Truex to Penske? with UPS? UPDATE UPS denies: hearing that Martin Truex, current driver of the #1 DEI Chevy, could be headed to a 4th Penske Racing team with UPS as the sponsor.(5-4-2008) UPDATE - UPS denies negotiating with any team: UPS officials released a statement Monday saying the company is not currently in negotiations with any specific Sprint Cup team or driver. UPS currently sponsors the #44 driven by David Reutimann. Michael Waltrip Racing Vice President Cal Wells has said that UPS has had preliminary discussions with six teams about what cars and drivers they would have open for 2009 and "UPS is doing exactly what they should be doing. We either earn the business back or we won’t." But to say that UPS has started negotiations with any team is not accurate, according to a company official. "As of this date, UPS is not engaged in formal active sponsorship negotiations with any NASCAR Sprint Cup driver or race team," read the statement, attributed to UPS Director of Sponsorship & Events Ron Rogowski. With Dale Jarrett's retirement this year, UPS is looking for another face for a long-term campaign. One of the drivers often mentioned is #99-Carl Edwards, who right now is sponsored by Office Depot. Roush Fenway Racing and Office Depot currently are in an exclusive negotiating period for Edwards. "UPS went to six or eight race teams, visited them, to get all the inventory that they all had," Roush Fenway President Geoff Smith said Saturday. "And from that, they told us they would cut it down amongst the teams. There's been no negotiating."(SceneDaily.com)(5-6-2008) Comment here
MWR Adds Chief Marketing Officer to Executive Staff: Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) expanded the depth of its executive staff today, announcing the hiring of Terry Bassett as Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer as part of the young company's organizational growth. Bassett, with over 20 years of sports marketing experience, will oversee the sales, marketing, media relations, licensing and sponsor service divisions for MWR, entering its 15th month competing on the NASCAR Sprint Cup level. Bassett
comes to MWR after a two-year stint with the Miami Dolphins and previously worked for International Speedway Corp and Penske Motorsports, Inc. Several executive additions have solidified MWR since company founder Michael Waltrip formed an equal ownership partnership with Rob Kauffman in October of 2007. Calvin Wells III serves as the company's Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, with Larry Johns serving as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Dr. Eric Warren as Vice President and Technical Director and Ty Norris as Vice President and General Manager.(Michael Waltrip Racing)(5-1-2008)
Reutimann To Be Featured in Talladega Nationwide Series Telecast: David Reutimann will be featured as the "In-Race-Reporter" in ESPN on ABC's telecast of Saturday's NASCAR Nationwide Series Aarons 312 at Talladega Superspeedway. Reutimann will speak with ESPN analyst Dale Jarrett on the parade laps and during caution periods, giving viewers a unique perspective. The telecast on ABC begins at 2:30pm/et.(4-24-2008)
Office Depot negotiating with Roush; if not UPS could replace: MORE Office Depot is in the midst of an exclusive 60-day negotiating period to extend its sponsorship of Carl Edwards’ #99 Ford, but industry sources say that UPS is waiting in the wings to make a run at the hot Roush Fenway Racing driver.(SportsBusinessJournal.com-sub)(4-21-2008) UPDATE: Office Depot is in the final year of its three-year deal with the #99 team. Edwards and Roush Fenway appear to be in position to push the first of many sponsor dominoes in the coming four to six weeks. If Office Depot, which has used Edwards out front for its annual "Official Small Business of NASCAR" promotion, doesn't have a deal done by mid-May, industry sources say UPS will pursue sponsorship of Edwards' car. UPS has been considering several options, from staying at Michael Waltrip Racing to Edwards to Jeff Burton's #31, which is scheduled to lose AT&T as its primary sponsor at the end of this season, but sources said Edwards has emerged as the top option. The issue between Office Depot and Roush Fenway, sources said, is the price tag for the #99 car has increased significantly from three years ago when Edwards was considered more of an up-and-comer than a bona fide star. If Edwards stays in the # 99 as expected, Roush Fenway hopes to extract $22 million to $24 million a year in the next contract, sources said, a significant step up from the deal Office Depot signed three years ago in the $14 million to $15 million range annually. It's uncertain how aggressively Office Depot will pursue another three years on the #99 at the higher price. The office supply retailer is embroiled in a proxy fight with a shareholder group that is attempting to oust CEO Steve Odland from the company's board after an 85 percent drop in fourth-quarter net earnings year-over-year. Office Depot's stock price has dropped from a high of $37.05 nearly a year ago to $11.51 at Monday's close, which has prompted questions about its ability to win a bidding war for the #99 car. John Miller, a former Roush marketing executive who now owns his own agency, Xceed Sports Marketing, is representing Office Depot in these negotiations.(Sports Business Journal/SceneDaily.com)(4-22-2008) Comment here
Reutimann doesn't anticipate driver switch if he fails to qualify: #44-David Reutimann faces another weekend where he has to qualify on speed, and he is not looking forward to it. Reutimann said Thursday he wouldn’t anticipate that Michael Waltrip Racing would put him in the car driven by #00-Michael McDowell if he doesn’t make the field. If Reutimann misses the race, the team could replace McDowell with Retuimann, but Reutimann said that hasn’t been discussed. “The #00 is the car that Michael McDowell drives, and as far as I know, if I don’t get in, I’ll be watching,” Reutimann said. “I wouldn’t want to do that. My job is to get the 44 car in. If I can’t get that car in, then I don’t need to be in the race.”(SceneDaily.com)(4-4-2008) Comment here
UPS Moving to another team? will stay in NASCAR: on SPEED's Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain [3-30-2008], Zak Brown, CEO of Just Marketing International, reported that sponsor UPS, currently sponsoring the #44 Toyota that David Reutimann drives, that UPS plans to stay in NASCAR and is reviewing it's sponsor program and is evaulating probably five teams, including the team they currently sponsor, #44 Michael Waltrip Racing and Reutimann. UPS should formalize their NASCAR plans within the next 60 days. No word on those teams, but UPS says they want to run for a championship and have a "Rock Star" type of driver like they had with Dale Jarrett. Roush Fenway Racing had been rumored in the past with Greg Biffle.(4-1-2008)
NASCAR said NO to a #44 - #00 pts swap: David Reutimann wanted to keep the points he earned in the #00 car during the first five races of the Sprint Cup season as he makes the switch to the #44 driven by Dale Jarrett for Sunday's race at Martinsville Speedway. NASCAR said no. "They wouldn't let us switch," Reutimann said Friday. "It puts you back almost in the same boat you were before. It's aggravating." Reutimann was 27th in owner's points in the #00. Jarrett, who is retiring, was 34th in the #44 and only 16 points from falling out of the top 35 -- the cutoff for a guaranteed spot in the field for each Sprint Cup race. Michael Waltrip Racing announced last season that Reutimann would replace Jarrett after the first five races. John Darby, the Sprint Cup series director, said point swaps typically are granted only when there is a change in a business function or when an owner is trying to reorganize during the offseason. Sam Hornish Jr., for example, was given Kurt Busch's points at the start of this season as the newest member of Penske Racing so that he would be guaranteed a spot in the first five races. "This was never meant to be used to give a driver the best position he can get," Darby said. "Most people in the garage understand that." Rookie Michael McDowell will inherit Reutimann's points as the new driver of the #00.(ESPN.com)(3-28-2008)
Lowe's Motor Speedway and UPS to Honor Dale Jarrett at All-Star Race: Dale Jarrett will finally "race" the truck and Lowe's Motor Speedway is offering a special two-day ticket package for just $44 so fans can be on hand Saturday night, May 17, when Jarrett's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered Tour" culminates at the Sprint All-Star Race. Those are just two of several events and promotions that officials from UPS and Lowe's Motor Speedway announced Wednesday in preparation for the 1999 Sprint Cup champion's final career start. Jarrett unveiled the #44 UPS Toyota Camry he will drive in the Sprint All-Star Race which features a special paint scheme that pays tribute to several of the North Carolina native's career accomplishments. The unveiling marked the first time Jarrett viewed the metallic-gold design which unites the past with the present. The car displays design elements from both Jarrett's current #44 UPS Camry as well as the #88 Quality Care entry that he drove during the 1999 championship season.
But, before Jarrett straps into the #44 UPS Toyota Camry for the final time, he'll do something fans have eagerly anticipated, he's going to "race" the truck. After Jarrett is introduced prior to the Sprint All-Star Race, he will step into the UPS Race Truck from the UPS ad campaign and take one lucky fan for a ride around the 1.5-mile superspeedway. In honor of Jarrett and in appreciation of the fans who have supported him, Lowe's Motor Speedway officials have created "DJ's Deal," a special Friday-Saturday (May 16-17) All-Star Weekend ticket package for only $44. The "DJ's Deal" package and tickets for all May events at Lowe's Motor Speedway, including the May 17 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and the May 25 Coca-Cola 600, can be purchased by calling 1-800-455-FANS or online at www.lowesmotorspeedway.com.(LMS PR), see images of the car on my #44 Team Schemes page.(3-19-2008)
MWR Installs Jet Edge Waterjet Cutting System: Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) has installed a Jet Edge precision waterjet cutting system at its fabrication shop in Cornelius, N.C. MWR plans to use its Jet Edge system to cut parts for its three Sprint Cup Series teams and Nationwide Series team. MWR and Jet Edge also announced their new technical partnership, which will give MWR access to Jet Edge’s latest waterjet-cutting technology and position Jet Edge as a leading waterjet technology supplier to the $19.5 billion performance racing industry. With construction of its new fabrication shop completed, MWR has begun increasing its in-house manufacturing capabilities, explained Dr. Eric Warren, MWR’s vice president and technical director. One of its first steps was to acquire waterjet-cutting capabilities that have become essential to NASCAR teams as they race to fabricate parts under extremely tight deadlines.(MWR PR)(3-18-2008) Comment here
Jarrett Honored Sunday: #44-Dale Jarrett received a standing ovation in the drivers' meeting in honor of his final points race. He then told the drivers to enjoy their careers "because we all have one time in this, and mine has been fantastic." The 1999 Cup champion also was honored during prerace introductions, receiving a "Tennessee Volunteer" rifle similar to the ones used by settlers in this area during the Revolutionary War's Battle of Kings Mountain. An avid golfer, he also received 668 Titleist Pro V1 golf balls to commemorate his career Cup starts. Jarrett's father, Ned, waved the green flag to start the race. The race was anti-climactic, though, as Jarrett finished 37th, 10 laps off the pace. "Well, it wasn't the finish I would have liked," he said. "I'm able to go out with the best sponsor in the business in UPS and I would have liked to have had a better day for them, but I really can't be too upset when you take into consideration the kind of career I have been fortunate to have."(ESPN.com)(3-17-2008) Comment here
Jarrett making his last points start in Food City 500: When #44-Dale Jarrett starts the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway March 16 it will be the 668th start in a successful 24-year career. It also will be the former Sprint Cup champion’s last points race as the North Carolina native hangs up his helmet this year. The 51-year-old Jarrett opted to return this year, but only to run the first five races of the season. His last race actually will be the All-Star event at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in May, but BMS will be the last place he races for points. As a former BMS winner – he captured the Goody’s 500 (Aug. 23, 1997) – Jarrett says it is fitting that the World’s Fastest Half-Mile, where he made his first start in 1986, will cap what has been a very successful career.
