NAPA AUTO PARTS driver Michael Waltrip heads into Richmond International Raceway this weekend looking for a little magic to get the No. 55 back into the top-35 in NASCAR owner’s points. “This obviously isn’t where we had hoped to be coming into the 10th race of 2006,” said Waltrip. “In an effort to address the situation, we decided to make some changes.” Waltrip has brought in NASCAR veterans Bobby Kennedy, Larry Carter and Jason Oversteet to work on the car and call the race. Derrick Finley will reassume his role as Bill Davis Racing team engineer. “It is extremely important that we use all of the resources we have at both Bill Davis Racing and Michael Waltrip Racing to get our program where it needs to be,” said Waltrip. “Bobby, Larry and Jason have been working on getting our Burger King cars built that we will run with Bill Elliott this year. Getting those guys to the track and working with our NAPA car will not only help us now, but it will also allow them to gather ‘at-track’ data for that effort as well.”
NAPA AUTO PARTS driver Michael Waltrip on the Crown Royal 400 at RIR... RIR is mentioned as the perfect track for NASCAR racing. What makes the track so competitive?
“Richmond is just an amazing place. Typically when you repave a joint, you get stuck having to run right on the bottom. But once they did it there, we could run all over it. The track has had a few years on it since the paving and it has seasoned. It’s just a neat track. The way it’s configured, you get side by side racing and since it’s at night, it’s even better. There isn’t a better show in racing than a Saturday night race at Richmond.”
| Michael Waltrip Richmond - Fast Facts |
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| Friday, May 5 |
| NEXTEL Cup QUALIFYING on SPEED: LIVE |
6:00 pm ET |
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| Saturday, May 6 |
Crown Royal 400 on FX: LIVE
Radio: MRN and XM 144 |
7:00 pm ET |
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- NAPA AUTO PARTS driver Michael Waltrip will attempt to make his 41st start at Richmond International Raceway. That places him tied for third among full-time active drivers with starts at the .750-mile track. Kyle Petty leads all full-time active drivers with 48 starts.
- Waltrip has scored two straight top-10 finishes in the spring event at RIR. The Owensboro, KY, native finished 10th in 2004 and ninth last year in the Chevy American 400. Since 2003, the NAPA driver has an average finish of 10th.
- The NAPA team will unload chassis No. 99 at Richmond International Raceway for the Crown Royal 400. The car was recently tested at the .750-mile track in April.
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Michael Waltrip - NAPA AUTO PARTS
Statistics at Richmond International Raceway (2001-2005) |
|
| Year |
Event |
Start |
Finish |
Laps |
Status |
|
| 2001 Spring |
Pontiac Excitement 400 |
12 |
35 |
364/400 |
Accident |
|
| 2001 Fall |
Chevrolet 400 |
41 |
20 |
399/400 |
Running |
|
| 2002 Spring |
Pontiac Excitement 400 |
27 |
24 |
398/400 |
Running |
|
| 2002 Fall |
Chevrolet Monte Carlo 400 |
26 |
36 |
217/400 |
Accident |
|
| 2003 Spring |
Pontiac Excitement 400 |
37 |
12 |
390/400 |
Running |
|
| 2003 Fall |
Chevy Rock & Roll 400 |
33 |
32 |
388/400 |
Running |
|
| 2004 Spring |
Chevy American 400 |
18 |
10 |
400/400 |
Running |
|
| 2004 Fall |
Chevy Rock & Roll 400 |
19 |
13 |
399/400 |
Running |
|
| 2005 Spring |
Chevy American 400 |
23 |
9 |
400/400 |
Running |
|
| 2005 Fall |
Chevy Rock & Roll 400 |
28 |
31 |
396/400 |
Accident |
|
| |
|
Avg. St |
Avg. Fin |
Laps |
DNF |
|
| |
|
26 |
22 |
93% |
2 |
|
|
| Michael Waltrip Richmond International Raceway Career Statistics |
|
| Starts |
Wins |
Top-5 |
Top-10 |
Top-20 |
Poles |
AVG Finish |
Winnings |
| 40 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
15 |
0 |
24th |
$1,166,385 |
|
| 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Record |
|
| Starts |
Wins |
Top-5 |
Top-10 |
Top-20 |
Poles |
Points |
Winnings |
| 9 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
35th (-706 pts) |
$944,633 |
|
| Career NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Record |
|
| Years |
Starts |
Wins |
Top-5 |
Top-10 |
Top-20 |
Poles |
Winnings |
| 21 |
651 |
4 |
38 |
122 |
336 |
3 |
$33,163,397 |
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