Favorite hobbies: Traveling, outdoor sports and cooking
Achievements: I've had a lot of success at my age within the company I work for, IST Management Services.
Lifelong to do list: Write a novel, complete an Ironman and run my own business
What scares you most about traveling? The thought of getting arrested while abroad for something I didn't do and not being able to get out of jail is a little terrifying.
What excites you most about traveling? The time leading up to the destination and the chance to see a totally different world from mine
If I could switch places with someone: Mathew McConaughey – It would be awesome to star in the movies he has been in as well as live life the way he does.
Role model/hero: My mom is definitely my biggest hero. She raised my brother and me alone for 11 years until she re-married. She always made sure we never lacked in experiencing life to the fullest or making excuses for why something couldn't be done. She passed away from cancer when I was 18 and fought until the very end.
What are you passionate about? I'm very passionate about living life to the fullest and getting to know all walks of life.
What would you do if you won the million dollars? If we were to win the million dollars, I would do my best to invest it wisely even though I might have to blow a little bit first.
People would be surprised to learn: I'm a great cook..
Favorite place you have ever visited: Ochos Rios, Jamaica
Biggest challenge you and your teammate will face on the Race together: Learning to communicate and take a back seat to each other will be our biggest hurdle on the road.
What do you hope to accomplish by running the Race (other then winning one million bucks)? I hope to grow as a person and as a couple. I really look to gain a whole new perspective on life from the travel and obstacles we will face.
Pet peeve about your teammate: She has a lot of great ideas, but does not always see them through.
Stephanie Smith
Age: 23
Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Connection to your Teammate: Girlfriend
Current occupation: Hair Stylist
Favorite hobbies: Singing, swimming and water sports
Achievements: Biggest achievements include placing in the top 10 at Miss USA 2008 and being ranked nationally as a swimmer at age 14.
Lifelong to do list: It's really too long to list everything, but I want to start my own business, record my own CD, host a variety show and have a happy family of my own. To do these things, I have to keep setting goals and going after them with full force.
What scares you most about traveling? Breaking a law that I am unaware of
What excites you most about traveling? Learning about different cultures, people, religions and styles of clothing is what I look forward to most when traveling.
If I could switch places with someone: Celine Dion. I would love to know how it feels to perform as powerfully as she does.
Role model/hero: I have a lot of people I look up to for inspiration, my family and friends included. Although I have always been impressed with Kelly Ripa. You can't help but just love her.
What are you passionate about? I am passionate about whatever makes me happy. I am an enthusiastic person. If I like something and set out to achieve a goal, I am extremely passionate about that task.
What would you do if you won the million dollars? I would try to be a responsible young lady and pay school loans, have a family vacation and invest in another home. Maybe get a new wardrobe too.
People would be surprised to learn: I can sing. I was in a classic rock band in Charleston, S.C. I would love to start performing again.
Favorite place you have ever visited: I was a competitive swimmer growing up and was given the opportunity to train at the Colorado Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. It was a gorgeous place and such an exciting trip.
Biggest challenge you and your teammate will face on the Race together: Chad and I are so much alike. The things we love about each other are the same things we hate. Communication will be our biggest hurdle -- and his temper.
What do you hope to accomplish by running the Race (other then winning one million bucks)? All the positive and negative experiences of traveling with someone you love and then to see how he handles problems we will have to face together.
Pet peeve about your teammate: He can be inconsiderate of other people's feelings and he can be very brash.
Title: Re: TAR 17: Chad Waltrip and Stephanie Smith -- Newly Dating
Post by: georgiapeach on September 01, 2010, 12:40:43 PM
Summary updated with Intro Video!
Title: Re: TAR 17: Chad Waltrip and Stephanie Smith -- Newly Dating
Post by: MamaT on September 01, 2010, 01:00:02 PM
They bought a house together after dating just 5 months?! That says something about them...I'm just not sure what. My initial feelings about this team is "Eh". Stephanie is very pretty, they both seem athletic and to be go-getters, but I'm a bit worried about Chad's "temper" "brutal honesty" & "tell it like it is" attitude.
We shall see...
