Waltrip Pleased with Team’s Progress During Off-Season
Jan. 14, 2008
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Michael Waltrip and the No. 55 NAPA AUTO PARTS team returned to Daytona International Speedway to participate in NASCAR’s second round of Preseason Thunder. Today was the first of a three-day test for the Sprint Cup teams in preparation for next month’s 50th running of the Daytona 500. Waltrip and teammate Dale Jarrett, along with 21 other drivers, focused on single-car runs. In both sessions, Michael Waltrip Racing had three of its four cars in the top 10. In the first round, Jarrett posted the fastest (48.652 seconds/184.987 mph) and fourth-quickest (48.854 seconds/184.222 mph) laps in chassis 44B and 44A, respectively. Waltrip recorded a best lap of (49.100 seconds/183.299 mph) in chassis 55, which was good for ninth, and produced the 13th-fastest lap (49.164 seconds/183.061 mph) in chassis 55M. In the afternoon practice, all four MWR cars were in the top 10. Jarrett was fourth (48.572 seconds/185.292 mph) and eighth (48.676 seconds/184.896 mph) on the speed chart. Waltrip turned the fifth (48.589 seconds/185.227 mph) and seventh (48.637 seconds/185.055 mph) fastest laps. Quickest in the practice was Dave Blaney (48.532 seconds/185.445 mph). After practice, Waltrip talked to the media about the progress his team has made over the last year. How different is testing this season versus testing a year ago?
“It’s a world of difference -- we are very optimistic about getting everything we can out of this car with the success we had at Talladega and the success that I’ve had at this racetrack in the past. Last year, we just didn’t have enough car, but this year it is a really comforting feeling to know that our cars are this fast now. Now it’s about our team getting the cars as tuned up as we can and getting as much out of them as possible. Just like at Talladega in October, we should be good enough to contend for the pole and be up front when we come back in less than a month. It’s a great chance, and it’s thanks to a lot of hard work by the guys at TRD (Toyota Racing Development) out in California and a lot of work by Dr. Warren and all the guys at MWR (Michael Waltrip Racing). Everyone has been working to get the set-up where it needs to be and where it will go fast. I’m real happy with what we’re seeing right now.” How much confidence can you take away from testing and bring back for the race?
“We can get pretty confident because we just sat on the pole at Talladega with this same car and engine. We felt pretty good about things coming down here and to see that play out as we expected gives me a lot of confidence. In less than a month we will be back here and hopefully not a lot of things will change between now and then.” What has it been like to work with your new crew chief Paul Andrews?
“He’s very well organized, he understands our sport, and he knows what he wants to accomplish. He’s a strong leader, and that’s what the No. 55 team really needed. He, Ryan (Pemberton) and Bill (Pappas) are working well together in addition to Bobby Kennedy, who is helping out a great deal in his role. Everything is going really well for us as a team.” Up next for Michael Waltrip and the NAPA AUTO PARTS crew are two more practice sessions on Tuesday. The first practice begins at 9 a.m. ET with single-car runs. At 1 p.m., the Sprint Cup cars are scheduled to run door-to-door in a drafting session. Also tomorrow, check out USA Today for an article featuring Waltrip and his Michael Waltrip Racing organization, in which the NAPA Racing driver speaks candidly about his optimism for the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup season and his hopes for capturing his third Daytona 500 victory. Fans in the Daytona Beach area can also see Waltrip tomorrow night at 8:15 p.m. ET as he takes part in the NASCAR Preseason Thunder Fan Fest located in the Fan Zone at Daytona International Speedway. Joining Waltrip for the 45-minute session will be drivers Denny Hamlin, Bobby Labonte, Regan Smith and Ken Schrader.
