Thursday, April 14th 'What If' Question

There's a joke in the NASCAR garage that Michael Waltrip could interview himself. If that's the case one must wonder how he would ask himself to sum up his career and if he thought he'd ever make it to this point. The younger brother of three-time NASAR champion Darrell Waltrip followed in his brother's footsteps into the NASCAR world but with vastly different result.

Michael is now team owner of Michael Waltrip Racing with the occasional out of retirement race for himself such as this year's Daytona 500 as well as this weekend's event at Talladega. Waltrip began his full-time Cup career in 1986 when he was picked to drive the No. 23 Kool-Aid car for Bahari Racing. He stayed with the team until 1995 before moving to the Wood Brothers until the 1998 season. Next came Mattei Motorsports where he stayed until 2001.

In his first 462 starts Waltrip had never won a race. He did win the Winston Open in 1991 to transfer to the All-Star event later that night and won the Winston in 1996. Those, however, are non-point events and didn't count in the win column. Waltrip had also never finished higher than 12th in the point standings.

In late 2000 though Dale Earnhardt came calling. Waltrip would become his third driver of his DEI team under the NAPA banner in the No. 15 Chevrolet. Suddenly Waltrip became a contender winning two Daytona 500's (2001, 2003), the 2002 Pepsi 400 at Daytona July as well as the 2003 fall event at Talladega. He stayed with DEI until 2005 when he moved to Bill Davis Racing before eventually forming his won team in 2007.

In the season-opening Daytona 500 that year, Waltrip's team caused major NASCAR controversy when it was found that his No. 55 had jet fuel in its engine. His qualifying time was disallowed, crew members were suspended and fines were handed down and the car confiscated. That year Dale Jarrett and David Reutimann drove under the MWR banner.

In 2009 Waltrip won his first race as a team owner when Reutimann won the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte. He also signed Martin Truex Jr. to drove for his team beginning in 2010.

Waltrip has also become a SPEED broadcaster over the last few years, calling Camping World Truck Series races. He's also appeared on other NASCAR programming and recently wrote a book about his 2001 Daytona 500 victory and the death of Dale Earnhardt which became a best seller.

But ...

What If Dale Earnhardt didn't hire @MW55, would he be Daytona 500 (2)winner/broadcaster/author, etc or have raced into obscurity? #NASCAR

@RoushGirl17: Now that is a thinker. I will have to back to you on that one.

@phathead: we could only hope

@DRLDeBoer: no. that is, nothing.

@Matt_Kacar: he would of raced into obscurity. NAPA was with dei so waltrip would of raced with bad teams rest of his career

@weizdawg: this is tough daytona winner no. But the other things i think so. If dale were still here i think he would be alot farther to into wins dale was a huge part in him and that company for what he did for waltrip. for sure broadcasting also he is a good person for that!

@cruetten: no offense to Mikey, but all of his good fortune is because of Dale Earnhardt/DEI.

@NancyatStudioN: He'd never have won a race cause no one else believed in him. He probly would have still been an announcer

Tuesday, February 22nd 'What If' Question

On February 18, 2001 when Michael Waltrip won his first Sprint Cup Series race, which happened to be the biggest race of them all the Daytona 500, there was no celebrating. As the NASCAR world vividly remembers, Waltrip and Dale Earnhardt Jr. raced toward the finish line but their car owner, friend, boss and father had hit the turn four wall behind them and died on impact.

Waltrip's win was overshadowed by a giant loss.

So, 10 years later Waltrip decided to enter the Camping World Truck Series race in Daytona, which was being held on the anniversary of Sr.'s death. In a black truck with the No. 15 painted on the side Waltrip again went out and won, this time in remembrance of Earnhardt.

And again his win was overshadowed.

After Waltrip crossed the finish line following a slingshot move of Elliott Sadler coming to the checkers, it became obvious that part of Waltrip's back spoiler was broken. It sent nearly everyone in the NASCAR world into a tizzy, hissy fits were thrown by many about the legality of it and how the win should be taken away.

Even Waltrip's brother, who was calling the race for SPEED channel, couldn't help but chuckle when saying, "I think we're going to have a problem there." When asked about it afterwards when speaking to the media, Waltrip said that if his spoiler had bent back before the checkered flag then NASCAR would most likely have black flagged him.

When exactly it occurred no one knows. The only thing that is known is that it happened out on the racetrack and was not done by the No. 15 team intentionally to gain an advantage. Either way it has caused quite the uproar and NASCAR official stated they would investigate further into the matter, however it appeared it was a part failure.

Either way, Waltrip's win will stand but it could have been a much more emotional and bigger story had it not been for controversy.

But ...

What if Michael Waltrip's spoiler didn't break/fall/bend backwards, does he still outrun Elliott Sadler to checkers in Truck race? #NASCAR

@KYTAB: No

@88myjr: Has anything else been said about the spoiler? I don't think her would have won.