Title: Re: TAR 17: Chad Waltrip and Stephanie Smith -- Newly Dating
Post by: theschnauzers on September 27, 2010, 01:49:20 PM
The South Florida Sun Sentinel did an in=depth interview with Chad and Stephanie, including the revelation that she had been a finalist for TAR previously with Miss Maine USA 2009, and was invited to re-apply and she wanted to race with Chad.
And Chad played at Rhode Island (which I believe is NCAA Division II,) and explains why he's quite pale for a south Florida resident. Sun Sentinel interview (http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2010-09-26/entertainment/fl-arts-amazing-race-092610-20100926_1_fort-lauderdale-couple-cara-rosenthal-jaime-edmondson)
Title: Re: TAR 17: Chad Waltrip and Stephanie Smith -- Newly Dating
Post by: Mug Costanza on September 27, 2010, 09:34:39 PM
Rhode Island is Division I-AA. Does the interview say when he played? I go to a school that plays in the same conference as URI, so I wonder if I've ever actually seen Chad play in person!
Title: Re: TAR 17: Chad Waltrip and Stephanie Smith -- Newly Dating
Post by: theschnauzers on September 27, 2010, 11:19:29 PM
The Sun-Sentinel interview did not say, but a quick google came up with this information from URI: http://www.gorhody.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/waltrip_chad00.html (http://www.gorhody.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/waltrip_chad00.html). 2003-2006. Turns out he's from metro Atlanta originally, and conceivably might just be related to the racing Waltrip family.
Title: Re: TAR 17: Chad Waltrip and Stephanie Smith -- Newly Dating
Post by: RealityFreakWill on November 22, 2010, 03:38:56 PM
Congratulations, Chad & Stephanie!
They got married over the weekend and are expecting their first child in May 2011.
Already expecting...they like rushing things. Give them a year b4 handing out congrats.
Title: Re: TAR 17: Chad Waltrip and Stephanie Smith -- Newly Dating
Post by: georgiapeach on November 23, 2010, 09:29:24 AM
The Amazing Race 17: Exclusive Interview with Chad Waltrip and Stephanie Smith by David McAlpine and Gina Scarpa
This week, on The Amazing Race, the dreaded double U-Turn reared its ugly head and claimed Brooke and Claire and Chad and Stephanie as their victims. Chad and Stephanie, who were already in last place, were unable to complete both tasks in enough time and were the last team to arrive at the pit stop. However, what they gained on the race is more valuable than a million dollar prize. Chad proposed on the race in the country of Oman, the two were married this past weekend, and Stephanie is expecting! Today, we caught up with the happy couple to discuss their experiences on the race and what they took away from it.
Q. David, RealityWanted: Whose idea was it to try out for The Amazing Race? A. Stephanie: It's a funny story, actually. I tried out with my girlfriend a year ago and we were first alternates. So I called CBS trying to get my passport back because they held onto it in case a team dropped out and they could replace us immediately. So when I called, they asked me how I was doing and they wanted me to go on the race with Chad. I was hesitant at first but it was definitely the right choice.
Q. David, RealityWanted: Were there any teams that stuck out to you initially on the race as your biggest threat or competition? A. Stephanie: When we first started the race, we thought Ron and Tony were going to be a huge threat. We really hit it off with them, and then they ended up getting eliminated first. A. Chad: It really showed how evident that it was anybody's game.
Q. David, RealityWanted: Did you work with any of the teams along the way? A. Stephanie: The race is so unpredictable. It's hard to have a strategy and you can't plan on getting the directions you need, too. We had a good relationship with Jill and Thomas and with Gary and Mallory, but I think we were all really kind to each other on this race.
Q. David, RealityWanted: Chad, you said you were planning on proposing to Stephanie on the race. What made you chose Oman as the place to do it? A. Chad: I didn't have a plan as far as where I was going to do it, though I really wanted to do it on the mat with Phil. When we landed in Oman, Stephanie was so floored and really excited to be in the Middle East and she was talking about how she always wanted to go to Egypt, and then we found out that we wouldn't be racing again until the next morning, so I couldn't have asked for a better time. So as the sun came up, I decided I'd do it.
Q. David, RealityWanted: Stephanie, did the team dynamic change at all after you were engaged as opposed to before? A. Stephanie: It did sort of change out attitude! it goes to show that being positive, working together, feeling united makes a huge difference. That was one thing that was struggled with in the beginning and that leg could not have ended any better. Not only were we shocked we won, we almost thought we were in last when we got to the mat. A. Chad: It was definitely great! I think proposing to Stephanie and us being engaged, it brought us closer to becoming one, you know? From that point on, it wasn't about me or about her, it was about us, and that made a big difference.
