Michael Waltrip, David Stremme in new rides, on Bristol entry list
Michael Waltrip's lone Sprint Cup start this season came in the Daytona 500. // LaDon George, NASCAR Illustrated
Michael Waltrip and David Stremme find themselves in new Sprint Cup rides as they are among the 45 drivers entered for the Food City 500 this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway.
For Bristol, Waltrip has replaced Michael McDowell in the No. 55 Prism Motorsports car and David Stremme has replaced Boris Said as the driver of the No. 26 Latitude 43 Motorsports car.
The Latitude 43 team is locked in the field thanks to the points from Jamie McMurray’s Roush Fenway Racing car last year but is 37th in the current owner standings. Following the Bristol race, the top 35 teams in owner points that show up at the track are guaranteed a spot in the field.
Prism gets its cars from Michael Waltrip Racing, and Waltrip already is slated to drive the No. 55 car next month at Talladega. Waltrip’s only race this year has been the Daytona 500.
The entry list includes all 45 teams that have attempted to make every race this year.
With Bobby Labonte the lone past champion not among the current 35 drivers guaranteed a spot in the field, the TRG Motorsports driver will be eligible for a past champion’s provisional if he needs it.
The nine drivers battling for the final seven spots in the field will be Phoenix Racing’s Aric Almirola, Germain Racing’s Max Papis, Tommy Baldwin Racing’s Mike Bliss, Whitney Motorsports’ Terry Cook, Waltrip, Prism’s Dave Blaney, Nemco Motorsports Joe Nemechek, Red Bull Racing’s Scott Speed and Keyed-Up Motorsports’ Casey Mears.
