MWR hopes to sing new tune and score hits in '08 (cont'd)

Help from JGR?

With Kauffman and the others in place around him, Waltrip insists that his operation now is on the fast track to be more competitive.

"I just couldn't be prouder of who we are today, and I know that it will result in better performance and happy sponsors and more smiles," he said. "Last year was mildly depressing for me. But again, I've said we were really messed up but now we're getting better.

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"With the improved performance of the Toyota engines, the grasp that Toyota now has around how they're going to support their teams in Sprint Cup racing, and then think about the support that we will gain with Joe Gibbs Racing teams running Toyota racecars now, I think all of that is very positive for our operation." (read more)

Ah, yes. Joe Gibbs Racing.

Outsiders have seemed unsure of what to make of Joe Gibbs Racing switching from Chevrolets to Toyotas, or what it will mean in the short term as well as the long run for fellow Toyota loyalists like MWR.

But Michael Waltrip said he thinks he knows.

"Well, that's a team that has 20-some years of experience under their belt, and has won races and championships," he said. "And so it means that we have a different standard, a different level of support and standard that we have to look to. They know how to win, and we are a new organization.

"But we have put together people on our team who, when Joe Gibbs Racing looks over here, they see people that have won races and won championships, too. We have partnered with those guys on different projects that are going on right now -- whether it would be engineering, or springs and shocks, or aerodynamics. We're working closely with Joe Gibbs Racing."

He insisted that the assistance is flowing both ways. He said that tinkering with the Toyotas has been a two-way street of cooperation since JGR made the manufacturing switch.

"We've opened our arms up and said, 'Please let us help you.' We understand that we're probably going to get more help out of them for the short term because of their knowledge and experience," Waltrip said of working with Gibbs. "But we also have found them to be very, very willing and eager to work with us because we've put together such a strong lineup."

Next thing you know, the two car owners will be singing a country-music duet together. If so, Waltrip clearly doesn't expect it to be a sad tune this time around.