Team Preview: Michael Waltrip Racing
RacingOne.com
Michael Waltrip Racing enters the 2010 season with a new look and renewed optimism after making strides of improvement last season.
Team owner Waltrip will step down as a full-time driver to concentrate more on running the operation but will make limited starts this season including the Daytona 500.
Martin Truex Jr. comes from Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing to take Waltrip's NAPA-sponsored ride joining David Reutimann as the team's one-two Sprint Cup Series effort.
Veteran crew chief Pat Tryson migrated from Penske Racing and will call the shots for Truex Jr. as the team looks to come out of the box strong at Daytona.
"It's always important to start well," said Truex Jr., who will drive a No. 56 NAPA Toyota. "You don't want to start in a hole. It takes too long to dig out of. I've been in that situation before, starting seasons in a hole. It's difficult. If you can come out of the box strong, have something to work with, have something to build on so you can get better throughout the season and not worrying about making up points or any of that crazy stuff, it seems to go a little bit smoother.
"Then, you can get into working on things to get better each week instead of just worrying about being there every week. I think we'll start strong. They've got some great stuff here. Their cars were super fast at the end of the year last year. I feel like they've improved on that. I'm excited to get out there and give it a go."
As with any new driver-crew chief combination, chemistry will be a key for Truex Jr. and Tryson to find success. Truex Jr. doesn't see any problem in that area.
"I'd say he's a piece of work," he said. "I didn't realize it, but he's a lot of fun to be around. We've done a little bit of testing so far. He likes to have fun. I like his approach. He's laid back. The guys have a lot of respect for him and I do too, and that goes a long way."
Reutimann comes into the new season after scoring his first career Cup win last year. He'll again climb behind the wheel of the No. 00 Camry which will carry Aaron's sponsorship for the bulk of the campaign.
Despite the man who's name is on the front door not running a full schedule, Reutimann is confident the team is heading in the right direction.
"Michael still wants to race," Reutimann said. "If Michael gets in the right situation, he can still win races, hands down, no doubt in my mind or anyone else's in this organization. Hopefully, he'll be able to run the races he's going to run this year and more, be able to accelerate and add some more sponsorship to run more races.
"It feels weird knowing -- that when we're all out at California that Michael Waltrip probably will not be in the field with us, that's a little bit different but hard to take because Michael is my buddy and he's been awfully good to me and treated me awfully well. I want to see him happy. I know it was his decision to step back, but I know he's going to miss it and we're going to miss having him there."
With crew chief Rodney Childers back on top of the pit box, Reutimann looks to build on last year with some improvements.
"Pit road, there were times we struggled on pit road and lost a lot of time," he said of an area he expects to concentrate on in 2010. "You know how hard it is to make it up. That hurt us some. Me, as a driver, me personally making mistakes, that certainly hasn't helped us.
"Rodney did a phenomenal job. If I had my choice to go down pit road and pick anyone, I'd still pick Rodney Childers -- he's the right guy for me."
Reutimann believes the addition of a new teammate in Truex Jr. and the continued affiliation with JTG Daugherty Racing's Marcos Ambrose will keep MWR moving forward.
"They will push me a great deal," he said of his teammates. "It's very important to have teammates that push you. You want competition within, but you don't want the competition to undermine what you're trying to build.
"Hopefully Martin will also help me, I think he will. There are situations where I can help those guys. If we do that, then at the end of the day we could be one, two, three -- as long as I'm the guy that's in the one spot, I'll be happy in that area."