The "You knew it had to happen sooner or later rumor"

[JohnMickish]

From Jayski...

Sponsor problems at MWR? Elliott to MWR? Rumors are swirling about Toyota driver #55-Michael Waltrip's future and his sponsorship support [NAPA], after failing to make the last six tour races. According to one unconfirmed report, Waltrip is having to return $300,000 to his sponsors for each race he misses. There is also speculation that Bill Elliott may be under consideration for a ride with the three-team operation; Elliott, 50 and only a part-time driver these days, would have six championship provisionals, guaranteeing him a spot in at least six races. However Elliott, despite the multimillion-dollar contracts being waved at him by more than one team, has been less than enthusiastic about becoming too deeply involved in the sport again.(Winston Salem Journal)(4-16-2007)

[JohnMickish]

Rumor #2

Dodge teams could be left scrambling: Dodge's future in NASCAR could be on the line, with DaimlerChrysler's proposed sale of its American division moving rapidly along and expected to be completed by the end of the month. What worries Dodge teams is the threat that whoever buys Chrysler may decide to liquidate its assets. (According to one report, General Motors may buy Chrysler's Jeep operations.) If that were to happen, and if Dodge's NASCAR teams are unable to continue, that could leave 11 stock-car teams and their five owners [Evernham, Petty, Ganassi, Penske, BAM] scrambling.(Winston Salem Journal)(4-16-2007)

[LMITOUT]

Silly season starting already...that didn't take long.

I heard about the Bill Elliot thing a few weeks back when some of the 'yota teams weren't making races. Seems like a cheap way to make a race, but I suppose you do desperate things when all else fails.

[eyepatrol]

Yep, desperate times call for deperate measures. Who knows, they might even stick DW in there!

[VMS]

Oh that would be good...

BOOGITY BOOGITY BOOGITY..LETS GO H0ME BOYS!!

Steve

[TNFL]

LOL

[lawdog]

Ol DW would make 6 races (past champ provisionals) and that's more than Mikey might make this year at the rate he's going...

[eyepatrol]

Exactly. That's why I brought up DW. Probably aint gonna happen unless they get truly desperate!

[eagle_3464]

Wouldn't that make a good sequel(sp) to the Aaron's Dream Machine commercial.... "Mikey finally lets 'Ol DW drive the new Napa Dream Machine". Might be the only way Napa is going to get advertising exposure out of the deal.

[LMITOUT]

Dream Machine or Nightmare on Mikey's St?

[VMS]

All humor aside pointed at DW and let's assume for one second (Just for fun) he takes over as driver... after 6 races, then what?

Do you really think a driver change is going to be the solution to the issue of not making the race? Each week...how many are making it? I've been away so I did not see the results of last week..

Steve

[TNFL]

Well, at least they would be getting some feedback on car performance. Other than, "nope, that didn't work"

[NAPAFISH]

I would bet top dollar that D DUB could get a least get the car into this stupid "Top 35" rule

[JohnMickish]

Stupid rule yes, but if they went by the fastest 43 cars MWR would still have a tough time, at least with the "old" guys.

[JohnMickish]

Fresh off Jayski's

NAPA looking? hearing that NAPA Auto Parts is looking at options for their sponsorship in the Nextel Cup Series. NAPA has been the sponsor for Michael Waltrip in the Cup Series since 2001, first with the #15 DEI Chevy, then since 2006 on the #55 car. Supposedly NAPA is talking to Richard Childress Racing as a possible replacement sponsor for Cingular, should AT&T not win its lawsuit against NASCAR to have the AT&T decals put on the #31 Chevy AND with Roush Fenway Racing as a sponsor for the #16 Ford Greg Biffle drives. Current sponsor Ameriquest has opted out of the sponsorship after the 2007 season.(4-25-2007)

[LMITOUT]

Uh oh!! Looks like the cookie is starting to crumble.

[JohnMickish]

Off of Jaski's, again more shakeups at MWR.

Borland released by MWR #44 team: Michael Waltrip Racing and #44-Dale Jarrett's crew chief Matt Borland have parted ways. "Dale Jarrett wasn't happy, UPS wasn't happy, and we had to do something immediately," Waltrip said. "Originally, we had hoped that Matt Borland would take the role as the technical director, but he wasn't ready to come off the road. We need a technical director down the road, but it wasn't going to help us this weekend." Jason Burdett, formerly the co-crew chief of the #88 car at Robert Yates Racing, left Yates on Wednesday and will eventually be the #44 crew chief. Waltrip wanted to give Burdett time to get acclimated to the system at Michael Waltrip Racing before he jumped into that role. Burdett worked with Jarrett last year. This weekend at Richmond, Derrick Finley will be the #44 crew chief. Finley started the season at Bill Davis Racing as the crew chief on Jeremy Mayfield's #36 car. After leaving BDR, he became the crew chief and then lead engineer on Waltrip's #55 car and is already familiar with the operations at MWR.(FoxSports)(5-3-2007)

[eyepatrol]

Isn't this a typical thing for the cars Jarrett drives? It seems like his crew chiefs always end up the ones being fired because he "can't drive for them". Maybe the crew chief ISN'T the problem???