Highest Profile Toyota NASCAR Cup Team Misses 7th Straight Race

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http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/news/s...d=2&id=2843658

Waltrip fails to qualify, won't give up ride

By David Newton
ESPN.com

AVONDALE, Ariz. -- Michael Waltrip doesn't plan to turn his No. 55 Toyota over to another driver anytime soon despite missing his seventh straight Nextel Cup race, but he has thought about it.

"The off-track issues we faced this year have made me think even more about it," Waltrip said on Thursday before failing to make the field for Saturday's race Phoenix International Raceway.

"But for now I think I'm the guy. I want to be that guy. I'm the guy that wants the ball. Hopefully, I can get it and run with it," he said. Waltrip said there's no truth to reports that he's had conversations with former Cup champion Bill Elliott about taking his place to use Elliott's past champion's provisional to get the car in the field.

[likearock00]

Good, glad to see it. Waltrip is NOT following in his brother's footprints when it comes to the track. Sad to see, but Mikey needs to retire and work solely on building teams. He's a poor choice for a driver.

[SuperSS27]

Originally Posted by adplusone

http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/news/s...d=2&id=2843658

Waltrip fails to qualify, won't give up ride

By David Newton
ESPN.com

AVONDALE, Ariz. -- Michael Waltrip doesn't plan to turn his No. 55 Toyota over to another driver anytime soon despite missing his seventh straight Nextel Cup race, but he has thought about it.

"The off-track issues we faced this year have made me think even more about it," Waltrip said on Thursday before failing to make the field for Saturday's race Phoenix International Raceway.

"But for now I think I'm the guy. I want to be that guy. I'm the guy that wants the ball. Hopefully, I can get it and run with it," he said. Waltrip said there's no truth to reports that he's had conversations with former Cup champion Bill Elliott about taking his place to use Elliott's past champion's provisional to get the car in the field.

Just because you WANT the ball, doesn't mean you should GET the ball.

[CobaltSScrazy]

hey if toyotas keep failing to qualify he can drive for them forever. Heck it'd be like the Good 'ol John Cooper days at Ohio State when Michigan laid the SMACKDOWN on them at the Big House AND the Horse Shoe!

CobaltSScrazy

[WannabeRich]

When Toyota hired Waltrip, they were not hiring a consistent winner. They hired his mouth. He is all talk and NO action.

Suck it up, Toyota.

[triadecho]

Granted, Mikey has been having trouble getting his Toyotas to handle.

[eaton53]

Bottom line, there are a handful of teams that have a chance in NASCAR.
If you aren't one of them you're going to struggle.

If Toyota wants to get anywhere, they should offer Rick Hendrick a very large mountain of cash to switch.

[IROCNROL1]

You guys. This is a target rich environment, so I can't blame you. Thanks for the entertainment.

[Shotgun]

Originally Posted by WannabeRich

When Toyota hired Waltrip, they were not hiring a consistent winner. They hired his mouth. He is all talk and NO action.

Suck it up, Toyota.

What you should have said was when he had good equipment, he was quite good and consistent. Problem is, for most of his career, he equipment has been inferior. Even at DEI, when they had good cars, Waltrip did well (even Darrell in the #1), but when there technology and such got behind, his performance fell off as did Dale Jr's.

A driver (ANY driver) in today's NASCAR is only as good as his equipment. Pure driving ability doesn't win many races anymore, unfortunately.

[motorman]

MW went with toyota because he thought they would come out with superior technology and run all over every one else like they do it truck series. NASCAR made a mistake with dodge when they returned to cup and they had to pull them back.

[Shotgun]

Originally Posted by motorman

MW went with toyota because he thought they would come out with superior technology and run all over every one else like they do it truck series. NASCAR made a mistake with dodge when they returned to cup and they had to pull them back.

That is very true about when Dodge entered. They came out on fire, then NASCAR had to step in and "level the playing field". I think Toyota will end up okay, but it will take them a while to get competitive in Cup week in and week out. One other thing is that Dodge came in with high profile, established teams, while Toyota didn't. That in itself may be the biggest thing so far...

[Angry Dad]

According to one source, Waltrip loses 300k everytime he misses a race. Not from Toyota but from NAPA.

It's sad that racing at the supposedly highest level here is based as much as the ability to shill for a sponsor as it is on ability.

When there was a relevance to NASCAR cars, the sport" was much more interesting. At least then what the factories did made a difference. Now it's just about the ability to spend. I for one will not be surprised when factories leave. Why should they stay? They pay for development of a vehicle and the showcase then tells them that any advantage they can generate has no value.

What it all goes back to is when the NASCAR organization started to race trucks, and still does so to appease one manufacturer, they were aiming at the ramp to jump the shark. The decline is started, it will only go further.

[GTOken]

Let face facts.... NASCAR is a joke nowadays. Its not true racing. Its made for TV racing, like a reality show or championship rastlin. As far as Michael Waltrip goes, he has always just been a loser, trying to cash in on big brothers success. I wish the NASCAR clock could be rolled back 30yrs, now THERE was some real racin by real men in real race cars.

[jbernie]

Toyota was either a year early or a year late in joining the game, it is bad enough to try an get a new manufacturer going when you have one basic race car type to play with (restrictor platye, short track etc variations) let alone trying to get old model cars and COT models going in the first year.

It isn't like all of last years front runners are doing well, Kasey Kane is having a poor year. Stewart when his car is running seems to be doing real well but if you don't finish the races you don't get them points.

Toyota kinda screwed it up, start last season, one car type, lots of development time on one car, come this year, their old style cars should be running well in those races, COT is a free for all for all teams. Or play next year when it is COT only and again, only play with one car type. They bit off a bit too much this year.

I don't really mind seeing Toyota not there, Chevy all the way in motor racing (or Holden when i am back in Oz), though I do feel a bit sorry for Waltrip, with the series so heavily sponsor orientated I don't think things could be going much worse for him.

At least he survived the car wreck ok. Given the state of that SUV, he can look at that and say it aint all bad.

[Triple-X08]

Originally Posted by eaton53

Bottom line, there are a handful of teams that have a chance in NASCAR.
If you aren't one of them you're going to struggle.

If Toyota wants to get anywhere, they should offer Rick Hendrick a very large mountain of cash to switch.

that will be the end of nascar.