Trevor Bayne to Drive the No. 99 Diamond-Waltrip Racing Toyota in 2010

PHOENIX, Ariz. (November 14, 2009) – Diamond-Waltrip Racing (DWR) announced today that Trevor Bayne has signed a multi-year contract to drive the No. 99 Toyota Camry in the NASCAR Nationwide Series beginning in 2010. Additionally, MWR has signed a contract with Bayne to run a minimum of seven NASCAR Sprint Cup races in 2011 with an eye on full-time Sprint Cup competition by 2012.

Currently, Diamond-Waltrip Racing has limited sponsorship from Aaron’s for the 2010 season and is still searching for additional sponsor support for the remaining races.

“We are extremely excited to have Trevor behind the wheel of the No. 99 Toyota,” said Gary Bechtel, co-owner of DWR. “Even though the No. 99 team is not fully sponsored, we are committed to running Trevor in the entire season so he can compete for the championship. He has shown a lot of promise this season and we expect him to be one of the frontrunners next year.”

“From the first lap he took in our car this past summer, we knew Trevor was special,” remarked Michael Waltrip. “Thanks to Gary and Blake Bechtel, we now have the opportunity to show the rest of the world what we already know about Trevor – he is young, smart, talented and will be an impact player for MWR and Diamond-Waltrip Racing. Some sponsor is going to want to grow through the ranks with him and we’re ready to deliver a winner.”

The Knoxville, Tenn., native joins DWR with an impressive résumé that includes more than 20 championships in go karts, Allison Legacy Series and the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series.

Bayne’s on track success continued when Dale Earnhardt Inc. signed the youngster to its driver development program in 2008. That year he began competing in the NASCAR Camping World East where he grabbed his first series win at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway on July 21. He went on to earn six top-five and seven top-10 finishes and finished fourth in the NASCAR Camping World East point standings.

In 2009, the young phenom debuted in the NASCAR Nationwide Series at Bristol Motor Speedway in March where he finished 23^rd. Since jumping onto the Nationwide Series scene, Bayne has grabbed one pole (Indianapolis Raceway Park), two top-10 and six top-15 finishes.

“This is what I have worked my entire life for,” remarked Bayne. “I am excited to finally make it to this level of competition. I have been dreaming of this moment since I began racing go karts. I am very grateful to Gary and Blake Bechtel and the entire MWR organization for giving me this awesome opportunity. I can’t wait to get to Daytona next year to begin a race for the championship.”

Bayne and the new Diamond-Waltrip Racing team will begin their quest toward a NNS championship next year at Daytona International Speedway.

Gary and his Son Blake Bechtel Join Forces with MWR to Form Diamond-Waltrip Racing

PHOENIX, Ariz. (November 14, 2009) – The principals of Diamond Ridge Motorsports and Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) announced today the formation of Diamond-Waltrip Racing which will enter a full-time NASCAR Nationwide Series team starting in 2010 for driver Trevor Bayne.

Diamond-Waltrip Racing, co-owned by majority owners, Gary and Blake Bechtel and owners, Michael Waltrip and Rob Kauffman, has purchased the assets and associated car owner benefits of Michael Waltrip Racing’s No. 99 Toyota Camry team. Drivers Scott Speed, Michael Waltrip, David Reutimann, Patrick Carpentier and Bayne have shared the No. 99 Camry this year. The No. 99 team’s best year was 2007 when Reutimann finished second in the Nationwide Series Driver points standings.

Diamond-Waltrip Racing will field its team for Bayne out of Michael Waltrip Racing’s Cornelius, N.C., facility and will continue to be managed by MWR personnel. The team has secured limited sponsorship and is seeking additional race sponsors for 2010.

“I am really excited to get back on the team ownership side with MWR,” said Bechtel. “MWR seems to be one of the fastest growing and most successful teams right now in NASCAR. They have been able to prove their success on and off the race track and have excelled in sponsor relations.”

