Career Highlights:
- Recorded nine top-10 finishes, including a runner up finish in Coca-Cola 600 (2004)
- Two-time Daytona 500 Winner (2001, 2003)
*One of only eight drivers to win two or more Daytona 500s.
- 1st NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series win (2001)
- Won "The Winston" All-Star event in inaugural season; first driver to ever win the event after transferring from the Winston Open (1996)
- 1st NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series pole (1991)
BIO
Michael Waltrip loves his family and his job. He is a five-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series and 11-time NASCAR Busch Series winner, a husband, a father, a brother, a marathon runner, an owner, a driver, a TV analyst and the list doesn't stop there.
At age 11, Waltrip already knew what he wanted to be when he grew up. He would follow his dream to become an established race car driver like his older brother Darrell.
Starting out, the younger Waltrip spent the early part of his career racing go-karts in Kentucky, Indiana and Tennessee. His stock car racing took off in 1981, when he won the Mini-Modified division track championship at Kentucky Motor Speedway.
Success came easy for Waltrip, and as he became older it happened quite often. In 1983, he won the NASCAR Dash Series championship. Afterwards, he made the move to North Carolina to advance his career. When Waltrip first moved to North Carolina, he resided with Richard and Lynda Petty. The Petty's helped Waltrip establish his roots in racing country. Waltrip credits Richard with not only his first job, but with the advice and guidance that prepared him for his future as a successful driver and car owner.
In 1985, Waltrip made five NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series starts for Richard (Dick) Bahre debuting at Lowe's Motor Speedway in May. The next year Waltrip completed his first full season in Cup finishing 19th in the points standings driving for Bahre. Then, Waltrip drove for Chuck Rider from 1987 to 1995 and Wood Brothers from 1996 to 1998.
Waltrip drove for James (Jim) Smith from 1999 to 2000 in the NASCAR Cup Series and for Dale Earnhardt Incorporated from 2001 to 2005. In 2006, Waltrip-Jasper Racing, a brand new team affiliated with Bill Davis Racing, fielded Waltrip's No. 55 NAPA machine. Overall in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series competition, Waltrip has five wins, including the prestigious Daytona 500 twice and the sport's All-Star event, three poles, 38 top-fives and 122 top-10s.
As Waltrip competes for the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series championship in the No. 55 NAPA Toyota, he will expand his career as a car owner with three NEXTEL Cup Series teams. 2007 also marks the grand opening of Waltrip Raceworld, a 140,000 sq. ft entertainment and racing destination. Out of all of Waltrip's accomplishments, he refers to winning the 1993 NASCAR Busch Series race at Bristol and immediately proposing to his wife Buffy in Victory Lane on national television as his most memorable racing moment.
