NAPA RACING PRESS BOX FEATURING MICHAEL WALTRIP
New Hampshire Motor Speedway is special to you. Why?
“Bob Bahre, Dick Bahre, and the whole Bahre family have played an important part in my racing history. In 1985, I started driving for Dick Bahre. The Bahre family brought racing back to the Northeast. We needed a race in Boston and the Bahre family made sure it happened. They were not guaranteed a NASCAR race. They built the track to satisfy the fans up in the Northeast. I am real proud of the Bahre family and I am thankful for the Bahre family. I am so thankful that I am going to put a decal on the back of Michael McDowell’s car, by the TV panel that says, ‘Thank You Bahre Family.’ I am also putting a decal saying the same thing on my NAPA car. I just think sometimes in the shuffle of big business, we forget the real reason why we are going to Loudon. It’s because of one family. They are near and dear to my heart. Dick has been battling an illness, and my heart goes out to him. I can’t wait to see the family when we go up there.”
What is unique about New Hampshire?
“I think it has to do with the progressive banking. The track did something smart a few years ago. They flattened out the bottom of the track. That means if you want to pass someone, it is shorter on the bottom. However, you do not have the banking to lean on. I love that layout. I think it would be a shame to change it. It is fun, and it is now tradition. The banking has created hard-nosed, flat-track racing. The easy way around is up top. The fastest way around is on the bottom, but you have to have your car handling better to work down there. It’s a really cool scenario, if you think about it.”
There have been six different winners at NHMS. Do you expect to see a repeat winner or someone new?
“There is no way to predict what is going to happen this weekend. Who would have guessed that Kyle Busch would come from the 30th-starting spot and win on Sunday? That’s what I think is fun about these new cars. A guy like Clint Bowyer got hot on that car when he unloaded at Loudon last year. He was on! Who might do that this year? I have no idea.”
Could fuel mileage once again come into play this weekend?
“I think technology is leading us to more fuel-mileage races. Teams have understood that the quicker they can pit, and get back on the track, if the caution falls, they don’t give up much. You want to pit as soon as you can. Engine tuners are looking for ways to run the engine as lean as possible to get all the fuel mileage they can. I expect it to become a part of the story this week. We are going to want to make that last pit stop as soon as we can to try and begin our pursuit for the checkered flag.”
Sum up your Infineon race?
“On Saturday, I liked my car. I felt real comfortable. I am running around in practice. I am doing my shifts. I am hitting everything perfectly. I looked around. Usually I have a NAPA in-car camera and I was hoping everybody was watching me because I was really doing it on Saturday. I was pretty impressed with myself. Anyway, I looked up and realized I had no NAPA in-car camera. Then all of a sudden I heard a really bad noise. I went from third to second gear. I meant to go from third to fourth gear. Luckily for me, the NAPA in-car camera wasn’t in my car. People would think I was an idiot. That happens occasionally, especially since I didn’t race the road races last year. I ended up blowing my motor up. In a way, I am glad it happened because it caused me to focus more on Sunday. You have to think of every aspect of a road race. Anyone that finished up front did a great job. It was over a 110 laps of intensity. You have to concentrate on outrunning the other guys and at the same time, you have to be precise. You have to make every move with your motor, transmission and brakes, correctly, all day long. When you conquer a road course, it is impressive.”
Michael Waltrip Fast Facts
- NAPA AUTO PARTS driver Michael Waltrip will qualify for his 706th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race when the 17th event of the 2008 season, the LENOX Industrial Tools 301, is held at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sunday.
- Waltrip will start in his 25th Cup race at the 1.058-mile track. His best start is 4th and best finish is 6th (July 25, 2004) in the NAPA machine. In total, he has four top-10 finishes at NHIS.
- Waltrip has completed 6,798 of 7,088 laps (95.9%) at the track and has led a total of 78 laps in competition. His average starting position is 21st and average finish is 24th.\
- Waltrip has raced in three Nationwide Series events at Loudon. He has collected one top-five and two top-10 finishes. He has led 13 laps in Nationwide Series competition at the track.
- Entering this weekend’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event, Waltrip is 30th in the driver points and 32nd in owner standings. The NAPA team is guaranteed a starting spot in the LENOX Industrial Tools 301. A total of 45 teams are entered at New Hampshire.
NAPA AUTO PARTS driver Michael Waltrip New Hampshire Motor Speedway Statistics
DATE START FINISH DATE START FINISH
7/11/1993 |
12 |
23 |
7/22/2001 |
18 |
28 |
7/10/1994 |
12 |
37 |
11/23/2001 |
29 |
40 |
7/9/1995 |
9 |
14 |
7/21/2002 |
16 |
20 |
7/14/1996 |
31 |
10 |
9/15/2002 |
14 |
8 |
7/13/1997 |
33 |
29 |
7/20/2003 |
5 |
28 |
9/14/1997 |
22 |
36 |
9/14/2003 |
5 |
26 |
7/12/1998 |
38 |
24 |
7/25/2004 |
4 |
6 |
8/30/1998 |
29 |
27 |
9/19/2004 |
16 |
9 |
7/11/1999 |
8 |
19 |
7/17/2005 |
28 |
17 |
9/19/1999 |
20 |
38 |
9/18/2005 |
36 |
15 |
7/9/2000 |
39 |
35 |
7/6/2006 |
39 |
36 |
9/17/2000 |
13 |
20 |
9/17/2006 |
35 |
23 |
2008 NAPA AUTO PARTS PIT CREW
Front Tire Changer: Shannon Myers
Front Tire Carrier: Chris Hall
Jackman: Scott King
Rear Tire Carrier: Dwayne Moore
Rear Tire Changer: Andy Thurman
Gas Man: Art Harris
Catch Can: Shawn Soules
EVENT FACTS
LENOX Industrial Tools 301
Event: 17 of 36
Track:New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Length: 1.058-mile oval
Distance: 301 laps/318 miles
Date: Sunday, June 29
TV Coverage: 12:30 p.m. ET
TV:TNT
Radio: MRN
2007 Winner: Denny Hamlin
2007 Pole: Dave Blaney
Television Tidbits
Practice
Fri., June 27 at Noon ET
SPEED
Sat., June 28 at 9 a.m. &
11:30 a.m.
SPEED
Sprint Cup Qualifying
Fri., June 27 at 3 p.m. ET
SPEED
This Week in NASCAR
Mon., June 30 at 8 p.m. ET
SPEED
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