Borland, Carter And Hyder Named NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Crew Chiefs At Michael Waltrip Racing
Michael Waltrip Racing, Press Release
CORNELIUS, N.C. (December 8, 2006) – Michael Waltrip Racing announced today that Matt Borland, Larry Carter and David Hyder have been named crew chiefs of the organization for the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series season.
Borland has been designated as crew chief of the No. 44 UPS Toyota Camry with former champion Dale Jarrett. Carter will reside as crew chief of the No. 00 Toyota Camry co-sponsored by BURGER KING® and DOMINO'S PIZZA® with driver David Reutimann. Michael Waltrip has assigned Hyder as crew chief of his No. 55 NAPA Toyota Camry.
“We are pleased to announce our crew chiefs today,” Waltrip said. “We concentrated on pairing personalities to find the perfect qualified individuals for each position. Matt is a proven winner and we’re proud to have him steering the No. 44 UPS Toyota team. I’ve known David for a while and look forward to him leading the NAPA team. I love his enthusiasm and the way he thinks. Obviously, Larry was vitally important in building our teams and I know he will be instrumental in building David Reutimann’s future while driving his Toyota co-sponsored by BURGER KING® and DOMINO'S PIZZA®. We are fortunate to have all three of them under one roof.”
Borland led Ryan Newman to 12 wins, 37 poles, 54 top-fives, 83 top-10s in 186 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series starts. The 35-year-old joined Penske Racing South in November 1999 originally as an engineer. In 2001, Borland was then instrumental in his driver’s success as he participated in a combination schedule in the ARCA, NASCAR Busch Series and NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series. Borland looked on as Newman amassed eight poles, two wins, five top-fives and 11 top-10 finishes.
In Borland’s first full-time season in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series as a crew chief, he claimed one win, six pole awards, 14 top-five and 22 top-10s. Borland, also received trophies from winning The Winston and his driver clinched the Raybestos Rookie of the Year title and finished sixth in the championship standings. After years of success with Penske Racing South, Borland makes the move to Michael Waltrip Racing.
“I’m looking forward to making a new home at Michael Waltrip Racing and working with Dale Jarrett,” Borland said. “Dale is a champion and he has a ton of respect in the garage. He’s obviously proven himself as a driver. Also, Toyota will be great to work with. I think Toyota is one of the most technologically advanced manufacturers.”
“There are a lot of smart, innovative individuals in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series and I am thrilled that Michael Waltrip Racing was able to secure one of the best in Matt Borland,” Jarrett said. “He's obviously had a lot of success in the few years he's been in this position. I think Christmas came a little early for Michael Waltrip Racing and myself. This announcement just adds to my excitement about 2007. I think he'll truly be a valuable asset to this #44 UPS Toyota team and will complement Michael Waltrip Racing as a whole.”
“Dale expressed his ideal crew chief was someone like Matt Borland,” Waltrip added. “We were actually able to deliver Matt Borland. Matt’s spirit and determination will permeate throughout our shop.”
Carter aligned with Michael Waltrip Racing after a successful stint as Rusty Wallace’s crew chief at Penske Racing South. Joining Penske in 2004, Carter led Wallace to his 55th career victory in April of that year at Martinsville Speedway, snapping a 105-race winless streak for Wallace. It was only his 10th race with Wallace, whose last NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series win was in 2001 at California Speedway. Carter has been an integral part of Michael Waltrip Racing’s growth.
“We’ve set some realistic goals and assembled a solid team,” Carter said. “David Reutimann is very talented and we’re going to have a lot of fun working with him. He’s been fast at all the tests and I think he’ll do well next year. Fortunately, we were able to run five races last season with Bill Elliott to help prepare us for 2007.”
“I’ve known of Larry for years, but I’ve just recently got to know him,” Reutimann said. “I’m real happy to have him in my corner. I needed a veteran crew chief to help me through everything I will experience as a rookie. We get along great and I know we will have success together.”
“David’s plate will be full this year and Larry’s extensive experience and knowledge of the sport will help David in his first year as a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series competitor,” Waltrip added. He will be able to help David’s rookie season run smoothly.”
Hyder brings a different aspect to Michael Waltrip Racing with having nearly 20 years of experience as a Late Model driver with close to 100 victories. In 1999, he stopped driving and building his own cars and joined Petty Enterprises as a mechanic. Almost three years later, he became a car chief for the Petty’s in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series. At the end of the 2004 season, he transitioned from being a car chief at Petty Enterprises to becoming a crew chief at BAM Racing with driver Ken Schrader. In 2006, Hyder was named crew chief of the No. 21 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series entry at Wood Brothers. Midseason, the High Point-N.C. native returned to BAM Racing. Waltrip approached Hyder not long after.
