Waltrip Misses Cut at Martinsville by .037 of a Second

March 30, 2007

MARTINSVILLE, Va. – Michael Waltrip and the NAPA Racing team missed the cut for Sunday’s Goody’s Cool Orange 500 at Martinsville Speedway by just .037 of a second. Waltrip’s lap of 20.405 seconds (92.801 mph) was the 44th fastest lap of Bud Pole qualifying and marked the third time this season where hundredths of a second dictated the NAPA team’s fate.

“We were too tight,” said Waltrip to his team after he climbed out of the No. 55 Toyota Camry.

“I think it may have been the tires,” explained Derrick Finley, the NAPA team’s project engineer. “We must not have gotten an accurate gauge on our mock run during practice. We were loose all during the session and to come up on the tight side in qualifying is frustrating right now.” In practice, the NAPA team posted a best lap of 20.168 seconds (93.891 miles per hour), which would have placed them in the starting field.

Two cars from Michael Waltrip Racing will compete in Sunday’s event. Drivers Reutimann and Dale Jarrett will take the green flag at the paper-clip shaped oval. Jarrett’s time of 20.310 seconds (93.235 mph) was good for 38th place. Reutimann’s lap of 20.366 seconds (92.978 mph) was 43rd fastest, earning the rookie driver the final spot in the field.

Denny Hamlin won the Bud Pole Award, his first in the Car of Tomorrow, with a lap of 19.911 seconds (95.103 mph). Rounding out the top-10 qualifiers were Jamie McMurray, Jeff Gordon, Ken Schrader, J.J. Yeley, Kevin Harvick, Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards and Johnny Sauter.

The fastest Toyota in qualifying was Jeremy Mayfield with a lap of 20.097 seconds (94.223 mph). Sunday’s Goody’s Cool Orange 500 at Martinsville Speedway will feature five Toyota Camrys.

Live coverage of the Goody’s Cool Orange 500 at Martinsville Speedway begins Sunday, April 1 at 1:30 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.

Goody’s Cool Orange 500 Qualifying Results:
http://www.nascar.com/races/cup/2007/6/data/lineup.html

Practice 1 Results:
http://www.nascar.com/races/cup/2007/6/data/practice1_speeds.html

Next Up:
Samsung 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on April 15
2006 Winner: Kasey Kahne
2006 Pole Winner: Kasey Kahne
Television: FOX at 1:30 p.m. ET
Radio: PRN and Sirius Satellite Radio at 1:30 p.m. ET