Michael Waltrip Racing - Las Vegas - Post Race Report

• David Reutimann, No. 00 TUMS Toyota Camry - Finished 13th - now ninth in points.


• Martin Truex Jr., No. 56 NAPAGold Filters Toyota Camry - Finished 20th - now 21st in points.

David Reutimann Race Summary: David Reutimann continued his exciting start to the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup season posting a 13th-place finish Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Added to his fifth and 15th-place finishes in the first two races, today’s finish moves the Michael Waltrip Racing driver to ninth in the 2010 points race. The TUMS Toyota never ventured far outside the top 15 throughout the 267-lap race on the 1.5-mile oval. A blazing pace set by the leaders saw Reutimann fall off the lead lap in the final 60 laps of the race. But a timely caution with about 40 laps remaining enabled the Florida native to claim the Aaron’s Lucky Dog and return to the lead lap. Reutimann and the No. 00 return to action Sunday in Atlanta.

David Reutimann, No. 00 TUMS Toyota

• Leader Jeff Gordon lapped Reutimann—who was tenth at the time he was lapped—on lap 211—only ten cars were on the lead lap at that point.

• He earned the Aaron’s Lucky Dog on lap 232.

• The No. 00 pit crew turned the second quickest time of all the cars pitting around the 200-lap mark.

• Sunday marked Reutimann’s 102nd Sprint Cup race. He finished fourth here in 2009.

• David Reutimann and the No. 00 TUMS Toyota were named the Mobil 1 Command Performance Driver of the Race

REUTIMANN QUOTE: “We just seemed to be off today. There were times we got the TUMS Toyota pretty decent but it seemed like track position was everything. The guys did a great job on pit road. We had some great pit stops. We worked on the car and made it better. We just couldn’t get up to where we needed to be. We’d give up something at the start of a run then gain it back in the end. At the end of the race, we didn’t have the amount of laps we needed to try to put together anything that would have been pretty good so we ended up 13th.”
Martin Truex Jr. Race Summary: Martin Truex Jr. battled a cooling track and some ultrafast competitors Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway before finishing 20th. Truex started at the back of the field after a mechanical issue hampered his qualifying run on Friday. He climbed into the top 15 but struggled to get his NAPAGold Filters Toyota to handle in the corners. He fell down a lap to the leaders on lap 170. He and Crew Chief Pat Tryson took some big swings to improve the handling throughout the race. Truex is now 21st in points.
Martin Truex Jr., No. 56 NAPA Gold Toyota

• Truex and Crew Chief Pat Tryson worked on the No. 56 NAPAGold Filters Toyota’s handling throughout the race.

• Truex battled in the top 15 most of the race but fell down a lap to leader Jeff Gordon on lap 170 while racing in 17th.

• The No. 56 regained lost lap by taking the wave-around pass with about 30 laps remaining and stayed on the lead lap for the duration of the race.

• Pat Tryson told the crew: “If you keep doing that on pit road each week we are going to win some races.”

• Truex said Las Vegas was the toughest track for him while next week’s track in Atlanta is his best.
TRUEX QUOTE: “It wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t great either. Vegas is by far my toughest track so we’ll just keep working on it. We were just a little off all weekend. We struggled to find grip all day and then I’d get tight in the middle. My guys kept me up there. We were awesome again on pit road. Atlanta is one of my favorite tracks so we’ll rebound for sure.”
RACE NOTES:

• Jimmie Johnson passed teammate Jeff Gordon in the closing laps to win his second consecutive race.

• Kevin Harvick finished second and Gordon third followed by Mark Martin and Matt Kenseth

• Leaders lapped all but 12 cars in the first 200 laps.

• A caution with 35 laps remaining saw nine drivers take the wave around pass and get back on lead lap.

• Several drivers served pass through penalties for speeding on pit lane.

• Race experienced two cautions for malfunctioning caution lights. Track cooled throughout the race posing handling challenges to the race teams.

• The race featured 18 lead changes among nine drivers

• The race lasted approximately two hours, 50 minutes

• NASCAR’s estimated race attendance was announced at 150,000

Michael Waltrip Racing - Shelby American at Las Vegas Motor Speedway - Post Qualifying Report

David Reutimann posted the fastest lap of the two Michael Waltrip Racing Toyotas during today’s Coors Light qualifying at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, Nev. He’ll line up 17th. Meanwhile, Martin Truex Jr. struggled during his attempt due to a mechanical issue. He’ll start 35th. Sunday’s running of the Shelby American 400 gets underway on FOX, PRN and Sirius XM Satellite Radio 128 starting at 3 p.m. Eastern time.
Friday Recap

• David Reutimann, No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry - Qualified 17th
• Martin Truex Jr., No. 56 NAPAGold Filters Toyota Camry - Qualified 35th
• Kurt Busch established a new track record with a time of 28.614 sec./188.719 mph
• Jeff Gordon will join Busch on the front row.
• 18 drivers ran times faster than the previous track record
• The increase in speed is being attributed to a new Goodyear tire.

DAVID REUTIMANN, No. 00 TUMS Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing Qualified: 17th

Were you happy with the way your car handled during qualifying?

“We were just tight. We didn’t get a really clean qualifying run (in practice) and that hurt us. You go out there not really knowing what to expect. The car was pretty good. I should have been able to run quicker that with it. It was a little bit too tight and we just really didn’t get that qualifying run in to be able to work on it, and let the car be up to its full potential. Overall, it wasn’t bad. It didn’t drive bad. This place is so fast it doesn’t take much to be off a little bit, as far as speed goes. This is kind of what we had.”
MARTIN TRUEX JR., No. 56 NAPAGold Filters Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing Qualified: 35th

How was your qualifying lap?

“The car was pretty good. We really had a good car all day. Just the ignition switch cut off on me coming to the green. So, that pretty much killed my lap. That’s pretty much it.”

Martin Truex Jr. Las Vegas Preview

CORNELIUS, N.C. — This weekend Martin Truex Jr. and his No. 56. NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Crew Chief Pat Tryson plan to compete in more than just Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (LVMS). On Thursday Truex, along with several NASCAR celebrities, will take part in the Martin Truex Jr. Charity Poker Tournament at the Monte Carlo Resort & Spa. On Sunday the Michael Waltrip Racing duo hope to repeat their strong run last weekend at Auto Club Speedway minus the mechanical troubles that ruined what appeared to be a top-10 finish.

