By Kerry Murphey

It’s been rumored for months now and now it’s official, Martin Truex Jr. is headed over to Michael Waltrip Racing for the 2010 season. Martin will wheel the #56 full time Toyota sponsored by NAPA Auto Parts.

So what about Michael Waltip himself, who has said on a number of occasions, that if his performance didn’t improve he would not race in 2010. It seems he will take the path of several other aging NASCAR drivers and drive a partial schedule instead, and drive the #55 NAPA Toyota on a limited basis, including next year’s Daytona 500, a race in which Michael has won twice before.

Photo Credit: CIA Stock Photo

Michael Waltrip believe he has chosen the right guy for the job, to propel MWR into a Championship in Martin Truex Jr., saying “I am turning my car over to a guy I think can win the championship, I just believe at this time in my career, Martin is the right guy.”

Truex has two Nationwide Series Championships to his credit, 1 Cup Series win, 12 Top 5’s, and 34 Top 10’s in NASCAR’S Top Series. Currently he drives for Earnhardt/Ganassi Racing driving their #1 machine, and is 24th in the point standings.

So why did they choose the #56? Well besides being one number up from Michael’s #55, this was the number Martin raced his entire career before getting to NASCAR. Martin Truex Jr. will have 3 teammates next season with Michael Waltrip, David Reutimann, and Marcos Ambrose (JTG/Daugherty Racing, out of the MWR shop)

Stewart’s Performance, Competitive Balance Highlight First Half

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 6, 2009) – Two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart needed little time to grasp the driver-owner concept. At the season’s midpoint, he has already:

Won two races (Pocono and Daytona), becoming the first driver-owner to win a race since Ricky Rudd in 1998, and the first to win multiple races since Rudd in ’97;
Captured the points lead, the first driver-owner to do so since Alan Kulwicki in 1992;
Put both of his Stewart-Haas Racing cars in the top 12 in points.
Stewart’s surprising success highlights a season filled with compelling storylines. Competition is strong and balanced, as illustrated by the 11 different race winners this season. There were 12 different winners in all of 2008, including seven drivers who have yet to win this season. In other words, last year’s mark will likely be passed.

Photo Credit: CIA STOCK PHOTO

Continue reading “18 down, 18 to go – The 2009 NASCAR Season”

1 1 14 Tony Stewart
2 3 48 Jimmie Johnson
3 6 11 Denny Hamlin
4 5 99 Carl Edwards
5 4 2 Kurt Busch
6 18 47 Marcos Ambrose
7 17 83 Brian Vickers
8 10 17 Matt Kenseth
9 12 42 Juan Pablo Montoya
10 23 19 Elliott Sadler
11 22 26 Jamie McMurray
12 43 78 Regan Smith
13 31 6 David Ragan
14 8 18 Kyle Busch
15 13 9 Kasey Kahne
16 16 31 Jeff Burton
17 30 44 A J Allmendinger
18 9 16 Greg Biffle
19 21 20 Joey Logano #
20 7 39 Ryan Newman
Continue reading “Unofficial Cup Series Race Results from Daytona”

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