| Jan. 14 Morning Session |
 |
| Pos. |
No. |
Name |
Make |
Best Time |
Best Speed |
|
| 1 |
44B |
Dale Jarrett |
Toyota |
48.652 |
184.987 |
|
| 2 |
88B |
Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
Chevrolet |
48.742 |
184.646 |
|
| 3 |
40 |
Dario Franchitti |
Dodge |
48.832 |
184.305 |
|
| 4 |
44A |
Dale Jarrett |
Toyota |
48.854 |
184.222 |
|
| 5 |
20A |
Tony Stewart |
Toyota |
48.968 |
183.793 |
|
| 6 |
11B |
Denny Hamlin |
Toyota |
49.035 |
183.542 |
|
| 7 |
22 |
Dave Blaney |
Toyota |
49.039 |
183.527 |
|
| 8 |
22B |
Dave Blaney |
Toyota |
49.099 |
183.303 |
|
| 9 |
55 |
Michael Waltrip |
Toyota |
49.1 |
183.299 |
|
| 10 |
83A |
Brian Vickers |
Toyota |
49.116 |
183.240 |
|
| 11 |
87 |
Jeff Fuller |
Chevrolet |
49.123 |
183.214 |
|
| 12 |
88A |
Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
Chevrolet |
49.154 |
183.098 |
|
| 13 |
55M |
Michael Waltrip |
Toyota |
49.164 |
183.061 |
|
| 14 |
38A |
David Gilliland |
Ford |
49.186 |
182.979 |
|
| 15 |
11A |
Denny Hamlin |
Toyota |
49.2 |
182.927 |
|
| 16 |
40A |
Dario Franchitti |
Dodge |
49.224 |
182.838 |
|
| 17 |
83B |
Brian Vickers |
Toyota |
49.226 |
182.830 |
|
| 18 |
20B |
Tony Stewart |
Toyota |
49.239 |
182.782 |
|
| 19 |
38B |
David Gilliland |
Ford |
49.332 |
182.437 |
|
| 20 |
60B |
Boris Said |
Ford |
49.394 |
182.208 |
|
| 21 |
66H |
Scott Riggs |
Chevrolet |
49.399 |
182.190 |
|
| 22 |
9B |
Kasey Kahne |
Dodge |
49.411 |
182.146 |
|
| 23 |
26A |
Jamie McMurray |
Ford |
49.463 |
181.954 |
|
| 24 |
12A |
Ryan Newman |
Dodge |
49.476 |
181.906 |
|
| 25 |
21A |
Bill Elliott |
Ford |
49.482 |
181.884 |
|
| 26 |
6B |
David Ragan |
Ford |
49.486 |
181.870 |
|
| 27 |
9A |
Kasey Kahne |
Dodge |
49.491 |
181.851 |
|
| 28 |
34A |
Eric McClure |
Dodge |
49.493 |
181.844 |
|
| 29 |
01B |
Regan Smith |
Chevrolet |
49.499 |
181.822 |
|
| 30 |
21B |
Bill Elliott |
Ford |
49.557 |
181.609 |
|
| 31 |
43B |
Bobby Labonte |
Dodge |
49.559 |
181.602 |
|
| 32 |
43A |
Bobby Labonte |
Dodge |
49.561 |
181.594 |
|
| 33 |
66C |
Scott Riggs |
Chevrolet |
49.587 |
181.499 |
|
| 34 |
6A |
David Ragan |
Ford |
49.591 |
181.485 |
|
| 35 |
26B |
Jaime McMurray |
Ford |
49.607 |
181.426 |
|
| 36 |
10B |
Patrick Carpentier |
Dodge |
49.618 |
181.386 |
|
| 37 |
15B |
Paul Menard |
Chevrolet |
49.65 |
181.269 |
|
| 38 |
12B |
Ryan Newman |
Dodge |
49.67 |
181.196 |
|
| 39 |
60A |
Boris Said |
Ford |
49.689 |
181.127 |
|
| 40 |
77A |
Sam Hornish Jr. |
Dodge |
49.708 |
181.057 |
|
| 41 |
77B |
Sam Hornish Jr. |
Dodge |
49.762 |
180.861 |
|
| 42 |
31A |
Jeff Burton |
Chevrolet |
49.794 |
180.745 |
|
| 43 |
31 |
Jeff Burton |
Chevrolet |
49.796 |
180.737 |
|
| 44 |
15A |
Paul Menard |
Chevrolet |
49.814 |
180.672 |
|
| 45 |
01A |
Regan Smith |
Chevrolet |
49.817 |
180.661 |
|
| 46 |
29A |
Kevin Harvick |
Chevrolet |
49.849 |
180.545 |
|
| 47 |
50A |
Stanton Barrett |
Chevrolet |
49.923 |
180.278 |
|
| 48 |
49A |
Ken Schrader |
Dodge |
49.93 |
180.252 |
|
| 49 |
29B |
Kevin Harvick |
Chevrolet |
49.995 |
180.018 |
|
| 50 |
09A |
Sterling Marlin |
Chevrolet |
50.313 |
178.880 |
|
| Jan. 14 Afternoon Session |
|
| Pos. |
No. |
Name |
Make |
Best Time |
Best Speed |
|
| 1 |
22B |
Dave Blaney |