QUOTES

TRUEX ON HIS CHARITY POKER TOURNAMENT ON THURSDAY: “The last two years I have had a lot of fun hosting poker tournaments in Atlantic City to benefit my foundation. This year, I’ve added another event for Las Vegas. It’s happening at the Monte Carlo Resort & Spa on Thursday at 12:30 p.m. PT. It’s going to be a lot of fun — Michael (Waltrip), Pat Tryson, Marcos Ambrose, Frank Kerr and Kurt Busch are playing. If you’d like more information, please visit my site: www.martintruexjrfoundation.org.”

TRUEX ON RACING AT LAS VEGAS: “I like the track since they repaved it a few years back. It is another one of those tracks that I find challenging because when they paved it, they put a bunch of bumps in it. It makes the racing difficult especially when trying to get your car to turn. It has a lot of grip. It is very fast with the progressive banking. I think it is a lot of fun to race on.”

PAT TRYSON ON KEEPING THE TEAM PUMPED UP AFTER CALIFORNIA: “It’s all good for us right now. The biggest part of it all was we had a fast NAPA Toyota. As long as you are fast, it makes it a lot easier when something like an engine lets go. If we would’ve had a slow car at Fontana, then we might have been a little more disappointed. I think everybody on the team feels if we would’ve been able to have run all day, we would’ve had a shot to win the race. I think that’s all you can ask for.”

TRYSON ON VEGAS: “Vegas will be different in comparison to the Auto Club Speedway. It’s more like Charlotte and Atlanta so I think we’ll be good there. I think we’ll see more pit strategies come into play like two-tire stops. It should be fun.”

ADDITIONAL NOTES OF INTEREST

• This weekend, Truex will be behind the wheel of the No. 56 NAPA Filters Toyota Camry. The change in scheme launches NAPA’s Buy It. Install It. Protect It. promotion which happens during the month of March. Consumers receive 40 percent off the regular price of a NAPAGold Filter for their car or light truck at participating NAPA AUTO PARTS stores. Or they can visit an authorized NAPA AutoCare Center or installer and get a $20 mail-in rebate when they buy a NAPAGold Air Filter or Cabin Air Filter with a NAPA Filter oil change.

• The driver of the No. 56 NAPA Filters Toyota will be competing in his 156th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday. He will be starting in his fifth race at LVMS . His best start is 18th (March 2, 2008) and best finish is 12th (March 11, 2007). During his career, Truex has earned two top–15 and three top-20 finishes at the 1.5-mile track. His average start is 24th and his average finish is 20th.

• Monte Carlo Resort & Casino will host a No Limit Texas Hold ‘em event to benefit the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation on Thursday starting at 12:30 p.m. in Las Vegas. Participation is open to the public. Proceeds to benefit the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation and its ongoing mission of helping children in need. For details visit: www.martintruexjrfoundation.org.

Michael Waltrip Racing - California Race

Michael Waltrip Racing drivers finished the Auto Club 500 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., as follows:

MWR NSCS Race Results
· David Reutimann, No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry - Finished 15th now 8th in points.
· Martin Truex Jr., No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry - Finished 39th now 20th in points.

NSCS RACE NOTES:
· Jimmie Johnson held off Kevin Harvick over the final 30 laps to take the victory by 1.523 seconds
· Jeff Burton, Mark Martin and Joey Logano rounded out the top-five
· Johnson’s win at Auto Club Speedway is his 48th Sprint Cup victory in 293 starts
· Johnson now matches Herb Thomas for 12th on the all-time win list
· The race featured 26 lead changes among 13 drivers
· The race was slowed by six cautions for a total of 30 lap
· The race lasted just over three and a half hours
· NASCAR estimated 72,000 people attended today’s race

MICHAEL WALTRIP RACING NSCS DRIVER NOTES AND QUOTES:

David Reutimann Race Summary:
The No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry charges into 2010 with back-to-back top-15 finishes to start the season. Reutimann and crew were impressive in the early going of the Auto Club 500 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif. as he carried momentum from his 11th place qualifying effort from Friday afternoon. Reutimann raced as high as seventh on lap 38 before coming to pit road under green flag conditions. The No. 00 team removed a rubber from the right rear that caused Reutimann to report a tight-handling condition following the stop. The team struggled to return the car to winning form following the adjustment, but managed to continue a solid effort over the remained of the race. Reutimann battled over the last 30 laps to move from 18th into the top-15.

David Reutimann, No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota
· Started 11th and finished 15th
· Reutimann immediately moved into the top-10 as the race went green and was up to ninth by lap 7
· Lap 29, Reutimann reports minor damage to the right rear after a brush with the wall
· The minor damage caused the No. 00 to be “loose off”
· Reutimann came to pit road on lap 38 under green for four tires and fuel in seventh position
· The No. 00 was back in the top-10 by lap 42 and in ninth by lap 52
· Came to pit road under caution on lap 58 to repair right rear fender, four tires, fuel and removed a rubber out of the right rear restarted 18th on lap 61
· Caution flew again on lap 94 as Reutimann reported a tight handling condition and said the rubber needed to be replaced in the right rear. Reutimann restarted 20th on lap 98
· By lap 125 Reutimann was passing Joey Logano and Kyle Busch for 13th
· Lap 139, the No. 00 comes to pit road for two tires and minor chassis adjustments
· Reutimann brushed the wall again on lap 147, but reported no damage. He reported that the No. 00 would not run the bottom line.
· On lap 151 crew chief Rodney Childers reported rain in the forecast, but still about 50 miles out.
· On lap 167 the No. 1 car runs into the back of the No. 00 causing minor damage, but both cars continue
· Reutimann comes to pit road early under green on lap 180 for four tires and fuel—restarts 24th.
· Rain caused a caution on lap 197 as Reutimann was in 19th
· After a short rain delay the No. 00 restarts 16th and moved up to 11th by lap 206
· On lap 210 the No. 00 and the No. 12 start beating banging as they battle for 12th position
· Reutimann restarted 13th on lap 230, but struggled on the restart to fall to 18th, before working his way back up to 15th.

REUTIMANN QUOTE: "It's just disappointing. We started out OK in our Aaron's Dream Machine. For the better part of the day we were just okay. We made one adjustment there and the car just really, really didn't like it. That just got us behind a little bit. It just seemed like our car wouldn't get going on a restart. It was taking eight, 10, 12 laps for us to get going. A lot of the other guys were able to get out and get away from you. Overall I'd have to call today just a bit of a disappointment. I really felt like we were going to have a better car. We still have our Aaron's Dream Machine in one piece. Not a great finish, but an okay finish and now we'll go on to the next one."

