Waltrip says development driver Wise is 'a star of the future'
CONCORD, N.C. – Michael Waltrip said his team has big plans for development driver Josh Wise, who is making his second Nationwide Series start this weekend at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
Wise is competing for Fitz Motorsports at Charlotte, though Waltrip hopes to have him in a Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota full time in 2009.
“We have a lot of plans for Josh,” Waltrip said Friday. “He’s a great young man, very successful in his open wheel-days. He tests everywhere, so he’s constantly on the track, and he’s doing behind the scenes what Joey Logano is doing in public because of his age and the success that he’s had.’
Logano is a development driver for Joe Gibbs Racing who will make his Nationwide debut at Dover next month.
Wise is a former United States Auto Club champion who signed with MWR in 2006.
“We think Josh is a star of the future, and we’ve invested a lot in where we’ve gotten him to now, and we would love for him to race more Nationwide races – it’s just funding,” Waltrip said. “Sponsorships are tight, and we’re focused on getting him a sponsor for 2009, so he can race all the Nationwide races.”