“I was pleased whenever I saw the number (the fifth race) and as I started counting down to see exactly where it was going to be,” he said. “When I realized it was Bristol, I was pleased about that and it worked out too because I think it’s very fitting. It’s a place that I enjoy racing and there’s going to be so many fans there – and I know there’s 160,000 people there –but it seems like so many more than that. So it will be a fitting way for me to finish my racing as far as points racing goes.”
Jarrett says he’s always enjoyed being at Bristol, whether it was as a racer or as a kid, coming to the races to see his father, Ned, race. “Everybody, I think, that has ever raced there has had things happen to them because of how exciting the race track is,” he said. “I look at the positive side of it. What a great facility. From the very first time that I remember going there and watching my dad race there and win, I think that was 1965. Then the change of the race track (1969 to a steeper banking) and going back as a teenager and sitting in the grandstands to watch the Late Model Sportsman races at that time. Then as a competitor, getting my first Busch Grand National victory at Bristol (1991). I thought at that time, everybody really wanted to win at Bristol. Then in 1997, when I was able to win the night race –that was probably one of the top victories of my career.”
The Food City 500 will be Jarrett’s 44th start at BMS. He says he’s made peace with this being the last time he’ll race for points. “I think that’s a race that I always looked at – even when I was battling for the championship – it was always a wild card kind of race,”said the 1999 series champion. “You wanted to do well and there was always so much action going on. I don’t know that I’ll look at it as a points race. I’ll just look at it as my last time in a race that is really going to mean a lot to the race team and myself.”
Jarrett says there’s not much chance that he’ll be able to keep his emotions in check on race day at Bristol. “I think it’s going to be (emotional),” he said. “Probably as the race gets closer, it will become even more so because I am going to have a lot of family and friends around, so I think that will help add to it, on top of it just being Bristol. I know I’ve said that a number of times but it is a special place to race.”
Jarrett has always said that if he had to buy tickets to any race track on the circuit, Bristol would be the place. He says he still feels that way. “I do still feel that way, mainly because I still own tickets to Bristol,” he said. “It has always been such a huge request from family and friends, them wanting tickets to Bristol. When the race became so popular to everyone else, there just weren’t tickets to be had. I was fortunate that my good friends at Bristol called me and said ‘look, we have these six tickets opening up. We hate that we have to ask you to purchase them but that’s the deal.’
“So for about seven years now we have owned six tickets to the Nationwide Series races and the Sprint Cup series races. So I still have those and it is still the most requested ticket that we have.”
After capturing a championship and 32 career wins, Jarrett says he doesn’t feel he’s missing much, if anything, from his resume. “I can’t really see anything,” he said. “Would I have preferred to have gotten a second championship? Yes, and I came close to having a couple and that was great to be able to battle for that, but I’ve been blessed and I couldn’t imagine asking to add anything to a career that I’ve been very fortunate to have.” Dale Jarrett at Bristol Motor Speedway: Jarrett collected his only Bristol Motor Speedway Cup Series win during the Goody’s Headache Powder 500 (August 23, 1997). He started the event from third position, his best Bristol qualifying effort, and passed pole winner Kenny Wallace and second place starter Jeff Gordon to lead the first lap of the event. Gordon and Jarrett battled for the win all night before an accident knocked Gordon out of contention. With Gordon out of the race, Jarrett cruised to the checkered flag, leading 210 laps on his way to Victory Lane. He finished the race 0.102 sec. ahead of Mark Martin.
Jarrett has one win, nine top-fives, 19 top-10s and has led 544 laps during his Bristol Motor Speedway Cup Series career.
To date, Jarrett has started 43 races at Bristol and Martinsville, more than any other tracks on which he has competed.
Jarrett has banked over $2.2 million dollars in winnings from his Cup Series efforts at Bristol.
Jarrett’s first Sprint Cup start at Bristol occurred in the 1986 Busch 500. He qualified 28th and finished 29th in the 30-car field. He completed 69 laps and retired from the race due to a vibration in his car. He earned $990 for the day’s work.
In 30 Nationwide Series starts at BMS, Jarrett has one win, 11 top-fives and 12 top-10s.
Jarrett’s Nationwide Series win at Bristol came in the Jay Johnson 250 (August 1991). He started the race from 11th position and won $19,375. An all-star cast followed Jarrett across the line with Bobby Labonte in second, Jeff Gordon in third, and Davey Allison in fourth.(BMS PR)(3-12-2008)
Jarrett backs Stewart's comments about tires: Dale Jarrett on Tuesday called on Goodyear to listen carefully to Tony Stewart's complaints about the tires the company has produced this season. Although some drivers believe Stewart went overboard in his criticism of Goodyear following Sunday's race in Atlanta, Jarrett said the manufacturer needs to start constructing a better tire for Sprint Cup racing. "I have no problem with what Tony Stewart said. I'm a huge supporter of Goodyear and all that they have done over the years, but somebody needs to wake up right now and listen to these guys," said Jarrett, the former series champion who is retiring following Sunday's race in Bristol. "We're talking about race drivers that have a huge amount of talent and very seldom complain about things like that."(see full Associated Press report for more)(3-12-2008)
UPS, Toys for Tots announce program: UPS and Toys For Tots will launch a new Literacy Program, officials from both announced Friday at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
The mission of this new program is to give books to lower-income children in order to help them succeed in life. David Reutimann, who will take over the #44 UPS Toyota later this month [at Martinsville], will also pilot a special Toys For Tots paint scheme at the California race on Labor Day weekend [8/31]. "Women like to buy shoes; I like to buy helmets," Reutimann said. "We get a new paint scheme and I get to buy a new helmet." As a father, though, Reutimann also recognizes the importance of the new Literacy Program. "I think about the simple pleasure of sitting and reading to my daughter, and it's said to think that some children don't have that," Reutimann said. "I'm glad we're going to be able to give that to them and glad to be able to get a new helmet."(AMS Pit Notes)(3-8-2008) Comment here
Kentucky Derby scheme at 'Dega UPDATE: #44-David Reutimann is scheduled to run a special UPS Kentucky Derby paint scheme at Talladea Superspeedway in April.(1-27-2008) UPDATE: Churchill Downs and UPS are again teaming up to bring the horsepower of the Kentucky Derby to NASCAR, as the two companies today unveiled a special Kentucky Derby 134 paint scheme that will be featured on the #44 UPS Toyota Camry during the Aaron’s 499 Sprint Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday, April 27. The unveiling also launched the “Off to the Races Delivered by UPS” sweepstakes, which debuted in 2007. The online contest will provide one lucky fan with two tickets to the Aaron’s 499, as well as a special behind-the-scenes meeting with NASCAR driver David Reutimann, who will take over the #44 UPS Toyota Camry from the retiring Dale Jarrett next month. The prize package, which combines the excitement of NASCAR’s premier series with one of the most prestigious events in Thoroughbred racing, will also include two tickets to the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands at Churchill Downs on Saturday, May 3.(Businesswire.com), see images of the scheme on my #44 Team Schemes page.(3-1-2008)
MWR doesn't plan points swap when drivers shift: David Reutimann will replace his Michael Waltrip Racing teammate in the #44 car after the race at Martinsville Speedway and his crew chief go with him. Michael McDowell will take over driving the #00. As of right now, though, the plan is not to swap the team’s points. If Reutimann’s team cracks the top 35 in owners points and the Jarrett team doesn’t, MWR could opt to swap the points to make sure that Reutimann is locked into the field. Neither team finished in the top 35 last year and each must qualify on speed for the first five events this year. “David’s earning points for Michael McDowell and Dale Jarrett is earning points for David Reutimann – that’s the way we’re approaching it,” said MWR general manager Ty Norris. “If one of them happens not to be in the top 35, obviously we’ll have to consider what’s going on then.” Reutimann said the points situation won’t affect the way he races. “It would be nice when that situation comes around to have everybody locked in,” Reutimann said. “We’ll see. We’ve got to try to make that happen, make that deal work out. I’m trying to get in the top 35 for me.”(SceneDaily.com)(2-17-2008) Comment here
Gold wheels for Mikey, Dale and David: #55-Michael Waltrip and his three Sprint Cup Series, #44-Dale Jarrett and #00-David Reutimann teams will pay tribute to the golden anniversary of the Daytona 500 on Sunday by starting the 50th running of The Great American Race sporting specially-designed gold wheels. Following the 200-lap event, the wheels will be autographed and sold to raise money for charities supported by the France family. The Waltrip teams will run the gold wheels only for the start of the race, moving back to their traditional chrome wheels after the first round of pit stops. (MWR PR)(2-16-2008) Comment here
Jarrett will not take Reutimann's ride if he fails to make the 500: #44-Dale Jarrett said he would not consider getting into teammate #00-David Reutimann's car if the worst-case scenario happens Thursday and Jarrett fails to qualify for the Daytona 500. Some people have speculated that team owner Michael Waltrip might ask Reutimann to skip the race to allow Jarrett to compete in his final Daytona 500 start, if Jarrett doesn't make it in. "We won't do that just because it's my last one," Jarrett said. "It won't be the end of the world for me. We haven't talked about it. "David is going to be there for the whole season. And I'm the one that recommended David to UPS [Jarrett's longtime sponsor], so I want him to go out and have a great Daytona 500." Reutimann will take over in the #44 UPS Toyota after the first five races when Jarrett retires. Reutimann is driving the #00 Camry for Michael Waltrip Racing in the first five events. Waltrip and Reutimann are starting on the front row in the second qualifying race Thursday. Jarrett is starting on the outside of Row 7. Waltrip and Reutimann have guaranteed spots in the 500, so they will allow Jarrett to move ahead of them in the qualifying race if necessary to get Jarrett into the 500.(ESPN.com)(2-14-2008) Comment here.