Martin Truex Jr. Race Summary:
The opening laps of the California Auto Club 500 presented by NAPA saw Truex climb from 34th to 12th before the team’s first green-flag stop. However, just 64 laps into the event, the No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota suffered an engine failure. Truex, coming off of a top-10 run at Daytona was relegated to a 39th-place finish. He currently ranks 20th in the championship points standings.

Martin Truex Jr., No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota
· Started 34th and finished 39th after the engine expired on lap 64.
· Truex climbed to 15th by lap 24.
· Crew chief Pat Tryson informed his driver on lap 24 that he was the fastest car on the track.
· Truex, running in 12th, made contact with the wall on lap 46. The car was OK and Truex opted to bide his time as there was plenty of laps left in the race to challenge for the win.
· The NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota was competitive despite needing to turn better. It was tight in traffic, but neutral when Truex ran by himself.
· The No. 56 lost power on lap 64.
· Car owner Michael Waltrip encouraged his driver and told him that he saw quite a few cars hit the wall.
· Tryson said after the race, “We had a car that could’ve won the race. I’ve got myself a wheel man.”

TRUEX QUOTE:
“It’s really unfortunate for the NAPA Toyota. We had a really good car and had something to build on. My best year ever in NASCAR Sprint Cup, the same thing happened. We went to Fontana and blew up. Hopefully this will be good for us too because we have to look at the silver lining in all of this. The sport is too tough not to.

“The guys did a good job all weekend. I am really proud of Pat Tryson. To come from where we did on Friday with the race car was a big, huge improvement. We have something to work on. It is pretty disappointing after starting the way we did last week.”

DIAMOND-WALTRIP RACING NNS NOTES AND QUOTES:

Trevor Bayne, No. 99 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota, finished 11th in Saturday’s Stater Bros. 300 NNS race. Bayne is now 24th in NNS championship point standings.

Trevor Bayne, No. 99 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota
· Started 10th and finished 11th
· Fought a tight-handling race car for the majority of the race
· A great pit stop by the over-the-wall crew on lap 121 allowed Bayne to pick of three spots on pit road
· Raced inside the top 14 for all 152 laps of the Stater Bros. 300
· Grabbed his 8th top-15 finish in only 17 NNS starts

BAYNE QUOTE: “At the beginning of the race we were a little bit tight so we made some good adjustments. We never got the front end turning any better but we just unhooked the rear where I could get it set in a little bit better. That was a good change. We found the high line late after following Brendan Gaughan and Carl Edwards and a couple people that really ran the top well. That rocketed us towards the front. The middle of the race we got on the top and ran down people in front of us by four-tenths of a lap. That was what set us apart in that center section of the race be­cause we could make some moves to get up towards the front. That put us in position to get good pit stops and eve­rything that followed. Very last stop, we were one of the first teams to pit for four tires and I thought we’d be digging to the front and I got trapped in the middle. The 88 (Kelly Bires) barely got his nose outside of us coming to the green flag and that just trapped us in the middle and we had to fight back. We got through turn two and had a big run but they got the high line and got back around us. We’ll take an 11th-place finish, especially after coming out of Day­tona. Our Aaron’s Dream Machine is pretty in the garage, no marks on it so that’s a good thing. We can make our cars better because they’re not on a wrecker. We’ll come back next week and try to do even better.”

Michael Waltrip Racing - Auto Club 500 presented by NAPA - Post Qualifying Report

David Reutimann posted the fastest lap of the two Michael Waltrip Racing Toyotas during today’s Coors Light qualifying at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif. He’ll line up 11th. Meanwhile, Martin Truex Jr. struggled during his attempt despite picking up from practice. He’ll start 34th. Sunday’s running of the California Auto Club 500 presented by NAPA gets underway on FOX, MRN and Sirius XM Satellite Radio 128 starting at 3 p.m. Eastern time.

Friday Recap
• David Reutimann, No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry - Qualified 11th
• Martin Truex Jr., No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry - Qualified 34th
• Michael Waltrip Racing’s technical alliance with JTG Daugherty Racing saw Marcos Ambrose record the 26th-fastest lap.
• Earnhardt Ganassi with Felix Sabates Racing swept the front row. Daytona 500 winner Jamie McMurray turned in the fastest time of 39.18 seconds while Juan Pablo Montoya ran a 39.29.
• This marks the first time that Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates has claimed both front row starting positions.

DAVID REUTIMANN, No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing Qualified: 11th
How was your qualifying lap? “I'm pretty happy with how we qualified. We still have some work to do between now and Sunday on our race setup, but I'm happy with how the Aaron's Dream Machine qualified. Our Toyota wasn't han¬dling the way we wanted to in practice. We haven't quite figured out some things in the front end, so we have to do some work on that, but I'm sure we'll get it right by Sunday and be ready to go."

MARTIN TRUEX JR., No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing Qualified: 34th
How was your qualifying lap? “We weren’t very good. It was too tight everywhere so in a way, that’s a good thing. We can fix it. We were tightest off of Turn 2 and in practice, I was spinning out. It’s been a struggle all day so we still have a lot of work to do. Hopefully, we’ll get practice in tomorrow so we can keep working on it.”

Martin Truex Jr. California Preview

CORNELIUS, N.C. — Martin Truex Jr. is coming off his career-best finish in the Daytona 500 with a sixth-place showing in his No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota. Now, he heads to the Auto Club Speedway for the running of the Auto Club 500 presented by NAPA AUTO PARTS. It’s all about keeping the momentum going into the second event of the season and that’s exactly what he and crew chief Pat Tryson have planned.

QUOTES

TRUEX ON KEYS TO RUNNING WELL AT FONTANA: “I think California is a difficult track. It is very fast, yet it doesn’t have a lot of banking. It is getting kind of worn out so it is a challenge to get the NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota to stick good. It is hard to get the car to turn well, but still
be able to get the power down off the corner. The key is just getting your car to turn well, but still be able to get the power down.”

TRUEX ON THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING A GOOD STARTING POSITION: “Qualifying is always important to me. At a track like the Auto Club Speedway, it is so big and fast. The field tends to get strung out so qualifying up front definitely makes your job easier. Usually if you are fast in qualifying, you can get it in the race also. It is definitely a good thing to qualifying up front there.”

