I wonder how much longer Toyota is going to put up with Michael Waltrips failing to make any races. I have a feeling that unless MWR can start making the races Toyota is going to pull the plug on MWR. I wonder if alochol was involved in Michael's accident the other day. Was that why he failed to wait for the police to arrive ??
2007-04-16 06:34:05 · 20 answers · asked by Anonymous in Sports ➔ Auto Racing ➔ NASCAR
I don't think that Toyota is gonna put up with MWR much longer. They want results and they want them NOW! Michael can't even qualify for a race. I think that Toyota only signed with MWR because he knows how to get his sponsor's name out there in the spotlight. I know that they had to see that he isn't a decent driver. He's been in Nascar for 20 years and only has 4 wins!
As far as his accident goes, I belive that alcohol was a factor in what happened. I mean...he wrecked his car and when the witness called the police, he high-tailed it outta the scene. He took off his shoes and walked home. I'm sorry, but there is no way that he was sober when he did that. And if he was not drunk then he would not have left before the police came. And when the police went to his house...they couldn't find him. Now where else did he go? I'm sorry to any Waltrip fans...but nothing adds up in Michael's accident story.
2007-04-16 09:29:40 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
Michael Waltrip is tarnishing the Waltrip name. He is tarnishing Toyota's image. If he continues to make the news for only cheating or not qualifying on race day and for messing up off the track as well then Toyota should pull the plug as soon as they can. I'm sure their is a contract at stake here, saying Toyota can not leave Waltrip and Waltrip can not leave Toyota. I would think that Toyota would have put in a performance clause though. He used to be good for the sport. Now days hes bad for NASCAR. Both on and off the track. To answer the last part of the question, I'd say he was definitely drinking. Allot of problems at the race shop. Driving him to drink.
2007-04-16 18:35:54 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think D.W. answered this the best during the pre-race show Sunday. He said that the different aspects of being a driver and a team owner (Cup, Busch, and Truck series) are just adding up and getting to Michael. I wouldn't be surprised to see another driver in the 55 car after to long. But will Toyota pull the plug--highly doubtful, it took several years before Toyota dominated the Truck series; and I think it'll be the same for Nextel Cup, and they already have a strong showing in Busch (the 3 Toyotas are in 2nd, 5th, and 15th).
As for alcohol being involved--let me ask everyone here if they have ever been in a single vehicle roll-over accident . Well, I have and the last thing on my mind was calling the cops. If it hadn't happened in the middle of the day and getting rushed to the ER, I would have tried to figure out how to get home and call it a night. You don't think about the police or reporting anything--you just try to clear your head.
2007-04-17 00:31:35 · answer #3 · answered by bkelstrup 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
From www.insiderracingnews.com
"Waltrip Sponsor Not Happy?
Rumors are swirling about Toyota driver Michael Waltrip's future and his sponsorship support, after failing to make the last six tour races. According to one unconfirmed report, Waltrip is having to return $300,000 to his sponsors for each race he misses. There is also speculation that Bill Elliott may be under consideration for a ride with the three-team operation; Elliott, 50 and only a part-time driver these days, would have six championship provisionals, guaranteeing him a spot in at least six races. However Elliott, despite the multimillion-dollar contracts being waved at him by more than one team, has been less than enthusiastic about becoming too deeply involved in the sport again."
2007-04-16 20:35:21 · answer #4 · answered by Anna in IL 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If Mikey really wants to do this, he needs to get out of the car, a la Richard Childress in 1981, and focus on building and running the team. He's never been that great a driver anyway. He won the Winston one year when the Wood Brothers somehow caught the lightning they used to have in the 1970s in a bottle for 10 laps. He won some plate races for DEI who had everybody covered in the plate races during that time period. So he's got some wins to put on his tombstone, but it's unlikely that he'll get anymore. Plus he's actually at the age, I think he's 46 or 47, where especially today with so many young whippersnappers are coming in, that you start on the downslide as a driver. He needs to call a press conference tomorrow and say, "I'm getting out of the car and will run the team." If he doesn't, he's in danger of losing it all.
2007-04-20 10:57:10 · answer #5 · answered by Big G 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
NAPA has reportedly told M W R they will have to repay $300,000.00 per race they miss.
As for Totota, Mikey and Toyota had a meeting over the weekend in Texas.
Things don't look too good at Waltrip racing.
That's all I have to say about that.
2007-04-16 23:42:08 · answer #6 · answered by blakree 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Being race car owner and driver at the same time is a lot of responsibility. It might just be too much for him. He definitely is having a bad year missing races and now the accident. The media reported no alcohol was involved. But with the bad luck he has had lately, it makes me wonder. He needs to make some changes in his organization, engine shop, something, to start making races.
2007-04-16 15:30:14 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
well, you have to look at it this way too... Mikey is not making the race but David Ruietemann is and so is Dale Jarrett (but only have one provisional left since he used up his 5th one here at Texas this weekend).
And other Toyota drivers are in the race, NAPA is the one that is dying on the vine here, along with Mikey.
I love Mikey, and we all know this is a new team and will have problems with first coming up. So hopfully we all get out of the bottle and realize what is at steak here.
GO WALTRIP!!!!!!!!
Love your Few True FANS
2007-04-16 22:20:13 · answer #8 · answered by str8putter 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe we all like Michael but reports are he likes to drink more than just a little. I have relatives that's seen him so drunk at Talladega he could hardly walk.
I agree about Toyota, they have to be very unhappy with MWR. Once DJ uses up his provisionals, he won't make races either. I wouldn't be surprised if NAPA and UPS pull out of MWR after this season.
2007-04-16 17:30:27 · answer #9 · answered by Big Rick 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I wondered the same thing about him failing to wait at the scene of an accident. True, he could have been totally disoriented and just wasn't of right mind and couldn't think properly, but also that was plenty of time for the alcohol to wear off.
About his racing, I can't say for sure...I'm still not happy about Toyota being involved in the first place.
2007-04-16 13:38:35 · answer #10 · answered by Sunidaze 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