“The Nationwide team is very important to me because it started in my garage behind my house and it’s where I first developed my relationship with Aarons,” stated Waltrip. “Having someone as passionate about that team as me is why I’m honored to have Gary and Blake Bechtel as my partners. They are all in for this team’s success and have given us the opportunity to race Trevor Bayne full-time. This is just another way Michael Waltrip Racing is securing its future with great sponsors and partnerships.”

Bechtel jumped onto the NASCAR scene in 1990 when he formed Diamond Ridge Motorsports. Bobby Hamilton was slated as the first driver for Bechtel’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team. His first race was in the 1990 Coca-Cola 600.

Bechtel’s success on the race track didn’t come until he started his NASCAR Nationwide Series program in 1995. Steve Grissom was tabbed as Bechtel’s first Nationwide Series driver. In only 15 races, he notched two wins, four top-five and seven top-10 finishes.

The success continued over the next five years. All told, he earned 10 wins, 30 top-five and 54 top-10 finishes in 174 NASCAR Nationwide Series starts. At the end of the 1999, Bechtel sold his entire operation to Joe Gibbs and moved to California.

The new Diamond-Waltrip Racing team will make its debut next season during the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. Bayne will be behind the wheel of the DWR No. 99 Toyota machine as he makes his bid for the 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series championship.

MICHAEL WALTRIP RACING EXTENDS PARTNERSHIP WITH TOYOTA THROUGH END OF 2012

PHOENIX, Ariz. (November 14, 2009) – Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) announced today the extension of its partnership with Toyota in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The new agreement will keep the emerging organization with the manufacturer through the end of 2012.

MWR launched its full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams in 2007 during Toyota’s inaugural year in the premier series. With Toyota’s support, MWR has won three poles, the 50^th running of the Coca-Cola 600 and competed for a berth in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship until the final regular-season event at Richmond International Raceway in September.

In 2010, MWR will field the No. 00 Aaron’s/Tums/Best Western Toyota Camry full-time with driver David Reutimann, the No. 55 Toyota Camry with Michael Waltrip on a limited basis and the No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry full-time with Martin Truex Jr. Additionally, MWR signed a two-year technical alliance extension with JTG-Daugherty Racing to field the No. 47 Toyota Camry with driver Marcos Ambrose.

MWR receives engines from Toyota Racing Development (TRD) out of Costa Mesa, California, along with Red Bull Racing. TRD’s Salisbury, N.C., facility supports MWR’s vehicle dynamics and development, aerodynamics, tire data analysis and race strategy programs.

“Simply put, MWR would not exist without Toyota,” said co-owner Michael Waltrip. “Toyota put us on the map in 2007 and that’s why I was so proud to deliver TRD’s engine facility its first NASCAR Sprint Cup win. For MWR to know it has Toyota’s support through the 2012 season is phenomenal and delivers our organization what every team in the garage desires – stability.

“Michael Waltrip Racing was a part of Toyota’s “Freshman Class” and they have shown tremendous progress, as well as dedication to Toyota’s goal of winning the Manufacturer’s Championship,” said Lee White, President of TRD. “Michael has always been a tremendous spokesperson for Toyota and continues to impress all of us with the moves he is making to elevate MWR to a championship caliber organization.”

This announcement comes on the heels of MWR announcing 100% renewal with its existing sponsors, a new relationship with TUMS as a primary and associate sponsor on the No. 00, a two-year extension with JTG-Daugherty Racing and a new partnership with its NASCAR Nationwide Series team with Gary and Blake Bechtel forming Diamond-Waltrip Racing to field Camrys for 18-year-old phenom Trevor Bayne.

“We have come a long way in a short period of time,” Waltrip added. “We have a lot more work ahead of us, but we are truly blessed that, in these times, we have so many positive announcements for our partners and employees.”

David Reutimann - Phoenix Preview

Fan question of the week: Billy from Florida asks, 'Last week you had to try and save gas at the end of the race, do you ever practice driving differently to save gas for situations like that?'

"You really don't practice it until it becomes time to try and save fuel. I mean, there are things you can do on the track - like peddling the throttle and just trying to slowing down. Then under caution, you can turn the car off or ride on the bottom of the track. Obviously, I'm not the greatest at it (smiling)."

