Michael Waltrip Leaning Toward Part-Time Cup Driving In '10

Waltrip Still Planning To Race In Daytona 500 Next Year

SPEAKING A NEW LANGUAGE: USA TODAY's Nate Ryan in a sports-section cover story notes MWR, which has become the "most improved team on NASCAR's premier circuit this season," now counts "three Brits and an Australian among a brain trust whose background is reflective of the organization's cosmopolitan co-owner." Waltrip believes that "growing the team through overseas recruitment was necessary to find an edge on Hendrick Motorsports and Roush Fenway Racing, which have won five of the past six" Sprint Cup championships. Toyota Racing Development President & GM Lee White believes that "other NASCAR teams might follow the trend." With F1 in the "midst of a sponsorship crisis that has seen team budgets slashed, green cards could become synonymous with green flags as unemployed European crewmembers migrate" to the U.S. Ryan notes Waltrip's "biggest global coup" was MWR Dir of Competition Steve Hallam, who joined the organization in January after 27 years in F1, most recently as McLaren Head of Race Operations (USA TODAY, 6/10).

Print This Article