Fuente: © Michael Waltrip Racing
http://www.michaelwaltrip.com/

NASCAR: MICHAEL WALTRIP: Survival of the Fittest on Waltrip's Side

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HUNTERSVILLE, NC – Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway, Indiana (a separate town completed surrounded by Indianapolis), is the second oldest automobile racing track in the world having survived unchanged since 1909. Michael Waltrip, driver of the No. 55 NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge, hopes one of nature’s primal laws, Survival of the Fittest, is on his side this weekend at the legendary Brickyard.

Waltrip will make his 13th start at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, but it’s the finish that’s much more important. Waltrip has the fewest DNFs at the Brickyard of any current driver in the NEXTEL Cup Series. He credits the success to an uncanny ability to avoid on-track problems and a little old fashioned luck. “To me, most tracks are the same. It’s the other 42 drivers I have to worry about. In the past, we’ve had pretty good cars to take to Indy and it’s a track I’m comfortable with. I think that’s the reason we’ve been able to race hard to each checkered flag we’ve seen there.”

When the green flag waves over the Brickyard Sunday afternoon Waltrip will be poised to continue his streak of finishes. After 400 miles, perhaps he’ll be the driver to kiss the famous Yard of Bricks.

Michael Waltrip Fast Facts...

* NAPA AUTO PARTS driver Michael Waltrip will make his 13th start at Indianapolis Motor Speedway; Waltrip’s best finish in the event was eighth (1994) and his worst 39th (1997).
* Waltrip and Jeff Burton are the only two active NEXTEL Cup drivers to finish every race at the Brickyard. His average starting position is 15.166 and average finish 20.833.
* · Waltrip’s best start of the 2006 season came at Daytona for the Pepsi 400; he qualified in 19th position. Waltrip’s best finish of the 2006 season came at Daytona in the Daytona 500 where he finished in 18th position.
* Waltrip remains 36th in NASCAR NEXTEL Cup driver points standings after the Pennsylvania 500, currently 1530 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson.
* Waltrip will appear on CNN’s Larry King Live Thursday night at 9pm EDT. He and drivers Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Richard Petty will square off in a verbal spar with the stars of Talladega Nights, Will Farrell and John C. Reilly.



NAPA AUTO PARTS driver Michael Waltrip on the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard...

What are your thoughts and expectations for racing at the Brickyard?
“We all look forward to going to the Brickyard. It's definitely one of the biggest races of the year. I'm real proud to get to come here to this wonderful facility and compete. I've always enjoyed racing at Indy. I think the first year we had a top-10 finish and we haven't had one since; so we have to get back on it and hopefully we'll figure that one out and have a good run. Someone asked me recently how important winning the Indy race would be for me. I don’t think it would compare to winning the Daytona 500 just because of that track’s history with NASCAR, but the Allstate 400 trophy is definitely one I want to win. I sure would like to kiss the Yard of Bricks.”

Michael Waltrip - NAPA Auto Parts
Allstate 400 at the Brickyard Statistics
Year Start Finish YEAR START FINISH
1994 15 8 2000 14 20
1995 7 14 2001 14 25
1996 30 29 2002 14 16
1997 18 39 2003 5 16
1998 29 21 2004 28 20
1999 5 27 2005 3 16


Allstate 400 at the Brickyard Broadcast Coverage…

Coverage of the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard will begin Sunday, August 6 at 2:00 p.m. EDT on NBC. If you can’t catch the race on TV, it can be heard on your local IMS Radio and XM Satellite Radio – Channel 144 starting at the same time. Remember to check your local listings as dates and times of the race may change. notas_de_prensa_archivo