p taking the first strike on the high banks in Turn 1 at Daytona International Speedway

The event served as the ceremonial groundbreaking on the historic repaving project at Daytona International Speedway.

“I’ve tried to knock the walls down but I’ve never tried to tear the track up. That was a first for me,” said 1989 Daytona 500 champion Darrell Waltrip. “It’s a good feeling. That piece of equipment is like driving a good race car. You have to have the right piece of equipment and we had it today. I’m excited about this project.”

“I’m going to get me a chunk of that and take it back to North Carolina,” said Michael Waltrip, the 2001 and 2003 Daytona 500 champion. “This place is special to our family. It’s part of who we are. I don’t come through that tunnel and not think about what this place means to me. I’m a traditionalist. I love Daytona and I love this being the Mecca of NASCAR racing.”

After taking their turns in the backhoe, both Darrell and Michael Waltrip were able to grab some pieces of the track.

“Taking chunks of Daytona International Speedway to my house is something I never thought of being able to do,” Michael Waltrip said. “It’ll be something that will be a trophy to me because this place sort of defines my career. The biggest wins that I have had have happened right here.”

The participation in the groundbreaking for Michael Waltrip comes on the heels of his victory as a car owner with driver David Reutimann in Saturday night’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway.

Waltrip is excited about the thoughts of a repaved Daytona International Speedway for the 53^rd annual Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 20, 2011.

“When I went to Talladega for the first time and drove on that track after the repave, I thought somebody was kidding,” Michael Waltrip said. “It was the coolest thing I had ever felt in my whole life. My car felt like it was running 300 mph because it was sucked down and going so perfectly around that race track.

“The racing there, record lead changes in 2010 at Talladega, and a crazy race the other night at Daytona, none of that will change. These drivers will just be able to be more aggressive and it will be more fun to watch than ever. I can’t wait to be a part of the 2011 Daytona 500.”

Darrell Waltrip remembers the only previous time that Daytona International Speedway was repaved. The first race on the new asphalt was the legendary 1979 Daytona 500 where Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison crashed battling for the lead on the final lap in Turn 3. While Richard Petty celebrated his sixth Daytona 500, Donnie and Bobby Allison got into a post-race fight with Yarborough.

“To a stock car driver, to the history of this place, to the tradition of what it means to a stock car driver to win here, there is no place like it,” Darrell Waltrip said. “I’m excited about what they are getting ready to do here. It’s going to make the racing better. I can’t wait for the 2011 Daytona 500.

“I was here in 1979 after the repave. Most everybody remembers how it ended but I remember how it started. It started under caution and we ran around here a long time in the rain and it finally quit and we were able to go racing but what a day it was. Lead changes and people leading the race that you never heard of. That’s what we will see here come February 2011.”

The repaving project officially began immediately after the Coke Zero 400 Powered By Coca-Cola on Monday, July 5. During the first week of work, crews were removing lights poles, SAFER barrier and safety fence and milling of asphalt began on the Superstretch and the Frontstretch.

Daytona International Speedway’s entire 2.5-mile tri-oval will be repaved as well as the skid pads, apron and pit road. Concrete will be used for the pit stalls. All of the existing asphalt will be removed down to the original 52-year-old lime rock base, which will be leveled and then paving will begin.

An estimated 50,000 tons of asphalt will be used on the project that will pave 1,435,000 square feet, about 33 acres.

Lane Construction, which repaved other ISC race tracks including Talladega Superspeedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Richmond International Raceway and Darlington Raceway, is repaving Daytona International Speedway and has a target completion date of Jan. 1, 2011.

Speedweeks 2011 will kick off with the 49^th annual Rolex 24 At Daytona GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series race on Jan. 29-30 and conclude with the 53^rd annual Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 20, the prestigious season-opening event to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Race fans will be able to view the progression of the historic repaving project from a section of the Oldfield Grandstands, which will open free to the public. Track tours will also be available through attraction admission to Daytona 500 Experience.

Daytona International Speedway also is posting updates on the project at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com/repave and on its social sites on Twitter (www.twitter.com/DISUpdates) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/daytonainternationalspeedway.com)

For tickets and more information on Daytona International Speedway events, visit www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or call 1-800-PITSHOP.

- Daytona International Speedway, Press Release

With the track “Too Tough To Tame” in the rearview, all three NASCAR series head to the “Monster Mile” for another weekend of tough racing.  As we wait for Friday to arrive, here’s the 74th edition of ATIW.  If you don’t know what this post is, we answer any and all reader questions every Wednesday, right here.  So if you’ve got one, click on the ”Ask the Insiders” tab at the top of the page and send one to us.  On to the questions…

1. From Bob:

Wondering what is up with Boris Said? I know they brought David Stremme in because of his experience at certain tracks. Other than the road courses do think he’ll do much racing this year?