Aaron's to sponsor #00, MWR testing: As early as Sunday, Michael Waltrip Racing’s #00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota team departs to participate in the first official 2008 Sprint Cup Series test session at Daytona International Speedway. David Reutimann, who switches to the #44 UPS Toyota Camry after the first five events, will test the #00 entry from January 7th-9th. Session two will commence on January 14th and include both the #55 Napa Toyota team and the #44 UPS Toyota team with drivers Michael Waltrip and Dale Jarrett respectively. The second session will wrap on the 16th. After the Sprint Cup Series test sessions conclude, there is no downtime for Michael Waltrip Racing. Not only is MWR testing Daytona this month, they are scheduling various test sessions simultaneously at different locations on a weekly basis. This weekend Josh Wise heads to the Harley Davidson Florida Evaluation Center in Naples (Fla.) for a straight-line test. Next week, Michael Waltrip and Michael McDowell are scheduled to test Cup cars at Nashville Superspeedway. Then McDowell heads back to Nashville on the 17th with David Reutimann to test at the venue again. Michael Waltrip Racing returns a third time as Josh Wise takes his turn at the 1.33-mile D-shaped oval on the 22nd in a Cup car.(MWR site)(1-4-2008)
Pemberton leaves DEI? UPDATE 4 MWR names 3 new crew chiefs: hearing that Dale Earnhardt Inc #8 crew chief, Ryan Pemberton [#01 in 2007 with DEI/Ginn Racing], could be heading to Penske Racing as the crew chief for #77 Sam Hornish Jr.(12-5-2007) UPDATE: Crew chief Ryan Pemberton has left Dale Earnhardt Inc., and the team said Doug Richert will replace him beginning Wednesday. Pemberton was scheduled to lead the #8 Chevy that will be co-driven next season by Mark Martin and Aric Almirola.(Associated Press/ESPN.com)(12-12-2007) UPDATE 2: hearing Pemberton has not spoken to Penske Racing about a job, but he is speaking with other teams and will make a quick decision.(12-13-2007) UPDATE 3: A reliable inside source tells Rowdy.com that Ryan Pemberton is headed to Michael Waltrip Racing to become the crew chief for driver David Reutimann. Reutimann will start the year in the #00 before moving to the #44 car vacated by Dale Jarrett [when he retires] after the first five races of 2008.(Rowdy.com)(12-13-2007) UPDATE 4: Michael Waltrip Racing announced its 2008 Sprint Cup Series crew chief lineup with the recent hiring of Paul Andrews, Bill Pappas and Ryan Pemberton. Andrews will serve as crew chief for Michael Waltrip and the #55 Napa Auto Parts Toyota Camry team. Pappas is assigned to the team, which will field the #44 UPS Ccmry for Dale Jarrett then become the #00 team at Martinsville when David Reutimann takes over the #44 UPS ride. Pemberton is the crew chief for David Reutimann, who will race the #00 Aaron’s Toyota Camry for five races before switching to the driver of the #44 UPS team. Pemberton and Reutimann will remain together through the transition. Jerry Baxter remains as crew chief of the #99 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry driven by David Reutimann in the Nationwide [was Busch] Series. Michael Waltrip comments on 2008 crew chief lineup: “My vision of Michael Waltrip Racing becoming one of the elite organizations in NASCAR has not changed since the day I started this team. Over the past four months we have made significant moves to position ourselves for success with the addition of my new business partner Rob Kauffman, our Technical Director, Dr. Eric Warren, and EVP of Business Operations Cal Wells. Our logical next phase was to bring in race and championship winning crew chiefs to lead our teams. And we have done that with the addition of Paul Andrews, Bill Pappas and Ryan Pemberton. The degree of difficulty in our monumental start up in 2007 was evident and standing flat-footed heading into 2008 was not an option for us. I could not be more proud of the recent developments. MWR is here to stay and I think these moves show our commitment to long-term success.”(MWR PR)(12-14-2007)
Reutimann now a team owner: Entering his second full season at NASCAR’s top two levels, #00/#44-David Reutimann will become a team owner in 2008 as his cousin, Wayne Jr., an accomplished USAC and sprint car driver, attempts to switch to stock cars in the ARCA series. Reutimann had hoped to use his contacts to secure his cousin a ride with an existing team in the third-tier series, but said that owners wanted the driver to bring his own sponsor and infrastructure, in essence a $2-million investment. So Reutimann, who finished second in the Busch Series standings this season, took on the chore himself, having purchased three Toyotas from his Michael Waltrip Racing Cup team and plans to attempt eight races with a $35,000 budget. Fifteen thousand of that per-race total will lease engines from Toyota Racing Development. Reutimann’s Nationswide series crew had pledged to help.(St Petersburg Times)(12-13-2007)
Real Estate Developer An Investor in Michael Waltrip Racing: Prominent real estate developer Johnny Harris already swings a big stick in the golf world. Now he wants a piece of the action in the NASCAR garage. Harris recently acquired a stake in Michael Waltrip Racing, his first foray into motorsports. The 60-year-old executive will be part of MWR's six-member board and will advise longtime friend Rob Kauffman, a London-based investor who recently bought half of the race team. Harris paired Kauffman with Waltrip and made an undisclosed investment himself. Kauffman revealed his investment in Waltrip's team [in October] while visiting Charlotte to attend the NASCAR race at Lowe's Motor Speedway. At the time, Harris' involvement was not mentioned. Harris, president of Lincoln Harris, is best known of a substantial portfolio of real estate developments in SouthPark and Ballantyne. He has played a major role in other sports for many years. He's a member of the Carolina Panthers ownership group, serves as president at Quail Hollow Club and has a stake in a Premier League soccer franchise in Glasgow, Scotland. Harris played a major role in the creation of the local PGA Tour event [in Charlotte] and is an influential member at Augusta National Golf Club, home of The Masters.(Charlotte Business Journal)(12-5-2007)
#44 crew chief heads to #24 a car chief: Jason Burdett has left Michael Waltrip Racing, where he served as crew chief for driver #44-Dale Jarrett, to become the car chief for Hendrick Motorsports' #24-Jeff Gordon, a Hendrick spokesman confirmed Wednesday. Burdett worked on the Gordon and Jimmie Johnson teams at Hendrick from 2000-2002 before joining Robert Yates Racing as the car chief for Jarrett. He joined MWR in May 2007 to replace Matt Borland as Jarrett's crew chief for the first-year Nextel Cup team. Burdett replaces Jeff Meendering, who has taken over as crew chief for Petty Enterprises' #43-Bobby Labonte. A replacement for Burdett at MWR has not been named.(SceneDaily.com)(11-28-2007)
Jarrett won't get behind the wheel once he retires: Terry Labonte has done it on occasion. Bill Elliott is doing it now. But don't expect Dale Jarrett to join the on-again, off-again trend of former Nextel Cup champions running one-off races sporadically. "As far as coming back, and people wanting you to get in a race here and there, I just don't see that happening, whatsoever," Jarrett said Friday, just after announcing his pending retirement. Jarrett considers it unfair to the teams attempting to run the entire schedule. "I know what that is like [from experiencing it] this year," Jarrett said. "I didn't want to put someone else in that position. The only thing that would change that would be if UPS came to me and said, 'We need you to run this race.'" So what's next? Jarrett will mentor Michael Waltrip Racing development drivers Josh Wise and Michael McDowell, and said he plans to begin discussions with ESPN about his television future very soon.(ESPN.com)(10-14-2007)
New owner/investor for Waltrip? Official: hearing that in addition to Dale Jarrett's Friday announcement of his retirement and limited schedule for 2008, Michael Waltrip Racing will also introduce David Reutimann as 2008 driver of the UPS Toyota plus MWR will also introduce their new owner/investor.(10-11-2007) UPDATE: Mayfield? Stremme? Jeremy Mayfield's career may have imploded, but he's expected to get a chance to rebuild with Michael Waltrip Racing next season. Sources say Mayfield has agreed to a deal to share the #44 with Dale Jarrett, who will drive a limited schedule in '08. Jarrett will announce his plans for next year at Lowe's on Friday. It's been speculated that Jarrett, who has those six champion's provisionals to guarantee positions on the grid, would start the season and try to get the #44 into the top-35 in the points and then retire. According to sources, if Jarrett can save some of the provisionals by qualifying on time, he would agree to return to use them to get into races if the #44 fell out of the top 35.(Sports Illustrated) BUT: Upon retirement, sources say that Jarrett will continue to expand on his new career in television broadcasting and that David Reutimann, his teammate at Michael Waltrip Racing, will move from the #00 Toyota to Jarrett's # 44. When Reutimann switches cars, sources say that David Stremme will step in to drive the # 00 next season.
