Michael Waltrip Racing
 |
|
| Owner(s) |
Michael Waltrip Robert Kauffman |
|---|---|
| Base | Cornelius, North Carolina |
| Series |
Sprint Cup Series Nationwide Series Craftsman Truck Series |
| Car numbers | 00, 1, 7, 12, 14, 15, 17, 21, 44, 47, 51, 55, 56, 66, 98, 99 |
| Race drivers | 15. Clint Bowyer 55. David Ragan 98. Michael Waltrip |
| Sponsors | 15. 5-Hour Energy, PEAK, Maxwell House, AAA Insurance, Jack Link's/Big Machine Records, Hughes General Contractors/Casey's, Buddy Baker Tribute 55. Aaron's Dream Machine, SpongeBob SquarePants, Janssen 98. Maxwell House |
| Manufacturer |
Chevrolet Ford Dodge Toyota |
| Opened | 1994 |
| Closed | 2015 |
| Career | |
| Debut |
Sprint Cup Series: 2002 Aaron's 499 (Talladega) Nationwide Series: 1994 Goody's 250 (Bristol) Craftsman Truck Series: 1996 Carquest 420K (Las Vegas) |
| Latest race |
Sprint Cup Series: 2015 Ford EcoBoost 400 (Homestead) Nationwide Series: 2009 Ford 300 (Homestead) Craftsman Truck Series: 2003 Advance Auto Parts 200 (Martinsville) |
| Races competed |
Total: 1,142 Sprint Cup Series: 779 Nationwide Series: 355 Craftsman Truck Series: 8 |
| Drivers' Championships |
Total: 0 Sprint Cup Series: 0 Nationwide Series: 0 Craftsman Truck Series: 0 |
| Race victories |
Total: 12 Sprint Cup Series: 7 Nationwide Series: 5 Craftsman Truck Series: 0 |
| Pole positions |
Total: 24 Sprint Cup Series: 14 Nationwide Series: 10 Craftsman Truck Series: 0 |
Michael Waltrip Racing Holdings LLC, doing business as Michael Waltrip Racing ("MWR"), was an American professional team that last competed full-time in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The company was as a 50–50 partnership between Robert Kauffman, the founder and managing partner of Fortress Investment Group, and two-time Daytona 500 winner Michael Waltrip, who first established the team in 1996 in the Busch Series (now Xfinity Series). The team was the first full-time three-car team to field Toyota Camrys when Toyota entered the Sprint Cup racing fold in 2007, before being joined by Joe Gibbs Racing in 2008. MWR was also the last original Toyota team in the Sprint Cup Series to still be in operation, as Bill Davis Racing and Red Bull Racing Team have both ceased operations.
The team last fielded the No. 15 Toyota Camry for Clint Bowyer and the No. 55 Camry for David Ragan. Brian Vickers would normally drive the No. 55, but repeated health problems including blood clotting forced him out for much of 2015. Development driver Brett Moffitt and team owner Waltrip have also competed in the car.
Michael Waltrip Racing began racing in the Winston Cup Series in 2002, making its debut at the 2002 Aaron's 499. The car was the No. 98 Aaron's Chevrolet Monte Carlo driven by Kenny Wallace. Wallace qualified 27th and finished 21st. Following that first race, Waltrip sold the No. 98 and its owner points to Innovative Motorsports.
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