Waltrip celebrates with car induction at Daytona

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- After a long night spent reveling with family and friends and relishing his role as a two-time Daytona 500 champion, Michael Waltrip finally rested at noon Monday.

But before he finally put his head down for some sleep, Waltrip and his family watched over the induction of his No. 15 Chevrolet into the Daytona USA motorsports attraction outside Daytona International Speedway.

It continued a tradition established in 1996 when the attraction opened, of the Daytona 500 winner's car residing in the facility for the next year.

Waltrip, of course, won the 2001 edition of the "Great American Race" so he had practice at the event. He also donated his helmet and several key pieces of his driving gear worn Sunday in the rain-shortened race.

	The Daytona 500 trophy. Credit: Brian Cleary/ISC Photo

The celebration began in Victory Lane, spilled into the drivers' motor coach lot and continued overnight at team owner Teresa Earnhardt's yacht on the Daytona Beach riverfront.

Despite the overnight rain, the celebration hardly abated.

"That shows how much Michael means to everybody in the garage," DEI's executive vice president for motorsports Ty Norris said. "It took a long time to get back to that motorhome lot, after he had got done with all his obligations, and the people standing there were Dale Jarrett, Elliott Sadler, Dale (Earnhardt) Jr., Schrader.

"Everyone was calling. I think, in that garage, everybody pulls for Michael, whether they want to admit to it or not. When you stand around in the rain for two hours waiting for him to come back, that shows how much it means."

As much perspective as the celebration's aftermath gave Waltrip, there was one fact he didn't dwell on: He has surpassed his older brother Darrell's single win in the Daytona 500

"Well, he had three championships and 80-something victories over me," Waltrip said, "So that's a ship I won't sail."

A lot of Waltrip's reflection Monday morning was on family, and his brother figured heavily in that.

"I'm so proud of what my brother accomplished and what he did in this sport," Michael said. "And we're so blessed and I'm so lucky that he showed up at Daytona to do his new job and every time he's come here I've won, and that's pretty cool."

Both Sunday and Monday Waltrip recalled trips from Owensboro, Ky., in the back seat of his parents' Chevrolet to come to Speedweeks, beginning when he was five years old.

	Waltrip talks with NASCAR President Mike Helton at Daytona Monday. Credit: Dave Rodman, TSI

"When you've accomplished the things and have the longevity in this sport that he has, every day you grow older and winning Daytona becomes more special," Michael said of his brother. "He knows what it did to me yesterday and what this place means to me in general.

"It feels good to have someone that appreciates and understands the significance of what we accomplished yesterday."

Short term, the victory placed Waltrip atop the Winston Cup standings, and fattened DEI's coffers by $1,400,706. The operation, which with Waltrip and Earnhardt Jr. has won seven of the last nine restrictor plate races, added another chapter to its legend.

The winning car will rest inside Daytona USA for one year and will be returned to the team before the start of the 46th annual Daytona 500 on Feb. 15, 2004. DEI technical director Steve Hmiel isn't worried.

"This was Michael's favorite race car -- he just liked the way it drove and he did a good job with it," Hmiel said. "But we have two more fresh bullets at home just like it. The spare car from Speedweeks is actually as good as this one.

"The other car hasn't been to the wind tunnel yet or on the race track, but we're pretty confident it will be the equal of either of these, so we're still in good shape. The spare car has been tested at Daytona and Talladega and in the wind tunnel three or four times -- similar to this car."

	The car was signed by Waltrip and DEI crew members.

The car on display is in the same condition as it was when it left Victory Lane -- including a liberal sprinkling of confetti -- and bears the signatures of all of the crew members including Waltrip.

After the induction Waltrip participated in a fan forum along with his crew chief Richard "Slugger" Labbe and Norris.

Speedway president Robin Braig presented all three with custom made Daytona 500 leather jackets while Gatorade's Ed Shull presented the 2003 Daytona 500 champ with a framed photo of Waltrip and his family from Sunday night's Victory Lane celebration.

Waltrip will continue handling the media obligations of a Daytona 500 winner in the next few days, including an appearance via satellite on Monday night's Late Show with David Letterman.

"I thought it was fun to get to party with Teresa and just enjoy her company," Waltrip said. "I had a lot of good folks over. We went back to the motorhome. I didn't do anything crazy. I just enjoyed family and friends."

But not much sleep.

Waltrip's victory made him only the eighth driver to win the Daytona 500 more than once. He joins Richard Petty (seven), Cale Yarborough (four), Bobby Allison and Dale Jarrett (three) and Bill Elliott, Jeff Gordon and Sterling Marlin (two) on the list.