I live in Columbus, OH the media HQ for the area where Chris lives and still works. Our paper published a story on him today - tied into the end of the season last night.Chris is still working for ODOT repairing roads in Logan county.
Daugherty, 35, and fiancee Lorie Groves tied the knot in February on Daytona Speedway’s Victory Lane, with NASCAR veteran Mark Martin serving as honorary best man and cars whizzing by on the track.
The "experience of a lifetime," he said, was a two-week tour of Army bases in Western Europe in October with Survivor contestants Rudy Boesch and Sandra Diaz-Twine.
"The soldiers’ reaction when they saw us — they went crazy. They set up these huge Survivor games and me, Rudy and Sandra judged them. Thank goodness we didn’t have to do them ourselves."
Since his return to the States, Daugherty has kept busy with public appearances — more lately than in the months immediately after the show.
"I get more phone calls for appearances, whether autographs or talks," he said. "I’m not complaining. I’m really happy."
Part of the upswing stems from Chris’ friendship with fellow Survivor winner Ethan Zohn, who has included him in efforts for Zohn’s Grassroot Soccer, a nonprofit group that benefits AIDS patients in Africa.
Also through Zohn, Daugherty and his wife have met many NASCAR drivers and officials — a thrill for the longtime fans.
"Our real love is NASCAR," said Lorie, who has kept her job with American Equity Mortgage despite her husband’s Survivor success.
Daugherty has kept in touch with fellow contestant Julie Berry, with whom he developed a kinship.
Berry, who has been dating Survivor host Jeff Probst, invited Daugherty to Los Angeles for last night’s reunion finale of Survivor: Guatemala, the 11 th installment of the series.
But Daugherty didn’t go.
"I said, ‘If Jeff is going to fly me out, I’ll come. Otherwise, no way.’ I’m pretty cheap."
His father confirms as much.
"He’s rather frugal," Mr. Daugherty said, noting that, along with the money, his son came home from the show with a Pontiac G6.
"It’s in the barn," the elder Daugherty said. "He’s riding around in the pickup."
Still, Chris has parted ways with some of his riches (about 30 percent went to taxes).
During a visit to Martin’s Ford dealership in Arkansas, he more than made good on a promise to buy his wife a truck.
"Well, lo and behold, Mark Martin has a limited-edition Ford F-150 sports package," Daugherty said. "A $55,000 truck!
"I said: ‘You’re crazy! That’s not fair! I told you I’d buy you an F-150 but not one with a racing motor!’ "
Despite the bluster, he bought the truck — and later treated himself to a little something.
"I got the limited-edition Harley Fat Boy," he said.
His mother, Dixie, got a new kitchen.
"He took pretty good care of his mother," Mr. Daugherty said. "He’s the youngest of five, so she earned it."
Beyond those purchases, "I have been extremely tight," Chris said.
"I don’t want to spend all my money. We’re going to put up a house."
A year ago, Daugherty said that he planned to renovate an old farmhouse he owned.
His plans changed, though, when a basement he dug for an addition "structurally ruined it," he said. "The corner dropped. I realized it when I spilled an ice-cube tray, and the water started running down the floor. I realized the floor wasn’t even level.
"I told my dad: ‘Forget about fixing up this place. Bring your trackhoe over, and let’s tear it down.’ "
Rather than build a home from the ground up, the Daughertys will have a customized modular home assembled on the property.
"You would be amazed at some of the people who did Unibilt instead of the stickbuilt," Daugherty said. "There are some high-class, extremely successful people — their homes look like mansions."
Plus, Lorie noted, "it saves us tens of thousands of dollars."
"We’re looking at 3,800 square feet," Chris said. "I think I’m looking at four or five bedrooms. But I didn’t think it through. What I didn’t calculate was that a woman wants to put furniture in every room."
While they await the delivery and assembly of the home, they’re living with his father in-Madison County and counting their blessings.
"We were in the car on the way back from New York," Lorie said, "and we were talking about how it’s unbelievable what we’ve been through in 2005 — Survivor, NASCAR, meeting people from other reality shows."
Her husband said he takes nothing for granted.
"I thought last year was the best year of my life. But this year may have topped it.
"I’ve been real fortunate — real fortunate."
From:
'Survivor' winner hasn’t moved into life’s fast lane
Monday, December 12, 2005 Columbus Ohio Dispatch
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