Michael Curtis Waltrip was born on 30th April 30 1963, in Owensboro, Kentucky USA. He became famous as a professional race car driver in the ‘80s, and today he is a co-owner of Michael Waltrip Racing, and a racing commentator. He has been involved in several scandals during his career and has paid about half a million dollars in fines for his acts.
So just how rich is Michael Waltrip? Sources estimate Michael’s net worth is $35 million. The main source of his wealth is car racing and business, but he completes his income from endorsements and television appearances. As a driver, he earned more than $50 million from car racing, over a career spanning 31 year: this wealth included $2.9 million in 2006, $1.4 million in 2007, $3.6 million in 2008, $3.4 million in 2009, and between $400,000 and $700,000 a year after 2010. He also makes millions with his team, Michael Waltrip Racing, which according to Forbes has a value of $70 million and generates income of about $50 million. Endorsements complete the driver’s earnings; during his career, he had contracts with Dominos, Best Western, Aaron’s, and NAPA. Michael Waltrip works also as a commentator for “NASCAR on Fox”, aired by Fox Sports, and has also written a book called “In the Blink of an Eye: Dale, Daytona, and the Day that Changed Everything”, which was published in 2011 and became a best seller.
Michael Waltrip Net Worth $35 Million
Michael Waltrip began his career when he was only 15, by starting racing go-karts at carnivals. In 1981, he participated at Kentucky Motor Speedway, where he won the Mini-Modified division track championship and, in 1982, he entered the Goody’s Dash Series, where he was the most popular driver for two years. His Cup debut from 1985 at the Coca-Cola 600 bought him a 57th place in the series. He won the Daytona 500 twice, in 2001 and 2003, and the Gatorade Duel twice, in 2002 and 2005. In the NASCAR Nationwide Series, Michael Waltrip has 11 wins.
As a team owner, Michael Waltrip has been participating at NASCAR events since 2007. His team is sponsored by 5-Hour Energy and Aaron’s, but it hasn’t have impressive results in the last few years. The team is a 50-50 partnership with Rob Kauffman, who is also a managing partner of Fortress Investment Group.
Michael Waltrip also works for Fox Sports as a pre-race analyst for “NASCAR on Fox”. He appeared in the television series “My Name Is Earl” in 2009, and in the 19th season of the television show “Dancing with the Stars” in 2014. His television career includes participations in several documentaries, including “I Am Dale Earnhardt”, “60 Minutes”, and “ESPN 25: Who’s #1?”. In 2011, Michael’s first book was published. “In the Blink of an Eye: Dale, Daytona, and the Day that Changed Everything” became a New York Times bestseller.
In his personal life, Michael Waltrip married Elizabeth “Buffy” Franks in 1993. The couple divorced in 2010 and media has speculated that this had a strong influence on Michael’s net worth. Michael Waltrip has two children, a daughter from his marriage with Elizabeth and another daughter from a previous relationship. His older brother, Darrell Waltrip, is a 3-time NASCAR champion.
