Date: 2015-04-29
Speaker: DARRELL WALTRIP (republican)
Chamber: S

Lets go racing boys. I always chuckle when I see that clip because my insurance man says. "Have you ever had an accident?" Ive had a couple. But good morning. Mr. President. First Lady. all of the distinguished guests. Congress members. everybody thats here this morning. This is a huge honor for a kid that grew up in Owensboro. Kentucky. and now resides in Franklin. Tennessee. So. I knew about the Prayer Breakfast. Id heard about it. Its been going on since the early 1940s. so Id heard about it for a long time. But I have to tell you a quick story: When the "committee" called me and asked me. "Would I like to come have breakfast with the President?" I said. "Wow. they must know its my birthday. What an honor to go to Washington. D.C.. and have breakfast with the president. Oh. this is going to be great." "And by the way. wed like for you to be the keynote speaker." "Ah. Ill get back to you on that." But I thought about it. prayed about itand Ive got a lot of really great friends that pray for me all the time but I thought about it. Mr. President. and said. "Ive got it. Im not a brain surgeon. and Im not running for office. so Im the perfect guy to be here this morning." I hope that was okay. My wife told me maybe I shouldnt say that. but shes sitting down there shaking her head now. But anyway. Id like to introduce my family. Youve already met my beautiful. redheaded wife Stevie. Jessica and Sarah. my two daughters. and their husbands. Fausto and Matthew. are out there. and it makes me feel so good to have them here this morning with me. I love my family. and I love the Lord. If the room should start vibrating just a little bitdont get excited. dont get nervousits just all my friends back in Franklin. Tennessee. my Tuesday morning Bible study group. all my friends over in Charlotte. North Carolina. at Motor Racing Outreach. our ministry at the track. All my friends are praying for me right now. And I dont know if you can feel it or not. but I certainly can. and Im thankful for it. So if it starts shaking a little bit. its okay. Its just the Lord. Hes amongst us. Being here this morning reminds me of this: Before you start a big event as a driver. like the Daytona 500. which comes up in a couple of weeks on Fox. you go down on pit road. you get in your carand quite honestly. I did it for 30 years but it never failed. always that adrenaline. those butterflies. being excited. nervous. Because when they dropped the green flag and they say. "Lets go racing boys." you didnt really know what was going to happen. And so. thats kind of how I feel this morning. I really dont know whats going to happen here. folks. They kept asking me. "Do you have an outline?" I said. "No. Ive never really done an outline for a speech before." Thats when they thought maybe I wasnt the right guy for this show. Ive got to tell you this. I probably shouldnt. but Im going to: So. they call me up. and they tell me all the great speakers that have been here before. And as they went down the list. I said. "Whoa. whoa. whoa. wait just a minute. boys. Im just not sure Im qualified for this job." And they said. "Well. we kind of knew that going in." So. right away I knew I was in good company. I think all of us in this room know that sometimes your biggest assets can be something that works against you. They can be a blessing and a curse. and thats really how racing was for me. It was sort of a blessing and a curse. I grew up in Owensboro. Kentucky. My dad drove a PepsiCola truck. My mom was a cashier at the local grocery store. I had two brothers and two sisters. We didnt have a lot of money. we worked hard to put food on the table. And so. when I went to races as a sixyearold kid with my grandmother and came home and told Mom and Dad that someday I wanted to be a race car driver. they said. "Good luck. son." My dad was a believer in hard work. He said. "You know. if you really work hard. and thats what you want to do. then maybe someday youll be successful." But that was about all the encouragement my dad gave me. because racing is expensive. It costs a lot of money to go racing. so we didnt have a lot of money. So. I had to figure out a way to make that happen. I became a selfpromoterin other words. I bragged a lot. God had given me a talent. there was no question about that. I dont know where it came from. Theres no reason for me to be able to do what I did other than that was my passion. thats what I cared about. I tell kids every dayand Mr. President. you know thistheres nothing any more discouraging and disheartening when you ask a kid. "What are you going to do when you grow up?" "I dont know." "Really? Embrace something. Youve got to have a passion." Well. my passion was racing. and quite honestly. I went at it all the wrong ways in the early years. I was just as aggressive off the racetrack as I was on. I didnt have a lot of