462 NASCAR Cup Series is the number of races veteran NASCAR driver, Michael Waltrip, took to snap his winless streak. We all know about the famous Daytona 500 win by him back in 2001, but surprisingly, this wasn’t his first win in the premier division of stock car racing. While the Daytona 500 triumph driving the No. 15 DEI car was his first points-paying race win, he had already been to victory lane with Wood Brothers Racing in 1996.
Well, back in 1996, the special event was held at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, and it was known as “The Winston Select.” Like DEI, it was Dale Earnhardt who engineered Waltrip’s entry at WBR, as he believed he had the talent to win races if he ran in a competitive car. With the huge opportunity in front of him, Waltrip was feeling the nerves at Charlotte, “When we were getting ready to start the 1996 season, I felt a lot of responsibility to do well because that was the Woods’ family car. It wasn’t like some corporation owned it or some big business.”
With no points-paying race wins under his belt, Waltrip had to undergo qualifying rounds to make the starting field. He managed to hold on to a fifth-place finish and lock himself into the main event. Next thing you know, he was trading paint with the likes of Terry Labonte, Dale Earnhardt and Rusty Wallace. Well, the race came down to a 10-lap shoot-out with Earnhardt and Wallace going at it against each other. As the two drivers made contact on Lap 62, Michael Waltrip was able to thread the needle and park his No. 21 car in the victory lane.
Clearly, Dale Earnhardt’s endorsement for Waltrip worked wonders, not just for the driver but for Wood Brothers as well. They took home $211,000 from the win at Charlotte. But how exactly did Earnhardt and Waltrip link up, and how close were they before the driver took charge of the No. 15 DEI car in 2001? Well, the 61-year-old veteran driver opened up about this story on the Happy Hour podcast.
“It was always in general. On the back of the boat, fishing in the Bahamas. He would say, ‘You’d win if you were in one of my cars. There’s no doubt about that.’ I think he was instrumental in 1996, in getting me into the Wood Brothers car for that ride. He told Eddie and Len that he felt that I could win in good equipment and I could win in their equipment. We won the All-Star race in ’96 with the Wood Brothers. That’s probably my favorite victory because my brother came to Victory Lane. Dale came to Victory Lane, and the Wood Brothers family.” Waltrip shared this with Kevin Harvick.
LAS VEGAS, NV – MARCH 02 Fox Sports commentator Michael Waltrip visits the NASCAR Camping World Series garage before practice for the Stratosphere 200 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, NV on Thursday March 02, 2018. (Photo by Josh Holmberg/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
“They trusted me with their car, they gave me the keys to their family car. I went out and was able to win for them. There was pictures in Victory Lane, just joy because I felt that I validated Dale’s decision, which was important to me, and I won for the Wood Brothers. It started in the 90s, early 90s, before that Wood Brothers opportunity, with us becoming friends. Him believing that I would definitely be able to win in his equipment. That’s why that day in Daytona is so hard, because I did it. I did what he said I could do.”
Although the 2001 Daytona 500 is the biggest highlight of Waltrip’s racing career, it wasn’t entirely picture-perfect. As the No. 15 DEI Chevy crossed the finish line, the iconic No. 3 RCR Chevy had a fatal crash after making contact with Sterling Marlin and Ken Schrader. The impact of the crash was such that it led to a basilar fracture, and the Intimidator lost his life in the aftermath of the race. But again, Waltrip came through on Earnhardt’s prophecy as he would go on to notch up another Daytona 500 win in 2003 and bag two more Cup wins during his time at DEI until 2005.
Well, Waltrip also chatted with EssentiallySports in an exclusive interview. And unlike the good old days of NASCAR, this time he shared his take on the antitrust lawsuit.
Michael Waltrip believes 23XI Racing/FRM lawsuit won’t end the team model
There is a possibility that the ongoing legal dispute between NASCAR and Michael Jordan’s team could lead to a detrimental outcome for the sport. The suspension of the two teams to scrapping the charter system altogether has been predicted by the experts. Although the lawsuit is playing out in the background away from racing, there’s a direct relation to how it could affect the future of the sport. But Waltrip is an optimist, and he thinks that this dispute will not interrupt the current dynamics of the teams and the business is going to be as usual, like it is on Sundays.
“It’s a big deal between Front Row Motorsports, 23XI, and NASCAR. I’m not taking away from the importance of the lawsuit. But to me, and I think for many of the race fans, it’s white noise. They’ll figure that out. There’s going to be fans in the grandstands every Sunday. It ain’t going to end NASCAR and it’s not going to end the team model.” Waltrip said this in an exclusive interview with EssentiallySports.
Well, the veteran driver will find himself in a familiar role this weekend, calling out the Truck Series race at the Rockingham Speedway in the FOX booth. He has a history of working in broadcast set-up after his retirement, so the fans will be thrilled to hear his commentary this weekend.
The post NASCAR Veteran Reflects on Wood Brothers Ride Delivering Upon Dale Earnhardt’s Prophecy appeared first on EssentiallySports.