Darrell Waltrip Motorsports
Encyclopedia
Darrell Waltrip Motorsports was a NASCAR
team owned by three-time Winston Cup champion Darrell Waltrip
. It was formed in 1991 when Waltrip resigned from Hendrick Motorsports
to start his own team, and was originally named DarWal, Inc.. During the 1970s, Waltrip, like many drivers of the time, formed their own teams for racing, in lower levels, originally DarWal, Inc, was his personal licencing agent and operator for many short-track cars he would race at many circuits on non-Cup weekends or special events, and eventually went to Busch Series racing. In 1991, the racing team moved up to the Cup level, with Hendrick support, but he divested himself of Busch operations at the end of the 1993 season.
Waltrip has also run part-time with his team, with his final NASCAR Truck Series race coming at Martinsville Speedway
, where he finished 12th.
as car #17 with sponsorship from Western Auto
. (The car number and numbering style were a carryover from Waltrip's days as a driver for Hendrick Motorsports
.) Waltrip led at one point during the event, but finished 24th following an accident late in the race. Waltrip won five races over the next two years, with his final top-10 points finish coming in 1994
. After that, the pressure of being an owner/driver started to crash down on Waltrip, and his performance declined. After Western Auto was renamed to Parts America, they planned on leaving the team, but stayed on for another year before leaving after 1997
. That same year, Waltrip failed to qualify for his first race since 1975 at the fall race at Charlotte Motor Speedway
. In addition, DWM briefly expanded to two cars, when Rich Bickle
finished 34th at that year's Brickyard 400 the #26 Kentucky Fried Chicken Chevy also fielded by DWM, as well as Waltrip running special paint schemes to commemorate his 25th year in the sport.
After almost losing his team due to a lack of sponsorship, Waltrip signed Speedblock/Builder's Square to sponsor his car in 1998
, but they did not live up to most of their obligations as a sponsor, and Waltrip cancelled the contract. Waltrip's last race as owner/driver came at the spring Darlington race that year, driving the Tim Flock Special
, a special paint scheme to honor the NASCAR legend who would lose his battle with cancer later that month. After that, Waltrip sold the team to Tim Beverly
. The team was so disorganized Beverly temporarily suspended operations to get everything situated. The team returned later in the year as the #35 Tabasco
Pontiac
with Waltrip driving after the team merged with a defunct team. Waltrip left at the end of the year after not posting a top-ten finish. This team ran as Tyler Jet Motorsports
for the next two seasons.
, Waltrip began his own team in the Craftsman Truck Series
team, hiring Bill Sedgwick
to drive his #17 Sears
/DieHard Chevy. Sedgwick collected eight top tens and finished 14th in points. In 1997, Rich Bickle
drove the truck, winning three races and finishing second in points. After the season, Bickle resigned as he had hoped to run with Waltrip in the Cup series in 1998. Waltrip was about to run Phil Parsons
in the truck, but after Sears pulled out, he shut the team down until 2003.
In 2003, Waltrip fielded his own truck, this time in partnership with brother Michael and HT Motorsports
for a pair of Craftsman Truck races at Martinsville Speedway with the #17, the first with Tide (with the Tide with Bleach brand, intentionally reminiscent of his 1989 Daytona 500 win), and the second with the Aaron's
promotion of The Three Stooges that ran in various series.
DWM became full time in 2004 as one of the new works Toyota teams. NTN Bearings sponsored the truck for two seasons, driven by David Reutimann
, who won the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Rookie of the Year award. The team expanded to a second team in 2005
, purchasing the #12 truck piloted by Robert Huffman
from Innovative Motorsports
. Huffman was replaced during the season by Mike Wallace
.
Joey Miller
attempted to pilot the #12 truck full-time in 2006
, but was released late in the season and the team finished with various drivers. Reutimann ended the season third in points and moved up to the NEXTEL Cup
and Busch Series
to drive for Waltrip's brother Michael Waltrip
. The team became co-owned by Darrell and Michael Waltrip but kept the Darrell Waltrip Motorsports banner, as noted on the Waltrip Racing Web site.
As part of changes in 2007 with its move into Michael Waltrip's operations banner, the team became a one-truck team and the number was switched to #00 to maintain consistency with the rest of the Michael Waltrip Racing banner, and A. J. Allmendinger
drove the #00 for a few races to help in his NASCAR experience, with Aaron's as the sponsor, along with Red Bull
for a few races early in the season) and Michael Waltrip Racing putting developmental drivers Josh Wise
and Ken Butler III in the truck, although Justin Labonte
also drove a few races for the team. After one last race with Michael McDowell
the team sold off its truck equipment in October 2007 to legendary road racing team The Racer's Group
.