friends. I didnt think I needed friends. I looked over in the car. and I was the only one ever in there. so I didnt need any friends to be with me. So. my relationships early on in my life were shallow. I didnt have any really close friends. Quite honestly. I looked back. and its the hardest thing for me to do this morning to look back because when I look back. I see things that are disturbing to me. I can see things and say. "How could I have felt that way? How could I have acted that way? How could I have been that way?" But I was. And youre going to love this. This is what people said about me: They said I was brash. ruthless ruthless? pushy. cocky. conceited. aloof. boastful. arrogant. and just downright annoying. I hope you dont feel that way this morning. but if you do. Im sorry. And Ive got to tell you. those were people that liked me. You could imagine what people who didnt like me had to say about me. The fans booed me when wed have driver introductions. It would be just like if I got up this morning to speak. and they started booing. Instead of hollering "boogity. boogity. boogity." they would start booing. Fans wore "Anybody but Waltrip" Tshirts to the track. They hated me. The drivers despised me. Richard Petty once told me: "I dont know how you keep a sponsor. Youre so unpopular with the fans. I dont know how you keep a sponsor." And this is Richard Petty. Hes the icon of our sport. Hes the king of our sport. I wanted to be king. but I went at it all the wrong ways. for sure. I was always arguing with NASCAR. I didnt like the rules. mainly because they never worked in my favor. so I was always trying to change the rules. We know guys like that. right? Always wanting to change the rules. I always like to say I fought the wall. [and] the wall won. I fought the law. and the law won. Those were the things that were going on at the track. and quite honestly. my personal life wasnt much better. I was so arrogant. I really was. and thats why I say its the hardest thing for me to do. My kids are sitting out here for heavens sake. But the hardest thing to do is to look back and see how you were. My personal life was a mess. I drank too much. I liked to go to the bars and hang out with the boys. I did everything to satisfy me. Whatever felt good to me. I did it. I didnt give it a second thought that was my lifestyle. thats how I lived. Like I told you. I didnt have any great friends. I didnt have any close friends. Heck. I always figured if you wanted a friend. get a dog. I have several dogs. But my wife. my beautiful wife. my redheaded wife whom I love dearly weve been married 45 years. That in of itself is a miracle. She was married to that guy I was telling you about. She lived it. My wife once described me as this: that she had lived with two different men with the same name. And that might be a little confusing to you. and so obviously I must explain. But that first guy that I told you about. that was the guy she was married to originally. I knew God had his hand on me when I met Stevie. I didnt acknowledge it. I didnt necessarily follow through. but its one of the few times in the early years of my life that I felt like God spoke to me. God said to me. "I gave you this woman. I brought you this woman. Dont let her get away." And so. I tried to always be on my best behavior when I was around her. and certainly when I was around her mother and father. because they didnt think a whole lot about a race car driver. When her father asked me. "How are you going to support Stevie?" I said. "Im going to be a professional race car driver." He was the president of Texas Gas. and he didnt quite understand how a race car driver could make a living and be able to support his daughter. He wasnt sold on the idea at first but he became a big fan as time went by. So. Stevie would always pray for me. She is a Godly woman. and she loved the Lord way before I did. And she would always pray that someday. somehow we would get involved in a Bible study or that I would. that I would get involved in a Bible study. or a church. or something. And Id always kind of blow her off. and Id say. "Look honey. I race on Sundays. I dont have time to go to church. Im busy all through the week getting ready for the next race. I just dont have time for this church stuff and this God stuff. I just dont have time. okay." And you know what she said? "Well. Ill just keep on praying." And let me tell you. when somebody says theyre praying for you. you better pay attention and dont take it lightly. People dont pray for you if they dont care about you and if they dont love you. Amen. amen. It used to happen to me at the track. and people would come up and say. "Im praying for you." And Id say. "Oh. thank you very much. Ive got to go now." Dont ever do that. Embrace that person. because its not a waste of time. Its them embracing you and caring about you. and thats the most important thing in the world is that