(NASCAR.com) However: David Stremme is pretty blunt when he talks about his Sprint Cup prospects for 2008. "I got nothing," Stremme said Thursday night at Lowe's Motor Speedway. "I'm beating on doors trying to find something. We've talked to a few people, but it's tough right now." With most of the Cup rides already filled for next season, Stremme's name has been floated as a candidate for several cars but nothing has materialized. (SceneDaily.com)(10-12-2007) UPDATE 2: Reutimann confirmed Thursday that he'll move from the #00 Toyota into the UPS-sponsored #44 Toyota after the first five races, replacing Dale Jarrett, who is cutting back to a limited schedule. Reutimann said he didn't know what will happen to the #00 team after he moves over but that his understanding was that Waltrip plans to continue running three cars. He said he expects his crew chief, Frank Kerr, and crew will move intact to the #44, but doesn't know for certain that it will work that way.(Tampa Tribune)(10-12-2007) UPDATE 3: David Stremme knows well about the ups and downs of the racing business at NASCAR's top level. "It's funny, one minute you think that you might not have any options. Then the phone rings and someone wants see you" said Stremme. "The good news is that I have a great management team working on my behalf. That allows me to stay focused on running well. We have a pretty good car for Saturday night and I am excited about that. Everything else will fall into place when it's time."(DSR)(10-12-2007) Announcement: Michael Waltrip Racing unveiled the next phase of its accelerated growth, announcing several moves to enhance its future as an elite NASCAR racing organization. Michael Waltrip introduced Robert Kauffman as an equal ownership partner in a newly formed company, Michael Waltrip Racing Holdings, LLC. Kauffman, a founder and managing partner of Fortress Investment Group, will lend financial and business strategy support to MWRH to ensure its growth is both strategic and successful. Kauffman, a long-time racing enthusiast who was born in New York and currently lives in Europe, is pursuing this business opportunity personally, not through Fortress Investment Group. Waltrip also confirmed that MWRH will field three full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup teams and one full-time Nationwide Series effort in 2008, and that rookie David Reutimann has renewed his driving contract to remain in the MWRH stable for the next three years. Waltrip will continue to drive the #55 Toyota Camry sponsored by NAPA Auto Parts. Reutimann will drive the first five races of the 2008 Sprint Cup season in the #00 Toyota Camry before taking over the #44 UPS Toyota Camry starting at Martinsville, Va. Dale Jarrett will drive the #44 UPS Toyota Camry for the first five Sprint Cup races (Daytona International Speedway, California Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway) and will run his final race in May in the Sprint All-Star event at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Reutimann, currently second in Busch Series drivers points, will also drive the #99 Toyota Camry sponsored by Aaron's Sales Lease and Ownership, Best Western and XM Satellite Radio, full-time in the Nationwide Series, running for the championship. As part of the business strategy, MWRH is adding depth to its executive management team. In addition to retaining Ty Norris as its Vice President and General Manager, MWRH announces the hiring of Calvin Wells III as its Executive Vice President of Operations and Larry Johns as its Chief Financial Officer.(Michael Waltrip Racing PR), no word on another driver for the #00 team. Stremme and Mayfield had been rumored. AND:Jarrett to Retire from Full-Time Competition: Dale Jarrett announced he would retire from full-time competition in the Nextel Cup Series at the conclusion of the 2007 season. While Jarrett is retiring from full-time competition, he will compete in six [seven] races during the 2008 season [the Bud Shootout, the first 5 races, and the All-Star race in May]. "This is obviously a decision that required a lot of thought and consideration and it is one of the hardest things I've had to do," said Jarrett. "I've been fortunate to have one of the best NASCAR sponsors in UPS, and I'm first and foremost a competitor. The desire to compete is the reason why I have continued as a driver in the Nextel Cup Series. But I've come to the decision to get out of the racecar and while I'll miss being a driver, I am looking forward to the next phase of my life and career."(Michael Waltrip Racing PR).(10-12-2007)
Waltrip to announce 2008 plans UPDATE 2 Jarrett 6 races in 2008? Michael Waltrip said Saturday at Talladega Superspeedway, that he plans to make an announcement about Michael Waltrip Racing's 2008 plans on Friday, Oct 12th. Waltrip said he know what he wants to announce, but still has a few things to work out this week. When asked about #44-Dale Jarrett and a possible part-time 2008 schedule, Waltrip said Jarrett is can do whatever he wants and the decision is up to Jarrett.(PRN's Garage Pass)(10-6-2007) UPDATE: #44-Dale Jarrett appears to be taking his first steps toward retirement. Jarrett, who has been mulling his racing future and a potential television career with ESPN, said Saturday after qualifying he intends to "race some" next year. Jarrett, who said he will remain with Michael Waltrip Racing, said he will reveal his plans on Thursday and a formal announcement is expected Friday. "I made my decision, [and] I'll tell you the rest Thursday before qualifying [at Lowe's Motor Speedway]," Jarrett said. "Can you hang on for five days? I don't think it's anything that will change the world or anything." Waltrip, pole-sitter for Sunday's UAW-Ford 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, is the owner of the three-car team but said he could not offer more regarding Jarrett's decision. "We'll just have to see," Waltrip said. "I want him to do whatever he wants. He's a legend, he's a champion. I want him to be happy, so whatever it takes to do that. I know we've got something scheduled Friday, [but] we don't know all we're going to say yet. I know I own [the team], but I don't know anything to tell you right now." Meanwhile, in related Michael Waltrip Racing news, driver David Reutimann said he anticipates having his contract worked out within the next few days. "I think we're all in a pretty good place right now," Reutimann said. "We still have some things to work out, some I's to dot and t's to cross, but hopefully we'll have something in the next couple days."(ESPN.com)(10-7-2007) UPDATE 2: #44-Dale Jarrett is leaning toward running just six races next year before stepping out of his car after 23 seasons. Jarrett has been mulling his future for several months and does not plan to drive the car past the March 30 event at Martinsville, according to a person familiar with the 2008 plans at Michael Waltrip Racing told The Associated Press. The person requested anonymity because portions of the deal are still being finalized. Jarrett, the 1999 Cup champion, has a past champion's provisional that can be used six times to ensure him a spot in the field. That will take him up to Martinsville, where he made his first career start in 1984. MWR officials are hopeful Jarrett can use those six events to get the #44 Toyota inside the top 35 in points. The top 35 cars are locked into the field, and MWR's three cars have all been outside the cutoff this season and have struggled to make races. The team currently hopes to replace Jarrett with David Reutimann, who drives the #00 and would pilot it while Jarrett closes out his career. MWR wants to continue racing the #00 after the switch, but the driver [David Stremme is rumored] and sponsor are still being ironed out. Jarrett is expected to ease into the broadcast booth upon retirement. He's done some work for ESPN this season and has thrived in the booth, but stressed that future opportunities did not play into his decision.(Associated Press and Dalejarrett.com)(10-7-2007)
Jarrett Considering Variety of Options for 2008: About two months ago, #44-Dale Jarrett approached officials from his sponsor, UPS, and essentially put his racing future in their hands. Together, they are mulling a number of options, including running a limited schedule next season or, perhaps, leaving the ride. "There's so many [scenarios], we couldn't get into it," Jarrett said Saturday at [Kansas] Speedway. "The only thing I can tell you, it can be anywhere from one to 36 races. The biggest factor, obviously we want to make Michael Waltrip Racing better, [but] the biggest thing, mainly, is what's best for UPS. It would be totally unfair to say they're forcing me to do something because that's not the case whatsoever. I want them to be able to do what's best, and they want me to do what's best. I have a tremendous relationship there. I feel fortunate to have the best sponsor in the business at the end of my career, and I want to do and give them what is best for them and what they deserve." Jarrett has been working television broadcasts with ESPN and ABC, but stressed his potential television career would not be a factor in his decision-making. What he has found this season is that while it has been disappointing not qualifying for races, he has enjoyed his time away from the track. "I have a whole different outlook on things now, I think my mindset is if they tell me that running the Daytona 500 and we do something different from that point, I'd be perfectly happy with that. If they say our program is built around you and our people really want you to run all 36 races, I can do that again, too. I'm happy with all of that." Jarrett said he would have a decision regarding his future within the next couple weeks.(ESPN.com)(9-30-2007)
MWR hires Techincal Director, open to partner: Michael Waltrip hired Dr. Eric Warren as technical director, the first of many moves he hopes will strengthen his three-car team. Warren, who has a Ph.D. in aerospace engineering from North Carolina State University, spent the last five years as technical director at Evernham Motorsports. He was replaced midway through this season as team owner Ray Evernham refocused his energy on building cars to help his slumping team. Warren's hiring fills a role that has been vacant at Michael Waltrip Racing since he began hiring late last season. ``It was a job we wanted to fill when we first started, but we didn't feel like the right person was available to choose from,'' Waltrip told The Associated Press on Monday. ``Eric is a special dude. He'll help us out immensely.'' As more and more team owners take on partners and look at mergers as a prudent way to maintain the company, Waltrip said he's not ruled out taking on investors. But he doesn't want to sell majority ownership of his team, and is only interested in an equal partnership that would allow him to continue the vision he has for MWR. ``I've certainly had a lot of people come to me saying, `We want to invest in you.' But it ends up sounding like they want to take over,'' he said. ``That doesn't interest me. A true partner would interest me -- half you, half me. You have your responsibility and I have mine. There's a lot of people that are interested in our sport, and I'll just hopefully keep improving our product and if someone is interested in being part of it, I'll listen. But for me, today, right now, the right deal hasn't come along.'' Waltrip said he plans to field three Cup cars and a Busch team next season, and has verbal commitments for Jarrett and Reutimann to be behind the wheel. But he acknowledged there are no contracts finalized, but he's moving forward as if all three will be back.(in part from AP/Yahoo Sports)(9-18-207)
