About Derek Daly: Biography

Professional Athlete
Derek competed as a professional race car driver for 17 years before becoming a television motor sports personality and businessman. Derek raced in Formula One, Indy Car and World Sports Cars

He went from being a laborer in the iron ore mines of Australia in 1973 to living in a school bus in 1976 to being ranked 10th in the World Championship in 1980. In 1983, Derek made his first of 6 starts at the Indianapolis 500

In 1984, Derek survived one of the worst on track crashes ever seen at the Michigan International Speedway. He survived nine surgeries and spent three years in therapy before returning full time to racing in 1987. In 1990, Derek won the prestigious Sebring 12 hour endurance. Just for good measure, he won it again in 1991. He retired from competition in 1992

Television & Radio
In 1985 Derek started a ten year association as a motor sport color analyst on ESPN – America’s premier cable sports channel. In 1992 USA Today’s television critic Rudy Martzke, highlighted Derek as “the best new face on sports television”.. A poll sponsored by and featured in IndyCar Racing magazine, voted Derek “the most popular motor sports television announcer”. Derek has worked for NBC Sports, CBS Sports, Fox, ESPN and Speed Channel

Special Awards
In 1993, he received the Joules Goux Award from Moet & Chandon champagne for his outstanding contributions to motor sports television. He was also nominated in the same year for an Ace Award by ESPN. In December 2000, Derek received the prestigious Hall of Fame Award from “Motor Sport Ireland” for his leadership of Irish motor sport.

Derek Daly Design
In 2007, Derek launched a new race track design partnership with Paxton Waters, a nationally known race track facility architect and planner. Under the banner, Derek Daly Design (DDD), Derek will specialize in bringing back some of the character of the great race tracks of the world that has been lost over the past two decades. DDD has active projects in America, Canada, and Brazil

Derek Daly-Speaker
Derek has become one of the most sought after International speakers. His use of sports analogies to explain the business message is powerful. Companies like Xerox, Bayer, Deloitte, Growmark, USDA, and Gallo wines have all experienced Derek’s presentation style and have used him repeatedly

Derek Daly-Author
In 2008, MBI Publishing released Derek’s first book, Race to Win, How to become a Complete Champion. Derek was honored to have Mario Andretti pen the forward. Although the book was written in the context of a motor sports champion, Mario says; “Derek’s book teaches lessons it took guys like me years to learn. Quite honestly, I believe the advice in this book resonates far beyond the racing industry” – Mario Andretti
Derek Daly Academy
In 2009, Derek created an unprecedented driver management & development company to remove HOPE from being a success strategy. Derek's book, Race to Win, and his nearly 40 years of motorsports provided the ideal backdrop for assisting the next generation of race car drivers in what is a complex, expensive and dangerous sport.