Pat Tryson to Crew Chief the No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry in 2010

Cornelius, N.C. – Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) announced today that veteran crew chief Pat Tryson will lead Martin Truex Jr. and the No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry beginning in the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.Tryson successfully earned his fifth Chase berth as crew chief on Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway and will join MWR upon the conclusion of the season.

“Pat is a passionate competitor, a winner and a championship contender,” said Waltrip. “Those were the traits we were looking for in a crew chief that would help Martin deliver on the track for NAPA for years to come. We couldn’t be more proud to add a person of Pat’s caliber to our organization.”

“Michael Waltrip Racing has really come onto the scene this year and the progress they have made over a very short time is impressive,” Tryson said. “I believe that I can contribute. MWR is doing everything they can to get the NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota back into victory lane and that’s what my focus will be. Martin is a talented driver and we’ll be doing everything we can to make that happen.”

Tryson joins MWR after a successful run with Kurt Busch, where Tryson guided the former NASCAR Sprint Cup champion to two Chase appearances, four victories and 35 top-10 finishes since 2007 with Penske Racing.

A native of Malvern, Pa., Tryson got his start in NASCAR working for Kenny Bernstein’s NASCAR Cup operation.

In 1997, he launched his crew chief career by calling the shots for driver Geoff Bodine. Two seasons later, he joined Roush Racing and worked with drivers Kevin Lepage and Johnny Benson. With Kevin Lepage at the wheel, Tryson helped steer him to one pole, two top-five and five top-10 finishes.

In 2000, Wood Brothers Racing hired Tryson and for nearly three seasons, he worked with drivers Elliott Sadler and Ricky Rudd. The crew chief guided Sadler to his first NASCAR Cup Series win at Bristol Motor Speedway in March 2001.

Roush Racing came calling midway through the 2003 season. This time, Tryson teamed up with driver Mark Martin to help the veteran make NASCAR’s new playoff system -- The Chase. They repeated with berths in 2005 and 2006. Tryson is only one of three crew chiefs (Robbie Reiser and Chad Knaus) who qualified for The Chase during its first three years.

Waltrip Disappointed After a Tough Night in Atlanta

HAMPTON, GA. – It was another mixed bag of results for Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) during Sunday night’s running of the Atlanta 500 at one of Waltrip’s favorite places and home track for sponsor NAPA AUTO PARTS -- the Atlanta Motor Speedway. MWR’s top finisher was Chase contender David Reutimann. He earned his eighth top-10 finish of the season with a fourth-place result and moved up one position in the points to 15th. As for Waltrip and his new crew chief Gene Nead, they had a good start to the weekend but had a tough race and finished 32nd. As for JTG-Daugherty Racing’s Marcos Ambrose, he crossed the finish line in 23rd place.

“I hate that we had a tough night,” said Waltrip after the race as his team remains 32nd in the NASCAR owner points standings. “We had a good Friday and a bad day today. I appreciate how Gene jumped right in and meshed with the guys immediately. They worked hard, but unfortunately, we didn’t get the job done. We made changes to the car throughout the race, but it didn’t work out. Atlanta is one of my favorite tracks and I know how to run well. We just didn’t find the right combination for my NAPA Toyota. It was so hard to drive. Right now, it’s all about getting as many points as we can to put the 55 car in a good position for Martin (Truex) next season.”

On the pole for the Atlanta 500 was the man who will be behind the wheel of the No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota next season for MWR, Martin Truex Jr. It was his second pole of the season and third of his career. He went on to lead the most laps of the race – 68. As for his future car owner, Waltrip had a good qualifying effort. He lined up 19th for the event.

During the opening laps of the 325-lap event, Waltrip’s NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota was competitive especially on the longer race runs. But over the course of the race, the handling went drastically away. The NAPA team and their new leader rallied behind their driver to try and improve the car as it was inconsistent going from extremely loose to tight. Stops for changes were completed on laps 38, 61, 83,107, 132, 182, 203, 248 and 271. Spring rubber, track bar, wedge and air pressure adjustments were all in the mix to fix the No. 55 Toyota. Despite their hard work and determination, it produced a 32nd-place result.

Meanwhile, Kasey Kahne took advantage of the final restart of the night to overtake Kevin Harvick to score his second win of the season. Finishing behind Kahne to round out the top-10 finishers were Harvick, Juan Pablo Montoya, Reutimann, Mark Martin, Denny Hamlin, Brian Vickers, Jeff Gordon, Ryan Newman and Greg Biffle.


Next Saturday night the NAPA Racing team competes in the Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond International Raceway. It’s the final race in the Chase before the field of 12 is set for NASCAR’s Sprint Cup playoff. Broadcast coverage of the race gets underway on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. ET on ABC. It can also be heard on Sirius XM Satellite Radio and MRN.