TRUEX ON THE START OF THE SEASON WITH HIS NEW NAPA TEAM: “I am extremely proud and excited about coming out of Daytona with the results we had. I really wasn’t sure what to expect. From the first test, working together with Pat Tryson, I knew we were going to be good. He is a pleasure to work with. He really takes his job seriously, and yet, he likes to have fun. I think the guys on the NAPA team really look up to him because of his experience and knowledge. He is respected and it goes a long way with everyone. For me, I just try and do the best job I can. As far as the communication and getting along with Pat and all that other stuff that goes along with the relationship, it came really easy. Hopefully, we can continue on what we started and win some races.”

ADDITIONAL NOTES OF INTEREST

• The driver of the No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota will be competing in his 155th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race when the second event of the 2010 Sprint Cup season, the Auto Club 500 presented by NAPA AUTO PARTS, gets underway at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., on Sunday.

• He will be starting in his ninth race in Fontana. His best start is fifth (Sept. 3, 2006, Oct. 11, 2009) and best finish is sixth (Sept. 2, 2007, Feb. 25, 2008). During his career, Truex has earned two top–10 and six top-15 finishes at the Auto Club Speedway. His average start is 13th and his average finish is 19th.

• In Nationwide Series competition, Truex has driven in four events at Auto Club Speedway. His best start is second (May 1, 2004, Sept. 4, 2004) and best finish is sixth (Sept. 4, 2004). During his career, Truex has earned one top–10 and three top-15 finishes. His average start is sixth and his average finish is 16th.

• Monte Carlo Resort & Casino will host a No Limit Texas Hold ‘em event to benefit the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation on Feb. 25 at noon in Las Vegas, NV. NAPA Racing’s Martin Truex Jr. will be in attendance. Participation is open to the public. Proceeds to benefit the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation and its ongoing mission of helping children in need. For details visit: www.martintruexjrfoundation.org

Trevor Bayne California Speedway Nationwide Preview

CORNELIUS, N.C. — Trevor Bayne and the No. 99 Diamond-Waltrip Racing team endured a rough start to the 2010 season last week at Daytona when their race ended in a lap seven accident caused by another car. Bayne put those bad memories behind him as he prepares to celebrate his 19th birthday on Friday with a good performance in Saturday’s NASCAR Nationwide race at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif. It marks the second start on the two-mile oval for the Knoxville, Tenn., native who finished 19th on Oct. 10.

QUOTES

BAYNE ON FONTANA: “I got to run there last year for CJM Racing. I think it’s going to help me out that I am not going in there blind. I kind of know what to expect at California. I know what the car and the track are going to do as the race goes on. I know that you have to carry a lot of momentum there to run fast laps. It’s also kind of cool how you can feel the draft when there is a car beside you. At Fontana you can defiantly feel the aero and mechanical sides of the car.”

BAYNE ON DAYTONA: “It was a frustrating situation. However, we can’t start chasing our tails now . Daytona is a crap shoot anyway. You expect to go there and wreck and it’s an awesome day if you don’t. It’s just disappointing that we wrecked so early. I was hoping to be able to log some laps there but was only able to get seven under my belt. Kevin Manion (Bono) and Martin Truex Jr. both texted me after the race and said they wrecked at Daytona and won the championship. I still think we have a chance to win the championship. Every team is going to have a bad weekend. It’s the team who has the least amount of bad weeks that will bring home the championship.”

BAYNE ON EARNING REPECT: “It’s hard to get respect when you have rookie strips on your car. I think the best way to get respect from your competitors is to race them like you want to be raced. I think the more races I get under my belt the more respect that I will get from some of the veterans of the sport. “

ADDITIONAL NOTES OF INTEREST

· Bayne is the youngest driver competing full-time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series this season.

· Bayne will celebrate his 19th birthday Friday, Feb. 19. He was born in Spartanburg, S.C and moved to Knoxville, Tenn., when he was two months old.

· Last weekend at Daytona International Speedway, Bayne and the No. 99 Diamond-Waltrip Racing team had a car that could compete with the leaders. Unfortunately, early contact by the No. 40 of Mike Bliss sent the young rookie into the outside retaining wall and ended the day for the No. 99 team on lap seven. The team finished 41st in the final rundown.

· Last fall Bayne started the race at Auto Club Speedway in the 11th spot and finished 19th. He worked his way into the top 10 before contact by another competitor on pit road caused damage to the Toyota Camry and forced him to make several up scheduled pit stops.

· The 18-year-old driver’s has driven in 16 NNS races. He has one pole (Indianapolis Raceway Park), two top-10’s (IRP and Richmond) and has led total of 34 laps.


· Sirius XM listeners can tune into channel 128 every Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. to hear Bayne’s weekly visit on Sirius Speedway with Mike Bagley and Pete Pistone throughout the 2010 season.

David Reutimann California Preview

CORNELIUS, N.C. — David Reutimann is off to the best start of his Sprint Cup Series career. Reutimann made a late race charge from 12th to fifth over the final two laps to secure his best-career finish in the Daytona 500. The fifth-place result is a career-best restrictor plate finish and sixth career top-five. This weekend Reutimann is racing in both the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series races at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif.

QUOTES

ON BEING THE FIRST DRIVER TO 100 CUP SERIES STARTS IN A TOYOTA CAMRY: “Wow, I’ve never really thought about it, but that’s really something to be proud of. All but one of my starts in the Cup Series has come in a Camry. We’ve definitely had our ups and downs since the beginning, but Toyota has always been a great partner for Michael Waltrip Racing and without them I don’t know if we’d be where we are today. We’re just getting started on our fourth-full season on the racetrack and we’ve all got a little better each year. I’m really hoping that this year is going to be my best year yet, because I know of at least one more thing that I’d like to be the first Toyota driver to do in the Sprint Cup Series - win a championship.”

ON CHARGING FROM 12TH TO FIFTH AT THE END OF THE DAYTONA 500: “I thought that was pretty great. To be honest it was all kind of a blur there at the end, but it was a pretty good run through the pack. We struggled a little on the last couple restarts and it seemed that I just couldn’t get in the right line at the right time and I was starting to get frustrated. Then right before the final restart Rodney (Childers) came over the radio and told me that Dale (Earnhardt) Jr. was either going to win the race or wreck the field trying, so stay on his bumper and let’s see what happens. That’s just what I did. I stayed on his bumper and pushed as hard as I could. Maybe if I’d pushed just a little harder Dale Jr. would be wearing a brand new Aaron’s hat this weekend as my new biggest fan.”