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
team owned by three-time Winston Cup champion Darrell Waltrip
Darrell Waltrip
Darrell Lee Waltrip is a 3-time NASCAR Cup Series champion , 3-time runner-up , winner of the 1989 Daytona 500 and 5-time winner of the prestigeous Coca-Cola 600 ,...
. It was formed in 1991 when Waltrip resigned from Hendrick Motorsports
Hendrick Motorsports
Hendrick Motorsports , originally named All Star Racing, is a current American auto racing team created in 1984 by Rick Hendrick. The team currently competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with Chevrolet Impalas...
to start his own team, and was originally named DarWal, Inc.. During the 1970s, Waltrip, like many drivers of the time, formed their own teams for racing, in lower levels, originally DarWal, Inc, was his personal licencing agent and operator for many short-track cars he would race at many circuits on non-Cup weekends or special events, and eventually went to Busch Series racing. In 1991, the racing team moved up to the Cup level, with Hendrick support, but he divested himself of Busch operations at the end of the 1993 season.
Waltrip has also run part-time with his team, with his final NASCAR Truck Series race coming at Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation-owned NASCAR stock car racing track located in Henry County, near Ridgeway, Virginia, just to the south of Martinsville. At in length, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The track was also one of the first paved...
, where he finished 12th.
Winston Cup
DWM debuted at the 1991 Daytona 500Daytona 500
The Daytona 500 is a -long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is one of four restrictor plate races on the Cup schedule....
as car #17 with sponsorship from Western Auto
Western Auto
Western Auto Supply Company was a specialty retail chain of stores that supplied automobile parts and accessories. It operated approximately 1200 stores across the United States. It was started in 1909 in Kansas City, Missouri, by George Pepperdine, who later founded Pepperdine University...
. (The car number and numbering style were a carryover from Waltrip's days as a driver for Hendrick Motorsports
Hendrick Motorsports
Hendrick Motorsports , originally named All Star Racing, is a current American auto racing team created in 1984 by Rick Hendrick. The team currently competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with Chevrolet Impalas...
.) Waltrip led at one point during the event, but finished 24th following an accident late in the race. Waltrip won five races over the next two years, with his final top-10 points finish coming in 1994
1994 in NASCAR
The 1994 NASCAR Winston Cup Season began on Sunday February 20 and ended on Sunday November 13. Dale Earnhardt of Richard Childress Racing was crowned champion at season's end, winning consecutive Winston Cups for the third time in his career and tying Richard Petty for the record of most top-level...
. After that, the pressure of being an owner/driver started to crash down on Waltrip, and his performance declined. After Western Auto was renamed to Parts America, they planned on leaving the team, but stayed on for another year before leaving after 1997
1997 in NASCAR
- 1997 Team Chart :- Busch Clash :The Busch Clash, a race for polewinners from the previous season, and drivers who have won the event before, was run on February 9 in Daytona Beach, Florida. Terry Labonte drew the pole...
. That same year, Waltrip failed to qualify for his first race since 1975 at the fall race at Charlotte Motor Speedway
Lowe's Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway is a motorsports complex located in Concord, North Carolina, United States 13 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina. The complex features a quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend and the Sprint All-Star Race...
. In addition, DWM briefly expanded to two cars, when Rich Bickle
Rich Bickle
Richard "Rich" Bickle, Jr. is a journeyman NASCAR driver. Bickle, who has never completed a full season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, has a long history in short track racing.-Early career:...
finished 34th at that year's Brickyard 400 the #26 Kentucky Fried Chicken Chevy also fielded by DWM, as well as Waltrip running special paint schemes to commemorate his 25th year in the sport.
After almost losing his team due to a lack of sponsorship, Waltrip signed Speedblock/Builder's Square to sponsor his car in 1998
1998 in NASCAR
See Also: 1998 in NASCAR Busch Series-1998 Team Chart:-Bud Shootout Qualifier:The Bud Shootout Qualifier, a race for the fastest second round qualifier, from each race from the previous season, was run on February 8 in Daytona Beach, Florida. Sterling Marlin drew the pole...
, but they did not live up to most of their obligations as a sponsor, and Waltrip cancelled the contract. Waltrip's last race as owner/driver came at the spring Darlington race that year, driving the Tim Flock Special
Tim Flock
Julius Timothy Flock was one of NASCAR's early pioneers, and a two time series champion. He was a brother to NASCAR's second female driver Ethel Mobley and NASCAR pioneers Bob Flock and Fonty Flock.- NASCAR career :...
