|
Oct. 31, 2007
HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. – The NAPA Racing team is coming off an 11th-place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway, an especially impressive result considering the No. 55 Toyota Camry sustained damage during Saturday’s Happy Hour session and needed repairs. The weekend also saw Michael Waltrip Racing driver Dale Jarrett start third and finish 19th, while teammate David Reutimann won the first Busch Series race of his career at Memphis Motorsports Park.
With positive momentum on his side, NAPA driver Michael Waltrip heads into this weekend’s event at Texas Motor Speedway – a track similar in configuration to Atlanta – with one pole and three top-20 finishes in the last four races. He expects more of the same at Texas as his results at the track include three top-10 and six top-25 finishes in 12 starts. NAPA AUTO PARTS driver Michael Waltrip:
The NAPA team is really coming together. You must be proud considering the way the season started.
“I really am. We are obviously getting it better. It is coming at a perfect time in my opinion because we know when we race into 2008, we have to be ready to go. We have to start the season right. I would venture to guess that of all the teams in NEXTEL Cup competing in the last six races, our points total is probably in the top 20, or at least top 25. It goes to show you how this team has been able to overcome a terrible start. We’ve been able to take advantage of the tremendous support from Toyota, NAPA and all of our other sponsors. Now the partnership with Mr. Kauffman and the addition of quality people to complement the impressive group of people that have been assembled at Michael Waltrip Racing is allowing us to head in a great direction. I am so pleased about where we are and how we are poised to race in 2008.”
Dale Jarrett had a great run at Atlanta as well.
“The 44 team has a tremendous amount of potential. They keep getting better every day. The fact that you have a guy like Dale Jarrett who is so dedicated to finishing up his career in such a wonderful manner is impressive. He has such a competitive spirit that it just makes me proud to have him on board at Michael Waltrip Racing. Dale is the guy you love to see smile because he’s been there and done that.
“It was unfortunate that David Reutimann did not get to race with us on Sunday. Missing the race was devastating to him, but to see him rally back and dominate the Busch Series race and win tells you the kind of racer he is. There is no doubt in my mind, he’ll come back this weekend, make the race and do very well.
“We’re very optimistic about our chances when going down to Texas. We hope to follow up our two top-20 finishes with even better performances. I look for good things to come out of the Michael Waltrip Racing organization this weekend.”
Michael Waltrip Fast Facts
NAPA AUTO PARTS driver Michael Waltrip will attempt to qualify for his 690th NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race when the 34th event of the 2007 season, the Dickies 500, is held at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday.
He will attempt to start in his 13th race at the 1.5-mile track. His best TMS start is 4th (April 8, 2002) and best finish is 6th in his NAPA machine (April 17, 2005).
During his career at Texas, Waltrip has earned 3 top-10 finishes. His average start is 28th and average finish is 23rd.
Waltrip has completed 3591 of 4013 laps (89.5%) at Texas and has led a total of 14 laps in competition.
Earlier this season, the NAPA team did not qualify for the Samsung 500 at Texas Motor Speedway after severe thunderstorms led to the cancellation of Bud Pole qualifying. The 43-car starting field was determined by owners’ points per NASCAR regulations. Since Waltrip was 50th in the owner standings, he did not make the 43-car field.
Entering this week’s NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series event, Waltrip is 43rd in the driver standings and 40th in owner standings. The NAPA AUTO PARTS team will need to qualify for the Dickies 500 on time since the No. 55 car is outside the top 35 in owner point standings. A total of 48 cars are entered for this week’s race. Of the entrants, 13 are go-or-go-home teams. Waltrip will be competing for eight qualifying spots, one of which may be used as a past champion’s provisional by Bill Elliott, if needed.
Waltrip is a two-time Daytona 500 champion. He was victorious in 2001 and 2003.
NAPA AUTO PARTS driver Michael Waltrip Texas Motor Speedway Statistics
| DATE |
START |
FINISH |
DATE |
START |
FINISH |
 |
| 4/7/1997 |
21 |
9 |
3/30/2003 |
37 |
17 |
|
| 4/5/1998 |
40 |
9 |
4/04/04 |
41 |
20 |
|
| 3/28/1999 |
29 |
14 |
4/17/2005 |
21 |
6 |
|
| 4/2/2000 |
21 |
29 |
11/06/2005 |
31 |
41 |
|
| 4/1/2001 |
7 |
39 |
4/09/2006 |
42 |
26 |
|
| 4/08/2002 |
4 |
28 |
11/05/2006 |
38 |
43 |
|
NAPA Ride to Compete in Busch Series Event at Texas
 Michael McDowell will make his NASCAR Busch Series debut in the No. 00 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry on Saturday at Texas Motor Speedway for Michael Waltrip Racing. The 22-year-old from Phoenix is scheduled to run several NCTS and NASCAR Busch Series events for MWR in order to prepare for next season. Earlier this year, he competed full-time in the ARCA RE/MAX series where he earned four victories, nine poles, and 15 top-10’s. He was also honored as the 2007 ARCA RE/MAX Rookie of the Year after finishing second in championship points standings.
Dickies 500 Broadcast Coverage
Live coverage of the Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway begins Sunday, Nov. 4 at 3:00 p.m. ET on ABC and PRN radio.
|
