MWR uncertain of future status of Domino's, Burger King
By SceneDaily Staff Report
Friday, October 12, 2007
CONCORD, N.C. - Michael Waltrip Racing is still talking with sponsors Domino's and Burger Kindg, but right now it appears the two companies will not return as primary sponsors in 2008.
The pair shared the primary sponsorship of David Reutimann's No. 00 Toyota this season. Next year, Reutimann will drive the No. 00 in five races, then move to the No. 44 for the remainder of the Sprint Cup season. Reutimann will replace Dale Jarrett, who plans to run the Bud Shootout, the opening five races of the season then the all-star race in his final season.
MWR Vice President and General Manager Ty Norris said that the organization is still in talks with the companies.
"At this point, they won't be back as a primary sponsor," Norris said. "However we still continue to have conversations with them but we don't have anything contracted for next year from them."
Still, the team, which is now a 50-50 partnership between Waltrip and investor Robert Kauffman, is committed to running three cars full time in the series. Do they have the sponsorship issue covered?
"We do have a few races contracted, but we have a good many races that are currently under proposal and on a company's desk, but [team owners] Rob [Kauffman] and Michael [Waltrip] have looked at all the financials and looked at everything and said, "We are going to run that third Cup car." And here is the financial gap we have to fill and that's what we're in pursuit of right now," Norris said.