I wouldn’t expect to see Boris run any more races for the #26 team, except maybe the road courses.  His experience and ability on ovals is pretty limited, and a team that needs to qualify in the shows each week needs a more experienced driver.  I think the team realized after the first few races that they needed to run better then they did with Boris. – T.C.

2. From Steve:

How do you feel about the new G/W/C rule ? Personally, I’d like to see them go back to one. With three it just turns into a crashfest,crap shoot. Not to mention trying to figure gas and all the carnage that has to be repaired afterwards. That’s got to be awfully tough on the lower budget teams.

In the beginning I was a critic of the move, and felt exactly the same way you did. In practice though I have to admit I’m being won over by the rule change. I appreciate races that end with a definitive winner and the carnage hasn’t been quite as bad as I expected. It can be a bad thing for lower budget teams, but it’s incentive to not get caught up in wrecks. – Journo

3. From Sue:

Now that the crew chiefs for the 24 and 5 team have been re-signed any educated guesses as to the amount they will make? Do they get the same incentives % such as winning a race or winning a championship that drivers get?

My best guess would be high six figures or very low seven figures. Crew chiefs, just like crew members are certainly eligible for and receive bonuses. If you’re a crew chief for a good team, you can make a very good living. – Journo

4. From Cinde:

Are the pit crew members allowed to have tattoos that are visible while on duty? I have never seen any, but do see alot of crew members that wear the partial sleeve. Where I work, we have to cover them up as well.

There are quite a few crew guys who have tattoos, as do some officials.  I’ve never heard of a team requiring guys to cover them.  In this picture, you can see a bit of Mike Houston’s ink (Jeff Gordon’s front carrier).  Remember too that when you normally see crew members and officials on TV, they are in firesuits, gloves, and helmets.  Ink is hard to spot that way. – T.C.

5. From Kyle:

Have you heard anything else on the John Wes Townley situation? Is Zaxbys upset at the situation? There have been some rumors that he no longer wants to drive. Ironically both he and Clint both have driven 5 races in the 21 and John Wes has more points than Clint (484-478 respectively)

It’s funny, John Wes actually has a better average finish in the car, and one less DNF (22.4 to Clint Bowyer’s 22.8 and 1 to Bowyer’s 2). We’ve heard John Wes doesn’t want to do it anymore too (I’m honestly not sure how true that is). We also know Childress is actively seeking drivers to fill the seat in the non-companion events. I can’t imagine the Townleys are thrilled with the way this has gone, but legally they may have no recourse. It’s just all around a bad situation. – Journo

6. From Deb:

Why isn’t michael Waltrip racing today?

Michael is pretty much retired from racing.  In the future, you may see him run a few races here and there, but don’t expect any more full seasons.  He decided at the end of last season that he was finished, but that he would run a partial schedule in 2010. – T.C.

7. From Neon:

Do either of you have any insight on Ford’s FR9 engine? It was mentioned Sat that AJ’s car was the only FR9 running Darlington. I figured starting w/ Talladega that all Ford’s would be sporting the better cooling FR9 pkg. AJ qualified and ran as strongest Ford till his wreck. Ford teams need to get going!

As I understand it, the FR9 will be fully deployed starting at the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona in July.  I believe it’s taken Roush Yates and Ford Racing a little longer to get the engine implemented then they’d hoped, but they’ve now had plenty of time to track test and work out any bugs. – T.C.

And that brings yet another “Ask The Insiders Wednesday” to a close.  Thanks to everyone who sent in questions.  And remember, if you’d like to be a part of next week, click on the ”Ask the Insiders” tab at the top of the page and send your question in!

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Could Michael Waltrip match the success of Richard Childress?

I know it’s an odd question, but I was thinking about this the other day. At this point both have built teams that are consistently competitive and capable of winning races and on track they both have had very comparable success in their driving careers (though Waltrip’s career has lasted 14+ years longer). With Waltrip stepping into the role of owner, could he join Childress as a mediocre driver who became a great owner?

Richard Childress spent 12 full and part-time seasons competing in what is today the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He began his career in 1969 (at age 23) serving as one of the fill-in drivers at the now infamous Talladega race (it was boycotted by the sport’s top drivers). Through the years, across 285 starts, Childress accumulated zero wins, six top-fives, 76 top-tens, and zero poles. He ended his career with an average finish of 17.6.

