Michael Waltrip Racing Making Big Strides in Third Year of Full-Time Competition

Cornelius, NC - Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) is continuing to make strides since its first full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season in 2007. Both Michael Waltrip and David Reutimann have had noticeable performances in the first three events that have resulted in strong finishes.

Waltrip knows you cannot base a season on three races, but it gives him an indication that his organization is pointed in the right direction.

“We have come a long way and it’s really beginning to show,” Waltrip said. “David had a top-five finish at Vegas and we are really proud of where we are headed. Hopefully, we can keep it going because that is what it is really about. We know that three races does not make a season, but it’s certainly enough of a trend to show us that we are heading in the right direction.”

Waltrip’s best finish this season is seventh at Daytona International Speedway and he currently sits 12th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points standings. Meanwhile, his teammate David Reutimann is fifth among the company of points leader Jeff Gordon, Clint Bowyer, Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle. Reutimann recorded his career-best finish of fourth place at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday which gives Michael Waltrip Racing more promise for a bright future.

“The future is bright for us,” Reutimann said. “When I first walked into this place being built and I saw a Bobcat stuck in the mud being pulled out with the crane. I remember leaving the site just shaking my head thinking, ‘Man, how will this place come to be what it is supposed to be?’ The first year was a struggle because we were working out of three or four shops and it was midseason before we even got all the cars under one roof. The second year started out shaky, but as the season progressed, we made some big strides and huge leaps forward. All the sudden, I started looking around and thinking, wow, this deal could actually work out.”

Being a part of the Waltrip family since 2004, Reutimann delivered a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory and a NASCAR Nationwide Series victory and is hungry for his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory.

“To win a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race this year would be huge for us,” Reutimann said. “About the three-quarter-way mark through last season, I was thinking this deal is showing some promise. Then you start noticing the people they are bringing in. They have an extraordinary work ethic and it has always been there. You really started to see results. I started noticing it in the cars and in people’s attitudes. We finished out the year with that mentality. MWR will keep working at it and get better.”

If progress continues and opportunity arises, MWR may indeed be on the brink of victory. That’s one of many goals Waltrip set out for his company this year.

“We had a goal when the season started,” Waltrip said. “There are four super teams and there are 16 cars those teams represent. We wanted to infiltrate those 16 and put a car or two of ours in the middle of them and hope that was good enough to be in The Chase. We’ve stepped up and been able to compete with them so far.

“Obviously, we’ve got a long way to go,” continued Waltrip. “We didn’t say we could be in The Chase in 2009. We said we could contend for The Chase. So far, it looks like we can indeed contend for The Chase. Even Marcos Ambrose has had a great start to the season. He’s finished in the top 20 twice and is comfortably seated in the top-35 owner points. If we can get one of three of us in The Chase, it would be awesome.”

The technical alliance with JTG-Daugherty Racing and the No. 47 Toyota Camry team has helped make the organization stronger. Ambrose has had a good start to the season and has contributed immensely to the program and so has his crew chief Frank Kerr.

“Aligning with JTG-Daugherty has helped us and they have contributed so much to our program,” Waltrip said. “I walked around the other day and I told some people that work here that when we unload our cars now that they are faster than the used to be. All of our crew chiefs - Rodney Childers, Bootie Barker and Frank Kerr – and engineers are working closely together. We really have a solid infrastructure right now led by our director of competition Steve Hallam, who has six Formula One championships to his credit. We know we are way better off than we have been in the past two years and I am so grateful for that.”

Hallam Ready for New Life in America with Novel Role at MWR

// Courtesy : Associated Press //

Cornelius, NC (January 5, 2008) - Steve Hallam, an engineer and manager the past 27 years in Formula One, is settling into his new office at Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) and a new life in America after leaving his post as head of operations for team McLaren based in Woking, Surrey, United Kingdom.

In September, it was announced that Hallam would be making the move to MWR to work in NASCAR leaving behind a rich history in Formula One. He has now assumed his new role as Director of Competition after moving around the globe to North Carolina to set up shop in the 140,000 sq. ft. factory.

"It would have been easy to stay at McLaren until I retired," Hallam said. "But what attracted me to Michael Waltrip Racing was the opportunity to work with a young team and, in particular, to be part of the continued development and growth of the multi-car Cup operation as they strive to provide the best equipment and support for their teams. This is a great opportunity to join a closely knit team who are looking to build success by harnessing Toyota engines and technical support to build cars at a level where we can improve upon the tremendous foundation that has already been built."

Toyota’s commitment to racing in NASCAR peaked Hallam’s interest. As he wanted to learn more about opportunities with NASCAR teams, Pete Spence, Group Vice President and Technical Director for TRD, U.S.A. (Toyota Racing Development) put him in contact with Calvin Wells III at MWR.

"Toyota was very influential with me coming here," Hallam said. "When Pete (Spence) started to talk to me and took me to a Cup race in November 2007, I realized there is life outside of Formula One and it is very exciting, different and challenging. I was converted and it didn’t take me long to realize I wanted to be a part of that. Pete asked if I minded that he put someone in touch with me. I said no and in no time, Cal called me about a position at MWR. I finished out the season with McLaren and accepted MWR's offer."

Hallam, 56, joined McLaren in December 1990 and was a race engineer for seven years until becoming McLaren’s head of race engineering, a role he remained in until being named head of race operations in 2007.

After announcing his move to MWR, Hallam rounded out his last season with McLaren by guiding Lewis Hamilton to the 2008 World Driving Championship with the McLaren-Mercedes Formula One team. It was the sixth time Hallam had been part of a Formula One championship team, all with McLaren or Team Lotus, both British-based teams. In addition to working with Hamilton, the tech ace has also worked with drivers such as Nigel Mansell, Ayrton Senna, Nelson Piquet, Michael Andretti, Gerhard Berger, Kimi Raikkonen and Mika Hakkinen.

The native of Great Britain has participated in over 435 Grand Prix winning five World Championships and now is ready to make his mark in NASCAR. Hallam will be leading the MWR organization into the 2009 Sprint Cup Series season as they field the No. 55 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry and No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry full-time with drivers Michael Waltrip and David Reutimann. With the JTG-Daugherty Racing and MWR technical alliance in place under the same roof, Hallam will also assist the No. 47 Little Debbie® Toyota Camry team and driver Marcos Ambrose.

MWR owners Robert Kauffman and Michael Waltrip are proud to have someone of Hallam’s caliber leading the engineering staff as they embark upon their third full season of competition.

"Steve is a remarkable asset for any organization and I'm proud that he is joining ours," said MWR co-owner and driver Michael Waltrip. "He will be in a key position that will both allow him to learn about the NASCAR world while implementing the knowledge he has gained over the past 27 years in Formula One. This is another step that shows our employees, sponsors and all of NASCAR that MWR is serious about our desire to elevate our organization to an elite status in the Sprint Cup garage."