ON RACING IN CALIFORNIA: “Don’t get me wrong, I love Daytona and Speedweeks and everything that goes with that race, but it’s hard to tell who’s going to be fast once we take the restrictor plates off. The race in California is that first real test. When we show up at California on a two-mile racetrack to race and practice it’s when you start to see who put on their big boy pants and came ready to race. This race is also a big race for Michael Waltrip Racing, since Toyota Racing Development is based in Torrence, Calif. We want to show everyone that our Toyota Camry’s are going to be some of the best cars on the racetrack every single week.”

ADDITIONAL NOTES OF INTEREST

· Reutimann is making his 100th Sprint Cup start in a Toyota Camry this weekend at Auto Club Speedway - the most of any driver. Dave Blaney is second (98) and Brian Vickers is third (96).

· Reutimann has the most starts (259) in a Toyota (Camry and Tundra) since Toyota entered NASCAR competition in 2004. Reutimann has 99 Cup Series, 84 Nationwide and 76 Truck Series starts - and will add two more this weekend as he races double-duty in the Cup and Nationwide races at Auto Club Speedway.

· Reutimann’s fifth-place result last week is his career best in the Daytona 500 and restrictor plate finish. He was the highest finishing Toyota driver placing just ahead of MWR teammate Martin Truex Jr. who finished sixth.

· Aaron’s, proud sponsor of the No. 00, will give away an autographed hat to a lucky race fan through Facebook and Twitter following any top-10 finish. Follow Aarons on Twitter (@AaronsSports) and become a fan on Facebook (Facebook.com/AaronsSports)

· In 2009, Reutimann recorded his first NSCS win (Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway) and established career-bests in pole positions (two, Texas-1 and Dover-1) top-five (five) and top-10 (10) finishes and final championship driver point standings (16th).
· Last season, Reutimann ranked third in the NSCS in laps completed (10,408/10,492, 99.2%). Only Ryan Newman and Tony Steward (tied for the most at 10,468 laps) completed more laps. The No. 00 finished on the lead lap in 28 of the 36 NSCS point races and finished four races just one lap down in 2009.

Michael Waltrip Racing's Reutimann and Truex Jr. Finish 5th and 6th in Daytona 500

Michael Waltrip Racing drivers finished the 52nd annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway as follows:

MWR Race Results
- David Reutimann, No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota - Finished fifth.
- Martin Truex Jr., No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota - Finished and sixth.
- Michael Waltrip, No. 51 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota - Finished 18th.

NSCS RACE NOTES:
- Jamie McMurray won the 52nd annual Daytona 500 over Dale Earnhardt Jr. who drove from 10th to second in the final two laps.
- Greg Biffle, Clint Bowyer and Reutimann rounded out the top five.
- Race ended after two attempted green-white-checkered finishes and ended on lap 207.
- NASCAR red flagged the race for and parked the cars on pit lane around the lap 123-mark for an hour and 46 minutes to repair about an 18-inch hole between turns one and two.
- A second red flag with about 40 laps remaining to repair the hole lasted 46 minutes.
- The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now travels to Fontana Speedway for Sunday’s 500-mile race.

MICHAEL WALTRIP RACING NSCS DRIVER NOTES AND QUOTES:

Michael Waltrip, No. 51 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota
- Started 43rd and finished 18th.
- Waltrip dodged many accidents throughout the day suffering minor cosmetic damage on the front valence.
- The team worked on handling throughout the race.
- Waltrip reported his Toyota was tight and bouncing in the corners.
- Sunday marked two-time Daytona 500 winner’s 24th and possibly final Daytona 500.
- Waltrip hosted a pre-race hospitality event Sunday for 300 of the 500 Michael Waltrip Celebration ticket holders.

WALTRIP QUOTE: “I was just so proud of my race team today. There at the end I have to admit it was hard to pay attention to what I was doing when Martin and David were up there battling for the victory. I couldn’t be more proud. As good as they were today I think California will be even better. We kind of struggled today. The car was tight and it bounced the front end. But Bobby Kennedy and those guys just kept working and working and we were our best at the end of the race when it really counted. I enjoy driving the NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota today and thank everyone involved with our team.”

David Reutimann, No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota
- Started 20th and finished fifth.
- Best career Daytona 500 finish as well as first top-10 on the restrictor plate track.
- Restarted in the top-10 on the final restart and worked his way to fifth in a frantic final two laps.
- Aaron’s team came very close to running out of fuel but Reutimann conserved just enough to finish.
- Raced in 20th at halfway mark.
- Capt. Johnathan Hillstrand of the Alaskan fishing boat Time Bandit from the Discovery Channel’s reality television show “Deadliest Catch” attended Sunday’s race and told Reutimann that Phil Harris, captain of the Cornelia Marie, predicted Reutimann would win the Daytona 500 shortly before Harris died on Feb. 9. Reutimann’s Toyota carried C-post decal Sunday in honor of Harris.
- Sunday marked Reutimann’s 100th career start.

REUTIMANN QUOTE: “It was an up and down day. We weren’t the best we didn’t feel like at various times, but all in all the car drove good and the guys made good pit stops. We just kind of got up there when it counted. Our car liked the outside so we just kept pounding away on it. Low and behold in the end the bottom seemed to be better for us in that last little bit. It ended up working out. The guys did a good job with good pit stops and it’s a good way to start the season. Those restarts were just killing us toward the end and we couldn’t do anything right and I couldn’t get in the right line and things kept getting messed up. Thankfully we got the Aaron’s Dream Machine where it needed to be when it counted and it ended up working out pretty well and I had a good run coming to the start-finish. I’m real proud of my guys. I have to thank Aaron’s, Tums and Best Western, Toyota and Toyota Racing Development because we had some good horsepower today. Top-five is a good way to start the season out.”

Martin Truex Jr., No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota
- Started 14th and finished sixth.
- Ran in the top 10 throughout the race and posted best career Daytona 500 finish.
- Led with laps 148, 149 and lap 150 to collect five bonus points.
- Restarted second on the first green-white-checkered finish and briefly held the lead before Kevin Harvick nudged him high on the track dropping him a few spots.
- Told team the pit crew’s multiple 12-second stops are “what dreams are made of.”
- Sunday marked Truex’s and Crew Chief Pat Tryson’s first points race with Michael Waltrip Racing.

