[media-credit name=”Noel Lanier” align=”alignright” width=”225″]
[/media-credit]Michael Waltrip Racing’s (MWR) 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) season has been nothing short of a breakout year. At the start of 2012. Michael Waltrip Racing had never had a driver qualify for the chase in its five year existence in the NSCS. But on a hot Sunday night in Hampton, GA a dream was realized when both Martin Truex Jr. and Clint Bowyer both secured their spots in the 12 driver Chase for the Sprint Cup. But the path to success hasn’t come easy for Michael Waltrip Racing in fact it has been a long tough journey.
2002 marked the debut for Michael Waltrip Racing in what was then the Winston Cup Series. Kenny Wallace drove the inaugural race for MWR at Talladega and finished 21st after qualifying 27th. After that race Michael Waltrip sold the No.98 and its owner’s points to Innovative Motorsports.
Until 2005, MWR had fielded only car the No.00 on an intermittent basis until a partnership was formed with Bill Davis Racing in 2006 that allowed MWR to field a second car, the No.55 driven by Michael Waltrip. Both cars didn’t manufacturer support. MWR signed an agreement with Toyota in 2006 to field multiple Toyota Camrys during the 2007 Nextel Cup season which led to MWR adding a third car for Dale Jarrett. However MWR experienced a disastrous 2007 season failing to qualify for 39 races between the three cars and no top-5 finishes.
After the 2007 season Burger King and Domino’s Pizza pulled their sponsorship and MWR added Aaron’s for the 2008 season but the struggles continued for the organization only earning one pole and one top-5 finish.
2009 saw MWR form a technical alliance with JTG Daugherty Racing to have sponsorship for MWR’s third cup and finally the organization would score its first cup series win as David Reutimann would win a rain shortened Coca Cola 600.
2010 saw more changes at MWR as the organization signed Truex Jr. to drive the No.56 NAPA Toyota. MWR would also earn another trip to victory lane as David Reutimann would win the Lifelock 400 at Chicagoland Speedway.
2011 saw more personnel changes at MWR as David Reutimann left the organization which led to Mark Martin joining MWR for the 2012 season. MWR also added Bowyer and Brian Vickers to its stable as well as adding Scott Miller as its Executive Vice President of Competition.
2012 has been the year in which MWR has arrived as a major player in the NSCS. At Bristol in March all three MWR cars finished in the top-5 and Brian Vickers reemerged on the NSCS scene leading 125 laps in his first race since Homestead in 2011.
Truex Jr. has proved to be a threat on multiple occasions this season. Truex Jr. dominated the race at Kansas in April leading 173 laps finishing second to Denny Hamlin after losing the lead in the closing stages of the race. At Atlanta, Truex Jr. appeared to be on the cusp of victory once again but a caution with only a handful of laps to go and a pit stop left the New Jersey native to settle for a third place finish.
Clint Bowyer got MWR back to victory lane with a dominating performance on the road course in Sonoma in June.
Mark Martin is proving that age is just a number by being very competitive in a part time schedule which has seen him earn four poles and almost win the race at Pocono in June.
The journey has been long and at times maybe uncertain for MWR but this 2012 season has been the ultimate reward and the ultimate show of perseverance and a lot of hard work finally paying off. MWR has a lot to be proud of and now they can be put on the same level as Hendrick Motorsports and Roush Fenway Racing. The fruits of their labor will be evident in tow weeks when Truex Jr. and Bowyer begin their quests for a championship.
Congratulations Michael Waltrip Racing you truly have earned it.