Employees and Fans celebrate UPS History: To help celebrate the Centennial anniversary of UPS, driver #44-Dale Jarrett will be pulling double-duty. He will race in Friday night's Busch Series Food City 250. He will then work to earn a spot in the starting grid for Saturday night's Nextel Cup Series Sharpie 500. Each of the two cars that he will race this weekend will be a #44 UPS Toyota Camry and will highlight a commemorative paint scheme designed by Joe Hill, a UPS employee out of the Louisville, KY facility.(UPS Racing), see an image of the scheme on my #44 Team Schemes page.(8-24-2007)
Jarrett and UPS to return in 2008 with MWR: Dale Jarrett is puzzled by reports that he could retire at the end of the season. Not only does he plan to continue racing for Michael Waltrip Racing next season, but he also says that sponsor UPS is solidly on board with the #44 team. He also dismisses talk that longtime Jarrett sponsor UPS is considering leaving the team. While he says the company is asking fair questions and keeping an eye on things, he expresses no concern that the sponsor could bolt at the end of this season. As to his own status, the 50-year-old former champion laughed about reports that he could retire at the end of this year. He says that he knew this was going to be a process of building a team and the he remains committed to just that. He wants to build the team to the level that someone will want to replace him when he does decide to stop driving.(SceneDaily.com)(8-17-2007)
MWR to two teams? to lose UPS? UPDATE both DENIED: Toyota is expected to pair down Michael Waltrip racing from a three-car effort to a two-car squad, shifting some of that support to JGR's three-car team of Kyle Busch, Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin. Dale Jarrett is said to be seriously considering retirement, trading in his helmet for a microphone as a television analyst, which would leave MWR with Michael Waltrip and David Reutimann. There has been talk that UPS, unhappy with the lack of exposure the company has received this year from Jarrett's struggles to make races, is looking at other teams for 2008 sponsorship with Roush Fenway Racing a target, possibly for Greg Biffle's #16 entry.(RacingOne)(8-8-2007) UPDATE: on Wednesday's NASCAR Now [ESPN2] Angelique Chengelis reported that Michael Waltrip Racing's Ty Norris said there was absolutely no morsel of truth to the rumor about MWR scaling back to two teams or Dale Jarrett leaving, plus Norris was at a UPS Sponsor summit and that UPS says things are going well.(8-9-2007)
"Design Dale’s New Ride" Coloring Contest Winner: Twelve-year-old Vincent Giacalone from Emerson, NJ took the "championship cup" in The UPS Store "Design Dale’s New Ride" coloring contest. Dale Jarrett plans to race the special paint scheme for the 2007 The UPS Store/Toys for Tots #44 Camry on October 28 in Atlanta to kick off The UPS Store/Toys for Tots 2007 fund-raising campaign. The "Design Dale’s New Ride" coloring contest offered kids ages 5-to-12 a chance to design this year’s The UPS Store/Toys for Tots #44 Camry. Vincent’s entry was chosen as one of the 10 semi-finalists out of more than 1,500 submissions. Then from April 30 – May 18, the public had the opportunity to vote online for their favorite design and chose Vincent’s design as the winner. As part of his prize package, Vincent will receive a trip for three to watch the October 28 race in Atlanta; a custom-fit, autographed racing suit to match the one Dale will wear; and other prizes. As a national Toys for Tots sponsor since 2005, The UPS Store and Mail Boxes Etc. network has raised more than $1 million for the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. These monies helped the organization deliver more than 37.6 million toys, books and other gifts to more than 15 million children.(UPS Store), see an image of the winning car on the #44 Team Schemes page.(6-23-2007)
Jarrett could leave MWR? UPDATE 2: XM Radio reported on Sunday that #44-Dale Jarrett, Michael Waltrip Racing and Toyota were re-evaluating Jarrett’s future with the team and could release him outright or sending him to a different Toyota team, either a current team or one that could switch to Toyota next season.(Ford Racing site) UPDATE: the Ford Racing site had the above posted, but removed it without explanation or update for a bad rumor, supposedly XMRadio said it was never aired. and now it is back [on 6-12-2007] but reworded as: According to sources Dale Jarrett, Michael Waltrip Racing and Toyota were re-evaluating Jarrett’s future with the team and could release him outright or sending him to a different Toyota team, either a current team or one that could switch to Toyota next season.(6-11-2007) UPDATE 2: Michael Waltrip failed to qualify at Pocono, making it 12 DNQs in 14 races this season, and adding more fuel to the fires of speculation surrounding his team. Unconfirmed reports continue to circulate about Waltrip refunding between $300,000 and $400,000 per missed race to his sponsor, NAPA Auto Parts, and about the unhappiness of Dale Jarrett’s sponsor, UPS. Jarrett also failed to make Sunday’s race -- his third DNQ in the last five events -- and there is talk in the Nextel Cup garage that he could be released by MWR, or moved to another operation. As a team, Waltrip, Jarrett and rookie David Reutimann have qualified just 22 times in 42 attempts this season.(Motorsports Soapbox/Dave Moody)(6-12-2007)
Waltrip's Raceworld opens: Michael Waltrip Racing’s ‘Raceworld USA’ opened to the public on Wed., May 16, in time for race weeks at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. The 140,000 square-foot facility encompasses more than 11 acres and houses the world’s first interactive fan destination race shop accessible to the public. The facility is located off I-77 at exit 28 in Cornelius.(Toyota PR)(5-17-2007)
Borland released by MWR #44 team UPDATE 3 Evernham?: Michael Waltrip Racing and #44-Dale Jarrett's crew chief Matt Borland have parted ways. "Dale Jarrett wasn't happy, UPS wasn't happy, and we had to do something immediately," Waltrip said. "Originally, we had hoped that Matt Borland would take the role as the technical director, but he wasn't ready to come off the road. We need a technical director down the road, but it wasn't going to help us this weekend." Jason Burdett, formerly the co-crew chief of the #88 car at Robert Yates Racing, left Yates on Wednesday and will eventually be the #44 crew chief. Waltrip wanted to give Burdett time to get acclimated to the system at Michael Waltrip Racing before he jumped into that role. Burdett worked with Jarrett last year. This weekend at Richmond, Derrick Finley will be the #44 crew chief. Finley started the season at Bill Davis Racing as the crew chief on Jeremy Mayfield's #36 car. After leaving BDR, he became the crew chief and then lead engineer on Waltrip's #55 car and is already familiar with the operations at MWR.(FoxSports)(5-3-2007) UPDATE: Michael Waltrip announced today the addition of Jason Burdett to Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR). Effective immediately, Burdett joins MWR to serve as crew chief for the #44 UPS Team. Matt Borland, who had been serving as the crew chief for the #44 UPS Team, was offered the position of technical director – a move scheduled to take place during the course of the next two seasons. However, Borland declined the move. Burdett’s tenure with MWR started on Wednesday and he will be serving as crew chief for the No. 44 UPS Team beginning this weekend at Richmond International Raceway.(MWR site) AND, hearing Borland could end up at Evernham Motorsports in some capacity.(5-4-2007) UPDATE 2: SPEED's Bob Dilner reported that Evernham Motorsports officials said they have not talked to Borland at all.(SPEED's practice coverage)(5-4-2007) UPDATE 3: Evernham Motorsports has an interest in hiring Matt Borland, who was released as the crew chief for Michael Waltrip Racing. Team owner Ray Evernham said on Monday that members of his organization have talked to Borland, who helped Ryan Newman win a series-best eight races in 2003, about a role with the company. Evernham said he needed to find out if Borland wants to remain a crew chief or work strictly as an engineer. Borland turned down an offer to remain the technical director at MWR. Evernham doesn't have a crew chief opening, but he is concerned with the recent performance of the #19 team of driver Elliott Sadler and crew chief Josh Browne. "We've got to change something," Evernham said. "As for Matt, I don't know where he would fit in here. Others are interested in him and I don't want to get into a bidding war for him. Matt's a sharp guy and he would add depth to our organization, which we really need right now. But he's got to want to work here."(ESPN.com)(5-8-2007)
Special UPS scheme for Jarrett at Bristol: UPS unveiled a special paint scheme for the #44 UPS Toyota Camry honoring the company's 100th anniversary and identified the UPS employee who designed it through a special contest. Joe Hill, a field support technician at UPS Worldport here [Louisville, KY], was named the winner of the paint scheme contest. Hill will have the opportunity to watch Dale Jarrett race the #44 UPS Centennial Toyota in person when the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series visits Bristol Motor Speedway on Aug. 25 for the Sharpie 500.(UPS Racing site)(4-18-2007)
Dale Jarrett to Make Debut as ESPN NASCAR Analyst at Texas: Dale Jarrett will begin the transition to what may be the next phase of his career this weekend when he joins ESPN2 as booth analyst for live coverage of Saturday’s Busch race at Texas. Jarrett will appear on 10 of this season’s Busch telecasts while continuing to race fulltime in the Nextel Cup Series. Jarrett has indicated that 2008 will be his last year of driving and has hinted that a more expanded television presence may be in his future. “Over the last few years, TV was something that I have taken more interest in and looked more at because I want to stay involved in the sport,” he said. “This is the perfect chance that ESPN is offering me to see if it’s something that I really want to do and want to look at after 2008 to do maybe closer to full time. And to find out if it’s something I can do and if ESPN would be interested in having me.”(ESPN PR)(4-9-2007)
