in NASCAR's modern era.

Conteúdo: Waltrip started in NASCAR Winston Cup, NASCAR's top racing series at age 25, (25 years, 3 months, 2 days), on May 7, 1972, at the 1972 Winston 500, at Talladega, Alabama, the series' fastest and longest track at 2.66 miles, (4.281 kilometers), driving a 1969 Mercury Cyclone he purchased from Holman Moody, originally the Ford Fairlane driven by Mario Andretti to victory in the 1967 Daytona 500. Waltrip finished 38th in his first NASCAR Winston Cup race after retiring on lap 69 due to engine failure. Waltrip paid $12,500 for the car, a spare engine and some spare parts and drove it in 5 cup series events until mid-1973. The car was converted from the Ford Fairlane Andretti drove, to a 1969 Mercury Cyclone as driven by Waltrip, and later converted to a 1971 Mercury Cyclone. The car was sponsored by Terminal Transport of Owensboro, Kentucky, Waltrip's first major sponsor. Waltrip still owns the car today as part of a collection of cars he has raced and is one of his favorites.  The early years found Waltrip competing against legendary stock car racers such as Richard Petty, David Pearson, Cale Yarborough, and Bobby Allison, among others. Waltrip soon earned the respect of his more experienced peers. He was given the #95 as a number but Waltrip preferred car #17 because his hero, David Pearson, had success with the number in earlier years. As an owner/driver, Waltrip ran 5 races in 1972, 14 races in 1973, 16 races in 1974, with 7 top-five finishes, and 17 races as an owner/driver 

user: What happened during his early years in Nascar?

assistant: Waltrip started in NASCAR Winston Cup, NASCAR's top racing series at age 25,

user: Was his career successful?

assistant: Waltrip finished 38th in his first NASCAR Winston Cup race after retiring on lap 69 due to engine failure.

user: Are there any other interesting aspects about this article?

assistant: The early years found Waltrip competing against legendary stock car racers

user: Can you tell me who were some of the stock car racers?

assistant: such as Richard Petty, David Pearson, Cale Yarborough, and Bobby Allison, among others.

user: Did they get along pretty well?

assistant: Waltrip soon earned the respect of his more experienced peers.

user: Can you tell me anything else that happened during his career?

assistant: As an owner/driver, Waltrip ran 5 races in 1972, 14 races in 1973, 16 races in 1974, with 7 top-five finishes, and 17 races as an owner/driver in 1975,