Mikey - Highest wreck ratio in '05.

BobbyFord

BobbyFord

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Wrecks in 2005: USA Today has some stats and articles about wrecks in 2005 Nextel Cup races, the drivers with the most wrecks:
Drivers with the highest accident rate (minimum of 30 races)
Name %.
#15-Michael Waltrip 52.8% [#55 in 2006]
#97-Kurt Busch 50.0% [#2 in 2006]
#43-Jeff Green 47.2% [#0 in 2006]
#9-Kasey Kahne 44.4%
#10-Scott Riggs 41.7% [#10 Evernahm in 2006]
#07-Dave Blaney 38.9% [#22 in 2006]
#88-Dale Jarrett 38.9%
#8-Dale Earnhardt Jr. 38.9%
#22-Scott Wimmer 38.9% {?#4 in 2006?]
#38-Elliott Sadler 36.1%
(with 6 of the top 10 changing teams in 2006...)
See more at USA Today.(12-15-2005)
 
well the top 3 sure aint surprising..how they have rides i dont know
 
Michael Waltrip was thought by few to be a top ten contender when the race for the 2005 NEXTEL NASCAR Championship came around, once again followed his normal career path by finishing 25th in the championship standings for the year and also becoming the driver with the most wrecks.

According to a story in USA Today centering on the numerous wrecks Waltrip encountered during the season and defended by Michael as mostly "being in the wrong place at the wrong time". A cliche used much too often.

A review of Michael's record has found him capable of producing, at best finish in the championship standings of 12th place in 1994 and 1995.

It is interesting to note the pundits who defend Michael, claiming he never had a top ride until joining DEI, but the record shows a different story. If DEI was such an improvement in equipment for MIchael, the record also indicates his best year end finish driving for DEI was 14th in 2002.

Michael Waltrip is a driver who gets BIG bucks and is grossly over rated.
THis guy has had good equipment and still cannot prove himself as a top contending or consistent driver.

On the plus side of things, if there were awards given for personality, charm and sponsor's dream, it would go to Michael Waltrip, and that is most likely what keeps him in the loop. Sponsor's love him. Toyota wants t o win but they also see high profile marketability with Michael as thier spokesperson.

For those who think this is a trashing of Michael Waltrip, there is no disputing the facts and record book. Michale's average finish in the championsip standings is 19th position. Possibly, for a lad from Owensboro, Kentucky, that is considered good, but for a team owner expecting consistent performance and top finishes, well, look at the history.
 
I doubt picking any driver at random from the Bush ranks would produce worse stats than straight-out hiring Michael. He wallows in the name given him at birth.
My old uncle used to say even a blind hog can find an acorn now and then! Seems to fit his accomplishments real well.
But that said even the greatest, such as Jeffy, can have bad or good luck from one year to the next. In several cases that list is simply a record of the luck of the driver in a particular year. But in Michaels it looks to be about what we would expect.
Betsy
 
Whiz, I've always wondered why Michael's worth has been so high in NASCAR, but then again, I agree with you why it is so high. Another driver that fits into the same category is Kenny Wallace. Both of these guys have such great personalities that it keeps them in a ride and gets them a sponsor.

Back to the subject at hand, correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Jeremy Mayfield the lowest percentage of accidents for the year? That one fact is probably the major reason that he made the chase.
 
It's unbelivable that Kurt Busch is second highest with wrecks but still makes the chase and if not for being fired with two races going could have finished higher than 10th. I think Micheal will be falling off the radar a lot this year, look for Truex to really gain in popularity...
 
Michael is also the tallest. And has the biggest mouth. And the ugliest haircut. Used to be one of the funniest. Now he's the most annoying. IMO :)
 
bumpzter said:
Michael is also the tallest. And has the biggest mouth. And the ugliest haircut. Used to be one of the funniest. Now he's the most annoying. IMO :)
Click to expand...

DAMN !!!! Twice in one reading of this forum, this old dog "Da Whizzer" is hearing the strangest things from people !!!!!!

Bumpster, you said it. Michael has surpassed that obnoxious laugh belonging to Kenny Wallace and become the most annoying person in NASCAR.
The problem is when his carrer ended several years ago, he never went away. He hangs around like his brother. The difference being at least Darrell could drive. :)
 
i have a question...

had leffler stayed in the 11 car, where would he had been on that list?
 
Ask yourself this. How much national airtime do the drivers out of the first five rows get? Now, how much airtime do accidents get? From how many angles? Go to the pits after a race and where are the fans? Half at victory road, and half crowding the most wrecked cars.
 
The Bodine brothers had the record----only way Mikey got it was they quit driving. ;)
 
What really cracks me up is that Citizen watch commercial with Mikey that says "like Michael Waltrip, our watches are unstoppable" haha, whats unstoppable about him? his mouth? LOL
 
i'll vote for the mouth!!!

shut up mikey! Jeez!enough is a friggen nough!

i hope rusty replaces mikey as commentator
 
2005
19 crashes - Mikey
17 crashes - Kurt Busch
17 crashes - Jeff Green
16 crashes - Kasey Kahne

Really not many surprises. Kasey led in 2004 with 15 crashes. I still think that he should have gotten more seasoning in the Busch Series before Cup, but that is water over the dam now.
 
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