Atlanta 500 Unofficial Results:
http://www.nascar.com/races/cup/2009/25/data/results_unofficial.html

Atlanta 500 Lap By Lap:
http://www.nascar.com/2009/races/lapbylap/09/06/lap.by.lap.atlanta2/index.html

WALTRIP’S TOP-15 RUN ENDS WHEN TIRE IS CUT DOWN DURING CLOSING LAPS OF SHARPIE 500 AT BRISTOL

BRISTOL, TENN. – Michael Waltrip and the NAPA Racing team had a good run taken away on Saturday night when a tire was cut down with less than 10 laps to go in the Sharpie 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. The problem resulted in a crash and a 31st-place finish.

“I am just so disappointed with what happened,” said Waltrip who started the Sharpie 500 in 36th position. “I saw smoke and told the guys about it. Pitting again under that caution to make sure everything was OK was an option, but we stayed out. It cost us a good finish.”

Mark Martin led the field to the green flag and it was not long until Waltrip was moving his way up through the field. By lap 60, he was already in the top 25. Meanwhile, the second caution of the race was thrown when Denny Hamlin had a tire issue. Crew chief Bootie Barker came over the radio to see what Waltrip needed. His answer was pretty simple – nothing. So on lap 66, the pit crew changed four tires and added fuel.

The race went back to green on lap 69 with Greg Biffle as the new leader and Waltrip was in 25th. The NAPA Toyota remained one of the fastest cars on the track as he broke into the top 20 by lap 132. Then three laps later, the caution was back out for debris. Waltrip told the team that he didn’t need any adjustments so the pit crew busted off a 14-second stop for four fresh tires and fuel. Waltrip picked up three positions on the track due to the fast stop. On the restart, he was scored in 15th and Mark Martin was back in the top spot.

The next green-flag run saw Waltrip compete in the top 20 despite the fact that the driver felt the set of tires he had on were not as good as the first two sets. Barker also told his driver that his teammate, Marcos Ambrose, was reporting the same issue. More than likely, the track was changing and the Michael Waltrip Racing cars were running on the tight side.

Another caution was thrown on lap 163. The NAPA team opted to stay out while most of the cars on the lead lap pitted. Waltrip restarted in 13th position and he held his own as his lap times were as fast as the leader.

Then at the halfway mark, Waltrip was on the verge of breaking into the top 10. On lap 357, the pit crew serviced the NAPA Toyota in 13 seconds. Waltrip returned to the track in 12th position and radar showed rain closing in on Thunder Valley. It made its appearance on lap 420 and NASCAR put out the caution flag. Barker kept Waltrip out while the leaders pitted. The NAPA Toyota was posted in the top spot on lap 425 and remained there for eight laps.
Lap 440 saw a multi-car crash take place right behind the No. 55 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota. Sam Hornish made contact with Casey Mears. The cars of Kurt Busch, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Clint Bowyer, and Brian Vickers were also involved. The yellow allowed the NAPA crew to make another air pressure change, bolt on four fresh tires and add fuel. Waltrip returned to the track in 18th and Kyle Busch was the new leader.

The air pressure adjustments made during the last pit stop made Waltrip’s Toyota tighter. So on lap 459, the NAPA crew went back to work to lower the air pressure to free up the car. The stop took just 12.70 seconds. Busch remained the leader and Waltrip was in 17th position. The race resumed and the double-file restart saw close door-to-door racing. Contact was made between several cars including Martin Truex Jr. and Waltrip. Truex Jr. ended up on the short end of the stick to bring out the caution on 478. Waltrip’s left front was smoking so the team pitted on lap 481 to bolt on four fresh tires and pull out the sheet metal. Unfortunately, when the race restarted on lap 486, Waltrip still had a problem on the left side of the car. The left rear tire was rubbing the sheet metal. He held on as long as he could until the tire was finally cut down sending him hard into the turn three wall on lap 491 to end a solid run.

The final five laps of the Sharpie 500 saw Kyle Busch and Mark Martin go head-to-head but it was Busch who had the advantage. He went on to win his fourth race of the season. The victory helped him close in on a Chase birth as he is now just 34 points out of the coveted 12-place position to make a run at the Sprint Cup title.

Rounding out the top-10 finishers were Martin, Marcos Ambrose, Greg Biffle, Denny Hamlin, Ryan Newman, Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Matt Kenseth.

As for Waltrip’s teammates, David Reutimann finished 17th. Ambrose’s third place showing equates to his fourth top-five and eighth top-10 finish of the season.

This week the NASCAR Sprint Cup teams have their final weekend off. Waltrip is busy doing television. This Week in NASCAR will air tonight at 8 p.m. on SPEED. Then on Friday, he joins Phil Parsons and Rick Allen in the broadcast booth for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event at the Chicagoland Speedway. Broadcast coverage of the race begins at 8:30 p.m. on SPEED.