Michael Waltrip began his NASCAR career in 1985 at age 22. Through 761 starts over 26 seasons (and counting), he has four wins, 39 top-fives, 128 top-tens, and four poles. Waltrip has an average finish of 21.9.

What blossomed into Richard Childress Racing began with Childress’ first race in 1969. He gave up the drivers seat in 1981 to Dale Earnhardt; Ricky Rudd took over in 1982. Earnhardt returned for the 1983 season and never left. Together Childress and Earnhardt racked up 69 wins and six championships. On top of that, RCR has another 20 Cup wins. They also have 75 wins and six championships in the Nationwide and Truck Series’.

Michael Waltrip Racing began in earnest in 1996, fielding a Nationwide and Truck ride for Waltrip. For the next several seasons Waltrip and a slew of other drivers ran in the Nationwide Series. In that time, Waltrip racked up four wins (David Reutimann has one win in 2007).

In 2007 the team underwent a major expansion and began fielding Waltrip, Dale Jarrett, and David Reutimann in the Cup Series. While the team struggled both on and off the track through their first couple of seasons, they came into their own in 2009. Despite missing the cut for the Chase, Reutimann was consistently competitive and even scored his first Cup Series win. In addition the team fields a car for Marcos Ambrose, who has shown recently that he is capable of running up front. With the addition of Martin Truex Jr. and Pat Tryson this season, and prospects like Trevor Bayne and Ryan Truex, the team has a solid foundation from which to grow.

While the two organizations are at vastly different stages in their life cycles and Michael Waltrip doesn’t have a young Dale Earnhardt behind the wheel, they really share a lot of similarities. Both had humble beginnings (Waltrip ran the team until quite recently from a shop on the property of his Sherrills Ford, N.C. home), some early struggles, and owners with an intense passion for and commitment to NASCAR.

While it’s still young, MWR has quickly made itself a competitor in NASCAR’s top series. Given another 20 years can Waltrip find the success Childress did?

Filed under: ifantasyrace blog Tagged: Bristol wreck, Michael Waltrip, Michael Waltrip Bristol Crash, Michael Waltrip Crash, Michael Waltrip Wreck

Chicken Soup for the Soul: NASCAR: 101 Stories of Family, Fortitude and Fast Cars

The contest begins on March 1st, and will end on March 31st.

About Chicken Soup for the Soul: NASCAR: 101 Stories of Family, Fortitude and Fast Cars:

Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing, LLC, puts three-time Sprint Cup Champion Darrell Waltrip in the driver’s seat for the next NASCAR book, Chicken Soup for the Soul: NASCAR, 101 stories of Family, Fortitude and Fast Cars. Waltrip, who wrote the foreword, is joining Chicken Soup for the Soul in celebrating the most dedicated fans in sports.

A NASCAR legend, and older brother of NASCAR driver and team owner Michael Waltrip, Darrell raced professionally from 1972 until 2000. Upon his retirement in 2000, his 809 career starts and 84 victories ranked him third-best at the time. Now a lead analyst for FOX’s NASCAR broadcasts and columnist for FOX Sports and FoxSports.com, Waltrip spends his time highlighting the best stories of NASCAR for a national audience—something he’s carrying over to this book with Chicken Soup for the Soul.

“One thing pops out at me all the way through these stories,” Waltrip says about Chicken Soup for the Soul: NASCAR, “someone, somehow, somewhere, had an impact on all these people’s lives. And I believe the peoplewho read the stories shared in this book will be impacted in some way, too.”

All entry blanks must be complete in order to be considered. Winners will be randomly picked and notified no later than one week after the contest ends on March 31st.

First, before I get into the meat of this post, I want to congratulate Jamie McMurray and his Earnhardt Ganassi crew.  Jamie drove his butt off and the team did a heck of a job to bring home the 2010 Daytona 500.

Now, after tonight’s race I got to thinking about what it means for the season to win the Daytona 500.  After doing a little research, I’m wondering if winning the 500 might be becoming a bit of a, dare I say, curse?

I went back and looked at the seasons for the previous ten Daytona 500 winners.  They winners are, in chronological order: Matt Kenseth, Ryan Newman, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Michael Waltrip, Ward Burton, Michael Waltrip, and Dale Jarrett.  This list stretches back to the 2000 season.

Over the previous ten seasons, only once has a driver that won the 500 gone on to win that season’s championship (Johnson, ‘06).  And since 2000, only four times has a driver that won the 500 gone on to a top ten points finish.  Two drivers, Burton and Waltrip, finished outside the top 20 in points.

Winning the 500 hasn’t meant that the particular driver hasn’t had success, as many have gone on to win many more races (see Dale Jr, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson).  But it certainly hasn’t boded well for any championship hopes.