Is there anything learned from the Phoenix race earlier this season that can be applied this weekend since that was a night race and this one will take place in the middle of the day?

"I think the spring race was a good measuring stick to how we can run this weekend at Phoenix in the Aaron's Dream Machine. I don't think the time of day is going to effect speed as much because of the track being a shorter, flatter track."

Phoenix is only a mile long, but wide and flat. Do you race it like a normal short-track?

"It's a little different than a normal short track because of the space it provides. You can really pass here, so it makes it easier on you when compared to other short tracks."

With the unique configuration at Phoenix, what's the key to having a fast car there?

"Since Phoenix is relatively flat, we need to get our Aaron's Dream Machine as low to the ground as possible and turning good in the corners."

What are your goals for this weekend at Phoenix?

"The goal is to win. We ran really well there in the spring, so I'm confident that we'll have a really good Aaron's Dream Machine once again."

2009 NSCS Points Standings: David Reutimann sits 16th, 214 points behind Kyle Busch in 13th place – the highest non-Chase driver.

Chassis Information: The No. 00 Aaron's Dream Machine for this week is chassis No. 651. This is a brand new Aaron's Dream Machine.

Race Information: This weekend the Sprint Cup Series heads West to Phoenix International Raceway. ABC will broadcast race coverage for the Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 presented by Pennzoil beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, Nov. 15.

Marcos Ambrose, No. 47 Little Debbie(r) Phoenix Preview

PHOENIX, Ariz. (November 11, 2009) – Sunday’s race was a heartbreaker for Marcos Ambrose as he fell from second to 15^th-place when the No. 47 Little Debbie® Chocolate Cupcakes Toyota ran out of fuel in the Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. Still the JTG-Daugherty Racing driver ran in the top-five, which gives him confidence heading into the final two races of the season starting with Phoenix International Raceway.

“We have Phoenix and Homestead (Miami Speedway) left to make an impression,” Ambrose said. “As a group, we’ve come so far and we’ve got a lot of speed. Looking back at Texas, I take some responsibility because I didn’t slow down enough to save fuel. We ran out with a lap and a half to go. It was stressful and a hard call. It depends on a lot. How much fuel did they get in on the last stop? Did they get it full or not? Were the reads during the day accurate? Also, speeds picked up at night and we burned more fuel with the denser air. A lot of things were going on and a lot of guys ran out of fuel at Texas.”

Ambrose has the luxury of sharing information with two teammates David Reutimann and Michael Waltrip through the technical alliance at Michael Waltrip Racing that has been extended for two years. Reutimann ended up being in the same boat as Ambrose in Texas. Because the two are in similar equipment and have similar driving styles, they are able to work together and provide feedback to the teams.

“David is just a great guy and in my opinion he is just not rated like he should be because he’s one of the best drivers I’ve ever seen,” Ambrose said. “I’m in very similar equipment to him. We talk with each other and we share knowledge with one another. We are becoming quite good friends. You need to have that to have a successful team. You’ve got to be friends to work well together. Mutual respect is important. When I first came in to work with the MWR (Michael Waltrip Racing) guys, they really didn’t know what I was all about. As time has evolved, we are working better together and we have a better bond. We trust each other, which is important on and off the track. I think it is working out great for us.”

It’s obvious something is working right for the JTG-Daugherty Racing team. Heading into Phoenix, Ambrose has four top-five, seven top-10 and 14 top-15 NSCS finishes. The Australian driver also came close to his first career victory at Watkins Glen International with a runner-up finish following a victory in the NASCAR Nationwide Series the day prior.

“As a group we’ve come so far,” Ambrose said. “We’ve gained a lot of speed and I’ve gained a lot of confidence and knowledge. We do need to learn to win as a team and we’re not quite there yet. We have got to turn a good team into a winning team and that’s just eliminating mistakes. We are not crashing cars. We are finishing races when we can. We are seeing where we are lacking as a team and we are going to work hard on that in the off season.”

