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March 20, 2007
HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. – This weekend’s Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway could mark a turning point for the NAPA Racing team following a difficult start to the 2007 season. The debut of NASCAR’s Car of Tomorrow – a vehicle designed to be safer and foster greater parity among teams – could provide an opportunity for Michael Waltrip and the NAPA crew to regain their competitive edge.
NAPA AUTO PARTS driver Michael Waltrip:
Could this weekend breathe new life into this new organization?
“It could, since it is the first time the Car of Tomorrow has ever been raced. Obviously, I hope it means something good for our organization as a whole. We’ve got great people working here. We’ve got great drivers. We should be able to close the gap some this weekend, but the competition is so tough and fierce. Once you start to lose your grip, it seems to compound the issues somewhat. I know everyone at Michael Waltrip Racing is excited and pumped up about this weekend.”
What do you like about the Car of Tomorrow?
“The most important thing about the Car of Tomorrow is it is safer. I’m a tall guy. I’m 6’5”, and I’m the right guy to ask about this. I feel more comfortable sitting in one since it has more room. I think the racing will be better, too. The cars are going to go slower down the straightaways, and that means when the car gets into the corner, it’s going to be slower, too. Slower speeds make racing better. The turn isn’t as sharp when you are going slower, so I think as a whole, the Car of Tomorrow is a positive step for NASCAR. I even think the wing looks groovy.”
Do you see the COT program as an equalizer? Will it bring the competition closer together? “As an owner, I sure hope so. As an owner when you put together all of the facts about the COT, you would have to think this could be an equalizer, at least for awhile, and hopefully, for a long while.
“Some of the greatest racing fans have ever seen was in the IROC Series. They drive all over the place. There are only 12 of them. You give us 43 cars that are virtually identical, you are going to see one heck of a good show. The Car of Tomorrow has that very same potential.”
There are people who believe the COT is a huge mistake. What are your thoughts? “Any time you bring something new into the sport, you are always going to have people think it is the worst thing that’s ever been done. They believe it’s going to ruin racing. I remember hearing some champions and drivers say The Chase (for the NEXTEL Cup) was going to ruin racing. I thought about it and felt it was a really good idea and was impressed that NASCAR came up with it. The Car of Tomorrow is the same thing. The fans will look down and see the same craziness and excitement that always happens at Bristol.”
Do you like the concept of the top 35 in owner points being locked into the race? “It is fair. These guys work really hard and understand the rules at the start of the season. Our team is off to a terrible start, but if you are racing with the other teams outside the top 35, all you have to do is run good every now and then. You’ll gain a lot of ground doing that. The teams back with you are struggling too, so it’s a fair system. I know what the situation is when I come to the race track and that’s all I can ask for.”
Michael Waltrip Fast Facts
NAPA AUTO PARTS driver Michael Waltrip will attempt to qualify for his 677th NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race when the fifth event of the 2007 season, the Food City 500, is held at Bristol Motor Speedway (BMS).
He will attempt to start in his 43rd race at the .533-mile track. His best Bristol start is 3rd, three times (Aug. 26, 1995, Aug. 24, 2002 and Aug. 23, 2003) and best finish is 5th (April 5, 1994).
During his career at BMS, Waltrip has earned 1 top-5 and 8 top-10 finishes. His average start is 22nd and average finish is 19th.
Waltrip has completed 18,186 of 20,842 laps (87.3%) at the track and has led a total of 64 laps in competition.
Entering this week’s NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series event, Waltrip is 51st in the driver standings and 52nd in owner standings. The NAPA AUTO PARTS team will need to qualify for the Food City 500 on time since the No. 55 car was outside the top 35 in the 2006 owner point standings. A total of 50 cars are entered in the Bristol race. Of the entrants, 15 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 teammate Dale Jarrett, if needed.
Waltrip is a two-time Daytona 500 champion. He was victorious in 2001 and 2003.
NAPA AUTO PARTS driver Michael Waltrip Bristol Motor Speedway Statistics
| DATE | START | FINISH |
DATE | START | FINISH |
 |
| 4/06/1986 |
24 |
32 |
4/13/1997 |
39 |
21 |
|
| 8/23/1986 |
22 |
13 |
8/23/1997 |
33 |
25 |
|
| 4/12/1987 |
23 |
13 |
3/29/1998 |
32 |
9 |
|
| 8/22/1987 |
12 |
14 |
8/22/1998 |
12 |
16 |
|
| 4/10/1988 |
22 |
12 |
4/11/1999 |
39 |
12 |
|
| 8/27/1988 |
32 |
31 |
8/28/1999 |
14 |
37 |
|
| 4/9/1989 |
7 |
11 |
3/26/2000 |
23 |
11 |
|
| 8/26/1989 |
11 |
32 |
8/26/2000 |
19 |
19 |
|
| 4/8/1990 |
20 |
20 |
3/25/2001 |
29 |
22 |
|
| 8/24/1990 |
27 |
9 |
8/25/2001 |
40 |
39 |
|
| 4/17/91 |
25 |
23 |
3/24/2002 |
9 |
30 |
|
| 8/24/1991 |
31 |
25 |
8/24/2002 |
3 |
22 |
|
| 4/05/1992 |
10 |
17 |
3/23/2003 |
28 |
25 |
|
| 8/29/1992 |
22 |
14 |
8/23/2003 |
3 |
42 |
|
| 4/4/1993 |
15 |
14 |
3/28/2004 |
8 |
10 |
|
| 8/28/1993 |
24 |
10 |
8/28/2004 |
36 |
27 |
|
| 4/10/1994 |
23 |
5 |
4/3/2005 |
27 |
19 |
|
| 8/27/1994 |
28 |
7 |
8/27/2005 |
22 |
15 |
|
| 4/2/1995 |
33 |
22 |
3/26/2006 |
34 |
32 |
|
| 8/26/1995 |
3 |
15 |
8/26/2006 |
29 |
16 |
|
| 3/31/1996 |
25 |
10 |
8/24/1996 |
6 |
6 |
|
Mikey’s Cap Swap
Back by popular demand this month is the Mikey’s Cap Swap promotion. Race fans are invited to visit their local participating NAPA store to trade in their old cap for a new NAPA Racing cap. It’s free with any purchase. Plus, while there, fans can register for a chance to win a trip around Lowe’s Motor Speedway in the No. 55 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry driven by Mikey himself! The winner will also receive a behind-the-scenes VIP tour of Waltrip Raceworld.
Car of Tomorrow Features Distinctive Design
Waltrip will be behind the wheel of chassis MWR-530. The COT design features unique elements not found on the NAPA Camry driven earlier this season. The No. 55 NAPA COT has a “boxier” design, with a front splitter and rear wing. A total of 16 COT events are scheduled for this year, with the NEXTEL Cup Series drivers running the new car at tracks less than 1.5 miles in length, the two road courses, and the October event at Talladega Superspeedway.
Food City 500 Broadcast Coverage Live coverage of the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway begins Sunday, March 25 at 1:30 p.m. ET on FOX. If you can’t catch the race on TV, it can be heard on your local PRN Radio affiliate and Sirius Satellite Radio starting at the same time. Remember to check your local listings as dates and times of the race may change. |