HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (Dec. 12, 2006) – Just weeks away from the start of pre-season testing, Michael Waltrip and the NAPA Racing team are on the fast track to regaining the competitive edge that saw them earn two Daytona 500 victories, three poles and a total of five NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series wins in the last six years. And while the NAPA Racing squad will boast several new faces and a new manufacturer for 2007, these new additions will play key roles in the team’s return to form.

Waltrip will make NASCAR history next year when he takes to the track in the No. 55 NAPA AUTO PARTS Camry to mark Toyota’s entry into the NEXTEL Cup Series. The two-time Daytona 500 champion will be joined by his new Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) teammates, 1999 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series champion Dale Jarrett and rookie David Reutimann.

“When I visited with the people at Toyota over a year ago, I knew immediately that I wanted to be a part of their involvement in NASCAR,” Waltrip said. “I loved their attitude from the start, and their history of success speaks for itself. Toyota has been doing a lot of testing in the wind tunnel, and all of that has gone extremely well. We absolutely expect to be contending for wins in 2007.”

Complementing the expertise that Toyota brings to the table is a trio of proven winners at Michael Waltrip Racing. Racing veterans Matt Borland, Larry Carter and David Hyder were recently named crew chiefs for MWR’s 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series efforts, with Hyder serving as the chief for the No. 55 NAPA Camry.

Hyder, a former Late Model driver turned mechanic, has served as car and crew chief for Petty Enterprises, BAM Racing and the Wood Brothers.

“We’ve got some smart people who’ve won races, who’ve won championships,” said Waltrip of the new additions. “David Hyder was someone that I was interested in from the beginning because he speaks my language. He’s someone that has built and raced cars his whole life. He has a respect and knowledge for engineering, which coupled with Matt Borland’s engineering background, we hope to use to continue our creation of a strong team atmosphere.”

Preparations for off-track action are continuing, as well. Waltrip Raceworld, a one-of-a-kind race shop and interactive fan experience, is scheduled to open to the public in mid-May.

“We’re going to be opening up our race shop to the fans, making it a real fan destination,” Waltrip explained. “We’ll have features that people have not seen before, and parts of the complex will have a strong NAPA look and feel.”