Rookie Truex Takes Points Lead With Victory

THOMPSON, Conn. (July 11, 2009) – Ryan Truex captured the checkered flag in a NASCAR Camping World Series East race for the second time in the last three outings as he took the Pepsi Full Fender Frenzy 100 Saturday night at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway.

Truex (No. 00 NAPA Toyota) battled Steve Park (No. 35 Waste Management Recycle America Chevrolet) through the last half of the race as the pair swapped the lead three times, but it was the 17-year-old Michael Waltrip Racing development driver who got past the veteran on Lap 96 and rode to the victory.

It was the second win in the last three outings for Truex, who earned his first series victory at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International on June 6. The Mayetta, N.J., native also joined his older brother, Martin Truex Jr., as NASCAR Camping World Series East winners at Thompson.

Park’s runner-up finish was the best of his 2009 season so far. He led a race-high 76 laps after earning the Coors Light Pole Award earlier in the day.

Matt DiBenedetto (No. 18 Joe Gibbs Driven Toyota) finished third to record his fourth top-five in five starts this year. Eddie MacDonald (No. 71 NEMO/Grimm Construction) and Alan Tardiff (No. 38 Bestway Disposal Chevrolet) rounded out the top five.

The rest of the top 10 finishers included Matt Kobyluck, Jesus Hernandez, Ryan Duff, Jonathan Smith and Brett Moffitt.

With the win, Truex has registered three-straight top-three finishes, which vaulted him past Jody Lavender and MacDonald into the points lead with four races remaining on the 2009 schedule. Lavender, the points leader entering the day, finished 11th.

The NASCAR Camping World Series East will next compete at Adirondack International Speedway on Saturday, August 1 in The Edge Hotel 150 presented by Casella Waste Systems.

David Reutimann Fast Facts - Chicago

What it means for MWR to sign Martin Truex Jr.:

"Having Martin (Truex Jr.) join the MWR organization in 2010 is going to be an excellent addition - he's a great driver and demonstrated winner. Having a driver of his caliber come to our organization shows that people in the garage are taking notice and we’re becoming a team that drivers would consider as part of their future."

Whether racing under the lights is any different for a driver:

"Not really. I'm a racer, so it really doesn't matter to me whether it's day or night - I'm one of those guys that would race at any time because it's what I love to do."

Describe the racing at Chicago:

"Chicago's a fast, fun track. I got one of my first starts there in 2003 and won a Nationwide Pole there last year driving the No. 99 Aaron's Dream Machine. It’s a mile and a half D-shaped tri-oval that is surprisingly different from most others that we compete on. It has 18 degrees of banking in the corners, so it's important to get your car handling good in the corners to improve your speed down the straightaways."

Goals for this weekend at Chicagoland:
"We need to bounce back from the unfortunate luck that we had a Daytona last Saturday night. The Aaron's team is still in a great position to get in the top 12 and a solid finish this weekend at Chicagoland will go a long way in making up ground on those guys in front of us."

2009 NSCS Points Standings: David Reutimann is currently in 14th, 74 points behind 12th place.

Chassis Information: The No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine for Chicagoland Speedway is chassis No. 638. This is another brand new Aaron's Dream Machine making its debut at Chicago.

Race Information: Watch the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in action on Saturday, July 11 in the LifeLock.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway. Race coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. ET on TNT.

LifeLock.com 400 - Chicagoland Speedway

NAPA RACING PRESS BOX FEATURING MICHAEL WALTRIP

How do you feel about the press announcement that took place yesterday at Michael Waltrip Racing?
“I'm proud and happy. I'm turning my car over to a guy that I think can go win the championship in it, and I've always said ‑‑ I've been racing these cars for a long time, as we all well know -- if I thought I wasn't the best man for the job, I wouldn't have had a ride for this long. If I wasn't the guy to go race it on Sunday, somebody else would take my place. And I believe at this time in my career that Martin (Truex, Jr.) is the right guy to take over my car and go win races in it. I'm sitting here happy about the fact that Martin is taking over my car. I didn't have to quit. I didn't need to quit. I just wanted to do this. For me it's always been about the sponsors, and NAPA has been the greatest sponsor I could ever have, and I thought this was an opportunity to put them in victory lane on a regular basis. I couldn't be happier or prouder. I'm really thankful.”