“Michael has the same mentality as other drivers I’ve worked with,” Hyder said. “Michael approached me at the end of the 2006 season and asked me what I was going to do the next season. He gauged my interest in being his crew chief. I got really excited about everything he has planned for his race team and I accepted.”
“David was someone that I was interested in from the beginning because he speaks my language,” Waltrip said. “He’s someone that has built and raced cars his whole life. He has a respect and knowledge for engineering, which coupled with Borland’s engineering background, we hope to continue our creation of a strong team atmosphere.
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MWR to two teams? to lose UPS? Toyota is expected to pair down Michael Waltrip racing from a three-car effort to a two-car squad, shifting some of that support to JGR's three-car team of Kyle Busch, Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin. Dale Jarrett is said to be seriously considering retirement, trading in his helmet for a microphone as a television analyst, which would leave MWR with Michael Waltrip and David Reutimann. There has been talk that UPS, unhappy with the lack of exposure the company has received this year from Jarrett's struggles to make races, is looking at other teams for 2008 sponsorship with Roush Fenway Racing a target, possibly for Greg Biffle's #16 entry.(RacingOne)(8-8-2007)
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Confirmed: Reutimann To Replace Jarrett In No. 44 Toyota
By Tony Fabrizio,The Tampa Tribune, October 12
David Reutimann has agreed to a new contract with Michael Waltrip Racing that will again allow him to compete full time in both the Nextel Cup and Busch Series, although he'll be in a different Cup car after the first part of the year.
Reutimann confirmed Thursday that he'll move from the No. 00 Toyota into the UPS-sponsored No. 44 Toyota after the first five races, replacing 1999 Winston Cup champion Dale Jarrett, who is cutting back to a limited schedule. Jarrett, 50, will run the first five races and the Nextel All-Star Challenge.
The moves will be announced today in a MWR news conference in which the organization reportedly also will announce it is following the lead of several other teams and partnering with an investor.
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Changes abound at MWR after nightmare '07
Dec. 10, 2007
By Pete Pistone
Third in a series looking back on NASCAR teams' fortunes in 2007 and their prospects for 2008.
Following a successful stint in the Busch Series which included four wins, Michael Waltrip Racing evolved into a three-car Nextel Cup Series operation in 2007. MWR became the flagship team for Toyota's entry into NASCAR's top division and in addition to a full-time Busch Series effort, fielded a Cup team with Waltrip, Dale Jarrett and David Reutimann behind the wheel.
It's safe to say things didn't go quite as planned for MWR in 2007, which will be remembered as a season tainted by controversy and filled with disappointment.
It began in Daytona with an embarrassing incident in which Waltrip's No. 55 Camry was found to be using an illegal fuel substance, later determined to be some kind of jet fuel, in Daytona 500 qualifying.
Waltrip's time was disqualified and crew chief David Hyder suspended indefinitely by NASCAR and let go by the team. The incident forced Waltrip, who claimed to have no knowledge of the substance, to throw himself at the mercy of fans and media with an apologetic press conference held just days prior to the season's first and biggest race.
"I don't think we'll ever put this behind us, but we'll try to do better in the future," Waltrip said.
Waltrip was able to work his way into the 500 through one of the traditional qualifying races and went on to finish 30th in The Great American Race, but his troubles were just beginning.
He was only able to start 14 races all season, continually missing the show in qualifying and forced to sit on the sidelines for more than half the season. He did score two top 10 finishes and a pole in his limited appearances, but overall the year could only be called a disaster.
Things weren't much better for teammate Jarrett, who made a much-celebrated move to MWR in the off-season from Robert Yates Racing. Jarrett made just 24 starts, six thanks to his past champion's provisional, with his best finish a 17th in the season-ending Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
The only bright spot in the MWR campaign came from unheralded Reutimann, who still missed 10 races, but showed several signs of promise.
2008 outlook
Waltrip orchestrated some significant changes for the coming season, most notably with the sale of half his team to a pair of outside investors from the financial and business worlds. Waltrip also brought in former team owner Cal Wells as executive vice president of operations to help run the day-to-day activities of the company.
The driver line-up will also change in 2008. While Waltrip will return to the No. 55 entry again, Jarrett will make only a handful of starts at the beginning of the season before retiring from the sport.
"It's been a difficult decision, but we knew this time was coming," said Jarrett, who was the 1999 Cup Series champion and has recorded 32 wins and 16 poles in his career. "With the things that transpired this year, it showed me we are ready to do this."
Reutimann will again start the season in the team's No. 00 ride before shifting to the No. 44 Toyota when Jarrett steps out after the fifth race of the season. Development drivers Josh Wise and Michael McDowell will then split the remainder of the season in the No. 00.
However the biggest move that will help MWR next year is the addition of Joe Gibbs Racing to the Toyota stable. The powerhouse team, which despite denials reportedly began work on Toyota's engine program late last season, will no doubt help bring added research and development to all of the manufacturer's Cup entries next season, including MWR.
