Waltrip pounces, buys #77 points.

Michael Waltrip has pulled off a major coup and guaranteed his new team a starting place in the Daytona 500 after some frantic wheeler-dealings with his (now former) boss Bill Davis and former (now current) team boss Doug Bawel.

Waltrip, who was originally slated to run for the #55 Bill Davis Racing team in 2006, will now drive for the #55 Waltrip-Jasper Racing team co-owned by Waltrip and using the points formerly accrued by the #77 Penske-Jasper team in 2005.

Davis, whose second-tier #55 team (was #23) didn't have enough owner points to place them among the top 35 in the standings, will still supply cars, engines and team personnel to the familiar NAPA Auto Parts liveried Dodge, although Waltrip is already in the process of establishing his own team, a team that includes former DEI man Ty Norris and former Penske crew-chief Larry Carter.

The #77 team, piloted by Travis Kvapil last year, finished 34th in the 2005 owner standings, guaranteeing it a place on the grid for the first five races of the year. However when Penske elected to dissolve the team at the end of the year, not only was officially listed team owner Bawel in need of a team, one free pass to the Daytona 500 became available.

It was initially (logically?) thought that the free place would be given to the #4 Morgan McClure Motorsports team, which finished 36th in the owners standings, but it now seems as though Larry McClure's dreams have been dashed and that driver Scott Wimmer, ironically a former driver for Davis, will have to race his way into the starting field at Daytona.

But for double Daytona 500 winner Waltrip, and his faithful but high profile sponsor NAPA, this was a very good day.

"I know how intense this business is and I am prepared for the challenge," Waltrip said. "I am committed to being successful as an owner and I think the industry will recognise that when they see the calibre of personnel and sponsors I am bringing into this organisation. But, there are a lot of days when I anticipate I will need my sense of humour, so I believe I will keep it.

"I have been in the sport as a driver for 22 years and the logical progression for me was ownership at the highest level, the Nextel Cup Series," Waltrip added. "This is such a big step, that I wanted to partner with someone who has intimate knowledge about ownership at this level. Doug Bawel and I have been friends for a number of years and I have always respected the way he handled himself in the garage and with NASCAR."

Bawel will serve on the Board of Directors and will be active in business management and sanctioning body relationships for the new company.


"I learned quickly that Michael is a goal oriented person," Bawel stated. "When we began talking about the possibilities of teaming up, he started dialling the phone and making things happen immediately. He is a talented driver and a proven NASCAR Busch Series car owner, but most importantly as he moves into NASCAR's premier series, he is a man with a vision that likes to take ideas from paper to reality. I am delighted to lend my experience and management support to Waltrip-Jasper Racing."