TRUEX JR. QUOTE: “It was wild, wild, wild. I had a lot of fun today with the NAPA Toyota. I’m proud of the team. The pit stops were amazing for our first race together. If I had to rate it, I would say it was an A++. I had a lot of fun. As for the multiple green-white-checkered finishes, it was what I expected. There were a bunch of tore up cars, but I am sure the fans got their money’s worth. There at the end there was a storm brewing all day and it seemed like every time we took a break our car got even better. It was a lot of fun and a really good race. I thought everyone did an excellent job. We raced super hard up front. The guys used their heads, but never crossed the line. That’s the most fun I have ever had in Daytona.”

MWR Gatorade Duels Race Report

First Race:
Michael Waltrip finished 25th after an accident in the first of two Gatorade Duels at Daytona. He will start Sunday’s Daytona 500 in 43rd.

Second Race:
Martin Truex Jr. finished sixth and will start the Daytona 500 in 14th.
David Reutimann finished ninth and will start the Daytona 500 in 26th.

FIRST RACE NOTES:
Jimmie Johnson grabbed his first career Gatorade duel win by beating Kevin Harvick by .005 of a second.
Michael McDowell and Max Papis raced their way into the Daytona 500 by finishing 14th and 15th respectively.
Kyle Busch, Clint Bowyer and Regan Smith rounded out the top five.

Michael Waltrip, No. 51 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota
Started 10th and finished 25th
Waltrip has two scary moments early while racing the middle line in the draft and worked his way to seventh by lap 4
Reported over the radio that the car was really pushy followed by real loose on lap 13. Raced in the top transfer spot by lap 17.
Came to pit road in 14th while under caution on lap 27 for major handling adjustments. Restarted 16th on lap 29.
No. 51 narrowly avoided the No. 46 car as it spun in front of him on lap 34 to bring out a second caution.
Stayed out during second caution and restarted 13, remains in top transfer spot with 25 laps to go.
Gets hung out of the draft on lap 37 to fall from 11th to 17th
Raced in 15th position with 10 laps to go, but followed closely by Reed Sorenson and Todd Bodine.
Spun and hit from behind by the No. 78 with seven laps to go causing damage to the front of the NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota when he hit the inside wall.
Scott Speed raced his way into the transfer position on the final lap of the second race. Speed’s performance enabled Waltrip to grab the final starting spot in the Daytona 500.

WALTRIP QUOTES

ON SCOTT SPEED RACING INTO THE DAYTONA 500:
“Scott, we're racecar drivers, and he did his job. I'm so grateful and thankful that it worked out. You know, obviously the teams that won the race were locked in, too. You know, people show up to race. Just because you're locked in doesn't mean you roll over or there wouldn't be a race. So I knew Scott would race. I knew he wasn't gonna think about quitting or give up. I'm just thankful that he had a car there at the end he could do the job with.”

ON SIX CARS BUILT AT MWR MAKING THE DAYTONA 500:
“Well, you know, six cars that we built in Cornelius at MWR that are in the 500. Prism racing with Phil Parsons, they're a customer of ours, as is Germain. Then our four cars there with Brad and Tad. You know, our customers that buy parts and pieces and cars for us made the race. So we got happy customers, and that's good for any business. You know, it's real important to be able to diversify and figure out how to bring money into the company in order to help pay the bills. We have great partnerships with the Germains, Max in the Geico car, and Phil and Randy Humphrey with Prism buy stuff from us, as well. I'm mostly proud of all that because there's a bunch of men and women, fabricators, engineers, that figured out how to make cars competitive for this place. So when those guys send us a check for the cars they bought, you know, it's gonna feel pretty good to them to know that we were able to provide them with stuff to have the success they did down here.”

ON THE EMOTIONS OF MAKING DAYTONA:
Well, I guess I've come to expect it a little bit. I know for some reason, for me, this place, it defines my career. It certainly is my first memories of NASCAR racing, was coming here as a kid. I figured when I woke up this morning I'd be crying before the day was over. I just didn't know if it would be because I was happy or because I was sad. And then I damn sure didn't know it would be both within an hour of each other. To be able to smile now, you know, it really feels rewarding because, you know, we took a part-time car, Bobby Kennedy, my buddy, who has helped me out so, so long, put a crew together and gave me a car on Saturday that we qualified fast enough to make the 500 with.”

ON SUNDAY:
“I was real disappointed today because my car didn't handle right. It didn't handle like it did yesterday. You have a pretty good gauge on if your car's like it was or not. That's the splitter. Yesterday, I was just scrubbing the splitter in a perfect way. Today it felt like it was a foot off the ground, and we didn't change anything. For some reason, the car just didn't go back to the ground like it was supposed to, and it wouldn't drive right. I think it eventually messed up my tires.

“So we'll regroup and figure out what David had, what Marcos had, what Martin had, put that setup into our cars. All three of those cars were really competitive. We seemed to be a notch off. We can't do what Penske or Hendrick cars or even Kasey's car did. So that's a little bit concerning. I know we've got a lot of smart people that will work on that and try to figure out how to get us some speed before Sunday.”

SECOND RACE NOTES:
Kasey Kahne won his first career Gatorade duel win by defeating Tony Stewart
Mike Bliss and Scott Speed raced their way into the 52nd Daytona 500 by finishing 13th and 14th respectively
Speed, racing his way in, opened the door for the fourth-fastest qualifier on time — Michael Waltrip
Michael Waltrip makes the Daytona 500 for the third time since 2007 without a guaranteed starting spot.
The No. 51 is also the seventh MWR car since 2007 to make the field without a guaranteed starting spot.
Six Toyota Camry’s associated with Michael Waltrip Racing will now race in the Daytona 500.

Martin Truex Jr., No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota
Truex started 17th and climbed to 9th in the first ten laps.
Truex reported his car was very loose over the bumps and the entry was ‘wild’ up top midway through the race.
The first caution of the race on lap 27 Truex raced in 13th - the crew made air pressure adjustments during stop.
The No. 56 restarted 8th on lap 30.
Truex came close to getting to the front three times but was shuffled back.
The No. 56 battled in the top-10 with 10 laps to go and finished sixth.

TRUEX QUOTE: ““It was a lot of fun. The NAPA Toyota was really good. It was much better than it was in practice. We got to the front a few times – got shuffled back. Would get to the front again and get shuffled back. I was about three or four inches a few times from getting that hole that I needed to get to the front and stay there. It was a lot of fun. I learned a lot. The pit crew was phenomenal. Our pit stop was smoking fast so I was excited about that. We’ve got something to work with for Sunday now.”

