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A NASCAR BLOG BY Kris Johnson

Mikey likes it: Waltrip sees progress in second year

Aug 10
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. – The race has yet to be run at Watkins Glen, but Michael Waltrip is already celebrating a victory of sorts. 
        
Waltrip announced Friday that his primary sponsor NAPA would return in 2009. 
       
Michael Waltrip Racing’s eponymous team owner said yesterday before practice his organization, in its second season of operation, is making strides in the right direction. He’s able to talk about potential victories for his own No. 55 team this year, which he couldn’t do a season ago.
       
“I had one race won on the last lap coming to the white at Talladega and I blew up. ... We were taking the lead and I blew up. Last year I could have never said anything about having anything won. We were just surviving,” Waltrip said.  “We could have won Loudon if the rain hadn’t come. I got a better car than Kurt Busch, we’re racing for the checkered, and then we finished second. That’s two races we could have won. There’s not a whole lot of start-up teams that can make that type of statement.”
       
The runnerup finish at New Hampshire is Waltrip’s lone top-five this year, but he’s started every race this season after missing a bunch last year. Certainly it’s been a better season, but there’s a lot of work left to be done for the driver and team owner. Waltrip understands this, and says to hold off on writing MWR’s obituary just yet. 
       
“We are gaining on it,” Waltrip said. “It’s real easy to put us over in this corner and go, ‘Well, that didn’t go good, did it?’ The story should never be written that it didn’t go good because we ain’t done yet. Until you drive by Cornelius, and see a for lease or for sale sign on our building, we still gotta a chance.”
 

Average Rating: 3.5

Comments

12 responses to "Mikey likes it: Waltrip sees progress in second year"
  1. 1
    del brown said:
    Aug 10, 2008 at 5:49 PM

    Have to give Mikey credit. Starting a team from scratch with a manufacturer new to the series while also driving one of the cars is a daunting challenge. Making matters worse the 55 was in an extra deep hole after last year's 500. MWR cars have ran well at times this season but good luck has been scarce.

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  2. 2
    said:
    Aug 11, 2008 at 4:30 AM

    You read about the 18 car having bad luck for years and also RCR after Dale passed, many teams go through bad luck. Lady luck has not be a friend of MWR this season, but two of the three cars are in the top 35, but they still seem to be struggling. Maybe a change in crew chief for the 55 would help, I figure they have one more year to prove themselves and then either they make it or they don't. It is good for Nascar if they make it.

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  3. 3
    josh cunningham said:
    Aug 11, 2008 at 2:45 PM

    I'm trying to understand why you write a story about a 40th place field filler who has been a non-factor in cup racing since he got into cup. Did he earn his way into cup like the great drivers? Has he ever won a race other than a resitrictor plate race? A story about him is like a story about Derick Cope.

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  4. 4
    Tyler Gray said:
    Aug 11, 2008 at 4:44 PM

    Yeh Josh, Nbody's making the claim that MW is one of the greats but he has made a good livin drivin cars and look at the Nationawide and craftsman trucks and you'll find some pretty good drivers that can't say that. If memory serves me correct, Cope"s name is on the 500 trophy and nobody will ever be able to wipe it off. Oh yeh, Mikey's is on there too I beleive. He may have goteen a ride because of who he knew, but he has kept it for longer than most.

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  5. 5
    Robert Wingert said:
    Aug 12, 2008 at 5:53 AM

    He makes a good living because of his last name and his 2 Daytona wins. Other then that he is not a treat to win a race or be in contention unless it rains. Toyota doesn't see him winning either as they are putting their money in JGR an Redbull. On his XM radio show he was so excited about his 3rd generation Toyota he was going to race at Pocono. A few laps later it blew up.

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  6. 6
    Larry Easterwood said:
    Aug 12, 2008 at 10:33 AM

    Dale Sr hired him and thats good enough for me. It wasn't like Sr hadn't known Mike and seen him race for years.

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  7. 7
    Amanda Brezgel said:
    Aug 12, 2008 at 12:46 PM

    Personally, I think that Mikey should just retire. His best finish this year was 2nd and that was a fluke because the race was called on account of rain.

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  8. 8
    Michael Murray said:
    Aug 12, 2008 at 2:12 PM

    I will say it again, Mikey is the most proactive PR guy in the Biz. If this was not the case he would be driving in the ARCA series with is brothers money.The bummer is NAPA re-upped for 09 which means more dorky TV ads watching People making fun of his racing. In my house we make bets on Mikey causing the first Cation or the Green/white/ Checked cation weekly. All we can hope for now is that Speed Channel finally reads our Emails about dumping him next year with the truck series call, and shut him down on Inside cup on Monday night. Get a hair cut and stop talking over everyone....

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  9. 9
    David Daugherty said:
    Aug 13, 2008 at 6:36 AM

    Amen Michael Murray!!!!!!!!! I'm down for that!!!!!!!

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  10. 10
    Mike Cripps said:
    Aug 14, 2008 at 5:41 AM

    Leave the man alone. He's just doing what we all do every day, go to work. So, his business is racing stock cars. Let him go to work like all of us do. If he makes the field, so be it. NASCAR makes that decision, not us. I, for one, am thankful for ALL the drivers who strap into those cars to entertain us. Remember, thats all it is, ENTERTAINMENT!

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  11. 11
    Mike Butler said:
    Aug 16, 2008 at 8:51 AM

    I'm not one to leave many comments, but seriously Josh - it is a BLOG. If you want stories of more importance, stick to the front page. And personally, he should stay in a car as long as possible so that Michael, David and myself don't have to hear him on the TV more than we have to. If he sells/folds his team look for the DW/MW show. Lord help us!

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  12. 12
    Tim B said:
    Aug 17, 2008 at 7:29 AM

    Mikey has always had bad luck. an engine blowing up isnt on mikey, JGR and toyota were trying things. he has ran good at NH before. in 05 or 06 he was leading and his crew left the gas can hanging on the pit stop. Dale hired mikey cause he thought he could drive, and be a good teammate to Jr and Park. In the 90's mikey ran up front, then something would break. anyone remember him loosing half his spoiler? all that said, mike is generaly a down force driver, he needs cars with more downforce. So he's in deep on the CANT(COT)

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