NAPA RACING PRESS BOX FEATURING MICHAEL WALTRIP
There have been 14 Sprint Cup races at California Speedway. Do you see anything different now that the new car will be put into action?
“It will be like the 14 races before. I think it’s more about the organization. It will be about Roush, Gibbs, DEI, Hendrick – what some of these teams have learned at testing to prepare and run this car. Organization will dictate who is fast, and I hope that includes the Michael Waltrip Racing teams.
“We are race-car drivers. If you give us a better car than the other guy, there is a pretty good chance we are going to beat him. This race will be a whole lot about the car, and what the teams have learned about it.”
Can we predict from the testing speeds who will be fast this weekend?
“I sure hope they are accurate. The NAPA AUTO PARTS team was in the top 10. We didn’t have a good car under race conditions. I didn’t think it felt right, but when we put it in qualifying trim, it was really good. It left a big question mark in our minds as to how we should go back there. We changed our stuff around a little bit, and I hope we will be in good shape.”
What do you like about racing at California Speedway?
“When you get into the corner, and if you have a guy down low, the place is like baseball. Hit them where there’s a hole. There are so many places where you can go. There are so many things you can do. Plus, you can also set your car up to run low or high. That’s nice to know because if you mess up, you always have other options to run. It’s like having a mulligan to access when you need it.”
This weekend, the new qualifying format will be implemented. Are you happy that teams who need to qualify on speed are now grouped together?
“About a year ago, I heard someone suggest the change, and I thought it made a whole lot of sense. It made sense to put all the ‘star’ cars together. It at least took weather out of the equation. These teams have enough stacked up against them, so to take an element like that out of the equation was a very good idea. It is a wonderful change. I hope it is something that I will not have to worry about after the fifth or sixth race of the season. I hope to be in a whole new world by then. Everybody is for what is fair. The new rule change is very fair.”
Michael Waltrip Fast Facts
- NAPA AUTO PARTS driver Michael Waltrip will be attempting to qualify for his 691st NASCAR Sprint Cup race when the second event of the 2008 Sprint Cup season, the Auto Club 500, gets underway at California Speedway.
- He will be attempting to start in his 15th race at California Speedway. His best start at the track is 6th (April 28, 2002) and best finish is 7th (April 27, 2003).
- During his career at the 2-mile oval, Waltrip has earned two top-10 finishes. His average start is 24th and average finish is 26th.
- Waltrip has completed 3131 of 3505 laps (89.3%) at the track and has led a total of 15 laps in competition.
- Entering this week’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event, Waltrip is 28th in the driver and owner points standings. The NAPA AUTO PARTS team will need to qualify for the Auto Club 500 on time since the No. 55 car was outside the top 35 in owner point standings in 2007. A total of 51 cars are entered in the California race. Of the entrants, 16 are go-or-go-home teams. Waltrip will be competing for one of eight qualifying spots, one of which may be used as a past champion’s provisional by Kurt Busch or Dale Jarrett, if needed.
NAPA AUTO PARTS driver Michael Waltrip California Speedway Statistics
YEAR START FINISH YEAR START FINISH
1997 18 11 2004 17 32
1998 37 20 2004 23 21
1999 15 23 2005 30 38
2000 21 30 2005 19 13
2001 29 43 2006 33 36
2002 6 10 2006 37 31
2003 27 7 2007 25 42
2008 NO. 55 NAPA AUTO PARTS PIT CREW
Front Tire Changer: Gus Hinton
Front Tire Carrier: Chris Hall
Jackman: Kevin Kreutzer
Rear Tire Carrier: John Gaynor
Rear Tire Changer: Bryan Bottomly
Gas Man: Art Harris
Catch Can: Shawn Soules
EVENT FACTS
Race: Auto Club 500
Track: California Speedway
Length: 2-Mile, D-Shaped Oval
Distance: 250 laps/500 miles
Date: Sunday, Feb. 24, 2008
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
TV:FOX
Radio: MRN
2007 Winner: Matt Kenseth
2007 Pole: Jeff Gordon
TELEVISION NOTES
Sprint Cup Qualifying
6:30 p.m. ET, Feb. 22
SPEED
Sprint Cup Practices
3 p.m. ET, Feb. 22
SPEED
5 p.m. ET, Feb. 23
SPEED
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