Darrell Waltrip and Bristol: A perfect pairing

Darrell Waltrip always seems to be smiling, and that smile always seems to be a little brighter at Bristol. The .533-mile track served as the backdrop for some of Waltrip's finest professional moments, and he picked this week to announce he is retiring from the FOX broadcast booth as the Cup Series heads into town. DW scored 12 wins at Bristol and is one of just five drivers in NASCAR history to have double-digit wins at a single track. Let's look at them, one-by-one.

1978 Southeastern 500

Date: April 2, 1978

Career win No.: 10

Notable: Darrell Waltrip heaped mounds of praise on his pit crew after his first Cup Series win at the track. Pictured are Waltrip, Bristol president & GM Lanny Hester (L), Darrell's wife Stevie and track VP Gary Baker.

1979 Volunteer 500

Date: Aug. 25, 1979

Career win No.: 22

Notable: Waltrip drove a Chevrolet Monte Carlo he had nicknamed 'Bertha' in this victory, which he celebrated with crew chief Buddy Parrott.

1981 Valleydale 500

Date: March 29, 1981

Career win No.: 30

Notable: Waltrip's most dominant win at Bristol set off one of the most dominant streaks in NASCAR history. DW led 323 laps in his first of seven consecutive wins at Thunder Valley.

1981 Busch 500

Date: Aug. 22, 1981

Career win No.: 35

Notable: Waltrip led all but three of the final 200 laps at Bristol and was the only driver to finish on the lead lap. His win allowed him to close within 50 points of points leader Bobby Allison. Waltrip would eventually pass Allison in the standings and win his first championship.

1982 Valleydale 500

Date: March 14, 1982

Career win No.: 40

Notable: Not only was this Waltrip's third consecutive win at Bristol, but it was his third consecutive Bristol win from the pole position.

1982 Busch 500

Date: Aug. 28, 1982

Career win No.: 47

Notable: After three consecutive Bristol wins by leading more than 200 laps each instance, Waltrip managed just 38 laps led -- but those included the final 20 after he passed Bobby Allison.

1983 Valleydale 500

Date: May 21, 1983

Career win No.: 55

Notable: A new race date in May didn't deter Waltrip from flashing five in Victory Lane -- for his fifth consecutive victory at the track. He led 288 laps.

1983 Busch 500

Date: Aug. 27, 1983

Career win No.: 56

Notable: This was Waltrip's lone Bristol win that was shortened due to rain, but he still managed to lead 215 laps. He beat rival Dale Earnhardt out of the pits to be in the lead of the race before the rain hit, ending the race after 419 laps. Earnhardt led 197 laps himself.

1984 Valleydale 500

Date: April 1, 1984

Career win No.: 58

Notable: No April Fools' Day joke here. Darrell Waltrip won his seventh consecutive Bristol race; and it was car owner Junior Johnson's eighth consecutive win at the track.

1986 Busch 500

Date: Aug. 23, 1986

Career win No.: 69

Notable: Waltrip led 573 laps in all of 1986, but 179 of them came in this race -- his 10th career win at Bristol.

1989 Busch 500

Date: Aug. 26, 1989

Career win No.: 78

Notable: At age 42, Waltrip capitalized on a spin by Dale Earnhardt to win this one for team owner Rick Hendrick.

1992 Bud 500

Date: Aug. 29, 1992

Career win No.: 83

Notable: Waltrip turned back the clock, winning his 12th and final Bristol race at age 45 on the track's new concrete surface. He'd win again the next week at Darlington, the final victory of his illustrious career.