we all care about each other. I almost had us do this. and Stevie talked me out of it. At home when we pray. we hold hands. And in Bible study when we pray. we kind of lock arms or hold hands. I was going to ask everybody in the room to hold hands while we pray. but then I thought maybe you werent that close just yet. so I kind of let that one go. I got a great opportunity in 1983. I got a chance to drive for Junior Johnson. Junior Johnson was a childhood hero. Hes the last American hero. They made a film about him. They wrote books about him. He was the last American hero. As a kid growing up in Owensboro. I listened to my little transistor radio. and Junior Johnson drove this white #3 Chevrolet with a 427 mystery engine. Junior Johnson. a moonshiner from Wilkesboro. North Carolina. car #3 with a mystery engine. I mean. thats hero material right there for a guy like me. So obviously. I thought maybe someday Id get to meet him. but never thought that someday Id get to drive for him. Those were the best years of my career 81. 82 we won 24 races. 18 pole positions. 2 championships. But Junior was a nononsense kind of guy. He said. "Let me tell you something. boy: When you come to drive for me. you work your hands and not your mouth." I said. "Yes. sir." Because when Junior spoke. I listened. We had great times together. We won races together. but in 1983 I had a horrible wreck worse than that one you saw there. I had a concussion. I went for a couple of weeks to the next couple of races. and I didnt even remember being there. And when I finally came to. or woke up. I realized that that wreck had knocked me conscious. It scared the hell out of me. and I mean that literally. I realized I could have been killed that day. What if I would have lost my life right there that day at Daytona? What would I have done? Would I have gone to heaven? Or would I have gone to hell? I thought I was a pretty good guy. But folks. let me tell you something: Good guys go to hell. If you dont know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. if you dont have a relationship. if Hes not the master of your life. if youve never gotten on your knees and asked him to forgive you of your sins. youre just a pretty good guy or a pretty good gal. Youre going to go to hell. Think about that. I did. And like I said. it was a wakeup call. It literally knocked me conscious. Stevie and I started going to church. We met Dr. Cortez Cooper. one of the Godliest men preached from the Bible. loved sports. a lot like the President. He could play any sport. he pretty much knew a little bit about every sport there was. and he knew me personally. And because of him. and him talking to me just like Im talking to you this morning. every time I went to hear him preach. I felt like he was talking directly to me. And so. we met in a high school in Hillsboro. just outside of Nashville there while they were building a big sanctuary. It was July. it was hot. kind of like being in a race car no air conditioning. I got down off my high horse. I got down on my knees. and Dr. Cortez Cooper and Stevie and I prayed that the Lord would come into my life and forgive me of my sins and be my Lord and Savior. And that was the greatest day of my life. That changed everything. Ill never forget: We were going home from that night. and I told Stevie. "Man. I feel like the weight of the world has been lifted off of my shoulders. I feel like Ive been born again. I feel like a new man." I felt different. and I knew I was different. When the Lord comes into your life. youre going to be different. You have to be different. If he comes into your heart. into your life. and youre not different. you better go back and try it again. because the Lord changes you. And He changed me. and it was for the better. And we left there that night. and did it fix all? Listen. you dont make a deal with the Lord: IHey Lord. if you do this. Ill do that." It dont work that way. folks. Hes there for you. Hes there to walk with you. But youve got to do your part. too. So did my life. my personal life. change things on the race track? I still had wrecks. I still had problems. Things still happened. but I wasnt in it alone. Where I felt like I was always in it by myself. now I had somebody to pray with. talk with. to guide me. direct me the wisdom of the Lord. I had it. and I needed to use it. Stevie and I wanted to have a family. We were having trouble having kids. We had a couple of miscarriages. and we were praying. "God. can you give us a child?" And wed gotten to the point where we thought wed just adopt. Were not going to be able to have kids on our own. so well adopt. And then Stevie got pregnant. and we prayed. and the Lord gave us peace about it. He said. "Hang in there this time. Ive got something special for you." And sure enough: Jessica Lee Waltrip. September the 17th. 1987. we had our first child. I. folks. was on cloud nine. I was so excited. I