My dinner.
Posted on 07/14/2002 4:38:09 PM PDT by aomagrat
JOLIET, Ill. -- Michael Waltrip is no longer an ingredient in the Silly Season mix.
On Sunday, Dale Earnhardt, Inc. announced that Waltrip will continue to drive the No. 15 NAPA-sponsored Chevrolet through the 2004 season, ending three months of speculation that the veteran driver would be replaced.
"Michael Waltrip is living up to what Dale saw in him and he's a tremendous asset to the company, both as a driver and as a part of the company's personality," said team owner Teresa Earnhardt in an issued statement.
"We're especially proud of the season Michael is having. Today's announcement reinforces that we are committed to fulfilling a long-term plan."
It's only recently gotten so peachy for Waltrip and DEI. Two months into the 2002 season, Waltrip was mired in 27th position and a rumored departure began to filter through the garage.
Then at Richmond, DEI executive vice president Ty Norris said that in order to stay in the car, Waltrip had to improve performance or a change would be made.
"I made a lot of mistakes at Richmond with what I said," Norris said. "That put undue pressure on a lot of people. What was being said probably should have been more private."
Waltrip was undaunted.
"All the talk about next year didn't affect me at all," Waltrip said. "We understood that if we went out and did our job, all the issues would take care of themselves. If we couldn't get it done, we were wasting our time staying there anyway."
Since the season's seventh week -- the low point of Waltrip's season -- he has posted six top-10s, three top-fives and a victory, and jumped to 12th. Heading into Chicago, he ranked just 95 points outside the top 10.
"This team is finally where we had hoped to be a year ago with our performance and how we're running on the track," Waltrip said. "Over last six races, we could be leading the points.
"I think we're definitely top-three. Six races is not a season, but it's certainly enough events to say there's a trend there. It all comes down to performance."
For Waltrip, it had to be about performance. Without that, he would be looking for work. He gushes in adoration of crew chief Slugger Labbe, and maintains Labbe is the major reason for the team's improvement.
"The biggest reason we were able to perform like this during this time was the leadership role Slugger played," Waltrip said. "He said don't worry about what you read or hear. Do what I tell you. Line up behind me and we'll go do this deal. I really appreciate that."
Waltrip remained both calm and confident throughout the ordeal.
"Michael has shown the most class of anyone I've ever been around during this time," Norris said. "He said, 'You're right. We've got to perform. Let's go out there and do it.' He put this team up on his shoulders and went and did it."
NAPA's current sponsorship of the No. 15 was slated to expire following this year, but after taking an extensive look at the hard numbers, they opted to re-up.
"Everyone at NAPA knows that Michael is more than an exceptional driver," NAPA president Steve Handschuh said. "He is an exceptional person, and a great ambassador for our product and this sport. We are excited about what the future holds."
My dinner.
A good friend of mine actually goes crow hunting.
Congrats to the #29 team.
Glad to see Childress and the black and silver Goodwrench team in victory lane.
Now, what can we work out for um....say...DJ???
Are you saying he's not king? :^)
Now I ask you, when did they get a clue??? ;-)
I have to say that I was highly disappointed with the DIS this year. I don't know where Bill France and his cohorts are putting the money they make, but it sure ain't going to the fans. We were told by DIS Security that we were going to have to "take down our canopy tent because Mr. Gramm (head of Security) said it 'looks like you are camping out'." I said,
"Hm. An open tent, no sides, nothing. And so, where is this Mr. Gramm person? Upstairs, I presume, in a suite, telling you to ride around on your little scooter to tell the peons who have been here since forever this morning to take down our tents? YOU, sir, can tell Mr. Gramm that if he wants us to take down our canopy because it looks like a "tent", then he doesn't know what a frigging tent looks like, and also that I hope is prepared to spend most of the afternoon trying to get emergency vehicles in and out of here because a lot of people will be passing out from the FRIGGING DAYTONA HEAT!!!" He left, never to be seen again. :-)
Also..the bathrooms inside DIS were disgusting...now, I am no priss, believe me, but there was no toilet paper, the toilets were overflowing, and so I ask you: how is it that the race fans, who bring in SO MUCH MOOLA for these people are treated like shleps??? I did write Mr. France, Sr. a letter in which I enclosed pictures of the bathrooms, the overflowing water, and asked him why he could not afford to have someone in each bathroom to keep it clean?" I mailed it certified, so he or someone there had to sign for it. ;-)
Don't tick me off. ;-)
Dale Sr. was the man up here in Illinois. A lot of non-Earnhardt fans up here were just trying to aggravate, they never were really into their drivers that much. The non-Earnhardt fans would switch faves from year to year according to who they thought would win the most. They went from Gordon to, yes DJ, to Bobby Labonte, then back to Gordon when he got over his rough times. There are some DJ fans up here, but some were just band-wagon jumping from year to year.
Now I ask you, when did they get a clue??? ;-) I have to say that I was highly disappointed with the DIS this year. I don't know where Bill France and his cohorts are putting the money they make, but it sure ain't going to the fans. We were told by DIS Security that we were going to have to "take down our canopy tent because Mr. Gramm (head of Security) said it 'looks like you are camping out'." I said, "Hm. An open tent, no sides, nothing. And so, where is this Mr. Gramm person? Upstairs, I presume, in a suite, telling you to ride around on your little scooter to tell the peons who have been here since forever this morning to take down our tents? YOU, sir, can tell Mr. Gramm that if he wants us to take down our canopy because it looks like a "tent", then he doesn't know what a frigging tent looks like, and also that I hope is prepared to spend most of the afternoon trying to get emergency vehicles in and out of here because a lot of people will be passing out from the FRIGGING DAYTONA HEAT!!!" He left, never to be seen again. :-) Also..the bathrooms inside DIS were disgusting...now, I am no priss, believe me, but there was no toilet paper, the toilets were overflowing, and so I ask you: how is it that the race fans, who bring in SO MUCH MOOLA for these people are treated like shleps??? I did write Mr. France, Sr. a letter in which I enclosed pictures of the bathrooms, the overflowing water, and asked him why he could not afford to have someone in each bathroom to keep it clean?" I mailed it certified, so he or someone there had to sign for it. ;-) Don't tick me off. ;-)
Yeah, if Daytona is their Super Bowl, then there should be some effort to keep it fan-friendly. With hundreds of thousand of people, I don't know how easy that would be but it looks like the ratio of fans to workers could make it affordable.
I don't know why they can't keep Daytona clean...I understand the outside (at least they have PortaPotties) but the inside??? Now, I've to been to Daytona, Atlanta and Bristol and I have to say that Bruton Smith does a much better job than DIS as far as being accomodating to the fans. Keeps it much cleaner.
Well. Enough of that..I suppose were lucky that they even have women's restrooms!!! ;-)
You know what is so funny about this whole thing? Of all places that I did hear them discussing someone having to use the "facilities" was last night on ESPN or ESPN2 while they were covering the golf tournament (is it the Rider's/Ryder's Cup?) and they said that the guy who announced all the golfers at the 1st tee stands there for over 9-1/2 hours. My husband said, "Man..I could never stand there that long...I wonder if he ever has to use the men's room?"
Well, I don't know if the ESPN guys were listening in on us or what, but when they came back, they went into a 5 minute discussion of how this guy has been doing this for 27 years and never ONCE has he left the post to use the "facilities." Of course, they ALL had to have their own little comments such as:
"He's a better man than I am.."
"I hope they pay him well.."
"Does he ever get to drink anything all day?"
It went on and on and on...sheesh!
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