, a special paint scheme to honor the NASCAR legend who would lose his battle with cancer later that month. After that, Waltrip sold the team to Tim Beverly
Tim Beverly
Tim Beverly is former NASCAR team owner. He founded Tyler Jet, an airplane sales company that was based in Tyler, Texas, in 1986. In 1998, he purchased DarWal Inc. and ISM Racing and merged them together to form Tyler Jet Motorsports. He fielded cars for Darrell Waltrip, Rich Bickle, David Green,...
. The team was so disorganized Beverly temporarily suspended operations to get everything situated. The team returned later in the year as the #35 Tabasco
Tabasco sauce
Tabasco sauce is the brand name for a hot sauce produced by US-based McIlhenny Company of Avery Island, Louisiana. Tabasco sauce is made from tabasco peppers , vinegar, and salt, and aged in white oak barrels for three years. It has a hot, spicy flavor...
Pontiac
Pontiac
Pontiac was an automobile brand that was established in 1926 as a companion make for General Motors' Oakland. Quickly overtaking its parent in popularity, it supplanted the Oakland brand entirely by 1933 and, for most of its life, became a companion make for Chevrolet. Pontiac was sold in the...
with Waltrip driving after the team merged with a defunct team. Waltrip left at the end of the year after not posting a top-ten finish. This team ran as Tyler Jet Motorsports
Tyler Jet Motorsports
Tyler Jet Motorsports was a NASCAR Winston Cup race team.Tyler Jet Motorsports was owned by Tim Beverly, owner of the airplane sales company that shared a name with the race team, and was formed in 1998 after Beverly purchased the assets of DarWal, Inc...
for the next two seasons.
Craftsman Trucks
In 19961996 in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
The 1996 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Season began March 17 and ended November 3. Ron Hornaday of Dale Earnhardt, Inc. won the championship.See also: 1996 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, 1996 NASCAR Busch Series- 1996 Team Chart :...
, Waltrip began his own team in the Craftsman Truck Series
Craftsman Truck Series
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing...
team, hiring Bill Sedgwick
Bill Sedgwick
Born in Acton, California on 19 March 1955, Bill Sedgwick was a successful NASCAR driver particularly prominent in the late 1980s and early 1990s.-External Links:* at Driver Database...
to drive his #17 Sears
Sears, Roebuck and Company
Sears, officially named Sears, Roebuck and Co., is an American chain of department stores which was founded by Richard Warren Sears and Alvah Curtis Roebuck in the late 19th century...
/DieHard Chevy. Sedgwick collected eight top tens and finished 14th in points. In 1997, Rich Bickle
Rich Bickle
Richard "Rich" Bickle, Jr. is a journeyman NASCAR driver. Bickle, who has never completed a full season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, has a long history in short track racing.-Early career:...
drove the truck, winning three races and finishing second in points. After the season, Bickle resigned as he had hoped to run with Waltrip in the Cup series in 1998. Waltrip was about to run Phil Parsons
Phil Parsons
Phil Parsons , is a former NASCAR driver and owner of MSRP Motorsports . He is also the younger brother of the late 1973 Winston Cup champion and former NBC/TNT commentator Benny Parsons. Years later, he returned to the Busch Series, where he enjoyed modest success...
in the truck, but after Sears pulled out, he shut the team down until 2003.
In 2003, Waltrip fielded his own truck, this time in partnership with brother Michael and HT Motorsports
HT Motorsports
HT Motorsports was an American truck racing team from Martinsville, Virginia owned by trucking company owner Jim Harris. It fielded entries for the nine years in the Camping World Truck Series before suspending operations early in 2010.-Truck #24 History:...
for a pair of Craftsman Truck races at Martinsville Speedway with the #17, the first with Tide (with the Tide with Bleach brand, intentionally reminiscent of his 1989 Daytona 500 win), and the second with the Aaron's
Aaron's
Aaron's, Inc. is a lease-to-own retailer. The company focuses on leases and retail sales of furniture, electronics, appliances, and computers. It is divided into three major divisions: sales and lease ownership; corporate furnishings; and manufacturing. The incorporation of manufacturing as well...
promotion of The Three Stooges that ran in various series.
DWM became full time in 2004 as one of the new works Toyota teams. NTN Bearings sponsored the truck for two seasons, driven by David Reutimann
David Reutimann
Emil David Reutimann is the driver the #00 Aaron's Dream Machine/Tums/Best Western Toyota Camry for Michael Waltrip Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series...
, who won the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Rookie of the Year award. The team expanded to a second team in 2005
2005 in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
The 2005 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season began February 18 and ended November 18. Ted Musgrave of Ultra Motorsports was crowned the season's champion.A rule change affected the qualification process in 2005...