A lot of drivers struggle with this and it’s not an easy decision to scale back. Were you always certain that this was the right thing to do and now?
“Totally and I started out in February by saying at preseason and before the 500, that I had to go out and perform at the same level or better than David and Marcos. That's putting a lot of pressure on a driver, and I don't mind ‑‑ I didn't mind doing that, because it was multipurpose. I knew that's what I was going to have to do in order to be able to justify racing in 2010 and beyond. But I also wanted to make sure people like Martin and drivers of his caliber knew there was going to be a good seat available in 2010 if things didn't go like I wanted them to. So making those statements in Florida was a precursor to what we're doing now. I'm proud of what I've accomplished and I was genuinely more happy when David won that race in Charlotte than I've been in a long time in my career so that was confirmation that I made the right decision, that I can get joy out of helping mold and shape MWR and helping to make all of these wonderful men and women that work here understand that their owner is in there with them, in the trenches, fighting, working, trying to help them do whatever we need to help them have success. I'm totally at ease with where I'm at. I think my legacy as a driver has been shaped up by now.”

Talk about Chicagoland Speedway.
“It’s a fun stop and I enjoy going to Chicago in the middle of the summer. What a great city and the fans are totally enthusiastic. They have great short-track racing up there and some of the best racing you will ever see. It’s a great way to celebrate all that by coming to Chicagoland Speedway and watch the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. To me, this race is special – it’s ranks up with New Hampshire and Daytona.”

Michael Waltrip Fast Facts

• NAPA AUTO PARTS driver Michael Waltrip will be competing in his 743rd NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race when the 19th event of the 2009 Sprint Cup season, the LifeLock.com 400, gets underway at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, IL


• He will start in his ninth race at Chicagoland. His best start is fifth (July 14, 2002) and best finish is fifth (July 13, 2003) while driving the NAPA machine.


• Waltrip has completed 1948 of 2139 laps (91.9%) at the track and has led a total of two laps in competition. His average start is 27th and average finish is 26th.


• The NAPA AUTO PARTS team is guaranteed a starting spot in Saturday night’s LifeLock.com 400. The team is 31st in the owner points standings.
  

EVENT FACTS
Race: 19 of 36
LifeLock.com 400
Chicagoland Speedway

Length: 1.5-mile tri-oval
Distance: 400 laps/267 miles
Date: Saturday, July 11

TV Coverage: 7:30 p.m. ET
TV: TNT
Radio: MRN

Martin Truex, Jr. To Drive No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota in 2010

CORNELIUS, N.C. – Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) announced today that NAPA AUTO PARTS has signed a multi-year contract to continue its primary sponsorship with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series organization, and has named two-time Nationwide Series champion and 2007 Chase participant Martin Truex, Jr. as its driver.

Starting in 2010, the car number on the NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota will be the No. 56, a number that has been in the Truex racing family for three generations. MWR co-owner Michael Waltrip, the only full-time driver NAPA has had since joining the Sprint Cup division in 2001, will drive a limited schedule, to include the 2010 Daytona 500 driving the No. 55 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota - an event in which Waltrip and NAPA have shared two memorable victories. Waltrip will retain the number 55. The owner points earned during the 2009 Sprint Cup campaign will be transferred to Truex’s full-time effort.

“NAPA AUTO PARTS and Michael Waltrip have grown synonymous and it means the world to me that we were able to extend our long-running relationship,” said Waltrip who drove NAPA into victory lane six times. “They have been an integral part of my driving career, and now, they will continue with me as I transition into my role as full-time owner.

“I’m really proud of what I was able to accomplish as the driver for NAPA over the past nine seasons, and we still have more opportunities to win together. But I’m also proud of how Michael Waltrip Racing has matured over the past two and a half years and the momentum we have gained since starting from scratch. NAPA extending its support of MWR enables us to continue our assault on a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship.”

“NAPA has been a great supporter of MWR's and I'm looking forward to being a part of their family,” remarked Truex. “I've been going to the local NAPA store in New Jersey where I grew up since the age of 16 to buy auto parts for my first Jeep. I'm honored to carry their logo and look forward to helping them with their success in NASCAR.”

“Today is a significant day for NAPA Racing as we are proud to be a part of this new chapter at Michael Waltrip Racing,” said Bob Susor, NAPA President. “We have tremendous respect for Michael, his success and the world class race team he has built. Now begins a new chapter for NAPA Racing as we welcome Martin Truex, Jr. as the driver of the No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota. As Martin mentioned, he has been a NAPA customer since the age of 16 and we look forward to building on that relationship. He is one of the most exciting and competitive young drivers in the sport and we anticipate many successes both on and off the track.”

The 29-year-old NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver from Mayetta, N.J., joins MWR with an impressive résumé as he has won back-to-back NASCAR Nationwide Series championships in 2004 and 2005. And in just four full seasons competing in NASCAR’s premier division, he has produced two poles, one victory, 12 top-five and 34 top-10 finishes. He has not finished lower than 19th in the Sprint Cup championship points standings.

"I am looking forward to this new chapter in my career with Michael Waltrip Racing and Toyota,” added Truex. “This team has grown tremendously in the past two years, and has proven they have the ability to be competitive week in and week out. I am excited to see what we can do together with NAPA as our sponsor."

The No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry will make its debut next season 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 52nd Annual Daytona 500.