CLINT BOWYER
No. 15 5-hour ENERGY® TOYOTA
TEST: WALT DISNEY WORLD SPEEDWAY
CORNELIUS, N.C. — The Daytona 500 is about 75 days away, but Michael Waltrip Racing’s new No. 15 5-hour ENERGY team is ready to hit the track this week in preparation for the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. New driver Clint Bowyer and crew chief Brian Pattie will visit Walt Disney World Speedway in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. to test the No. 15 5-hour ENERGY Toyota Camry on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. It marks the first test for the new driver-crew chief combination. The test also begins a busy off season for the team that will test at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway and Daytona International Speedway in January.
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MARTIN AND WALTRIP CAR NUMBER SWITCHES FROM 00 TO 55
Number Commemorates Aaron’s Founding in 1955
CORNELIUS, N.C. – Michael Waltrip Racing announced today that Mark Martin and Michael Waltrip’s Toyota Camrys will carry the number 55 during the 2012 and 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series seasons.
The number commemorates Charlie Loudermilk’s founding of Aaron’s, Inc. in 1955.
Aaron’s, Inc., the nation’s leader in the sales and lease ownership of residential furniture, consumer electronics, home appliances and accessories, grew from 400 to more than 1,900 stores since its initial race sponsorship of MWR in 2000.
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FORT WORTH, TEX. – Michael Waltrip Racing announced today it has hired Mark Martin to share in driving duties of the No. 00 Toyota and extended its 30-race sponsorship with Aaron’s, Inc. through the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup season.
Martin will drive in 25 Sprint Cup events each of the next two seasons, sharing the No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine with Michael Waltrip, who will drive five events with Aaron’s sponsorship. Martin will join Martin Truex Jr. and recently acquired Clint Bowyer in the MWR stable next season.
“Aaron’s has been a part of Michael Waltrip Racing for more than a decade and I’m proud that we will be racing together into the future,” said Waltrip, co-owner of Michael Waltrip Racing with Rob Kauffman. “This is a big day for our organization, announcing a sponsorship extension and adding a future first-ballot Hall of Famer like Mark Martin.
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CORNELIUS, N.C. – Michael Waltrip Racing announced today that driver David Reutimann will not return to the team for the 2012 season.
Team officials notified Reutimann this week.
“David has been a significant part of Michael Waltrip Racing since the very beginning and will forever be a part of our heritage,” said Co-Owner Michael Waltrip. “We want to thank David for his contribution to our growth and success over the past five years and wish him well in the future.”
Reutimann will remain with the team for the final three races of the 2011 season.
In 168 Sprint Cup Series starts, all for Michael Waltrip Racing, Reutimann recorded two wins, 12 top-five, 25 top-10 finishes and won four pole awards.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Oct. 25, 2011) – NASCAR has issued penalties to the No. 00, No. 47 and No. 56 teams that compete in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series as a result of rule infractions discovered during opening day inspection Oct. 21 at Talladega Superspeedway.
All three cars were found to be in violation of Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4-J (any determination by NASCAR officials that the race equipment used in the event does not conform to NASCAR rules detailed in Section 20 of the rule book, or has not been approved by NASCAR prior to the event); and 20-3.2.1A (unapproved modification to an approved windshield) of the 2011 NASCAR rule book.
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