Loudon, New Hampshire (September 18, 2006)–After starting 35th in the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire International Raceway, Michael Waltrip ran as high as 19 th in the No. 55 NAPA Dodge before handling problems relegated him to a 23 rd-place finish. The result belied an impressive effort by Waltrip and the NAPA team, who battled alternately tight and loose conditions throughout much of the event to claim their best result since a season-high 16 th-place finish at Bristol last month. The tireless performance demonstrated by Waltrip and crew earned the NAPA AUTO PARTS team its eighth top-25 finish of the 2006 season, and second in the last five weeks.

From the drop of the green flag, fans experienced an action-packed race, with the first caution flag flying on Lap 3 for an incident on the frontstretch involving Jeff Green and Kyle Busch. After skillfully avoiding the wreck, which happened directly in front of him, Waltrip restarted in 32 nd position on Lap 8.

When the yellow flag flew on Lap 28 for contact between Joe Nemechek and Scott Riggs, crew chief Tommy Baldwin Jr. called Waltrip into the pits for his first stop of the day. With the team still fighting the tight condition they had experienced during practice, Baldwin directed the crew to make several changes to the race car. “We’re going to go one (round) up on the track bar and one down on the left-rear wedge,” radioed Baldwin. The NAPA crew serviced the car with four tires, fuel and the chassis adjustments in just 14 seconds, and Waltrip restarted the race in 28 th-place on Lap 34.

For the next 20 laps, Waltrip advanced methodically through the field to emerge in 24 th place on Lap 57. By Lap 80, the NASCAR veteran had dropped several positions to 27 th, but a yellow flag for debris in Turn 2 gave the NAPA team a chance to improve the race car. Baldwin made the call for four tires, fuel, an air-pressure adjustment and “two (rounds) up on the left-rear wedge.” Waltrip lined up 25 th for the restart on Lap 86 and gained one position before the caution flag waved three laps later for an incident involving Jimmie Johnson.

“It turned a lot better that time,” Waltrip radioed to Baldwin during the yellow. By Lap 100, Waltrip had entered the top 20 and was running 19 th. “Good job, buddy – keep digging,” radioed Baldwin. The NAPA crew made no changes to the car when Waltrip pitted for fuel and tires on Lap 166.

After battling a tight condition for much of the race, Waltrip reported that the No. 55 NAPA Dodge was “real loose on new tires – there’s no bite.” When Waltrip brought the car in for tires and fuel on Lap 195, Baldwin also directed the crew to “go one-half (round) down on the track bar” in an effort to alleviate some of the oversteer.

By Lap 207, Waltrip was running in 26 th-place, still fighting an ill-handling race car. “I just can’t get any traction on these tires,” he radioed. “I’m dirt-tracking it out here, but in a few laps, I’ll be plowing.”

Almost 60 laps later, on Lap 265, a yellow flag for contact by Scott Riggs gave the NAPA team an opportunity to improve the car’s handling. “I’m just about spinning out in the turns, that’s how loose I am,” Waltrip radioed. In an effort to give his driver more grip, Baldwin made the call for four tires, fuel, one round up on the track bar and one round down on the left-rear wedge. After restarting the race in 24 th place on Lap 271, Waltrip stalked and eventually passed Dale Jarrett to finish 23 rd

“I’m real proud of how our team bounced back after last week. It shows just how much character we have. We didn’t have the best car out there today, but this NAPA AUTO PARTS team gave it their best shot and we finished 12 spots higher than where we started. Tommy and the guys in the pit did a great job,” Waltrip commented after the race.

Harvick, who started from the pole and paced almost every practice session, led 196 of the 300 laps to run away with the first round of the 10-race Chase. He moved to the top of the points standings for the first time in his career, and holds a 35-point lead over rookie Denny Hamlin, who finished fourth. Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin, and Brian Vickers rounded out the top five.

The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series will travel to Dover International Speedway this week for the Dover 400. Coverage will begin Sunday, September 24 th at 12:30 pm on TNT and MRN.