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The NAPA team continues to improve after finishing 18th at Martinsville. The team moved up two positions in the owner standings. How was your race?
“It’s amazing to me how Bobby Kennedy (crew chief) would come over the radio and tell me that the leaders were running 20.90 (seconds) and I was running 21-flat (seconds). I only needed a little bit, but there were 16 other drivers who were between me and Jimmie Johnson. It only takes a little bit on a track like Martinsville. We just couldn’t hit on the right adjustment for our NAPA Toyota. We got close a couple of times, but we could never get it perfect. It pushed all day long, but we fought it and got a top 20 so that’s alright. We continue to improve and that’s important for my young organization.”
This weekend at Atlanta you hit a milestone. You’ll be making your 1,000th career start in NASCAR.
“I didn’t know it until someone told me last week. The only person who has made more is Richard Petty. That’s kind of crazy when you think about it, but I don’t mind being in his company. I am proud of that. It also means one thing … I’m old! In all seriousness, of all the things I have seen change in our sport over the time I have been racing, and I am most proud of, is the fact that all cultures love what we do now. There is a tremendous amount of diversity. That wasn’t the case when I started. It’s now multi-cultural. It’s diverse. People from all over the world follow and enjoy our sport now.”
Atlanta boasts two different ends. What are the differences betweens Turns 1 and 2 versus Turns 3 and 4?
“You have to enter them differently. Obviously you are coming from a bit of a quad-oval, circular entry, into Turn 1 and then you go down a straightaway into Turn 3. They are different, but the differences are subtle. The grip has gone away so much at Atlanta that in each end, you find once you get your tires wore in, you have to look for pavement. You have to look for something that will make your car stick a little bit better. I am looking forward to racing at Atlanta. It’s a track I have always loved and done well at. My team didn’t have our car right at the first Atlanta race. I think when we go back for this weekend’s race, we’ll have the kind of car I had at Charlotte. We’ve learned so much, so I expect a fun race for the NAPA team. The drivers will be slipping and sliding and that’s what racing is all about.”
What will be the story this weekend?
“Atlanta will be about grip. Can you take your car on these new Goodyear tires and get enough grip to go race the guys hard? I think we will be able to with no problems. Atlanta is a great track. The tire we had at Charlotte was impressive. Jeff Burton didn’t even get tires in the end. You won’t see that at Atlanta. Tires will be a premium because the track is worn out and the cars slip and slide.”
Michael Waltrip Fast Facts
- NAPA AUTO PARTS driver Michael Waltrip will be competing in his 722nd NASCAR Sprint Cup race when the 33rd event of the 2008 Sprint Cup season, the Atlanta 500, gets underway at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Ga.
- This weekend marks Waltrip’s 1,000th-career start as a NASCAR driver. After Atlanta, Waltrip will have competed in 722 NASCAR Sprint Cup, 270 Nationwide and eight Craftsman Truck Series events.
- He will start in his 46th Sprint Cup race at the 1.54-mile track. His best Atlanta start is fifth (NAPA 500/Nov. 18, 2001) and best finish is fifth (March 18, 1991).
- During his Cup career at AMS, Waltrip has earned one top-five and eight top-10 finishes. His average start is 23rd and average finish is 21st. He has completed 12,191 of 14,521 laps (84.0%) at the track and has led a total of 49 laps in competition.
- Earlier this season, Waltrip started 27th and battled handling problems to finish 30th in the Kobalt Tools 500.
- Entering this week’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event, Waltrip is 29th in the driver and owner points standings. He is guaranteed a starting spot in Sunday’s race.
NAPA AUTO PARTS driver Michael Waltrip Atlanta Motor Speedway Statistics
| YEAR |
START |
FINISH |
YEAR |
START |
FINISH |
| 11/3/1985 |
19 |
39 |
3/9/1997 |
31 |
7 |
| 3/16/1986 |
31 |
19 |
11/16/1997 |
35 |
13 |
| 11/02/1986 |
22 |
20 |
3/10/1998 |
32 |
18 |
| 3/15/1987 |
16 |
39 |
11/08/1998 |
28 |
22 |
| 11/22/1987 |
26 |
38 |
3/14/1999 |
24 |
10 |
| 3/20/1988 |
16 |
12 |
11/21/1999 |
8 |
36 |
| 11/20/1988 |
28 |
7 |
3/12/2000 |
28 |
25 |
| 3/19/1989 |
13 |
20 |
11/20/2000 |
25 |
39 |
| 11/19/1989 |
30 |
26 |
3/11/2001 |
10 |
23 |
| 3/18/1990 |
19 |
38 |
11/18/2001 |
5 |
26 |
| 11/18/1990 |
27 |
14 |
3/10/2002 |
17 |
40 |
| 3/18/1991 |
13 |
5 |
11/27/2002 |
15 |
11 |
| 11/17/1991 |
7 |
40 |
3/9/2003 |
6 |
27 |
| 3/15/1992 |
21 |
28 |
10/26/2003 |
13 |
38 |
| 11/15/1992 |
25 |
14 |
3/14/2004 |
15 |
23 |
| 3/20/1993 |
22 |
14 |
10/31/2004 |
40 |
14 |
| 11/14/1993 |
31 |
6 |
3/20/2005 |
37 |
7 |
| 3/13/1994 |
32 |
23 |
10/30/2005 |
37 |
11 |
| 11/13/1994 |
27 |
10 |
3/20/2006 |
24 |
20 |
| 3/12/1995 |
39 |
35 |
10/29/2006 |
39 |
33 |
| 11/13/1995 |
7 |
12 |
10/28/2007 |
24 |
11 |
| 3/10/1996 |
27 |
9 |
3/9/2008 |
27 |
30 |
| 11/10/1996 |
33 |
11 |
|
|
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EVENT FACTS
Atlanta Motor Speedway
Race: 33 of 36
Length: 1.54-Mile, Quad-Oval
Distance: 325 laps/500 miles
Date: Sunday, Oct. 26
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
TV: ABC
Radio: PRN
2007 Winner: Jimmie Johnson
2007 Pole: Greg Biffle
TELEVISION TIDBITS
Sprint Cup Qualifying
6:45 p.m. ET, October 24
ESPN 2
Sprint Cup Practices
3 p.m. ET, October 24
SPEED
10:30 a.m. ET, October 25
NASCAR.com
12:00 p.m. ET, October 25
SPEED
This Week in NASCAR
Mon., Oct. 27 at 8 p.m. ET
SPEED
2008 NAPA AUTO PARTS PIT CREW
| Front Tire Changer: |
Shannon Myers |
| Front Tire Carrier: |
Chris Hall |
| Jackman: |
Scott King |
| Rear Tire Changer: |
Andy Thurman |
| Rear Tire Carrier: |
Dwayne Moore |
| Gas Man: |
Art Harris |
| Catch Can: |
Shawn Soules |
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