WERE YOU ABLE TO GAIN SOME DRAFTING PARTNERS FOR SUNDAY’S RACE?
“A few, but at the end everybody just does what’s best for them. Tried to work with Marcos (Ambrose) and David (Reutimann) a little bit. It seemed like every time we would get near each other, we were in bad positions to help each other. Either they had a run coming and I couldn’t get with them or I had a run coming and I couldn’t push them. I had to go by them because I was coming so fast. It was good, the car was good. Made a lot of changes last night that made it a whole bunch better than it was yesterday – that’s encouraging. I think we’ll be even better for Sunday.”

David Reutimann, No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota
Reutimann, in a backup car, started at the rear of the field and quickly worked his way to 12th in the first 10 laps.
Reutimann climbed to 10th by the lap 28 caution.
Reutimann reported that the car started slow, but was fast on the bottom later in the run.
The Aaron’s Dream Machine pitted for four tires, fuel and returned to the track in 12th.
The No. 00 Toyota needs work on sucking up in the draft.
Reutimann, Truex and Marcos Ambrose drafted together several times during the race.

REUTIMANN QUOTE: “That was a big race for Michael Waltrip and Michael Waltrip Racing. Congrats to Michael and the No. 51 NAPA guys! I know it means a lot to Michael and to NAPA for the No. 51 to get into the show. Daytona has played such a big part in his career and I know that he didn’t want to go out like that, so I know there is a big sense of relief on their part.

The Aaron’s team also did a great job. Our car wasn’t as good as we’d have liked starting out, but it kept getting better during the longer runs. We need to work on our Camry a little to make sure that we can get it to suck up in the draft to the car in front of it, but I’m sure we’ll get that fixed up and be ready to race on Sunday.”

DAYTONA 500 Starting Lineup (UNOFFICIAL)
1 Mark Martin
2 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
3 Jimmie Johnson
4 Kasey Kahne
5 Kevin Harvick
6 Tony Stewart
7 Kyle Busch
8 Juan Pablo Montoya
9 Clint Bowyer
10 Kurt Busch
11 Regan Smith
12 Elliott Sadler
13 Jamie McMurray
14 Martin Truex Jr.
15 A J Allmendinger
16 Marcos Ambrose
17 Ryan Newman
18 Matt Kenseth
19 David Ragan
20 Joey Logano
21 Jeff Gordon
22 Brian Vickers
23 Greg Biffle
24 Brad Keselowski
25 Denny Hamlin
26 David Reutimann
27 Carl Edwards
28 Mike Bliss
29 Michael McDowell
30 Scott Speed
31 Max Papis
32 Paul Menard
33 John Andretti
34 Robby Gordon
35 Travis Kvapil
36 Sam Hornish Jr.
37 Robert Richardson
38 Boris Said
39 Jeff Burton
40 Bill Elliott [PC2]
41 Joe Nemechek
42 Bobby Labonte [PC1]
43 Michael Waltrip

Results Race One
FIN DRIVER
1 Jimmie Johnson
2 Kevin Harvick
3 Kyle Busch
4 Clint Bowyer
5 Regan Smith
6 Jamie McMurray
7 A.J. Allmendinger
8 Ryan Newman
9 David Ragan
10 Jeff Gordon
11 Greg Biffle
12 Denny Hamlin
13 Carl Edwards
14 Michael McDowell
15 Max Papis
16 John Andretti
17 Todd Bodine
18 Joe Nemechek
19 Travis Kvapil
20 Terry Cook*
21 Mark Martin
22 Bill Elliott
23 Robert Richardson Jr.
24 Reed Sorenson
25 Michael Waltrip
26 Jeff Burton
27 Jeff Fuller

Results Race Two
FIN DRIVER
1 Kasey Kahne
2 Tony Stewart
3 Juan Montoya
4 Kurt Busch
5 Elliott Sadler
6 Martin Truex Jr.
7 Joey Logano
8 Marcos Ambrose
9 David Reutimann
10 Brian Vickers
11 Matt Kenseth
12 Brad Keselowski
13 Mike Bliss
14 Scott Speed
15 Paul Menard
16 Casey Mears
17 Bobby Labonte
18 David Gilliland
19 Robby Gordon
20 Derrike Cope
21 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
22 Aric Almirola
23 Dave Blaney
24 Mike Wallace
25 Norm Benning
26 Sam Hornish Jr.
27 Boris Said

Trevor Bayne Daytona Nationwide Preview

CORNELIUS, N.C. — Trevor Bayne will make his first career start at the famed Daytona International Speedway in the Camping World 300 on Saturday. The 18-year-old driver has never raced on a track bigger than two-miles and knows he has something to prove to his team, competitors and fans. Additionally, the newly-formed Diamond-Waltrip Racing will make its NASCAR Nationwide Series debut this weekend.

QUOTES

BAYNE ON DAYTONA: “Daytona is a place where every kid dreams of racing. It’s going to be a different experience for me. I know I have a lot to learn when I get on the track Wednesday. I think the biggest thing I am going to have to work on is drafting. I plan to get behind some of the veterans and learn from them. My main goal is to survive. If I have to push someone across the line and finish second instead of wrecking that will be fine with me.”

BAYNE ON 2010: “Our ultimate goal is to win the NNS championship for Diamond-Waltrip Racing. I would also love to grab a win or two in the first handful of races. My other goal is to gain the respect of my competitors. I want them to know that I’m going to race them like they race me. I want them to respect the No. 99 machine when they are racing around me. I also want the NNS garage to know we are a force to be reckoned with this year and we plan to be racing for a win in the final laps of every race.”

CO-OWNER MICHAEL WALTRIP ON BAYNE: “Trevor has been fun. He just got in the car last year and started running up front. He kind of reminds me of when Martin (Truex Jr.) jumped onto the scene. His youthfulness, enthusiasm and willingness to listen and learn brings a special spark to this team. He wants to know what he is suppose to do in each situation. He wants the respect of his competitors.

“Also, for being 18-years-old he is respectful and appreciates what we’re doing for him. He has the respect for the sport and life in general which shows a whole lot for the way he was raised. I think his mom and dad should be very proud of him. We’re also very proud to be associated with him and we think he’s capable of competing for a win every weekend.”

ADDITIONAL NOTES OF INTEREST

· Bayne will make his 16th NNS start this weekend at DIS. He has a seventh-place finish at Indianapolis Raceway Park (IRP) and at Richmond International Speedway to call a career-best.

· Last season, the Knoxville, Tenn., native had an impressive 10.1 starting average. The young phenom only started two of his 15 races outside the top 12. He grabbed his first career NNS pole position at IRP in only his seventh career start.

