Derek Daly
Literally wrote the book on how to become a ‘Complete Champion’
Topic Categories:
- Formula 1 and Indy Car Driver
- Master of Fast
- Entrepreneur
- Best-Selling Author
- Professional Speaker
- International Racing Champion
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Irish driving legend Derek Daly is the epitome of the Complete Champion. From the Victory Circle to the Announcer’s Desk, Hall of Fame Race Car Driver and Network Television Color Analyst Daly has spent nearly three decades as the face of the motorsport world. He counts Sylvester Stallone, David Letterman and Jay Leno amongst his friends.
Born and raised in Dublin, Ireland to a middle class working family, Derek’s career path was set at the age of twelve when he attended his first auto race. From that moment, his commitment to the dream of being a professional driver was unshakeable. On the way to his dream he worked as a laborer in the iron ore mines of Australia and, while travelling the race tracks of England, even taking up residence in a school bus.
Derek’s professional racing career spanned 17 years and his experiences are nothing short of breathtaking. Daly’s story is one that precious few have lived to tell. In 1984, Derek suffered one of the hardest crash impacts that a driver had ever survived when he hit the wall at Michigan International Speedway at 212 MPH. After fourteen surgeries and three years in therapy, he returned to full-time racing. He competed in the 12 Hours of Sebring – one of the premier motorsport endurance races in the US – and won the race two years in a row.
His early dreams became reality when he won Irish, British and European championship events. In 1978, he competed in the Formula One World Championship, and two short years later Derek was ranked 10th in the world. In 1983, he made his first of six starts in the Indianapolis 500.
In 1985, Derek started a 10 year association with ESPN as a motor sport color analyst. He became the face of motor sports, seen on NBC, CBS, Fox and Speed Channel. USA Today highlighted Derek as “the best new face on sports television” and IndyCar Racing magazine voted Derek “the most popular motor sports television announcer.”
Moet & Chandon champagne awarded Derek the Joules Goux Award for his outstanding contributions to motor sports television. He was later nominated by ESPN for an Ace Award, and Derek received the 2000 Hall of Fame Award from “Motor Sport Ireland” for his leadership of Irish motor sport. In 2010, he was inducted into the Sebring Hall of Fame.
Derek literally wrote the book on how to become a ‘Complete Champion’. Race To Win: How to Become a Complete Champion was heralded a “future classic” by the Irish Times. Friend, former race competitor and international auto racing superstar Mario Andretti contributed the foreword: “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.” His second book, A Champions Path: Be Extraordinary was published in 2017.
Derek’s gift of communication has made him one of the most sought after motivational speakers in America. His Be Extraordinary Model and Speed of Business Principles have influenced Fortune 500 companies and the US Government.
Derek and his three sons reside outside of Indianapolis, Indiana. Derek became an American Citizen on September 28, 1993.
If the speed of your business continues to increase in the next 10 years, ask yourself; How Fast can you get Fast? Derek takes your team down the success road to understand the critical difference between going fast and being fast. They will grasp how Trust and Preparation become the cornerstones of teams who push against boundaries. They will learn how to achieve trailblazing performance and understand why corporations sometimes struggle to emulate these valuable traits. This topic has energized both male and female audiences from California to the Czech Republic.
Remember Good to Great? Today, it has shifted from Great to Extraordinary. Align this platform with the right culture, and you develop something truly unique; a Culture of Extraordinary. You will understand how to think and act differently as you push your people to the edges and boundaries of what might be possible. You will embrace what it means to go beyond your best. Derek uses powerful, real-life sports analogies in a unique, compelling and often hilarious manner, that leaves audiences in awe. The US Government has used this topic multiple times.
In an era where everything is expected to be faster, this program addresses how to accomplish both Speed and Safety.
Professional race car drivers were once considered to be gladiators in a sport that was somewhat out of reach for most. Accidents, injuries, and even death were commonplace, and it was tolerated because, “Well…that’s just the way it is.” A spate of critical injuries, Derek’s included, began to define a time in the sport when finally, enough was enough.
Motorsports’ core business was Speed, not Safety. These two values were disconnected for decades. This program details how his sport’s attitude changed, and how it developed its people and equipment to have the crucial balance between Speed and Safety.
This program walks the audience through the structure and framework of extraordinary teams who operate safely, on the edges of what might be possible. Attendees learn how Derek’s sport transitioned from a disconnected “hand-off” sport, to one of accountability, concern, and awareness of the big picture.
The audience will learn that compliance does not replace responsibility. Importantly, Derek explains that race cars (equipment) are not inherently dangerous within a team, but that it’s human error that creates the most danger. No one can remain emotionally neutral as Derek unfolds his breathtaking global experiences and demonstrates the S.A.F.E. model (Speed, Agility, Framework, Execution).
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