Q. David, RealityWanted: The weather seemed brutal in Bangladesh! What was the climate like there? A. Chad: It was very overwhelming. The sheer mass of people and the heat was really hard. It was cooking all the smells and the trash in the street, so you were going in and out of layers of smells--dead animals, smelly water, exhaust, trash, it was horrible, plus traveling through the streets was very confusing and frustrating. A. Stephanie: We were already exhausted when we got there, so running around, feeling like you had no clean air to breathe and getting lost wasn't fun.
Q. David, RealityWanted: Had there been no double U-Turn, are you confident that you'd still be in the race? A. Chad: Oh yeah, we would have beat both those teams if we hadn't gotten U-Turned. We were moving much faster than both of them.
A. Stephanie: And at the very beginning of the leg, we got bad directions and it carried through the rest of the tasks.
Q. David, RealityWanted: Are you upset with Nat & Kat for U-Turning you? A. Stephanie: Nat and Kat played their cards well, you know? If it would have been us, we would have done the same thing. No hard feelings here, because it's a game and they had to do what they had to do.
Q. David, RealityWanted: What is the biggest thing you took away from running The Amazing Race together? A. Stephanie: Culturally it was so enlightening and we really appreciated it. It's kind of a bug now, we want to travel everywhere. We were like that before, but we're even worse now and trying to explain to everyone how great it is to travel the world isn't easy when they haven't do it themselves. A. Chad: Personally, I definitely learned not to try and force Stephanie into doing anything and that I need to work together with Stephanie to make decisions and to let her make some of them herself. Once we started doing that, we got a lot further in the game, and I'm still working on not coming off as brash. A. Stephanie: It was kind of like international couples therapy!
Title: Re: TAR 17: Chad Waltrip and Stephanie Smith -- Newly Dating>Engaged>MARRIED!
Post by: TexasLady on November 23, 2010, 01:39:37 PM
I'm so glad they aren't bitter over the U-turn and it's interesting that they said they would have done the same thing if given a chance. :lol:
LOVE this comment: "A. Chad: It was definitely great! I think proposing to Stephanie and us being engaged, it brought us closer to becoming one, you know? From that point on, it wasn't about me or about her, it was about us, and that made a big difference." It augurs well for their future.
Title: Re: TAR 17: Chad Waltrip and Stephanie Smith -- Newly Dating>Engaged>MARRIED!
Post by: Mug Costanza on November 23, 2010, 03:11:06 PM
Now THAT'S how you handle being U-Turned! Thank you, Stephanie, for being so classy about it. :)
Title: Re: TAR 17: Chad Waltrip and Stephanie Smith -- Newly Dating>Engaged>MARRIED!
Post by: Jobby on November 27, 2010, 04:19:27 AM
Now THAT'S how you handle being U-Turned! Thank you, Stephanie, for being so classy about it. :)
I wonder if Carol and Brandy are reading this. :lol:
I didn't know i'll actually turn out to like Chad and Stephanie so much. Did anybody try to ask Chad and Stephanie whether they have been invited back for allstars, but had to decline because Stephanie was pregnant? :tup:
Title: Re: TAR 17: Chad Waltrip and Stephanie Smith -- Newly Dating>Engaged>MARRIED!
Post by: DrRox on November 27, 2010, 05:13:46 AM
Stephanie has wedding pics on her Facebook.......very beautiful affair.
Title: Re: TAR 17: Chad Waltrip and Stephanie Smith -- Newly Dating>Engaged>MARRIED!
Post by: redskevin88 on November 27, 2010, 06:38:15 AM
Now THAT'S how you handle being U-Turned! Thank you, Stephanie, for being so classy about it. :)
I wonder if Carol and Brandy are reading this. :lol:
I didn't know i'll actually turn out to like Chad and Stephanie so much. Did anybody try to ask Chad and Stephanie whether they have been invited back for allstars, but had to decline because Stephanie was pregnant? :tup:
Surely they were invited, since these 2 have a very nteresting storyline...
