Found this little tid-bit at Jayski:
Truex Eventually to the #15: ....so [Michael] Waltrip might have had reason to feel insecure. In fact, a man less certain of what he wants from the next five years of his NASCAR career and beyond would be inclined to suspicion, or even resentment. After all, Waltrip, who turns 41 Friday, has made his most important contributions to Dale Earnhardt Inc. in restrictor-plate races, winning four (his only career victories) since 2001. His drafting help has often been crucial to teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. But there are just four such races in the 36-event Nextel Cup schedule, and even Waltrip admitted after qualifying second for today's Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway that "the cars are that good where we can be successful without each other." But according to DEI director of motorsports Richie Gilmore, there is no insecurity, no acrimony between the race team and Waltrip, because there are no "secret agendas." Though Gilmore said he wants to keep Waltrip "as long as we can," everyone knows DEI ultimately wants Truex in Waltrip's #15 Chevrolet. "I think Michael has been great with that," Gilmore said. "Besides Junior, he's been one of Martin's No.1 fans. We've had that conversation about one day putting Martin in that car down the road when Michael moves on. And Michael supports that." It helps that Waltrip is too busy looking ahead to look behind. Waltrip, who owns a Busch team he runs out of a shop in his back yard, will field a Nextel Cup team for five races this season with veteran Kenny Wallace driving. That's the first step of a master plan in which Waltrip sees himself phasing out of DEI and into a role as full-time owner. "I'd like to think that in five years I could have a Cup team or two that competes on a regular basis," Waltrip said. "I'd like to continue to run Busch for myself and continue to run for DEI until that deal runs itself out, maybe have a Cup team where somebody else would drive for me. I've enjoyed owning and developing a team more than people know." Gilmore said Truex could run some Cup races this season in the DEI #1 Chevrolet formerly driven part-time by John Andretti.(St Petersburg Times)(4-25-2004)
Truex Eventually to the #15: ....so [Michael] Waltrip might have had reason to feel insecure. In fact, a man less certain of what he wants from the next five years of his NASCAR career and beyond would be inclined to suspicion, or even resentment. After all, Waltrip, who turns 41 Friday, has made his most important contributions to Dale Earnhardt Inc. in restrictor-plate races, winning four (his only career victories) since 2001. His drafting help has often been crucial to teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. But there are just four such races in the 36-event Nextel Cup schedule, and even Waltrip admitted after qualifying second for today's Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway that "the cars are that good where we can be successful without each other." But according to DEI director of motorsports Richie Gilmore, there is no insecurity, no acrimony between the race team and Waltrip, because there are no "secret agendas." Though Gilmore said he wants to keep Waltrip "as long as we can," everyone knows DEI ultimately wants Truex in Waltrip's #15 Chevrolet. "I think Michael has been great with that," Gilmore said. "Besides Junior, he's been one of Martin's No.1 fans. We've had that conversation about one day putting Martin in that car down the road when Michael moves on. And Michael supports that." It helps that Waltrip is too busy looking ahead to look behind. Waltrip, who owns a Busch team he runs out of a shop in his back yard, will field a Nextel Cup team for five races this season with veteran Kenny Wallace driving. That's the first step of a master plan in which Waltrip sees himself phasing out of DEI and into a role as full-time owner. "I'd like to think that in five years I could have a Cup team or two that competes on a regular basis," Waltrip said. "I'd like to continue to run Busch for myself and continue to run for DEI until that deal runs itself out, maybe have a Cup team where somebody else would drive for me. I've enjoyed owning and developing a team more than people know." Gilmore said Truex could run some Cup races this season in the DEI #1 Chevrolet formerly driven part-time by John Andretti.(St Petersburg Times)(4-25-2004)