couldnt wait to get to the track. I left that weekend to go to Martinsville. I get to the racetrack. Im a proud papa. and everybodys congratulating me because they knew how badly we wanted kids. I go over to my race car on Sunday morning. and in the seat of the car is a vase with one rose in it and a note. I pulled the note out. I opened it up. and it said. "Win this one for me. Daddy." That was quite a moment. Id never been called Daddy before. and Id never been a father before. and I was so happy. And I have to tell you: This is a fairy tale. I never led a lap of that race. I wanted so badly to win that race for Jessicanever led a dadgum lap. until the last oneand you wont believe what happened. People say. "Can you tell me a time when God showed up?" I dont think he was working against those other guys. but he sure was working for meI know that. We go off the last lap. the white flags in the air. and I thought. "Oh man. Im running third." Theres nothing I can do. Dale Earnhardt and Terry Labonte. theyre a little bit quicker than I am. They go down the back straightaway into third turn at Martinsville. a little paperclip racetrack. and Terry bumps into the back of Dale. And when he does. both cars get a little loose. and they slide up the racetrack. and DW goes driving by. Daddy won that one. Same thing 1992. Sarah was born. Sarah Kaitlin Kerns Waltrip. Same deal: Go to the racetrack. It had been kind of a tough year. I dominated that race. Bristol halfmile track. like being hung up in a salad bowl for 500 laps. Spinning around your heads hurting. your eyes are burning. I get out of the car. and I cant remember my daughters name. So. Im trying really hard. Im saying "Sarah. Sarah. Kaitlin" she had a lot of names "Kerns Waltrip." Because when I left the hospital. we really hadnt decided on exactly what her name was going to be. So. it took a little time. but it came to me. and certainly Sarahs never let me forget that I couldnt remember her name. One final story for you. and its about Dale Earnhardt Sr. And I dont know how many of you people knew the old intimidator. He was one tough customer and my biggest competitor. We were frenemies. We were friends off the racetrack but not so much on the racetrack. And this beautiful redhead down here she loved Dale. and Dale loved her. And she witnessed to him just as much as she witnessed to me. In 1994. Neil Bonnett lost his life at Daytona in a practice crash. Sunday morning. Stevie had always put Scriptures in my race car on a note card. Not good luck charms. just encouragement. Whatever happened that week. the Scripture sort of fit the events of that week. Were standing on pit road praying with some of the chaplains from MRO. and Dale walks by. Now. Dale is one of those guys that you know hes a tough guy. so for him to pray or to acknowledge that he may have a relationship with the Lord was pretty hard for him to do. But he walks by. Stevie grabs him and says. "Come and pray with us." We all huddled up on pit road there. and when we finished praying. Stevie hands me the note card with the Scripture on it. and Dale grabs it. and he says. "Whats that?" And he read it. And he looked at Stevie. and he said. "Wheres mine?" Oh my gosh. she ran to the pit box. got a note card. wrote a Scripture. put it on the note card. and ran back to Dales car. and Dale put it on his dash. And so from that day until 2001. when he lost his life at Daytona. he had a Scripture in his car just like I had in my car. You have to know something: Me and this guy. we were fierce competitors. He didnt like me. and I didnt like him when we were on that racetrack. That woman would make us pray together. Stevie would grab him and grab me and say. "I want you all to pray together." and wed "[makes mumbling noises]." And then. and then to make it worse. shed say. "Tell him you love him." So. as he was walking away and I was walking away: "I love you." [stated in perfunctory tone] As I said. the hardest thing about being here this morning was. as I preparedand I did prepare was looking back and remembering how I was. But the good news this morning is Im not that way anymore. I just share this: You dont have to walk alone. You dont have to carry all those burdens like its you against the world. You have to do like I did. Youve got to get off your high horse and get on your knees and ask for forgiveness. Hes waiting for you. He was there all the time. I just didnt know it or acknowledge it. I told you when I got up here I wasnt running for anything. but I will tell you this: I am running to something. The Lord is a strong tower. the righteous will run to it and be safe. God bless you. God bless America. God bless our President. and thank you for letting me share with you this morning. Senator CASEY: Darrell. thank you for that great message. Darrell. I want to ask your permission but Ill do this as Im pretending to ask your permission. Your birthday is today?