Title: Re: TAR 17: Chad Waltrip and Stephanie Smith -- Newly Dating>Engaged>MARRIED!
Post by: Belle Book on November 27, 2010, 05:35:05 PM
Now THAT'S how you handle being U-Turned! Thank you, Stephanie, for being so classy about it. :)
Indeed. I can sure understand being mad right after being U-Turned, but once the leg is over, you should just move on and not let your anger get the best of you, like Carol & Brandy did. Of course, those two hated Brent & Caitie, and I don't think Chad & Stephanie really hated Nat & Kat. They saw the doctors as a threat (with good reason), but personally hating them? I didn't see that.
Belle Book
Title: Re: TAR 17: Chad Waltrip and Stephanie Smith -- Newly Dating>Engaged>MARRIED!
Post by: Prophet on November 27, 2010, 07:43:54 PM
Now THAT'S how you handle being U-Turned! Thank you, Stephanie, for being so classy about it. :)
Indeed. I can sure understand being mad right after being U-Turned, but once the leg is over, you should just move on and not let your anger get the best of you, like Carol & Brandy did. Of course, those two hated Brent & Caitie, and I don't think Chad & Stephanie really hated Nat & Kat. They saw the doctors as a threat (with good reason), but personally hating them? I didn't see that.
Belle Book
Chad wanted to U-Turn the doctors, but I don't think he had a personal issue with them.
Title: Re: TAR 17: Chad Waltrip and Stephanie Smith -- Newly Dating>Engaged>MARRIED!
Post by: TexasLady on November 27, 2010, 09:12:56 PM
The two teams were really close so it would have been a no-brainer to use the U-turn which ever one got there first.
Title: Re: TAR 17: Chad Waltrip and Stephanie Smith -- Newly Dating>Engaged>MARRIED!
Post by: DrRox on November 27, 2010, 10:01:22 PM
Now THAT'S how you handle being U-Turned! Thank you, Stephanie, for being so classy about it. :)
I wonder if Carol and Brandy are reading this. :lol:
I didn't know i'll actually turn out to like Chad and Stephanie so much. Did anybody try to ask Chad and Stephanie whether they have been invited back for allstars, but had to decline because Stephanie was pregnant? :tup:
Surely they were invited, since these 2 have a very nteresting storyline...
These two ladies are not a "pair" anymore......and have not been for almost a year.......not long after TAR 16 finished filming.
Title: Re: TAR 17: Chad Waltrip and Stephanie Smith -- Newly Dating>Engaged>MARRIED!
Post by: slayton on November 27, 2010, 11:09:53 PM
I can understand why Chad & Stephanie wouldn't hold a grudge over the U-Turn; it wasn't a personal thing.
From their post-show interviews, the major issue that the U-Turned teams in TAR16 had was that they were U-Turned for personal reasons and not strategic reasons.
Luke disliked the reasoning behind the TAR16 U-Turn choices so much that he started the Season 16 = Dumbest Cast Ever...? (http://forum.realityfanforum.com/index.php/topic,21865.0.html) thread after Carol & Brandy got U-Turned.
Kisha & Jen's post-show interviews reinforce the difference in mindsets between teams from TAR14 and teams from TAR16:
Quote
Reality TV World: They also said that you guys would have definitely U-Turned someone else if you'd had the opportunity. Was that the case, had you discussed that and who would you have done?
Jennifer: Um, it's all about strategy. Like when we were in the race and we'd seen Margie and Luke and Cara and Jaime we'd figured that we could assume Tammy and Victor were before us.
So, thinking at a strategic point -- because my sister and I, we don't hold grudges, we always think about what's at stake -- so [in that] instance, we'd been roaming around [for a while]. So if an hour or a half hour had passed and we didn't see Margie and Luke well then we assumed they were up ahead of us so the only team behind us was Cara and Jaime.
You see what I'm saying? It's not like 'Oh, if we get there first these are the people that we're going to U-Turn to be malicious.' No, it was all part of a strategic standpoint and that's why we understand why Victor and Tammy did it.
Quote
TVGuide.com: Not even for Margie and Luke? Kisha: Well, I wasn't thinking about that! [Laughs] We ran a very classy race. We wouldn't U-Turn someone because they didn't like us. That wasn't part of our strategy. If we were going to U-Turn someone, it would've been to put us in a better position or to gain us some time.