The UPS Store is kicking off its third annual Toys for Tots campaign and celebrating Dale Jarrett's new racing team and car with the "Design Dale's New Ride" coloring contest. The contest, which launched recently and runs through March 31, gives kids a chance to design this year's The UPS Store/Toys for Tots #44 Camry, which Jarrett will race October 28 in Atlanta. Now through March 31, children may pick up a copy of the coloring contest template at participating The UPS Store locations or by logging on to www.theupsstore.com. Then from April 30 to May 18, the public will have its chance to vote for its favorite design online at www.theupsstore.com. The public vote will determine this year's winner.(PR)(3-5-2007)
Jarrett and UPS to make announcement UPDATE: #44-Dale Jarrett and UPS will be making a special announcement regarding a special program taking place in conjunction with the 133rd Kentucky Derby. The announcement will take place at California Speedway on Saturday, February 24.(UPS Racing PR)(2-22-2007) UPDATE: Churchill Downs and UPS are teaming up to bring the horsepower of the Kentucky Derby to NASCAR, as the two companies today unveiled a special Kentucky Derby 133 paint scheme that will be featured on the #44 UPS Toyota Camry driven by champion Dale Jarrett as he competes in the Nextel Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway on April 29. The unveiling also launched the “Off to the Races delivered by UPS Sweepstakes,” an online contest that will provide one lucky fan with two tickets to the race at Talladega and the 133rd running of the Kentucky Derby to be held at Churchill Downs on Saturday, May 5. The prize package, which combines the excitement of NASCAR’s premiere series with one of the most prestigious events in Thoroughbred racing, will also include round-trip airfare for two, accommodations and ground transportation at both events. A special meet-and-greet with Dale Jarrett at Talladega will also be featured as part of the exciting prize package. Thoroughbred racing and NASCAR will also combine during Kentucky Derby Week, as Churchill Downs hosts a special appearance by Jarrett on Wednesday, May 2. The Kentucky Derby-themed #44 UPS Toyota Camry will also be on display at the racetrack. Information about Churchill Downs can be found on the Internet at www.churchilldowns.com.(Businesswire.com), see image on my #44 Team Schemes page.(2-24-2007)
Dow Automotive to be a major assoc sposnor for the #44: Dow Automotive, a major technology and solutions provider to the global auto industry, announced a multi-year marketing partnership with Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR). Dow Automotive will become a prominent associate sponsor Dale Jarrett and the #44 UPS Toyota Camry team. "Dow Automotive’s involvement with NASCAR has been developed to help provide excellent safety solutions to the Car of Tomorrow program," said George Hamilton, president of Dow Automotive. "Michael Waltrip and Dale Jarrett are two people who believe in this approach, and we are delighted to form a partnership to help us highlight this work. Of course, it’s great to be associated with two winners and the entire Michael Waltrip Racing organization - a team dedicated to the same performance success as we are." The marketing partnership with MWR and Jarrett is a natural follow-up to Dow Automotive’s new three-year technical partnership agreement with NASCAR. Dow Automotive will become the sole provider of energy absorbing foam solutions beginning with the Car of Tomorrow program being initiated at 16 events in 2007. Every car will be using Dow Automotive’s patented IMPAXX energy absorbing foam at these races.(MWR PR)(2-4-2007)
Borland: Staying at Penske South wasn't an option: UPDATE: Crew chief Matt Borland and driver #44-Dale Jarrett discovered they had something in common after Tuesday's initial get-to-know-you meeting at Michael Waltrip Racing. Both left the four-hour session feeling they had something to prove after a 2006 season in which the struggles of their former teams led to their partnership. Borland didn't sound at all like somebody ready to give up on his job as crew chief for #12-Ryan Newman to join a new organization. He stopped short of saying he was the scapegoat for what was Newman's worst season since he ran his first full Nextel Cup schedule in 2002. "I didn't really decide I needed a change," said Borland, who was named Jarrett's crew chief Friday. "Let's just say it was a mutual ... umm ... it was the best thing for all parties concerned." Borland was replaced for the final two races by Mike Nelson, who has since been named Newman's crew chief for '07. At the time Penske officials said Borland asked for a leave of absence to spend more time with his family. Newman said he hoped Borland would stay on in another capacity such as director of team competition. "It wasn't necessarily an option," he said.(ESPN.com)(12-13-2006) UPDATE: #12-Ryan Newman may have struggled through the 2006 Nextel Cup campaign, but he doesn't fault his friend and now former crew chief Matt Borland, who's landed a new job with Michael Waltrip Racing and #44-Dale Jarrett. Newman is clearly unhappy his car owner Roger Penske apparently forced Borland to leave. "It´s difficult for me. When you´ve got a guy that´s your crew chief and your best man and they don´t offer him a position that he´s fully capable of ...it´s not the way I thought things were run." "It´s kind of a difficult situation to explain on the radio, but I´ll definitely miss Matt and I know that he still wants to be a part of the team in a round about way but he was kind of run off." As for what Newman has to say about his new crew chief Michael Nelson, who used to be the team engineer for the Alltel Dodge.."I think Mike will do a good job, but we´ve got parts and pieces we´ve got to build to make the race cars faster. Changing people isn´t the final answer on making the race car go faster."(PRN's Garage Pass Radio Show)(12-14-2006)
Borland, Carter, Hyder named crew chiefs at Michael Waltrip Racing: Michael Waltrip Racing announced today that Matt Borland, Larry Carter and David Hyder have been named crew chiefs of the organization for the 2007 Nextel Cup Series season. Borland has been designated as crew chief of the #44 UPS Toyota with former champion Dale Jarrett. Carter will reside as crew chief of the #00 Toyota co-sponsored by Burger King and Domino's Pizza driver David Reutimann. Michael Waltrip has assigned Hyder as crew chief of his #55 NAPA Toyota. “We are pleased to announce our crew chiefs today,” Waltrip said. “We concentrated on pairing personalities to find the perfect qualified individuals for each position. Matt is a proven winner and we’re proud to have him steering the #44 UPS Toyota team. I’ve known David for a while and look forward to him leading the NAPA team. I love his enthusiasm and the
way he thinks. Obviously, Larry was vitally important in building our teams and I know he will be instrumental in building David Reutimann’s future while driving his Toyota co-sponsored by Burger King and Domino's Pizza. We are fortunate to have all three of them under one roof.”
Borland led #12-Ryan Newman to 12 wins, 37 poles, 54 top-fives, 83 top-10s in 186 Nextel Cup Series starts. The 35-year-old joined Penske Racing South in November 1999 originally as an engineer. In 2001, Borland was then instrumental in his driver’s success as he participated in a combination schedule in the ARCA, Busch Series and Nextel Cup Series. Borland looked on as Newman amassed eight poles, two wins, five top-fives and 11 top-10 finishes. In Borland’s first full-time season in the Nextel Cup Series as a crew chief, he claimed one win, six pole awards, 14 top-five and 22 top-10s. Borland, also received trophies from winning The Winston and his driver clinched the Raybestos Rookie of the Year title and finished sixth in the championship standings. After years of success with Penske Racing South, Borland makes the move to Michael Waltrip Racing. “I’m looking forward to making a new home at Michael Waltrip Racing and working with Dale Jarrett,” Borland said. “Dale is a champion and he has a ton of respect in the garage. He’s obviously proven himself as a driver. Also, Toyota will be great to work with. I think Toyota is one of the most technologically advanced manufacturers.”
There are a lot of smart, innovative individuals in the Nextel Cup Series and I am thrilled that Michael Waltrip Racing was able to secure one of the best in Matt Borland,” Jarrett said. “He's obviously had a lot of success in the few years he's been in this position. I think Christmas came a little early for Michael Waltrip Racing and myself. This announcement just adds to my excitement about 2007. I think he'll truly be a valuable asset to this #44 UPS Toyota team and will complement Michael Waltrip Racing as a whole.”
“Dale expressed his ideal crew chief was someone like Matt Borland,” Waltrip added. “We were actually able to deliver Matt Borland.
Matt’s spirit and determination will permeate throughout our shop.”
Carter aligned with Michael Waltrip Racing after a successful stint as Rusty Wallace’s crew chief at Penske Racing South. Joining Penske in 2004, Carter led Wallace to his 55th career victory in April of that year at Martinsville Speedway, snapping a 105-race winless streak for Wallace. It was only his 10th race with Wallace, whose last Nextel Cup Series win was in 2001 at California Speedway. Carter has been an integral part of Michael Waltrip Racing’s growth. “We’ve set some realistic goals and assembled a solid
team,” Carter said. “ David Reutimann is very talented and we’re going to have a lot of fun working with him. He’s been fast at all the tests and I think he’ll do well next year. Fortunately, we were able to run five races last season with Bill Elliott to help prepare us for 2007.”
“I’ve known of Larry for years, but I’ve just recently got to know him,” Reutimann said. “I’m real happy to have him in my corner. I needed a veteran crew chief to help me through everything I will experience as a rookie. We get along great and I know we will have success together.”
“David’s plate will be full this year and Larry’s extensive experience and knowledge of the sport will help David in his first year as a Nextel Cup Series competitor,” Waltrip added. He will be able to help David’s rookie season run smoothly.”
