Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and David Ragan will pay tribute to Darrell Waltrip this weekend by driving two of the NASCAR Hall of Famers’ old paint schemes in the Cup Series race at Sonoma Raceway.
The tributes comes in the last race Waltrip will serve as an analyst for Fox Sports’ NASCAR coverage. He is retiring after 18 years in the broadcast booth.
Stenhouse’s No. 17 Ford has been made to look like the No. 17 Western Auto/Parts America cars Waltrip drove from 1992-1997.
“Darrell Waltrip has meant a great deal to our sport as both a competitor and a member of the broadcast media,” team owner Jack Roush said in a press release. “The thing that stands out to me about Darrell is that after I just announced I was starting the team with Mark Martin, I was invited into a driver’s meeting that season. Darrell Waltrip was one of the first to welcome me into the fold and say ‘Come on in Jack, we are going to have a lot of fun with you’ and we sure have over the years.”
Loaded up and ready to roll to @RaceSonoma! https://t.co/7cb09s3Hud
— RFK Racing (@RFKracing) June 18, 2019
This is not the first time Stenhouse has driven one of Waltrip’s old paint schemes.
In the 2016 Southern 500, Stenhouse used the scheme Waltrip had for his first Cup win in 1975.
This is the second time Stenhouse has driven the Western Auto/Parts America scheme, but the first time with the right color scheme.
Stenhouse’s 2017 Southern 500 car used the scheme but with the colors of his sponsor, Fifth Third bank.
“With as much as he’s done in the sport on and off the track, Darrell will definitely be missed,” Stenhouse said a press release. “I have enjoyed all the sit-downs and seeing his passion that he has for the sport. I’ve gotten to pay homage to him with two Darlington throwback schemes so it will be extra special to drive his iconic paint scheme for his last appearance in the booth.”
Ragan’s No. 38 Ford also is inspired by one of Waltrip’s Parts America schemes.
Ragan’s car is based on the chrome scheme Waltrip drove in 1997 that commemorated his 25th anniversary of competing in NASCAR.
“I’m so grateful for the opportunity to run this scheme during Darrell Waltrip’s last race as a broadcaster with FOX,” Ragan said in a press release. “We’ve developed a great relationship over the years and he’s truly been an asset to our sport. It still gives me chills listening to replays of him calling my Talladega win in 2013. His enthusiasm for racing is unmatched and I know we will all miss seeing him up in the booth each week. All I can say is, ‘Thanks, DW.’”
