NAPA RACING PRESS BOX FEATURING MICHAEL WALTRIP

What do you like about the track at Texas?

“It reminds me of Atlanta Motor Speedway. At Texas, you put on new tires and you can go out and run over 190 miles per hour. It’s fast. After 10 laps, you start to slide around like the old Darlington Raceway. That’s what I like the most about this track. It creates diversity between how you start and how you finish a run. Your car will have to be good at the start as well as at the end of a run. It is really a fun track for the drivers.

“Another reason why drivers like this track is it gives us options. You’ll see cars running at the bottom and at the top. As the track has matured, the groove has widened out. You can make good time on the bottom, but if my car handles well, I prefer to run up at the top.”

In comparison to other 1.5-mile tracks, do you find Texas to be more technical?

“Yes, especially when looking at Turn 2. It seems to tighten up more off that corner than any other track that we go to on the entire circuit. You carry a lot of speed, and when you get ready to exit off of Turn 2, you really have to hit your mark early on the exit so that you are positioned properly when you get out onto the back straightaway.

“Qualifying is a whole different deal when you are talking about the technical aspects of Texas. There’s nothing technical about it. You are running wide open and hammering it as hard as you can. When you get done, all you care about is the time you ran. Sunday, however, lap after lap, to make 500 miles, you better be technical.”

Is there anything new happening at Michael Waltrip Racing to report?

“Actually, we will be making a few announcements this weekend at Texas in regards to sponsorship and other stuff. I can’t go into the specifics right now, but we’ll be releasing the details as we continue to gear up for the 2010 season.”

2009 NAPA AUTO PARTS PIT CREW

Ryan Langley/ Front Tire Changer

**Richard Coleman/ Front Tire Carrier

Getty Cavitt/ Jack Man

** Mike Ellershaw/ Rear Tire Changer

Britt Caulder/ Rear Tire Carrier

Art Harris/ Gasman

Shawn Soules/ Catch Can

Ron Otto/ Eighth Man

Craig Harper/ Gas Runner

Mark Maloney/ Second Gas Can

** New Crewmember