Waltrip feels what the team endured this year will only help it be stronger next year, along with the continued support from Toyota.
"I'm very happy with how we did off the track, but I'm disappointed with how we did on the track," Waltrip said. "I know we'll get better next year because I know Toyota has been learning and growing along with us. At the end of this year, they were real comfortable with their engines and with the support of their teams. I'm very optimistic about 2008 -- we know where we are and we know where we've been. We're working our rear ends off and we have a plan for next season."
But with the departure of Jarrett, Waltrip will be forced to carry much of the load on the track in 2008 and earn back the respect he lost last year in the season full of trouble. If Waltrip wants to be considered a competent and competitive driver and not just a greatly exposed spokesperson and pitchman, 2008 is the time to prove it.
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McDowell to step in for Waltrip once Jarrett retires
Associated Press
CORNELIUS, N.C. (AP) — Michael McDowell was tabbed Wednesday to drive a Sprint Cup car for Michael Waltrip Racing after Dale Jarrett's retirement.
McDowell, 23, will get his Cup ride when Jarrett steps out of his ride following the fifth race of this season. David Reutimann will actually replace Jarrett in the No. 44 Camry, while McDowell will get Reutimann's No. 00 Camry.
"It became very obvious last year when we were watching some of the other drivers compete, knowing Dale was going to retire and Michael (Waltrip) isn't going to drive until he's 80 — Michael (McDowell) was a guy who just caught our eye," said Ty Norris, general manager of MWR.
McDowell won four races, nine poles and rookie of the year honors in ARCA last season, but had to undergo significant testing for Waltrip to earn his ride. Waltrip, in his second season as a car owner, also relied on the recommendation of driver Boris Said, who vouched for McDowell and praised his skill on tricky road courses.
"Boris said, 'That kid gets it. He can go. No matter what he gets in, he's fast,"' Waltrip said. "Once I talked to Boris, and went to a couple of tests with Michael, to me it was a no-brainer. And there's never been that many of them."
Waltrip has been looking for a third driver since last October, when Jarrett said he was ready to get out of the car. The 1999 Cup champion will move into the broadcasting booth for ESPN after his retirement.
But the candidates were slim, and Waltrip focused mostly on McDowell and Josh Wise, the two drivers in his development system. Both tested, and Waltrip said McDowell got the nod because he's more experienced right now than Wise.
"Michael said at a press conference last year that I was a candidate for the No. 00 Toyota Camry, but said that if I couldn't get the job done, somebody else would," McDowell said. "I will never forget that. It pushes me even more to be prepared and I'm glad he said it. It's game time and there is no time to celebrate this opportunity.
"It's time to get serious."
McDowell will make his Cup debut in March at Martinsville Speedway. He'll team with Guy Cosmo and Marc Camirand to run the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway this weekend, and he's scheduled to race the No. 00 Camry in the Nationwide Series opener at Daytona next month
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Everything old is new again at Michael Waltrip Racing in 2008.
After a disappoint inaugural season to say the least, MWR has a new look and a new optimism heading into the new season.
Waltrip orchestrated some significant changes for the coming season, most notably with the sale of half his team to a pair of outside investors from the financial and business world. Waltrip also brought in former team owner Cal Wells as executive vice president of operations to help run the day-to-day activities of the company.
The driver line-up will also change in 2008. While Waltrip will return to the No. 55 entry again, Dale Jarrett will make only a handful of starts at the beginning of the season before retiring from the sport.
“It’s been a difficult decision, but we knew this time was coming," said Jarrett, who was the 1999 Cup Series champion and has recorded 32 wins and 16 poles in his career. "With the things that transpired this year, it showed me we are ready to do this."
David Reutimann will again start the season in the team’s No. 00 ride before shifting to the No. 44 Toyota when Jarrett steps out after the fifth race of the season. Development driver Michael McDowell will then drive the remainder of the season in the No. 00.
However the biggest move that will help MWR next year is the addition of Joe Gibbs Racing to the Toyota stable. The powerhouse team, which despite denials reportedly began work on Toyota’s engine program late last season, will no doubt help bring added research and development to all of the manufacturer’s Cup entries next season, including MWR.
Waltrip feels what the team endured this year will only help it be stronger next year, along with the continued support from Toyota.
“I’m very happy with how we did off the track, but I’m disappointed with how we did on the track,” Waltrip said. I know we’ll get better next year because I know Toyota has been learning and growing along with us. At the end of this year, they were real comfortable with their engines and with the support of their teams. I’m very optimistic about 2008 -- we know where we are and we know where we’ve been. We’re working our rear ends off and we have a plan for next season.”
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McDowell to step in for Waltrip once Jarrett retires
Team Preview: Michael Waltrip Racing
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