Michael Waltrip NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Daytona 500 Fast Facts

Feb. 9, 2007

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. – It will be a whole new era for NAPA AUTO PARTS driver Michael Waltrip when he straps in to take a lap around Daytona International Speedway for the season-opening Daytona 500 on Feb. 18. Not only will he be boasting a brand new ride – a Toyota Camry – but he will also have two new drafting partners from his new Michael Waltrip Racing organization, 1999 NASCAR champion Dale Jarrett and Rookie-of-the-Year contender David Reutimann.

The start to the season brings much promise and determined approach from the NAPA driver, who will be attempting to capture his third Daytona 500 title. If Waltrip can accomplish the feat, he will equal his teammate Jarrett’s impressive Daytona mark and set into motion a promising start to an ambitious season as a new multi-car team owner and driver.

NAPA AUTO PARTS driver Michael Waltrip on the Daytona 500

What are your earliest memories of Daytona?

“My earliest memories of Daytona go back to when I was in the fourth grade. I remember on a Wednesday afternoon in February, my mom and dad came and got me out of school so that we could go to Daytona and watch my brother Darrell race. For me, it was a big deal. It was special to get out of school early, and my friends thought it was a big deal. I remember how proud I felt when the kids asked me why I was leaving early and I told them I was going to the Daytona 500 to watch my brother race. When my parents came, I would jump in the back seat. We would leave around 3 o’clock so we could get to Atlanta at night without too much traffic. I’d sleep all night and wake up around the time we were in Daytona. I will never forget seeing the Daytona Beach News-Journal on Thursday morning and reading all the huge articles on the upcoming race. Our paper at home really didn’t have much in it except a small liner saying Darrell was attempting to race in the Daytona 500, so to see all the information and in-depth stories in the Daytona papers on Darrell and the other competitors was awesome. I am truly grateful for all those memories.”

What does it mean to you to have all those memories and know that you have won the Daytona 500 twice?

“Getting to race there is pretty cool. I spent a bunch of years trying the win it and to finally do it, I really didn’t know what to think. When I won it the second time, and I will never forget this, someone asked me how I felt being a two-time Daytona 500 champion. It was then that I realized how awesome the accomplishment was. It was really neat. It really made my career. It’s now nice to get introduced as a two-time Daytona 500 champion. I’m a race-car driver, and you always want to be the best you can be. To have two victories at Daytona on my resume is very rewarding.”

Will Daytona define your season?

“We have three teams and if we run 1-2-3, life is going to be pretty grand but that’s not what is going define whether or not we have a great year. At that same time, if we have two cars that do not qualify for the Daytona 500, it does not mean we are going to pack it up and quit. We understand the challenges we are faced with, and I really, really like where our team is right now. I like my crew chief, David Hyder. He really listens to me, and he knows how to fix things. I really like what we have going on, and I think it is going to have a positive influence on us in Daytona. I believe we are going to do well, but we will still have a lot of work to do after Daytona. One thing I do know for sure: we are going to crank up in California and either continue doing well or put a disappointing Daytona behind us. Life and racing goes on regardless of what happens in Daytona. We just hope it will be good to us.”

Are you feeling the pressure of being outside the top-35 in owner points?

“I am definitely feeling the pressure. I feel it more now that I ever could have imagined. I have to qualify, and anything can happen, either good or bad. We left the Vegas test very pleased with how that went, so I feel good with qualifying there and for other downforce stuff. On the speedway stuff, we are in the middle. There were eight or 10 guys that were a little bit quicker than us that have to get in on time, so we are right there on the border. It’s going to be tough no matter how you look at it. We understand that, but there is nothing we can really do about it but concentrate, focus and work. We are just being realistic and have to rely on our motor program with TRD and our talented engineers to make the right decisions. I think we had a good Daytona test and with all the tweaking we have been doing since then, I think we will be better when we go back to race. That’s all I can really ask for.”

Michael Waltrip Fast Facts

NAPA AUTO PARTS driver Michael Waltrip will be attempting to qualify for his 676 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race when the 2007 season begins at Daytona International Speedway (DIS).

He will be attempting to start in his 21st “Great American Race” and in total, has raced at DIS 41 times. His best start is 2nd (July 3, 2004) and best finish is 1st (Feb. 18, 2001, July 6, 2002, Feb. 16, 2003).

During his career, Waltrip has earned 3 wins, 6 top-five and 12 top-10 finishes at DIS. His average start at the track is 16th and his average finish is 20th.

Waltrip is one of only eight drivers to win more than two Daytona 500 titles.

Although Waltrip has never finished higher than 12th (1994 and 1995) in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings, he has won a NASCAR Series championship. Prior to joining the Cup Series full time, Waltrip won the 1983 NASCAR Dash Series championship.

NAPA AUTO PARTS driver Michael Waltrip Daytona 500 Statistics

YEARSTARTFINISHYEARSTARTFINISH
1987 18 22 1997 12 32
1988 24 24 1998 6 9
1989 23 21 1999 13 5
1990 24 8 2000 10 39
1991 13 38 2001 19 1
1992 10 18 2002 4 5
1993 28 16 2003 4 1
1994 14 31 2004 9 38
1995 15 6 2005 3 37
1996 11 10 2006 30 18

Daytona 500 Broadcast Coverage

Live coverage of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway begins Sunday, Feb. 18 at 3:00 p.m. ET on FOX. If you can’t catch the race on TV, it can be heard on your local MRN Radio affiliate and Sirius Satellite Radio starting at the same time. Remember to check your local listings as dates and times of the race may change.