Ambrose has two shots left at victory in his first full-time season as a Cup competitor before the off season.

“To win at Phoenix or Homestead would be really something,” said Ambrose, who finished 14^th at Phoenix in April and 18^th last fall. “Phoenix is a bit of a challenge. We’ve ran in the top-15 there, but I don’t think we have had the car we needed to mess with the frontrunners. We are taking a different setup this time with more grip. Hopefully, we can hit it like we did at Texas. You just never know in these races.

“Phoenix is a tough track,” Ambrose continued. “It’s rough and an older track. It’s got a few cracks that can mess up the handling through Turns 3 and 4. We want to run well there and finish our season out strong. In the mean time, I don’t want to ruin Jimmie Johnson’s race that’s for sure.”

Live coverage of the event on November 15^th on ABC begins at 2:30 p.m. ET. MRN and Sirius XM Satellite will also carry the event.

Trevor Bayne - Phoenix Preview

NOTES

· This week’s No. 99 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota at Phoenix International Raceway … Trevor Bayne will pilot Chassis No. 047 from the Michael Waltrip Racing NASCAR Nationwide Series stable this weekend at Phoenix International Raceway. Most recently, David Reutimann drove this race car to an eighth-place finish a few weeks ago. Additionally, Bayne grabbed his first NASAR Nationwide series pole and top-10 finish with this Chassis in July at O’Reilly Raceway Park.

· Final Start … This weekend’s race marks Bayne’s last NASCAR Nationwide Series start for the 2009 season. Scott Speed will navigate the No. 99 machine next weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

· Media Center … Bayne will be in the Phoenix International Raceway media center this Saturday at 9:30 a.m. to field questions from the media and to discuss 2010 plans.

· 15^th Nationwide Series Start … Bayne will make his 15^th-career NNS start this weekend at Phoenix International Raceway. In 14 previous starts, he boasts two top-10 and six top-15 finishes, an 8.2 starting average coupled with an 18.3 finishing average. He has completed 95.4 percent (2,864 of 3,001) of the laps contested.

· After 32 … Over the season’s first 33 races, the No. 99 team has notched nine top-10 and 17 top-15 finishes. The MWR team sits 17^th in the owners’ point standings. They are 60 points behind the No. 11 entry in 16^th and only 89 points out of the top 15.

· Online with the Times … To keep up with the latest news and information about Bayne visit his official website at www.trevorbayne.com. For minute-to-minute info about Bayne and the rest of the MWR crew, check out www.twitter.com/aaronssports.

· Race Broadcast Information … The Able Body Labor 200 will be televised live on ESPN2 on Saturday, November 14 beginning at 4 p.m. EST. The race will also be broadcast on MRN and Sirius XM Satellite Radio. Qualifying for the 34rd event of the 2009 NNS season will air Saturday, November 14 beginning at 12:05 p.m. EST on SPEED. MRN and Sirius XM Satellite Radio will also broadcast live updates of time trials.

TREVOR BAYNE QUOTE:

This is your final start of the 2009 season. Do you think it was a success?

“Well considering I didn’t even have a ride at the beginning of the 2009 season, I would have to say yes. I really wish I could have grabbed a top five or even a win in my 14 starts but I think I learned a lot this season. I think the track time that I received this year will definitely translate into top five finishes next season.”

What is the biggest thing you have learned so far this season?

“I have learned that you have to have patience. During the Nationwide races you have plenty of time to adjust on your cars. You also have plenty of time to work past people so you don’t have to drive the wheels off the car from lap one. In this series you have to have a little patience and realize there is plenty of time to make your way to the front.”

The last time you drove Chassis No.047 you grabbed your first NASCAR Nationwide Series pole and top-10 finish. You think you can do it again at Phoenix?

“I am pretty comfortable on short tracks but I have been told that Phoenix doesn’t race like a short track. There is a lot of room to pass and find a groove that your car handles well on. However, I hope we have the same luck that we did at ORP. I hope I can end this season with a bang and carry the momentum into next season.”