Michael Waltrip Ponders 2010 Retirement

Michael Waltrip was one of the drivers on hand for this weekend's Preseason Thunder preview event at Daytona International Speedway, and judging from the transcripts, he certainly had some of the more interesting quotes.

Those quotes included Waltrip -- the winner of the 2001 and 2003 Daytona 500s while driving the No. 15 for Dale Earnhardt Inc. -- admitting that jumping into team ownership has hurt his driving career and that if his personal results don't improve pretty drastically in 2009, he might be forced to hang up the driving gloves in 2010.

For a preseason preview event, Waltrip's words definitely were somewhat of a surprise.

Waltrip, who currently owns his own Sprint Cup team, has been a NASCAR driver since 1986. When Michael Waltrip Racing began competing in 2007 under the Toyota banner, the then-three car team struggled heavily with Waltrip, David Reutimann and Dale Jarrett during the manufacturer's first season in Sprint Cup season.

The team's 2009 lineup has just Waltrip, Reutimann with less than a full-season's worth of sponsorship and a partnership with JTG-Daughtery Racing to field a Toyota for Marcos Ambrose.

As for Waltrip's future plans, he analyzed his recent performance quite truthfully during the fan event.

"[...] obviously I think as a driver I've hurt myself a lot. When I drove for Tony, Jr. at DEI in '05 we had a chance to win this race, we went to Phoenix and ran second, we sat on the pole at Pocono. I was up front. I was a good driver then. In '06, '07 and '08 we've struggled, so as a driver it's hurt my career a little bit," said Waltrip.

Later, he discussed how 2009 -- thanks to the struggles of the past three years with DEI and his own team -- could be a year of reckoning for the former Daytona champ.

"My goal is to go win some races this year, run up front so that I don't have to say this is my last year. But if I don't do those things, if I can't compete at the level that Reutimann does or NAPA expects, then I probably won't get to do this again in 2010," said Waltrip. "This is a real important year for me because I still love it. I'm still emotional about it. That's a great feeling. I'm glad I have that."

While I'm sure many folks will say "Good riddance" to Waltrip if he does decide to retire from NASCAR in 2010, I'd certainly have a feeling that we missed out on a good amount of potential over the past few years from Waltrip. Sure, he's had some bonehead moments and has crashed quite a few race cars, but one has to remember that starting a new team from the ground up, maintaining it and participating in it is not an easy thing to do.

Waltrip was a modestly competitive driver at the one-dimensial DEI (restrictor plate tracks, anyone?) during his tenure, and to think he couldn't replicate that in a legitimately competitive car is far from wishful thinking.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

1-18-2009 @ 12:44AM

CJ said...

That SOB shouldve retired after the 2005 season, his last with DEI and Chevy! He has been nothing more than a joke, a cheater, and a sponsor whore! I have yet to figure out why Napa has stayed as long as they have, and i guarantee you if he dont pick it up this year(and he wont) then in order to keep Reutimann and Napa, he'll have to step out of the ride and give it to Napa, that is if they stay. I'd say since Reutiman couldnt keep UPS, and i dont blame them as Reutimann is a joke on the track as is his boss, that more than likely Napa will be elsewhere next year. I could see Napa going with either Truex to Stewart-Haas in 2010(although it will probably be Bass Pro or could split between the two) or maybe with McMurray over to Penske, as Alltel has officially merged with Verizon and will be off the car after this year. I also wouldnt be suprised if Jack Daniels bolts RCR(after Casey Mears gets canned after this season) as RCR tried to force Jack out when UPS came calling, but Jack had another year on it's contract and enforced it, maybe the #30 or #32 Napa RCR Chevy. It'd be great to see Napa back on a Chevy, especially at RCR instead of Stewart Haas, and as for drivers, Truex Jr, McMurray, and Elliott Sadler would be options for them, even Bobby Labonte could get a second shot depending on how awful HOF/Yates does this year and Bobby can go where he should've went this year to begin with.

1-18-2009 @ 12:45PM

nascar sky said...

CJ, Cheerio's was the first client of Bobby Labonte's marketing firm (December 2007). Bobby's company negotiated the Cheerio's and RCR deal. After all of the negotiations had been made, Cheerio's made the deal contingent on Bobby Labonte NOT being the driver of the car. You keep repeating that Bobby made a bad choice by not going to RCR. He didn't have a choice. Cheerio's did not want him as their driver.

1-18-2009 @ 1:11PM

I'd like to see your sources Nascar sky? Ive never heard that whatsoever! Yes, i knew that Cheerios was represented by Labonte's marketing company, but it makes absolutely NO SENSE why they wouldnt want him to drive for them. From everything ive heard said from everyone associated in Nascar, Bobby DID have the opportunity to drive for them but was offered partial ownership deal which would go into affect after his career was over. Never once have i heard that said and alot of people have also said that Bobby should've taken that RCR ride. Not to mention, that they ended up doing some driving shuffle when it was all said and done, and if that was the case, explain to me why they wouldnt of rather had Labonte in the Jack Chevy instead of Mears? So until you have sources, which i live nascar news, your full of BS as far as im concerned! That makes real sense, "oh, bobby, your marketing company is good enough to represent us, but your not on the race track", are you serious! Cheerios would never say that and if they didnt have faith in Bobby they wouldnt of had him represent them on the track at Petty's! Any Bozo could see as plan as day it was the equipment, not Bobby!

1-19-2009 @ 5:07PM

George said...

The twit should of retired 24 years ago. I get so sick of of him being called a two-time Daytona winner when one was called because of rain (and him looking into the camera and saying "I hope it keeps raining") and the other win is because Senior was trying to hold back 40 other drivers for his son,what a crock.

1-21-2009 @ 6:09PM

jay said...

its about time that fool should be driving a napa parts truck hes just a nascar puppet hes sucks up too nascar just like his big mouth brother

1-26-2009 @ 3:26PM

Butch said...

Please Mikey buy a time machine and go back some 20 years and retire from racing and take your lame a** brother with you. I'll give you one thing though,,,you're better than Dale Jr.

2-11-2009 @ 2:43PM

JHAWK said...

Bunch of no it alls on here. Here is what i know. MW has not only had a long career with nascar but is also a owner. He may not be as succesfull as earnhardt and hendricks etc....but most of us could only to hope for a partial of his sucees. I like the guy. Also the petty's and any other of the racers out there that may not alway's win on Sunday,but lead every day of the week. Go get em Mickey!