Leroy Waltrip passes

MOORESVILLE, N.C., (Jan. 10, 2000) After a three-year battle with cancer, Leroy Waltrip, father of NASCAR Winston Cup Series veterans Darrell and Michael Waltrip, passed away Monday morning at his home in Sherrills Ford, N.C. The elder Waltrip, 76, passed away with members of his family at his side.

Memorial services will be held at First Baptist Church in Mooresville (150 S. Church Street) at 3 p.m. on Wednesday and Bellevue Baptist Church in the Waltrip's hometown of Owensboro, Ky. (519 West Byers Avenue), at 4 p.m. on Thursday. The family will receive friends at the churches immediately following the services.

Darrell Waltrip has enjoyed one the most fruitful NASCAR Winston Cup Series careers in the sport's 51 years. During his 27-year tenure, he's won three series championships (1981, 1982 and 1985) and piled up 84 victories, good enough to tie him with Bobby Allison for third on the all-time wins list.

Michael Waltrip has yet to record his first NASCAR Winston Cup Series point race win, but has finished in the top-5 17 times, including a fifth-place run in the 1999 Daytona 500, his best career outing in the "Great American Race."

Neither driver could be reached for comment Monday.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the following organizations:

Motor Racing Outreach Hospice of Catawba Valley in memory of Leroy Waltrip in memory of Leroy Waltrip 5555 Concord Parkway South 263 3rd Avenue N.W. Smith Tower, Suite 405 Hickory, NC 28601 Harrisburg, NC 28075

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