Toyota |
48.532 |
185.445 |
|
| 2 |
88B |
Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
Chevrolet |
48.537 |
185.426 |
|
| 3 |
83A |
Brian Vickers |
Toyota |
48.568 |
185.307 |
|
| 4 |
44A |
Dale Jarrett |
Toyota |
48.572 |
185.292 |
|
| 5 |
55 |
Michael Waltrip |
Toyota |
48.589 |
185.227 |
|
| 6 |
20A |
Tony Stewart |
Toyota |
48.624 |
185.094 |
|
| 7 |
55M |
Michael Waltrip |
Toyota |
48.637 |
185.044 |
|
| 8 |
44B |
Dale Jarrett |
Toyota |
48.676 |
184.896 |
|
| 9 |
83B |
Brian Vickers |
Toyota |
48.701 |
184.801 |
|
| 10 |
40 |
Dario Franchitti |
Dodge |
48.718 |
184.737 |
|
| 11 |
11B |
Denny Hamlin |
Toyota |
48.766 |
184.555 |
|
| 12 |
22 |
Dave Blaney |
Toyota |
48.879 |
184.128 |
|
| 13 |
11A |
Denny Hamlin |
Toyota |
48.898 |
184.057 |
|
| 14 |
38A |
David Gilliland |
Ford |
48.957 |
183.835 |
|
| 15 |
12A |
Ryan Newman |
Dodge |
49.027 |
183.572 |
|
| 16 |
21A |
Bill Elliott |
Ford |
49.071 |
183.408 |
|
| 17 |
40A |
Dario Franchitti |
Dodge |
49.074 |
183.397 |
|
| 18 |
87 |
Jeff Fuller |
Chevrolet |
49.1 |
183.299 |
|
| 19 |
88A |
Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
Chevrolet |
49.102 |
183.292 |
|
| 20 |
9B |
Kasey Kahne |
Dodge |
49.127 |
183.199 |
|
| 21 |
38B |
David Gilliland |
Ford |
49.144 |
183.135 |
|
| 22 |
6B |
David Ragan |
Ford |
49.162 |
183.068 |
|
| 23 |
10C |
Patrick Carpentier |
Dodge |
49.212 |
182.882 |
|
| 24 |
34A |
Eric McClure |
Dodge |
49.228 |
182.823 |
|
| 25 |
21B |
Bill Elliott |
Ford |
49.234 |
182.801 |
|
| 26 |
43A |
Bobby Labonte |
Dodge |
49.241 |
182.775 |
|
| 27 |
26A |
Jamie McMurray |
Ford |
49.262 |
182.697 |
|
| 28 |
60B |
Boris Said |
Ford |
49.268 |
182.674 |
|
| 29 |
15A |
Paul Menard |
Chevrolet |
49.276 |
182.645 |
|
| 30 |
66H |
Scott Riggs |
Chevrolet |
49.301 |
182.552 |
|
| 31 |
01B |
Regan Smith |
Chevrolet |
49.302 |
182.548 |
|
| 32 |
12B |
Ryan Newman |
Dodge |
49.331 |
182.441 |
|
| 33 |
26B |
Jamie McMurray |
Ford |
49.356 |
182.349 |
|
| 34 |
6A |
David Ragan |
Ford |
49.395 |
182.205 |
|
| 35 |
31A |
Jeff Burton |
Chevrolet |
49.424 |
182.098 |
|
| 36 |
15B |
Paul Menard |
Chevrolet |
49.444 |
182.024 |
|
| 37 |
60A |
Boris Said |
Ford |
49.453 |
181.991 |
|
| 38 |
66C |
Scott Riggs |
Chevrolet |
49.455 |
181.984 |
|
| 39 |
29A |
Kevin Harvick |
Chevrolet |
49.467 |
181.939 |
|
| 40 |
9A |
Kasey Kahne |
Dodge |
49.489 |
181.859 |
|
| 41 |
10B |
Patrick Carpentier |
Dodge |
49.492 |
181.848 |
|
| 42 |
31 |
Jeff Burton |
Chevrolet |
49.506 |
181.796 |
|
| 43 |
77A |
Sam Hornish Jr. |
Dodge |
49.526 |
181.723 |
|
| 44 |
77B |
Sam Hornish Jr. |
Dodge |
49.619 |
181.382 |
|
| 45 |
50A |
Stanton Barrett |
Chevrolet |
49.696 |
181.101 |
|
| 46 |
43B |
Bobby Labonte |
Dodge |
49.701 |
181.083 |
|
| 47 |
49A |
Ken Schrader |
Dodge |
49.74 |
180.941 |
|
| 48 |
09A |
Sterling Marlin |
Chevrolet |
49.941 |
180.213 |
|
| 49 |
29B |
Kevin Harvick |
Chevrolet |
50.003 |
179.989 |
|
| 50 |
49B |
Ken Schrader |
Dodge |
50.168 |
179.397 |
|
| 51 |
09B |
Sterling Marlin |
Chevrolet |
50.183 |
179.344 |
|
| 52 |
08A |
Carl Long |
Dodge |
50.764 |
177.291 |
|
| 53 |
57A |
Norm Benning |
Chevrolet |
50.889 |
176.856 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