Title: Re: TAR 17: Chad Waltrip and Stephanie Smith -- Newly Dating>Engaged>MARRIED!
Post by: Prophet on November 28, 2010, 07:50:38 AM
I can understand why Chad & Stephanie wouldn't hold a grudge over the U-Turn; it wasn't a personal thing.
From their post-show interviews, the major issue that the U-Turned teams in TAR16 had was that they were U-Turned for personal reasons and not strategic reasons.
Luke disliked the reasoning behind the TAR16 U-Turn choices so much that he started the Season 16 = Dumbest Cast Ever...? (http://forum.realityfanforum.com/index.php/topic,21865.0.html) thread after Carol & Brandy got U-Turned.
Kisha & Jen's post-show interviews reinforce the difference in mindsets between teams from TAR14 and teams from TAR16:
Quote
Reality TV World: They also said that you guys would have definitely U-Turned someone else if you'd had the opportunity. Was that the case, had you discussed that and who would you have done?
Jennifer: Um, it's all about strategy. Like when we were in the race and we'd seen Margie and Luke and Cara and Jaime we'd figured that we could assume Tammy and Victor were before us.
So, thinking at a strategic point -- because my sister and I, we don't hold grudges, we always think about what's at stake -- so [in that] instance, we'd been roaming around [for a while]. So if an hour or a half hour had passed and we didn't see Margie and Luke well then we assumed they were up ahead of us so the only team behind us was Cara and Jaime.
You see what I'm saying? It's not like 'Oh, if we get there first these are the people that we're going to U-Turn to be malicious.' No, it was all part of a strategic standpoint and that's why we understand why Victor and Tammy did it.
Quote
TVGuide.com: Not even for Margie and Luke? Kisha: Well, I wasn't thinking about that! [Laughs] We ran a very classy race. We wouldn't U-Turn someone because they didn't like us. That wasn't part of our strategy. If we were going to U-Turn someone, it would've been to put us in a better position or to gain us some time.
I suppose some casts have more strategic teams and some have more emotional ones. Season 16 had more emotional teams. Seasons 14 & 17 had more strategic ones.
Belle Book
Title: Re: TAR 17: Chad Waltrip and Stephanie Smith -- Newly Dating>Engaged>MARRIED!
Post by: Prophet on November 28, 2010, 03:40:12 PM
I suppose some casts have more strategic teams and some have more emotional ones. Season 16 had more emotional teams. Seasons 14 & 17 had more strategic ones.
Belle Book
This seems to be true.
Title: Re: TAR 17: Chad Waltrip and Stephanie Smith -- Newly Dating>Engaged>MARRIED!
Post by: AmazingRace on December 22, 2010, 06:05:43 PM
Chad & Stephanie are expecting a boy! :cmas9 :cmas9 :cmas23 Yay them! :cmas26 :xmas146
Title: Re: TAR 17: Chad Waltrip and Stephanie Smith -- Newly Dating>Engaged>MARRIED!
Post by: DaNutzki on December 23, 2010, 02:08:44 AM
Congrats to Chad and Stephanie Waltrip and now "JUST MARRIED".
Title: Re: TAR 17: Chad Waltrip and Stephanie Smith -- Newly Dating>Engaged>MARRIED!
Post by: RealityFreakWill on January 23, 2011, 01:08:47 AM
The baby boy Chad and Stephanie are expecting has a name and it's Wyatt Waltrip! !
Title: Re: TAR 17: Chad Waltrip and Stephanie Smith -- Newly Dating>Engaged>MARRIED!
Post by: RealityFreakWill on May 12, 2011, 02:10:26 PM
FYI
Baby Wyatt is expected to make his debut any day now. Chad is hoping that Stephanie goes in labor and give birth this weekend!
I will let you all know when he is born.
Title: Re: TAR 17: Chad Waltrip and Stephanie Smith -- Newly Dating>Engaged>MARRIED!
Post by: georgiapeach on May 12, 2011, 03:09:06 PM
Stephanie was hoping for LAST weekend!! :lol:
Title: Re: TAR 17: Chad Waltrip and Stephanie Smith -- Newly Dating>Engaged>MARRIED!
Post by: Jobby on May 15, 2011, 03:39:18 AM