Jarrett to switch to Michael Waltrip Racing

[Elwood]

Jarrett to switch to Michael Waltrip Racing in 2007

 

May 13, 2006

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (Ticker) - Former NASCAR champion Dale Jarrett will join Michael Waltrip's two-car Toyota team in 2007, Michael Waltrip Racing announced on Saturday.

 

Jarrett has fielded the No. 88 Ford with Robert Yates Racing since 1995 and won the NASCAR series title in 1999. But Jarrett has finished 15th or lower in the Nextel Cup standings over the last three years and his victory at Talladega last October snapped a 99-race winless streak.

 

Jarrett's contract with Yates Racing was up after the 2006 season and Waltrip convinced Jarrett to join one of Toyota's start-up teams next season.

 

"This was a very difficult decision," Jarrett said. "I feel this is a great opportunity for me to take on a new challenge and what they are building at Michael Waltrip Racing fits my plans for the future."

 

"When we began building Michael Waltrip Racing, I knew the key to success was bringing in quality people," Waltrip said. "By hiring Dale, we have yet another example of the importance we are placing on securing first-rate individuals for our program."

 

A three-time winner of the Daytona 500, Jarrett established himself as a perennial NASCAR Nextel Cup championship contender in the mid-1990s, finishing in the top-10 in the points standings for seven consecutive seasons and winning the title in 1999.

 

"Dale's resume speaks for itself," Waltrip said. "To have a NASCAR champion on our team is another significant piece of the puzzle that pulls together our vision. I know his knowledge and experience will be invaluable for a start-up team with a new manufacturer and will allow our organization to grow and succeed at a faster pace."

 

Jarrett, 49, has 32 career elite series victories, highlighted by the three Daytona 500 triumphs and two in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

 

"My tenure at Robert Yates Racing has been extremely important to me, my family and my career," Jarrett said. "We accomplished a lot together during the past 12 years and I am thankful to Robert and everyone at RYR and Ford Motor Company for the opportunities they afforded me and the success we have all shared."

 

In 2007, Michael Waltrip Racing, Bill Davis Racing and Team Red Bull will each campaign two Toyota Camrys in America's most popular racing series.

 

 

 

 

 

Updated on Saturday, May 13, 2006 2:34 pm EDT

[General Lee 01]

I don't know which is worse. Jarrett going to toyota, or Jarrett Joining Michael Waltrip.

[Hecktorx]

Jarrett Joining Michael Waltrip.

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

Everything Waltrip touches turns to poop.

[facn8me]

Well Jarret is nearing the end of his carrer. He seems to not be able to adapt to the new cars and tires. He's gonna cash a huge check and doesn't have to be competative. Sounds like a dream come true. He'll retire not a a wash out but as a great driver developing a new car.

[Deere_Daze]

Jarrett has said that he will retire after the '08 season, and I say good for him.

RYR really isnt a competitive team anymore, so I think its time for a change for him.

Whether you like it or not, Toyota is throwing a ton of money into their NASCAR program and they will be competitive.

[MS3DALE]

I don't know which is worse. Jarrett going to toyota, or Jarrett Joining Michael Waltrip.

 

 

 

 

 

I couldn't agree more.

Its bad enough that Waltrip left a team like DEI where he knew he could win,but now he's taking another good driver away from another good team,although RYR has had some problems of its own lately,I still think Jarrett would be better off staying at RYR.It just goes to show that money talks!!!

I don't think either one of them will ever win another race again

[karlog]

What do you expect from Waltrip anyway. Now that DEI switched pit crews again and now JR is winning (the way it should be anyway) he doesn't have a prayer. I still think that the sport should stay domestic brands only. It was started here and should stay here. Let Toyota come in with thier deep pockets of money and find out what real american muscle is all about. Toyota is getting into every single market that they can for the auto industry and the sad thing is that it's working.

[number9]

I used to love NASCAR, went to a lot of races, never missed a race on TV, collected the Action Elite replicas, etc...... Since Mike Helton and then really when Bill France Jr's boy took over it seems NASCAR has been going down hilll fast. They are taking away from everything that made the sport so popular. Instead of the "working man" being able to cheer for his favorite driver that raked, scrapped, struggled his way through the sport with hard work you now have snot-nosed pretty boys that had mommy & daddy driving them around the country in their million dollar motorhome and trailer racing go-karts, late-model, etc... and bought their way up. NASCAR caved into that scumbag Jessie Jackson's extortion tactics and paid BIG money to his Rainbow Push coalition and implimented these programs to go out and get black drivers into the sport - NOT AT ALL that I am racists or anything, but do you see the NCAA or NBA doing the same to bring more white players into the league? Is it NASCAR's fault that the overwhelming majority of black kids play stick & ball sports instead of racing karts or late-models, sprints, etc...? NASCAR began getting more & more politically correct (ie. read liberal) over those as well. Then the straw that broke the camel's back.....since long ago I have always swore that the day a Jap car lined up in the field at Daytona would be the last day I watched NASCAR. When Toyota got into the tuck series that was bad enough because the whole histroy of NASCAR has been a Chevy, Ford, Dodge classic American auto brand battle sort of thing. Then when I heard that a Camary was going to race in 2007 I told my wife I had 1 year left to watch NASCAR and I'd really like to see JR win the Championship (with his team back and everything). THEN, I am strolling through the TV channels one day around the time the whole ILLEGAL immigrants (YES they ARE illegal) was really dominating the news channels and I see a Bush race IN MEXICO and decided right there that was the day I was totally done with NASCAR. Sunday before last really put a cap on it when I was strolling through the channels after getting home from church and see DW talking about JR realling liking his car for Michigan's race and all that and there was nothing else on TV at all, so I thought I'd see what was going on and at the start of the race they sang the Canadian national anthem

 

In a few years time you will see Nissan and other foreign auto makers get into the sport, you very well may see the sport make a move to or atleast allow V-6 engines to race, you will see drivers who you can't spell their names and will need a translator for interviews because they can't speak English. If you have been a NASCAR fan for a long time the NASCAR you knew is taking it's last few breathes of life.