It looks like Michael Waltrip Racing has found out why they aren't making races.The engines? Nope.
The chassis? Wrong again.
The drivers? Never their fault.
The crew chiefs? You bet.
Matt Borland, formerly the crew chief for Ryan Newman, was let go from his position of crew chief for Dale Jarrett's UPS Toyota this week.
"Dale Jarrett wasn't happy, UPS wasn't happy, and we had to do something immediately," team owner Michael Waltrip said.Jarrett has now used up all of his past champion provisionals and must either find the top 35 or race his way into each remaining race in 2007. Jason Burdett will fill the role of crew chief for DJ from here on out. Waltrip let go David Hyder last week from his role with the #55 team.
Burdett comes from Robert Yates Racing where he served last year as a co-crew cheif on Jarrett's #88 last year.
Will he know how to qualify a car into the race each week that can't seem to find speed anywhere?
That sure is a tough job to step in to, but Waltrip and Jarrett must have enough faith in the guy to knock Borland, who won 8 races with Ryan Newman in 2003, off the pit box. Tough times call for tough moves -- and Toyota certainly hasn't hit the ground with flying colors in its inaugural foray to NASCAR Nextel Cup.
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
about time mikey took some drastic action, now he needs to find a driver for the 55 so he can continue to do what he does best. be an owner(not an owner driver) jarrett is, in my opinion, a loser. the only thing he had going for him was ups and if he doesnt dit ujp and take notice they wont have that much longer...get a driver from busch series and let him try...
Although I do believe this may be a step in the right direction, I feel Dale Jarrett's & UPS's decision to move to Waltrip/Toyota's team, was a big mistake! I am a wife of a UPSer and we are soooo incredibly disapointed and disheartened by Dale's poor races this year. Dale, we are fans! Michael, you've got the driver and the sponsor, please do something for them and build them the quality car they need and give them the crew they need to make it work! Good luck, Dale Jarrett! Your UPS family is pulling for you!
I've been a fan of Dale Jarrett for many years, and his decision to move to Waltrip's team seemed like a good one at the time. He seemed to have confidence in what Mikey was trying to accomplish, but the way the races have been turning out for DJ is a shame. He's an excellent competitor, and has a lot to offer to racing. DJ, I'm still your fan and always will be your fan. It won't be the same watching the race without seeing you drive. Hang in there. Mikey hopefully will be building a strong team and your fans would like to see you keep driving. Being a commentator for the Busch series is fine, and you're doing a good job.
It was only a matter of time. If you are not fast enough to get in the race, you shouldn"t be there. I don't believe that they should keep the 35 car rule in effect. They should do away with provisionals and let them race their way in. On the short tracks on Saturday nights that's what you see. Heat races determine the grid. If they have a limit on the number of cars, the slow ones go home. What's the problem. But I guess NASCAR needs the money too much for that.
Borland is damn good - they are looking to the wrong guy on this one
Borland is damn good - they are scapegoating the wrong guy here