Catch any glimpses of Michael Waltrip's NAPA?Best Western?Domino's Pizza?insert-10-more-sponsors-here Dodge running up front in any race this season? Didn't think so. Sadly, one of the sport's most colorful drivers is all but disappearing from the radar screen, and his season is in serious trouble.
Waltrip's career has had more emotional roller coasters than your nearest Six Flags. After running 463 races without a Cup win, Waltrip took the checkered flag at the 2001 Daytona 500 -- only to hear that his car owner and friend, Dale Earnhardt, had been killed in a crash on the last lap.
Waltrip won three more races for Earnhardt's former team but never established consistency on the track. In five years with DEI, Waltrip's highest points finish was 14th; DEI eventually released him in favor of Dale Jr.'s good buddy Martin Truex.
That could have been a potential career-killer for the 42-year-old Waltrip, but the sponsor-savvy, media-friendly driver knew how to sell himself, and before anyone could blink, he had someone knocking down his door. New manufacturer Toyota needed a marquee name to build its Cup series program around in 2007. With the money and expertise Toyota is willing to throw into Waltrip's growing Cup operation, it appears the pair will make 2007 something to remember.
Or will they?
There's one problem with the Toyota deal: Waltrip had to find a ride for 2006 to "survive" until Toyota finished making its way into the sport. Unfortunately, negotiating through that in-between season has proven to be more treacherous than anyone thought.
In association with Bill Davis Racing, Waltrip switched from Chevy to Dodge in hopes of using that team's resources to get to the front of the pack. However, Davis' team, which runs Toyota in the Truck Series, will be switching manufacturers in 2007 as well and no longer has the factory support of Dodge. In fact, the team lost a $5 million lawsuit by Dodge that it breached its contract by spearheading the Toyota movement.
As a result, the team has a smaller budget than almost any other multi-car team, and the operation has suffered. Waltrip's best finish so far is 18th at the Daytona 500; his team has failed to finish on the lead lap in any of the seven races since.
The low point for Waltrip and his team came last Saturday night in Phoenix. While running in midpack, Waltrip's No. 55 NAPA Dodge was tapped by Kyle Petty, starting an eight-car wreck that sent Waltrip toward the outside wall and into the path of several oncoming cars.
The resulting trip to the garage for repairs did more than just drop Waltrip to a 42nd-place finish -- it dropped him out of the coveted top 35 in owner points, forcing him to qualify on speed for every race until he can climb back up the ladder.
That's going to be a huge problem. Waltrip's best qualifying effort this season is 24th, and he's needed owner provisionals in the last two races just to make the field. With those freebies no longer available, Waltrip must take a car that posted the 43rd-best qualifying speed in Daytona and put it in the field at Talladega. If he fails, his chances of getting a locked-in spot in the top 35 in owner points pretty much evaporates, and the rest of the season becomes a battle to make races, not contend for wins.
Certainly, if Waltrip can ride out the season and put the car in the show consistently, he'll have a bounce-back season with Toyota next year. Still, Toyota's not going to be happy that its No. 1 driver is in position to miss the Cup field every Sunday afternoon. How would consistent DNQs damage that relationship? Would Toyota look elsewhere in the face of a terrible year?
Those are questions Waltrip hopes he never has to answer. Always a talker, just like his older brother, Michael has been keeping a low profile as of late, simply hoping his car will do the talking for him. It had better start soon.
Tom Bowles is the assistant editor of Frontstretch.com. He can be e-mailed at tbowles81@yahoo.com.