· The 18-year-old driver’s only experience on a superspeedway came last season when he tested the new NNS car at Talladega Superspeedway. The Knoxville, Tenn., native was one of eight drivers to participate in this test. The majority of the time the teams worked on single-car runs, but Bayne was able to get in a little drafting practice during the end of the test session.

· Sirius XM listeners can tune into channel 128 every Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. to hear Bayne’s weekly visit on Sirius Speedway with Mike Bagley and Pete Pistone throughout the 2010 season.

Martin Truex Jr. - No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota - Daytona 500 Preview

CORNELIUS, N.C. — Martin Truex Jr. makes his debut in the No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry during Daytona Speedweeks. Truex will team up with his new owner, Michael Waltrip, as they both will be running for NAPA AUTO PARTS in the 52^nd Annual Daytona 500.

Truex hopes to start his season just as Waltrip did for NAPA — win.

QUOTES

TRUEX ON EXPECATIONS FOR 2010 WITH NEW TEAM: “It is a new start for me. I have had a couple of tough seasons in the last two years so I am looking forward to a new challenge. We have a great team put together. My team shows great potential from the crew chief to all the guys working on the car. Everybody at MWR – I’ve been so impressed by them. The way they do their business and the amount of effort they put in and the support from Toyota is like nothing I have ever seen. It’s incredible. There are a lot of things I have seen going on during this off season that shows me it’s going to be a big deal. It’s really great. The support from NAPA and driving the NAPA Toyota is a dream come true. This is probably the most excited I have been for a start to a season in a long time because of all the great stuff I am experiencing.”

TRUEX ON PRESEASON TESTING AT ATLANTA AND NEW SMYRNA SPEEDWAY: “We have done some testing and it has gone really well. We have a camaraderie. I don’t think it is going to take a whole lot of effort to get along with the crew we have assembled. We are gelling. We have a lot of good guys and a lot of ambition. It is easy to get along with these guys because they have such great attitudes and are pushing forward and trying to do the best job they can. I think everybody on this team is looking at this season the same way. The opportunity is here to succeed. We just have to do everything we can do to take advantage of it.”

TRUEX ON FAVORITE DAYTONA MEMORIES: “I have a lot of great memories like driving through the tunnel for the first time, and then last year, winning the pole for the Daytona 500. I also won the July Nationwide Series race in 2005. But I think the first time I went to Daytona is what I probably remember the most. I always watched the races but the first time I drove through the tunnel and saw how big Daytona really was – the track, the infield, I was pretty amazed by that.”

ADDITIONAL NOTES OF INTEREST

· The driver of the No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS driver will be competing in his 154th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race when the season opener of the 2010 Sprint Cup season, the Daytona 500, gets underway at Daytona International Speedway (DIS) in Daytona Beach, Fla.

· He will be starting in his ninth race at DIS. His best start is first (Feb. 15, 2009) and best finish is 11th (Feb. 15, 2009). During his career, Truex has earned five top–20 and six top-25 finishes at DIS. His average start is 16th and his average finish is 22nd.

· In Nationwide Series competition, Truex has driven in seven events. His best start is first (Feb. 14, 2004) and best finish is first (July 1, 2005). During his career, Truex has earned three top–five and five top-10 finishes at DIS. His average start is 11th and his average finish is ninth.

Michael Waltrip - No. 51 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota - Daytona 500 Preview

CORNELIUS, N.C. — Michael Waltrip hopes to finish like he started with longtime sponsor NAPA AUTO PARTS at Daytona International Speedway by winning his third Harley J. Earl Daytona 500 trophy. Entering his 25th year as a driver, Waltrip is scaling back his schedule but figures they’ll be more trips to victory lane as he is one of the youngest multi-team owners in NASCAR.

QUOTES

WALTRIP ON RUNNING BUDWEISER SHOOTOUT: “We have had a lot of success at Daytona and for this year’s Shootout; I am going to get to work with our new crew chief of the NAPA Racing team Pat Tryson. Rodney Childers will also be on the pit box making it a collaboration since David (Reutimann) did not qualify for the event.

“It means the world to me to have all the support and effort of everyone at Michael Waltrip Racing to give me a Toyota that I can win with. The Budweiser Shootout is a great opportunity to put NAPA in victory lane. It is also an opportunity to learn and be in better shape so that one of our Toyotas has a shot at going to victory lane for the Daytona 500.”

WALTRIP ON DAYTONA: “When I was a kid growing up, Daytona was the only track I really knew. It was the most important track. To me, it defines NASCAR and driver careers. If you can go down there and win. There is no other race more prestigious to win than the Daytona 500. Fortunately for me, I have been able to do it and do it more than once.”

WALTRIP ON EXPECTATIONS FOR MARTIN TRUEX JR.: “I expect him to win races and contend for a spot in the Chase. I think we have put together a very exciting line up for the No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS team. Martin knows how to win and is a two-time Nationwide Series champion. He’s been in the Chase. He’s always been fast. I remember the first day he showed up at Rockingham. Dale Jr. told me that Martin was his guy. I had never heard of or seen him before. He got in the Nationwide Series car and was running as fast as anyone out there. That’s the way his whole career has been. He was fast from the beginning and I expect he’ll do the same in the NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota.”

WALTRIP ON NOT RUNNING A FULL SEASON IN THE SPRINT CUP SERIES: “I’m going to run Daytona -- the Shootout and the 500 -- and that’s the only Cup races I have planned for 2010. I’m comfortable with that. When I think about going to Daytona, I get excited because I know that I know how to win that race. I finished seventh at Talladega this past October and seventh in the Daytona 500 last year. I know I can go win that race and that makes me smile. When I think about California and Vegas, I just haven’t performed at the level that makes me say, ‘I’m going to go out there and do the same thing.’ I don’t miss that, I’m okay with that.”

ADDITIONAL NOTES OF INTEREST

· The NAPA AUTO PARTS driver will be competing in his 760th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race when the season opener of the 2010 Sprint Cup season, the Daytona 500, gets underway at Daytona International Speedway (DIS) in Daytona Beach, Fla.

· He will be starting in his 47th race at Daytona International Speedway. His best start is second (Feb. 17, 2008, July 3, 2004) and best finish is first (Feb. 18, 2001, July 6, 2002, Feb. 16, 2003). During his career, Waltrip has earned three wins, six top-five and 13 top-10 finishes at DIS. His average start at is 17th and his average finish is 21st.

· Waltrip is one of only eight drivers to win more than two Daytona 500 titles.