, purchasing the #12 truck piloted by Robert Huffman
Robert Huffman
Robert Huffman is a former NASCAR driver from Claremont, North Carolina. He drove in eleven NASCAR Busch Series between 1991 and 1993. He next raced two NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races in 1997...
from Innovative Motorsports
Innovative Motorsports
Innovative Motorsports is a former NASCAR team. It was owned by George DeBidart and began racing in the Busch North Series in the mid-90's, before moving to the Busch Series in 1998.- Winston Cup :Innovative ran four Cup races during its tenure...
. Huffman was replaced during the season by Mike Wallace
Mike Wallace (NASCAR)
Mike Wallace is a NASCAR race car driver born in Fenton, Missouri. He currently drives the #01 Chevrolet for JD Motorsports in the Nationwide Series. He is a younger brother to Rusty Wallace, older brother to Kenny Wallace, and uncle to Steve Wallace...
.
Joey Miller
Joey Miller
Joseph Miller is a former stock car racer in the ARCA RE/MAX Series and the Camping World Truck Series.-Background:...
attempted to pilot the #12 truck full-time in 2006
2006 in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
The 2006 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season began on February 17, 2006 at Daytona International Speedway with the GM Flex Fuel 250, and ended on November 17, 2006 with the Ford 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Todd Bodine of Germain Racing was declared champion...
, but was released late in the season and the team finished with various drivers. Reutimann ended the season third in points and moved up to the NEXTEL Cup
NEXTEL Cup
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is the top racing series of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing . The series was originally known as the Strictly Stock Series and Grand National Series . While leasing its naming rights to R. J...
and Busch Series
Busch Series
The NASCAR Nationwide Series is a stock car racing series owned and operated by the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing. It is promoted as NASCAR's "minor league" circuit, and is a proving ground for drivers who wish to step up to the organization's "big leagues"; the Sprint Cup circuit...
to drive for Waltrip's brother Michael Waltrip
Michael Waltrip
Michael Curtis Waltrip is a semi-former professional race car driver, co-owner of Michael Waltrip Racing, and a published author. He is the younger brother of three-time NASCAR champion and racing commentator Darrell Waltrip. Waltrip is a two-time winner of the Daytona 500; having won the race in...
. The team became co-owned by Darrell and Michael Waltrip but kept the Darrell Waltrip Motorsports banner, as noted on the Waltrip Racing Web site.
As part of changes in 2007 with its move into Michael Waltrip's operations banner, the team became a one-truck team and the number was switched to #00 to maintain consistency with the rest of the Michael Waltrip Racing banner, and A. J. Allmendinger
A. J. Allmendinger
Allmendinger again failed to qualify for the 2008 Daytona 500. After three failures to qualify in 2 attempts , he was replaced by veteran driver Mike Skinner on a temporary basis. Allmendinger returned to the Cup series at Talladega...
drove the #00 for a few races to help in his NASCAR experience, with Aaron's as the sponsor, along with Red Bull
Red Bull
Red Bull is an energy drink sold by the Austrian Red Bull GmbH, created in 1987 by the Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz. In terms of market share, Red Bull is the most popular energy drink in the world, with 3 billion cans sold each year. Dietrich Mateschitz was inspired by an already...
for a few races early in the season) and Michael Waltrip Racing putting developmental drivers Josh Wise
Josh Wise
Josh Wise is a NASCAR driver who currently runs in its Nationwide Series. He drives the #7 Chevrolet Impala for JR Motorsports and the #39 Ford Mustang for Go Green Racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. He is a former member of the driver development program for Michael Waltrip Racing...
and Ken Butler III in the truck, although Justin Labonte
Justin Labonte
Justin Labonte is a former NASCAR Busch Series driver. He is the son of NASCAR driver Terry Labonte, and the nephew of Bobby Labonte. He currently does not have a ride in the Nationwide Series, and is rumored to be racing late models on North Carolina short tracks...
also drove a few races for the team. After one last race with Michael McDowell
Michael McDowell (NASCAR)
Michael Christopher McDowell is an American race car driver. He currently drives the #66 Toyota Camry for HP Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and the #18 Pizza Ranch Toyota Camry part-time for Joe Gibbs Racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series...
the team sold off its truck equipment in October 2007 to legendary road racing team The Racer's Group
The Racer's Group
The Racer's Group, or TRG, is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Camping World Truck Series and Rolex Sports Car Series racing team located in Petaluma, California owned by Kevin Buckler and his wife Debra. In addition to stock car racing, TRG has competed professionally in road racing since 1995...
.