Hyder brings a different aspect to MichaelWaltrip Racing with having nearly 20 years of experience as a Late Model driver with close to 100 victories. In 1999, he stopped driving and building his own cars and joined Petty Enterprises as a mechanic. Almost three years later, he became a car chief for the Petty’s in the Nextel Cup Series. At the end of the 2004 season, he transitioned from being a car chief at Petty Enterprises to becoming a crew chief at BAM Racing with driver Ken Schrader. In 2006, Hyder was named crew chief of the #21 Nextel Cup Series entry at Wood Brothers. Midseason, the High Point-N.C. native returned to BAM Racing. Waltrip approached Hyder not long after. “Michael has the same mentality as other drivers I’ve worked with,” Hyder said. “Michael approached me at the end of the 2006 season and asked me what I was going to do the next season. He gauged my interest in being his crew chief. I got really excited about everything he has planned for his race team and I accepted.” “David was someone that I was interested in from the beginning because he speaks my language,” Waltrip said. “He’s someone that has built and raced cars his whole life. He has a respect and knowledge for engineering, which coupled with Borland’s engineering background, we hope to continue our creation of a strong team atmosphere.”(MWR PR)(12-8-2006)
Final start in the #88 for Jarrett; then surgery next week: Dale Jarrett will be making his final start for Robert Yates Racing in the #88 UPS Ford this Sunday at Homestead. Jarrett’s best finish at Homestead is a fifth-place finish – scored during his championship winning season of 1999. Only seven Nextel Cup Series events have been run at Homestead and Jarrett has been running at the conclusion of all seven races. He has completed 1,856 of the 1,873 laps run at Homestead for a lap completion rate of 99%. Following the season finale in Homestead, Jarrett will travel to Baltimore, Md., where he is scheduled to have surgery on his left hand on Tuesday, November 21. Jarrett suffered a slight fracture in his left hand as a result of the accident he was in at Infineon Raceway in June. His hand has never healed correctly and he will be having corrective surgery next week.(RYR PR)(11-15-2006)
New Jarrett/UPS Car Number to be announced UPDATE 2 will be #44, see images: What number will Dale Jarrett’s UPS Toyota Camry carry during the 2007 Nextel Cup Series season? That question will be answered Friday, October 20th at 10:00am/et, on the UPS Racing web site, www.racing.ups.com. The UPS Racing program will have a new home, new manufacturer and new look for the 2007 season. It was announced in July that UPS will join driver Dale Jarrett at Michael Waltrip Racing, adorning the hood of a Nextel Cup Series Toyota Camry beginning at Daytona International Speedway in February. The number of that car, along with the paint scheme, will be unveiled at www.racing.ups.com this Friday.(PR), rumored car numbers are #44 and #50.(10-19-2006) UPDATE: the number will be #44 and some images have filtered out. To see images of the scheme, see my 2007 Cup Schemes page.(10-20-2006) UPDATE 2: A new team, a new manufacturer and a new car number equate to a fresh new look for UPS Racing in 2007. The upcoming season of competition in the Nextel Cup Series will be the start of a new chapter in the book of UPS Racing and driver Dale Jarrett. The #44 UPS Toyota Camry will debut in the Budweiser Shootout in February. The car will break out with a splash with a new paint scheme designed for the 2007 season and UPS's maiden voyage with Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR). The most obvious change is the new number - #44 - adorning Dale Jarrett's UPS ride. In most cases, a new team means a new number. In this case, the management of MWR wished to create symmetry with its three cars, as Jarrett's teammates will compete with double digit numbers as well. Michael Waltrip will drive the #55 NAPA Camry and Nextel Cup Series rookie contender David Reutimann will drive the #00 car sponsored by Domino's and Burger King. Present on the UPS Camry are the everlasting colors of brown, white and gold as well as the now familiar red and orange that have come to be a part of the UPS paint schemes during the course of the last couple NASCAR seasons. The design features lightning bolts that start at the nose of the car, jolt along the passenger and driver sides of the car and continue to the rear quarter panels. The lightning bolts stretch from the inside corner of each headlight sticker and continue beyond the wheel well on both sides of the car. A total of four lightning bolts hug the sides of the UPS Camry - each a different color of gold, red, brown and orange. The #44 is planted at the forefront of the lightning bolts in the same UPS orange color used in the orange lightning bolt. The result is an eye-catching transition of color that creates the illusion of speed. And speed on the track is just what Dale Jarrett hopes to generate in his #44 UPS Toyota Camry in 2007.(UPS Site), to see images of the scheme, see my 2007 Cup Schemes page.(10-20-2006)
WIth the loss of UPS, what is up with RYR? Leicht? Ward? Tide? UPDATE Tide gone?: [#88 Team Owner Robert] Yates made it clear he has no ill feelings toward the UPS executives who opted to make the move [to Waltrip and leaving RYR]. He placed blame on himself for allowing the team's performance to decline the past few years. Yates, though, is optimistic things will turn around soon and still envisions a scenario in which Robert Yates Racing fields four Cup teams next year. First, though, he must find a driver and sponsor for Jarrett's #88 Ford. A leading candidate on the sponsorship front is CitiFinancial, which sponsors RYR's Busch Series team. Stephen Leicht could move into that seat as well. "We think enough of him and we feel like with enough effort this year and energy put forth, I think he'll be able to drive this Cup car very easily," said Yates, adding that Leicht could make a few Nextel Cup starts later this season. Ward Burton's name has also been linked to RYR and the owner said that's a possibility. If CitiFinancial were to move up to replace UPS, and Burton brought a sponsor with him, that would give Yates at least a three-car program for next year. "We certainly have room. He's talking to some really good sponsors and if they want to jump in and do something, I think that's a good package," Yates said of Burton. "If somebody believes in Ward, and Ward believes in them and he believes in us, I think that that would fill out 25 percent of our deal." While there is still speculation #38-Elliott Sadler [the other Yates driver] could opt to move elsewhere for next year, Yates said his goal is to make the team so attractive that Sadler wouldn't consider leaving.(SceneDaily.com) AND Citi Financial, which sponsors Yates's Busch efforts, may be ready for a major role, Doug Yates said. He also noted that Tide, which has backed Cal Wells's team since 2000, will be contractually free after this season and may be available.(Speed Channel)(7-8-2006) UPDATE: hearing Tide will NOT being going to RYR as a sponsor and will NOT be back as a full primary sponsor in 2007 on any Nextel Cup team, currently Tide sponsors the #32 PPI Motorsports Chevy that Travis Kvapil drives.(7-9-2006)
Latest on UPS UPDATE 2 Official to MWR: looks like after all the runors that have been floating with UPS [#9-Kahne, #19-Mayfield, #16-Biffle, #88-RYR] that UPS will announced this weekend in Chicago that is will stay with Dale Jarrett and move to the Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota Jarrett will drive in 2007 and leave the #88 RYR Ford.(7-4-2006) UPDATE: there is a scheduled UPS Racing Announcement on Friday, July 7, 2006 at Chicagoland Speedway.(PR)(7-6-2006) UPDATE 2: UPS announced a two-year agreement with Michael Waltrip Racing to sponsor driver Dale Jarrett in a Toyota Camry for the 2007 and 2008 seasons of the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. The announcement at the Chicagoland Speedway comes after Jarrett agreed earlier this year to move to the Waltrip organization and race a Camry starting with the 2007 Daytona 500. "Dale Jarrett has been an outstanding ambassador for the UPS brand both on and off the track and we expect more great things to come as we join him at Michael Waltrip Racing as the sponsor of his Toyota Camry," said Patrick Guilbert, vice president of sponsorships for UPS. "Since our relationship with Dale began in 2001, his contributions have helped UPS build a powerful sponsorship program that resonates with our employees, customers and NASCAR fans alike." The decision to join Michael Waltrip Racing places UPS among the first sponsors to adorn a Toyota Camry in 2007, which is the manufacturer's inaugural season in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series.
"The UPS name also is synonymous with speed and that's what Michael Waltrip Racing intends to deliver to UPS and Dale with the new UPS Toyota Camry," said owner Michael Waltrip. "From a business perspective, the addition of UPS expands our resources, which enables us to build the best teams and in turn grow our organization at a pace that will enhance our ability to win races." UPS will continue its sponsorship of Dale Jarrett and Robert Yates Racing through the 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series season.(UPS Site)(7-7-2006)
Jarrett has fractured hand: #88-Dale Jarrett traveled to Daytona a little worse for the wear after injuring his hand in the accident that took him out of the race at Infineon Raceway last weekend. Jarrett was diagnosed with a fractured left hand on Thursday evening at Daytona in addition to a stretched ligament. A good qualifying effort [7th] however, did a lot to help ease the ache. "Yeah, a good race car kind of makes you forget about your aches and pains," Jarrett laughed after his qualifying run.(UPS Racing site)(7-1-2006)
The UPS Saga...up-in-the-air UPDATE 7 - denied to Roush: hearing UPS will leave the #88 Robert Yates Racing team and go to the #9 Evernham Dodge with driver Kasey Kahne.(6-8-2006) UPDATE: On the sponsor front, sources in the garage indicate that UPS will be moving from #88 Robert Yates Racing to one of two teams in 2007, either the #9 Evernham Motorsports Dodge driven by Kasey Kahne or the #16 Roush Racing Ford driven by Greg Biffle.(Speed Channel)(6-10-2006) UPDATE 2: It appears UPS is still in play as a major sponsor. In the past two years the winner in the sponsor hunt has been Evernham Motorsports. UPS may add itself to the list of Evernham conquests signing as the primary sponsor of the #9 Dodge driven by Kasey Kahne. Then again, it is said the Dodge Dealers aren't willing to vacate their position on Kahne's ride. The dealers might be willing to let loose of the #19 driven by Jeremy Mayfield. However, it’s not clear Mayfield would be the driver of choice for UPS.(Circletrackplus.com)(6-11-2006) UPDATE 3 - to #16? hearing that UPS is going to be on the #16 Roush Racing Ford with driver Greg Biffle in 2007.(6-20-2006) UPDATE 4: hearing the announcement of where the UPS sponsorship will go, could be as soon as Friday, June 23rd or at sometime this weekend in Sonoma.(6-21-2006) UPDATE 5: folks at Roush Racing have denied that UPS will sponsor any of their teams in 2007.(6-21-2006) ANOTHER UPDATE: Car owner Ray Evernham had until last Friday to convince Dodge officials to allow UPS to sponsor Kasey Kahne's Dodge next year, and apparently he couldn't do it. That means UPS will sponsor Greg Biffle's Ford next year.(Augusta Chronicle)(6-22-2006)
UPDATE 7 More on UPS: Roush denies again: Roush Racing has not talked with UPS about sponsoring one of its cars next season, a team official said Friday. With UPS still not under contract for 2007, several teams have been mentioned as candidates for the sponsor if it opts not to stay with Robert Yates Racing. Roush Racing and its No. 16 Nextel Cup car with driver Greg Biffle have been rumored as a possible destination for UPS. "I don't know where the rumors are coming from," said Torrey Galida, senior vice president for marketing at Roush Racing, prior to Nextel Cup practice at Infineon Raceway Friday. "We have not spoken." Roush and RYR develop engines together, and Roush-Yates engines power all of the Fords in the garage. "We have a pretty firm understanding with Robert Yates that we would not engage one another's sponsors," Galida said. Galida said Roush Racing has all of its sponsorships solidified for next season except for the National Guard, which is on a year-to-year contract [which is the case with all the military sponsors] on Biffle's car. He said the National Guard is a full-season deal, but the National Guard sells off some of the races to other companies. (SceneDaily.com)(6-24-2006)
Jarrett spotting for Jarrett: been told that Jason Jarrett, son of #88-Dale Jarrett. will spot for Dale this weekend at Dover and possibly for the rest of the season. Jarrett lost his regular spotter Eddie D'Hondt after Darlington when D'Hondt was released by Robert Yates Racing as the Team Manager. Last week at Charlotte, Jarrett and the replacement spotter had a mis-communication which lead in part to Jarrett's lap one wreck with #7-Robby Gordon.(6-2-2006)
UPS Undecided on future, either RYR or MWR; Bill Elliott to Yates?: With sponsor UPS suddenly NASCAR's top free agent, at least two teams' immediate futures appear to hang in the balance. Robert Yates Racing, which loses Jarrett's services at season's end, can't pick a replacement until it learns if UPS will remain. And if UPS opts to follow Jarrett to Michael Waltrip Racing, that operation would field three Toyotas instead of two next season. The one certainty is that Jarrett's move, formally announced May 13, leaves owner Robert Yates facing a scenario he thought was two years off. Expecting Jarrett to finish his career with the team in 2008, RYR began grooming Stephen Leicht and Matt McCall as possible replacements this season.
