Healing process begins on track for Waltrip

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- For Michael Waltrip, the healing has begun. But some questions, which remain unanswered, still gnaw at him as he and his race team scramble to prepare his Toyota Camry for Sunday's Daytona 500.

Waltrip was among the last group of Nextel Cup drivers to vacate the Daytona International Speedway track as Happy Hour wound down Saturday, as he attempted to take advantage of every single second of the last practice session before Sunday's 500. When he finally pulled into his garage area, his car looked like it already had been beaten on for 500 miles.

As a result of damage suffered during this past Thursday's qualifying race and other last-minute adjustments that have been made or were in the process of being made, the car was in bad need of a paint job. Even the numbers were no more than pieces of bright-orange tape slapped on to make out the No. 55.

It was during the Thursday qualifying race that Waltrip raced himself into the 500 against long odds. After having his original car impounded by NASCAR and later being assessed a record $100,000 fine for having an illegal fuel additive discovered in his engine's manifold, Waltrip competed in the Gatorade Duel in a backup car in which he had been unable to log a single practice lap.

Yet he went on to finish eighth overall and among the top two of those who had not qualified otherwise, securing Waltrip a spot in the field just when it appeared he might have to pack up and go home with his head down.

It's the same car he'll now drive in the 500, which explains why he cherished every lap he could run in practice Saturday.

"Well, I just got to practice in the draft for the first time since October," Waltrip said after climbing out of the car. "Hopefully that will provide dividends for us [Sunday]. I picked a mildly different setup, and we're just going to hammer it and see what happens."

What happened during Happy Hour was not pretty for Waltrip. His fastest lap was 183.434 mph, the slowest of the 43 cars who will start Sunday. He ran it on the last of the 17 practice laps he completed, with much of the rest of his time spent in the garage. (Continued)