Michael Waltrip's streak of consecutive starts will end at 268. Credit: Autostock

Waltrip fails to qualify; will not buy way into field

Team, NAPA call 2006 a 'transitional' year, but the right decision

SPEEDWAY, Ind. -- Michael Waltrip didn't qualify for Sunday's Nextel Cup race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, meaning his primary sponsor NAPA won't be in one of the season's top events.

NAPA officials apparently aren't concerned.

	Michael Waltrip is one of 11 drivers who have been in all 12 Indianapolis Cup races. Credit: Autostock
	Inside the Numbers Drivers who have started all 12 Brickyard races Driver Wins T-5s T-10s J. Burton 0 1 2 B. Elliott 1 5 9 J. Gordon 4 7 10 D. Jarrett 2 5 7 B. Labonte 1 4 5 S. Marlin 0 1 3 M. Martin 0 4 7 Nemechek 0 0 0 R. Rudd 1 1 3 R. Wallace 0 5 9 M. Waltrip 0 0 1 Off the paceMichael Waltrip fails to qualify for the Allstate 400 Sign up for TrackPass now BUY THE NEXTEL i836

"NAPA knew it was a transition year and they had their eye on the long-term goal, the long-term prize as it relates to the new organization with Toyota,'' said Ty Norris, the general manager of Michael Waltrip Racing after Saturday's qualifying.

Waltrip joined forces with Bill Davis Racing this season in part to allow NAPA to remain in NASCAR's largest series until Waltrip began his Toyota-based team next season and in part to allow BDR to add a second team in preparation for the transition to Toyota in '07.

As a part of the deal Waltrip would carry the owners' points into 2007, with the hope that he would be among the top 35 drivers guaranteed a spot in the first five races.

But Waltrip has been outside the top 35 in owners' points since wrecking in the April 22 race at Phoenix. That left him to qualify on speed to get into the 43-car field in the last 13 races.

He failed to qualify for Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in May, but purchased the Dodge of Derrike Cope and repainted it with the NAPA scheme.

Buying into Sunday's race wasn't considered despite offers, ending Waltrip's streak of consecutive races at 268.

"We did that at Charlotte for a sponsor benefit, and not for a Michael benefit,'' Norris said. "We made the decision after that event that if the scenario happened again we would not do anything like that.''

Waltrip last missed a race when he failed to qualify for the 1998 race at Phoenix International Raceway. Before that he'd run every Cup race since the 1986 Daytona 500.

"This is not the type of struggles we expected, even in a transitional period,'' Norris said. "We've been dodging bullets for three or four months. If you run through a field full of landmines, you're going to step on one.

"We stepped on one in Charlotte and we stepped on one here.''

Inside the Numbers Waltrip's career statistics Year Wins T-5 T-10 1985 0 0 0 1986 0 0 0 1987 0 0 1 1988 0 1 3 1989 0 0 5 1990 0 5 10 1991 0 4 12 1992 0 1 2 1993 0 0 5 1994 0 2 10 1995 0 2 8 1996 0 1 11 1997 0 0 6 1998* 0 0 5 1999 0 1 3 2000 0 1 1 2001 1 3 3 2002 1 4 10 2003 2 8 11 2004 0 2 9 2005 0 3 7 2006 0 0 0 Totals 4 38 122 * Denotes only time he missed a race during full season

Waltrip was upset after qualifying, but will hang around the track through the race.

"We'll go to the hospitality tents and smile a lot,'' he said.

Waltrip may also end up on NBC's broadcast, according to report by The Associated Press.

Waltrip's best time in Friday's two practice sessions was 176.661 mph, but he only ran 178.091 mph in qualifying to leave him out of the field.

"We knew we were in the ballpark but [Chad Chaffin] ran really fast,'' Waltrip said. "I really picked up close to half a second from [Friday].

"This year's been a struggle. We'll get this all figured out.''

Tommy Baldwin, recently hired by BDR after being let go by Robert Yates Racing, is helping Waltrip.

"Tommy might have gotten here a little too late,'' said Waltrip, who has four wins -- all at restrictor-plate tracks -- in 662 career starts.

Despite the struggles, Norris said the organization doesn't regret its deal with BDR.

"Even sitting here today with an 800-pound boot stuck in the middle of your gut, it was the right decision,'' he said. "If you'd have done something with another organization you'd be faced with similar transitional issues, with similar build-up issues.

"You wouldn't have been able to get the points. Everybody else is tied up with a manufacturer, so that would have made tension with what we could and couldn't do with Toyota. Because of that it was the right decision."

BDR general manager Mike Brown agreed, saying the merger has better prepared his organization to expand to two teams.

"I understand Michael's frustration,'' he said. "We've had more Monday morning meetings than I care to remember about trying to figure out a way to hit on something that works. We just haven't been able to do it.''

Brown said the points situation has been the most frustrating. Waltrip is 38th in owners' points and sure to fall more after missing this race.

Barring a dramatic turnaround, he'll have to qualify on speed for the first five races next season. His other driver for 2007, Dale Jarrett, is guaranteed a spot based on the past champions' provisional.

"We were trying to position ourselves where there would be as many Toyotas as possible guaranteed a spot going into the [2007] Daytona 500,'' Brown said. "So far we haven't been able to get that done.''