Waltrip looking to move on?

W

WideOpenPhoto

Guest
Another driver whose name is suddenly being mentioned by rival car owners is Michael Waltrip, who has been having a tough season but is a two-time Daytona 500 winner. The DEI sponsorship situation is up in the air, with Waltrip's NAPA sponsorship up for renewal. Waltrip is apparently on the wanted list by some rival car owners for his marketability. Elsewhere at DEI, Martin Truex Jr., who has been remarkably successful in DEI's Busch car and who has developed a tight relationship with Dale Earnhardt Jr., is being pushed to step up to a full Cup ride next season. Crew Chief Slugger Labbe admitted - "The rumor mill is kicking up. But NAPA is behind us 100 percent, and Michael is our driver. We're focused on winning races, and I want to give Michael his first downforce win, and we're cutting bodies off each week. We're not going to bring inferior stuff to the track. Whatever happens happens, but we're going to do the best we can to win races and make sure Michael and NAPA are happy."(Winston Salem Journal
 
Originally posted by de7xwcc@Jun 1 2004, 02:43 PM
GOOD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, never did see what Dale saw in him
Click to expand...
Super Speedway wins.... that is a lot...
 
Well DEI has 3 cars and they just got Bud Light as a Sponser for the #1 Car, so I say Mickey is safe for now if Napa doesn't bail on Him.
 
Michael Waltrip's a great spokesperson and is funny,but I wouldn't be interested,from a car owner's perspective,as the price tag would be too high for a driver that could at most get just 4 wins in any season,that even be highly improbable. :D
 
Originally posted by 24thunder@Jun 1 2004, 02:24 PM
the price tag would be too high for a driver that could at most get just 4 wins in any season,that even be highly improbable. :D
Click to expand...
Just 4 wins in any season? There are owners and drivers in the series that would die for that!! :)

It's rumor........it's silly season. You are gonna hear a lot of BS in the coming weeks................and be very sure 95% of it is just that!! :D
 
Michael seems to be sliding into the owner's role pretty comfortably...he runs his own Busch team and drives as well...notice he has Kenny Wallace running his car in Cup a few times this year...perhaps he's trying to get a set up for his team in Nextel...does that mean he'll drive it? Maybe...that would be a good way to get a sponsor for a new team...maybe even take NAPA with him...aside from that, there really is NO reason whatsoever to randomly run a Nextel Cup car unless you plan on making the jump...right? I could be wrong, I'm not too hip with the inner workings of the business...just seems like he's preparing himself for a new role as an owner...whether it be owner/driver or just owner remains to be seen. Any thoughts?
 
Hmmmmmmmmmmm, I used to be a BIG Mikey fan.
But since he has gone to DEI and has great equipment
to drive, his head had grown quite large. :D
He used to make really, sincere funny quips and impromptu
movements, but now it seems like it'sa an act to gain
attention. Fake, if ya know what I mean. I am loosing respect for him.
Sorry if I mashed a toe anywhere.
0531.gif

mms4.gif
monktr4.gif
 
i guess Bow got it, friendship is the only reason Dale gave him the ride, when Dale hired him his preformance was average at best and there was nothing to market IMHO. he seemed really grateful when hefirst got the 15 but his head has grown to to much, I can't belive he has the gall to say he is the best plate racer ever. bet Dale is rollin in his grave.
 
Originally posted by de7xwcc@Jun 2 2004, 06:55 AM
I can't belive he has the gall to say he is the best plate racer ever. bet Dale is rollin in his grave.
Click to expand...
When did he say this? Not trying to be sarcastic, but I just never heard of it.

Waltrip, even when he drove the Pennzoil Pontiac, was always pretty good at Daytona and Talladega. Maybe Dale took that into consideration when he hired him....


My take on this...Waltrip will race another year with DEI and then probably slip back down into the Busch series full time, unless he has a huge year in Nextel Cup in 2005. He might even try the trucks for a while.
 
i really don't remember the date, i think it was after talladaga last year, i about fell out of my chair when he said it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom