Starting a NEXTEL Cup Team
NASCAR's current qualifying rules reserve 35 spots for drivers that are in the top 35 in car owner points. In addition, for the first five races of the year NASCAR uses the previous year's car owner points to determine the guaranteed starters.
Since Michael Waltrip is a new car owner he doesn't have any car owner points from 2006. This means that he must qualify on speed for each of the first five races and try to generate enough points to get into the top 35 to guarantee his starting spot for later in the year.
Daytona Puts Michael Waltrip Behind the Curve
2007 has not been kind to Michael Waltrip so far.
During Daytona 500 week Michael Waltrip was caught by NASCAR officials during pre-qualifying inspection for a fuel violation. Apparently the team put a substance in the intake manifold which would mix with the fuel in the carburetor and increase horsepower.
Waltrip was fined $100,000, 100 driver points and, most importantly, 100 car owner points.
Waltrip raced his way into the Daytona 500, finished 18th and left Daytona with -27 points total after Daytona.
Waltrip's Struggles Continue In California
Then Michael Waltrip took his #55 NAPA Camry to California Speedway and attempted to qualify for last week's Auto Club 500. Unfortunately Waltrip came up one spot short as teammate David Reutimann got the last qualifying spot and bumped Waltrip from the field.
Waltrip Deep In The Hole For 2007
So Michael Waltrip enters the first off-week of the 2007 season dead last in NEXTEL Cup points. Waltrip is 46th in NEXTEL Cup points with -27.
Waltrip is 88 points behind 45th place John Andretti who has also has only one start in 2007. Andretti currently has 61 points that he earned for a 34th place finish in California.
Michael needs to find some qualifying speed and get himself into the race in Las Vegas. Every race he misses puts him further behind in points, further upsets his sponsors who aren't getting the exposure that they paid for, and further limits his teams learning curve with the new Toyota Camry as they aren't turning laps under race conditions.
The NEXTEL Cup qualifying system makes it hard for a new team to break into the sport. That battle becomes even harder when you start out below zero because of a NASCAR penalty.
Michael Waltrip is in a deep hole.