If you’ll remember last season, Kenseth jumped out early and won the 500 and again the next weekend at California.  His team then began a 34 week slide that would see them miss the Chase and finish 14th in the points.

In 2008, Ryan Newman won the season opener, and then failed to reach victory lane again.  He finished 17th in the points that year, and hasn’t won a race since.  The ‘08 season would also be the last straw for Newman at long time home Penske Racing, as he moved on to Stewart-Haas for 2009.

Going back to 2007, Kevin Harvick was the Daytona 500 winner, and he too has not won a points paying race since.

Looking over the stats, I’m not sure we can quite call this a curse just yet, but the numbers don’t lie.  Daytona 500 winners have not fared well following their big win.

I also think this brings up an interesting question, and it’s one in which I’d like to get some feedback from you on.  If you could only pick one, would you rather win the Daytona 500 or a Sprint Cup Championship?  Let that roll around, and let me know your thoughts.

It’s a busy NASCAR week, as the Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Tour means a ton of news and announcements.  And the Media Tour means we inch ever closer to Daytona.  And as we do, it’s Wednesday again, and that means more of your questions and our answers.  If you don’t know what this post is, we answer any and all reader questions every Wednesday, right here.  So if you’ve got one, click on the ”Ask the Insiders” tab at the top of the page and send one to us.  On to the questions…

1. From Ric:

Have heard that sometimes they adjust tire pressure on the inner tire to make a difference in the outer tire pressure. Is this common practice?

Yes, at the tracks where inner liners are used (they aren’t at places like Martinsville) the pressure of the liner affects handling characteristics and it is adjusted.  Somebody who knows more about tires could tell you why, but you don’t want the pressures to be equal.  When this happens, you’ll hear the TV guys say the tire has “equalized.” – T.C.

2. From Connie:

I saw something on TV about Jimmie Johnson  doing some show on/at Daytona before the new season starts ?

Jimmie is doing HBO’s 24/7 series. It’ll be four episodes and is being billed as a behind the scenes look at Jimmie Johnson and the #48 team. It starts next Tuesday (the 26th) at 10 p.m. and airs the next three Tuesdays at the same time. More info here. You might also want to check out Speed’s show on Joe Gibbs Racing’s push to Daytona. It too is four episodes and starts Sunday at 6 p.m. – Journo

3. From Ella:

NASCAR  is considering changing to a spoiler on the COT.  If that happens this season, will that change how the cars run?  Will it negate the test data collected on the cars so far?  Will it be a big impact or a small glitch for the crew chiefs, drivers and crews?

Yes, the handling of the cars will be different with a spoiler.  Teams will pretty much be starting over with data, because a spoiler will affect a car differently than the wing.  There will definitely be an adjustment period for the teams and the drivers, but just how big of a deal it will be remains to be seen.  I think we won’t know for sure until the teams get some track time with the new configuration. – T.C.

4. From Kevin:

Hey guys, I read something last week about RCR and their troubles last year.  They referenced a very specific part of their cars that was the root of their problems.  They didn’t say exactly what it was, but it was clear they all knew what it was, and after they realized what it was and started changing it on all their cars they got it turned around.  It appears it worked and they did run better in the Chase.  Do you guys know the part of the car they were referring to?

Let me put it this way.  If I don’t work for RCR, I probably don’t know what it is, as they aren’t saying.  If I do work for RCR, I can’t say because I don’t want other teams to know what we figured out.  So either way, I can’t say. – T.C.

5. From Patrick:

With the rear wing on its way out will we see more rear deck lid ads?

Every car that I know of (except maybe Penske) still utilizes the decklid for sponsor space. It will certainly be more visible, but it won’t change from what they do now. – Journo

6. From BB:

Just wondering why Michael Waltrip is running the 51 as opposed to the 55 this year, and if you have any news on why SPEED cancelled TWIN?

From Michael Waltrip’s Twitter: “i needed a change from the 55. we won Daytona in the 15. 51 is a variation of that. sorta in memory of.” And as far as TWIN goes, Speed President Hunter Nickell told Sports Business Journal, “the news and analysis format, hosted by Steve Byrnes, Michael Waltrip and a variety of other guests, “just wasn’t connecting with the fans anymore.” So TWIN will not be returning. Speed is adding several new shows though. Check out the article here (SBJ subscription required). – Journo

And that brings yet another “Ask The Insiders Wednesday” to a close.  Thanks to everyone who sent in questions.  And remember, if you’d like to be a part of next week, click on the ”Ask the Insiders” tab at the top of the page and send your question in!