@Nascar47Fan: I dont think his spoiler breaking had anything to do with his passing sadler & winning.

@Nascartwodozen: Not one bit.

@cruetten: I'd like to think Mikey still would've won, but that half-broken spoiler sure did help his lap times...

@NCL55: YES!

@StrokerAce90: No, Eliot would have been able to hold Mikey off. That missing rear spoiler gave Mikey more of an unfair advantage than Clint Bowyer's 60 thousant's of an inch issue did at New Hampshire Motor Speedway back in 2010.

Sunday, September 5th "What If" Question

Being the son of a seven-time champion has been both a blessing and a curse for Dale Earnhardt Jr. Early in his career Earnhardt Jr. could lean heavily on his father to guide him in the right direction or be there to praise him when the younger Earnhardt accomplish something.

In 1998 and 1999 it was two Nationwide Series championships and in 2000 it was his first two career Sprint Cup wins. After Earnhardt Sr. died in 2001, Earnhardt Jr. continued to find victory lane on one or two occasions a year before breaking out in 2004. Led by Tony Eury Sr., the No. 8 Budweiser team won six races, including the Daytona 500, and was in the hunt for the championship until the final few races.

After ending the season fifth in points the company made the decision to switch everything but the drivers on the No. 8 team of Earnhardt Jr. and the No. 15 of Michael Waltrip in hopes of improving Waltrip's performance. It didn't work as both teams struggled in 2005 and missed the Chase.

During that period Earnhardt Jr. went through three different crew chiefs: Pete Rondeau, Steve Hmiel (whom led him to the only victory of the season) and then Tony Eury Jr. returned atop the pit box. The team rebounded in 2006 to win a single race and make the Chase before things went downhill again in 2007. After another season of missing the Chase and things with step-mother Teresa becoming worse, Earnhardt Jr. decided to leave his father's team.

Now with Hendrick Motorsports Earnhardt Jr. again finds himself struggling after coming out of the box strong in 2008. He's on his second crew chief, Eury Jr. went to work at JR Motorsports, but things with Lance McGrew haven't gotten any better. He'll miss the Chase for the third time since it's inception in 2004 and it's leaving fans frustrated and confused of how things have gotten to this point.

Everyone seems to have their own thoughts on what should be changed in order to fix the No. 88 team...

But...

After winning six races in 2004, DEI made the decision to switch crews for Dale Jr. and Michael Waltrip. Upon doing so both teams started to run horribly, Dale Jr. went through numerous crew chiefs, missed the Chase in '05 and '07 and eventually left DEI. What if the crews where never switched, would Dale Jr. still have started to run bad and now be with HMS?

@mbauerherzog I think Jr would have ran better but still left DEI.

@nathanmedic Great one, Kelly! I say he wud have had more success that yr, but still have eventually left DEI. That just sped it up.

@RedChevy14 Considering their 2006 performance and then the '07 problems its hard to say whether '05 affected it or not.

@smokinace88 To me I don't think Junior ever got over his crash in 04 when the car was on fire. I think he had a brush with death and he hasn't been the same since but lately I've noticed old Junior coming back

@Emily_988 I think his performance still would have dropped off but not as much as it did. I think he still would have left DEI because it wasn't just a performance issue that caused that.

@norcocheermom I don't think we would even know because it's a what if! And it really doesn't matter because it's a what if!

@dougthethird No. Junior was at his best with Pops has his CC. I STILL think that's the solution to Junior's woes. Would he have left DEI? I don't know. The issues ran deeper than on-track performance. But if he did, he wouldve taken Pops and Eury Jr. Full disclosure: I'm a Junior fan

@DarlingtonChick Not sure. But CC/driver combos R critical. Check out DJ w/o Parrott, Kenseth w/o Reiser, JG w/o Evernham, Newman w/o Borland. As fans, we gravitate toward the drivers because of their 'courage'. Our loyalties may be misplaced. CC's the true stars. Honestly, for me the Dale Jr problem is more about the COT than anything else. Dale Jr's the success on the track, was all pre-COT. Yes.... so you make a crew chief change which creates an issue then you make a huge racecar change. #SnowballEffect. Plus he wasn't getting along with the team owner. I guess I'm saying I think it's a fustercluck of problems.
My point. Awesome discussion!

@birdwisperer Thought Jr. Had hit a dry spot @ the end of the season as well as mike needing help???

@SD80MAC I don't think switching crew chiefs made a bit of difference. After the bad crash and fire that Junior had that year, I think that hurt his driving skills.

@kaobose Jr's relationship with Teresa is why he left. Jr, his siblings felt like they had stake in DEI, when she slammed door he left. I don't think so Kelly. Earnhardt clan was VERY family oriented til Sr. died. After that things went down hill. I've had business dealings with Teresa, she's a bitch!

@phathead You should know the correct response is: "JUNNNNNNNNNORRRRRRRR"