Waltrip Adds Michael McDowell
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Posted by Jeremy Dunn Jan 6, 2008 |
With a number of veteran drivers still searching for employment, Michael Waltrip opted for the 22-year old ARCA driver to take over the #00 Toyota ride once Dale Jarrett;s five-race tenure in the #44 is over. David Reutimann will start the year in the #00 Aaron's Toyota, but will move to the #44 UPS ride once Jarrett steps out. Jarrett will return for the All-Star at Lowe's Motor Speedway in May.
Michael McDowell finished second in the ARCA series in 2007 driving for Eddie Sharp. He has been doing some testing for Michael Waltrip Racing throughout the off-season along with Josh Wise, another young driver in Waltrip's developmental program. McDowell's first Sprint Cup race will likely be at Martinsville Speedway, one of the most grueling tracks in NASCAR. What a way to break into the Cup level!
The Phoenix, Arizona native will have his work cut out for him. Michael Waltrip Racing struggled immensely throughout the 2007 season. In a situation such as this, an owner traditionally turns to a veteran driver, and there a quite a few available. But Waltrip believes in McDowell, and it will be interesting to see exactly how this kid handles the pressure. In all likelihood, he will be the 2008 version of A.J. Allmendinger.
McDowell, Patrick Carpentier, Sam Hornish Jr, Dario Franchitti, and Jacques Villeneuve have six NASCAR Sprint Cup starts combined.
