/noticias.info/ NAPA AUTO PARTS driver Michael Waltrip missed the big wreck at Talladega Superspeedway on lap eight which took out 16 cars. He also avoided engine failure, which cost four drivers a shot at finishing. But it was a small three-car crash that Waltrip nearly avoided that ended the day for the NAPA team. The No. 55 finished 25th in the Aaron’s 499.
The race at Talladega is one of the most nerve racking events on the NASCAR schedule. For Waltrip and the NAPA team, just trying to get into the field for the Aaron’s 499 left them with anxious stomachs. The No. 55 spent the entire weekend in qualifying trim. Each time Waltrip took to the track, he concentrated on making smooth laps without any drafting help in order to simulate qualifying. All that effort paid off when the NAPA car posted the 21st fastest lap on Saturday in qualifying at over 185 mph. Elliott Sadler won the Bud Pole at 188.511 mph.
“On the back stretch on the second lap, I saw about 40 more RPMs than I had all weekend and I just stared at it,” said Waltrip. “I felt pretty confident when I saw that.”
Sunday morning kicked off with a special 43rd birthday celebration for Waltrip. NAPA delivered a cake, which looked identical to the driver’s 2006 hero card. There was even a Happy Birthday Mikey decal inside the car. But all the celebration of watching Waltrip race on his birthday went down the drain when rain forced the postponement of the Aaron’s 499.
Aarons 499 Final Results
1. Jimme Johnson
2. Tony Stewart
3. Brian Vickers
25. Michael Waltrip
On Monday, the field took the green flag under sunny skies. As part of his pre-race game plan, Waltrip eased his way to the back of the field and found a couple drafting partners, just far enough from the pack to avoid any problems. On lap eight, that strategy paid off. As the field worked its way into turn number three, a group of cars decided five-wide, instead of the usual nail biting three-wide, was the way to race. There wasn’t enough room and “The Big One” was on. Waltrip slowed his NAPA car down in time and missed the wreck that took out 16 cars and several strong contenders.
Waltrip battled a tight car for most of the race. Since the NAPA car had a qualifying setup under it all weekend, it was fast on its own. But in traffic it was tight due to a large right front spring. Despite the handling, the NAPA car was very competitive. Waltrip worked his way into the top-10 for a final run to the finish. On lap 169, the No. 55 restarted in ninth with defending NEXTEL Cup Series champion Tony Stewart on his bumper. Waltrip used the draft to make his way further forward, but a late crash stopped his progress.
On lap 173, Joe Nemechek and Reed Sorenson got tangled in the tri-oval. Waltrip ducked low to miss the crash and made it through. However, Nemechek’s Chevy slid back down the track and clipped Waltrip in the right front. The NAPA car was damaged, but initially Waltrip felt they may be okay.
“He hit me in the tire,” said Waltrip. “The toe is off, but it’s not too bad. Just repair the fender and give me right side tires.” The NAPA crew prepared to fix the damage, but once they got the right front tire off, they realized the damage was worse than expected. The right front brake rotor had cracked in half and NASCAR mandated they fix it before returning to the track. Waltrip lost several laps during the repair. He eventually returned to the track but in the process blew a right front tire and NASCAR told the team to take the car to the garage because they could not meet the minimum speed. The NAPA car was scored in 25th. Jimmie Johnson won the Aaron’s 499 beating Stewart to the line.
“That’s a tough finish for the NAPA car,” said Waltrip. “We had the crash missed and then just got hit out of nowhere. I didn’t think the damage was too bad at first, but I guess it broke more than I thought. It’s disappointing, but we’ll keep working hard to turn this deal around.”
