Motorsports

Waltrip's car new, but with same look

By BRANT JAMES
Published January 17, 2006

DAYTONA BEACH - Judging by the bright blue-and-yellow paint scheme on the car and his firesuit as Michael Waltrip climbed from his cockpit, little had changed over the winter for one of NASCAR's most recognizable drivers.

It looked like just another day back at Daytona International Speedway, where the 42-year-old achieved his greatest fame - Daytona 500 wins in 2001 and 2003 and the Pepsi 400 in 2002 - in a 21-year Cup career with just one other points win.

But though the sponsor remains the same, his car number changes from 15 to 55. And Waltrip drives not for Dale Earnhardt Inc., where he toiled for five years, but Bill Davis Racing, where he landed when it became apparent last summer DEI was phasing him out in favor of two-time Busch Series champion Martin Truex .

Without the resources and restrictor-plate wherewithal of DEI - which won 11 of 16 races at Daytona and Talladega from 2001-04 - Waltrip hopes a familiar look will be bolstered by familiar results.

"My car is going to look like it always has," he said. "Hopefully, it will be as fast as it always has and then I'll never know the difference."

If there is a difference, Waltrip could have a tough time making races. Because the No.55 team did not exist last season and has no owner points, it must qualify for the first five races on speed. Waltrip will have guaranteed starting spots after that if he is in the top 35 in owner points.

Waltrip said he had no knowledge of a BDR plan to form a business partnership with Doug Bawel , a former Cup car owner, to obtain the now-defunct No.77's owner points from last season. The No.77 finished 33rd with driver Travis Kvapil . NASCAR said it knew of negotiations between BDR and Bawel but maintained it has final approval. At least six teams have contacted Bawel about obtaining the No.77's points.

"We're focused on trying to get our cars to go fast," Waltrip said. "We certainly every day look at possibilities of what the ownership or management group of my team going forward will look like, so right now we just have to get our cars fast enough and worry about that other stuff later."

IROC: Because of schedule conflicts, St. Petersburg residents Dan Wheldon and Sebastien Bourdais will not be among the drivers announced this morning for the 2006 International Race of Champions lineup. Wheldon - the 2005 Indy Racing League, Indianapolis 500 and Grand Prix of St. Petersburg champion - and Bourdais were sought by the series, which pits champions from different series in similarly prepared cars. Bourdais, the two-time defending Champ Car champion who won his first IROC race last year at Texas, has a race the day of the second IROC event. Wheldon has testing commitments with Ganassi Racing.

IRL rookie of the year Danica Patrick was considered, said spokesman George Signore , but was not invited.

SPARK PLUGS: Sterling Marlin had the fastest lap (187.110) of the afternoon sessions and two of the top four in the morning in the No.14 with MB2 Motorsports. Brian Vickers will miss testing after having hernia surgery on Monday in Charlotte. Nextel Cup series director John Darby told thatsracin.com that the "Car of Tomorrow" will be phased in over three years beginning in 2007.

[Last modified January 17, 2006, 05:11:33]