Following up on last week’s news regarding its recent changes to the No. 22 CAT
Racing team, Bill Davis Racing released more details Tuesday about its 2006
plans for the No. 55 car, confirming Derrick Finley will serve as crew chief for
Michael Waltrip and the No. 55 NAPA AUTO PARTS crew.
Along with Finley, the majority of the crew members who worked on the No. 22 car
this 2005 season will move to the No. 55 team.
“Derrick has done a good job with the No. 22 car this year. Putting him and his
experienced group of guys with Michael is going to make the entire transition
back into a two-car team easier for all of us,” said Bill Davis, team owner and
president of Bill Davis Racing. “Derrick is a very intelligent individual and a
hard worker. I am confident he, Michael and the rest of the guys have what it
takes to get the No. 55 NAPA car up front.”
Earlier this year, BDR entered into a partnership with Waltrip and NAPA AUTO
PARTS to field a second team in 2006. Davis announced last Thursday Dave Blaney
had returned to his racing organization to drive the No. 22 Caterpillar car in
the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, with Kevin Hamlin joining him as crew chief. Next
season will be the first time since 2003 that Davis has fielded two full-time
NASCAR Nextel Cup teams.
“I’m really looking forward to having two teams. Having Blaney and Hamlin’s
input is going to be valuable. I’ve known Hamlin for a long time. We’ll work
well together,” Finley said. “It’s a big help to be able to take most of my guys
with me. We’ll have our core group together with a new driver, which should help
speed everything up as far as comfort level for all of us.”
An Albuquerque, N.M., native, Finley graduated from the University of New Mexico
with a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1996. He was hired right
out of college by the legendary racer Dale Earnhardt to become the first
engineer employed at Dale Earnhardt Incorporated (DEI).
Finley came on board at BDR in 2003 to serve as team engineer, and then assumed
crew chief duties for the No. 22 in late 2004.
“Obviously, it’s real exciting to get to work with Michael. I worked with his
brother [Darrell Waltrip] at DEI and had some great success in a short amount of
time with him. We expect to have the same success with Michael.”
