Saturday, August 28th "What If" Question

Michael Waltrip has had quite the career: a horrific crash at Bristol, winning two Daytona 500s, being involved in a cheating scandal, and starting his own team. He's become a lovable character around the garage who has the reputation of being able to interview himself, along with naming every one of his sponsors in about 30 seconds.

Things weren't always easy for the Kentucky native though and it wasn't until he joined Dale Earnhardt Inc. that he started to shine. We all know that sometimes the grass isn't always greener on the other side and for Waltrip it was certainly true. He won three races at DEI before things started to fall apart. He and teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. switched everything except their car numbers and sponsors, but it still didn't help.

In 2006 Waltrip left DEI and headed for Bill Davis Racing for one year before then forming Michael Waltrip Racing. Today MWR has two wins under their belt, both courtesy of David Reutimann, and might be on their way to becoming a championship contender over the next few years.

But ...

What if Michael Waltrip decided not to leave DEI and start his own team? How would his career have ended ..

@SD80MAC Things were on a downward spiral at DEI at that time. He probably would have wound up being also-ran out of top 25 points

@TJIngerson I don't think he had a choice in leaving DEI. Plus I think NAPA wanted to leave DEI which left Mikey sponsorless there. They were pushing Paul Menard at the time. Remember Mikey went to Bill Davis for a year and raced a Dodge. I believe DEI was pushing Menard at the time and it left Mikey out. He had medicore final years at DEI

@kaobose Same way Steve Wallace's career will end up, alotta flash but NO boom!

@NancyatStudioN Seriously, there was no other team who would have hired him. He would have been forced to retire & be an announcer

@Ol_Man_Winter Wow, you come up with some good what ifs,..he wouldn't be where he is today.