While the sponsor, be it UPS, Busch Series sponsor CitiFinancial or another entity, will play a role in selecting Jarrett's replacement, Yates says a veteran could figure in the mix. The question is whether the veteran would drive the full year or split time with one or two younger drivers as Yates works toward a permanent replacement. Team Manager Eddie D'Hondt said Bill Elliott could be the veteran if that plan is followed. Waltrip said he has sponsorship secured for two cars and has talked with UPS. If the company comes aboard, he'd gladly field three teams next year. In a statement, Peggy Gardner, UPS Spokesperson, said the company "is excited about its continuing role in NASCAR," but that its policy is not to comment about "our future plans or sponsorships."(SceneDaily,com)(5-17-2006)
UPS? What is up with their plans: UPS was not involved as Michael Waltrip announced to the racing world the signing of Dale Jarrett to drive an as yet un-numbered Toyota Camry in 2007 and 2008. Adding mystery to revelation, Waltrip had to correct himself after first answering questions concerning UPS. "Our teams have sponsorship for our cars in'07 and '08, beyond that anyone in the garage area would be proud to UPS as a sponsor of their car. This isn't about UPS. This is about Michael Waltrip signing Dale Jarrett to drive our cars. We have a sponsor for my car. We have a sponsor for Dale's car." That is where Waltrip stumbled. A misstep he corrected at the first opportunity. "We have sponsorship for my car. We have sponsorship for a second car. I said Dale's car and I didn't mean that," Waltrip explained. Is there a third car in the works or has Waltrip been lucky enough to sign a sponsor who would love to have Jarrett as their driver but is willing to accept another driver should UPS make the decision to sign with Michael Waltrip Racing? Waltrip has entered into a five-race agreement with Burger King and driver Bill Elliott for 2006, which might be a precursor to a full deal with either Jarrett or another drive in '07. Jarrett just might be the next Burger King on the racetrack, or maybe Waltrip is trying to lure Joe Nemechek, the first driver to campaign full time on the NEXTEL circuit for the chain into the Toyota fold. While Toyota has talked of not going beyond the three organizations they've already announced, Bill Davis, Red Bull and Michael Waltrip Racing there has been nothing said that limits the number of cars each organization might run on the track. The only limit is the four-car limit imposed by NASCAR. "NASCAR's pretty much said you need four," interjected Jarrett, when the possibility of a third car was raised. "That's the business model they've created. Obviously, we're smart enough to see that if we had four teams we could operate more efficiently. We've e two teams sponsored. We have two drivers. We might have another. We might not. I don't know. That's the truth and that's as fair as I can say it."(CircleTrackPlus.com)(5-14-2006)
Jarrett announcement this weekend? OFFICAL Jarrett to Waltrip/Toyota: hearing that #88-Dale Jarrett could make his announcement going to Toyota/Michael Waltrip Racing as soon as this weekend at Darlington Raceway. Waltrip is scheduled to make a live announcement on Speed Channel's NASCAR Live, Saturday, May 13th at 12:30pm/et...maybe....(5-12-2006) OFFICIAL: it was announced on Speed Channel's NASCAR Live at 12:32pm/et that Dale Jarrett, current driver of the #88 UPS Ford for Robert Yates Racing will drive a Toyota for Michael Waltrip Racing in 2007, no word on sponsor, car number, etc. AND see a transcript of the announcement at FoxSports.com: SPEED Q&A: Waltrip's Toyota team signs Jarrett to two-year deal UPDATE: Michael Waltrip, owner of Michael Waltrip Racing, Incorporated, announced today that former NASCAR champion and three-time Daytona 500 winner, Dale Jarrett, is joining the organization to drive the team's second Toyota entry in the NASCAR
NEXTEL Cup Series beginning in 2007. "When we began building Michael Waltrip Racing, I knew the key to success was bringing in quality people," Waltrip explained. "Ty Norris has been instrumental on the business side, just as Larry Carter and Bobby Kennedy have been on the competition side. By hiring Dale, we have yet another example of the importance we are placing on securing
first-rate individuals for our program."
"Dale's resume speaks for itself," continued Waltrip. "To have a NASCAR champion on our team is another significant piece of the puzzle that pulls together our vision. I know his knowledge and experience will be invaluable for a start-up team with a new manufacturer and will allow our organization to grow and succeed at a faster pace." Jarrett is a well-known veteran of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series. He established himself as a perennial championship contender in the mid-90s, finishing in the top-10 in championship points for seven consecutive seasons and winning the series title in 1999. Jarrett has 32 career NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series victories, including the aforementioned three Daytona 500 wins and two in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. His resume also includes being named to NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers list.
"My tenure at Robert Yates Racing has been extremely important to me, my family and my career," Jarrett said. "We accomplished a lot together during the past 12 years and I am thankful to Robert and everyone at RYR and Ford Motor Company for the opportunities they afforded me and the success we have all shared. This was a very difficult decision. I feel this is a great opportunity for me to take on a new challenge and what they are building at Michael Waltrip Racing fits my plans for the future."
"My decision to join Michael Waltrip Racing is based solely on a competitor's perspective," Jarrett continued. "What Michael has pulled together is impressive and I want to be a part of it. The Daytona 500 might seem far away, but for a race team it is right around the corner. Michael's team is building cars now, their core management team is in place, the competition department is established and sponsors are locked up. From that perspective, it doesn't feel like I am going to a brand new team."
"Toyota's strategic entry into NASCAR has been equally impressive," said Jarrett. "The mark they have made in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in the last three years is reason enough to want to be part of their entrance into the Cup Series." Waltrip is the first of the three Toyota team owners to solidify their 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series drivers.(MWR PR)(5-13-2006)
Ford furious with Jarrett's defection: Ford officials are none too pleased with the apparent loss of Dale Jarrett, who will announce his decision to join Michael Waltrip Racing later this weekend (live on SPEED, Saturday at 12:00pm/et). All but two of Jarrett's 32 career Cup wins have come behind the wheel of a blue-ovaled automobile, as did his 1999 Winston Cup title. In addition, Jarrett's father, Ned, won both of his Cup titles as a Ford factory driver, and Dale Jarrett Ford is one of the largest Ford dealerships in the country, located in Monroe, NC about one hour north of Darlington. Priority number one for the suits in Dearborn? Making sure the rest of their camp stay put, in particular Jarrett's current teammate Elliott Sadler.(FoxSports), actually Ned Jarrett drove a Chevy for most of the 1961 season when he won his first championship.(5-13-2006)
Jarrett plans to retire after 2008 season, stay with Yates: #88-Dale Jarrett said Friday that his tentative plan is to remain with Robert Yates Racing through the end of the 2008 season and then retire. “Things are pretty good that I’ll be where I’m at through that time,” Jarrett said Friday during a rain delay at Bristol Motor Speedway. “I don’t want to overstay my welcome here … trying to extend any longer than that would be taking a chance as far as my competitive spirit and my body holding up.” Jarrett said he was unlikely he would follow the lead of Bill Elliott and Terry Labonte and driver part-time after stepping away from his full-time ride.(Speed Channel) AND Dale Jarrett reaffirmed his plan to race through the 2008 season but revealed there's a chance he could finish his NASCAR career outside Robert Yates Racing. "Some of the other offers coming my way have kind of a two-year deal, so that's when I started looking at (2008)," said Jarrett, whose contract is up at the end of the season with Yates, his home since 1995. "I think the high probability is that I'll be right where I'm at." The 1999 champion hopes to settle on his future by the end of May.(USA Today)(3-25-2006)
