This is the final part in the series, looking at how Cup teams fared in 2008, and where they are headed in 2009.
Michael Waltrip Racing
MWR began 2008 with three full time Cup Series teams and one full time and one very limited Nationwide team. Michael Waltrip, David Reutimann and Dale Jarrett all returned to their respective rides, and the team added NASCAR newcomer Michael McDowell.
UPS returned to Waltrip in 2008 with driver Dale Jarrett. The company committed to the full season, but Jarrett was only scheduled for the first five races. In his final run before retiring to the broadcast booth, Jarrett averaged a start and finish of 30th. During his time at MWR Jarrett struggled to regain the chemistry he had at Yates. That was evident in 2008.
As Jarrett made the transition out of MWR and Cup Series racing, David Reutimann transitioned into Jarrett’s #44 with UPS. Expectations were not high for Reutimann in 2008 after he struggled in the Cup Series in 2007. Despite missing ten races in the previous year, Reutimann competed in every race and made strides in 2008. He scored four top-10 finishes and had an average finish of 23.3.
Rookie Michael McDowell took the reins of the #00 from David Reutimann after he vacated the seat. McDowell’s prior experience included a season in ARCA (in which he almost toppled ARCA king Frank Kimmel), three Nationwide races and one Truck race. As expected McDowell struggled immensely. While he only failed to miss one race, McDowell’s best finish was a 20th at Richmond. He was pulled out of the car temporarily after Watkins Glen and then permanently after he failed to make the race at Kansas. Various drivers filled the seat for the remainder of the season.
After missing 19 races in 2007, Michael Waltrip had nowhere to go but up. He was able to make all 36 races, get his car into the top-35 in owners points and have a couple of good finishes; his best came at Loudon were he finished in 2nd. Despite a better performance, Waltrip only averaged a 28th place finish; worse than Reutimann and only slightly better than McDowell.
As the team begins 2009 they will have two full time Cup rides with sponsorship from Aaron’s and NAPA. UPS left the team at the end of the season for Roush Fenway Racing. Likewise they plan to continue to run a full-time Nationwide deal with sponsorship from Aaron’s, Best Western and Red Bull. Team Red Bull driver Scott Speed will drive the car in select races.
Just before the end of last season, Waltrip announced a “technical alliance” with JTG Daugherty Racing. The deal has Marcos Ambrose behind the wheel of the MWR built and housed #47 Cup car. He has sponsorship with various companies including Little Debbie.
Michael McDowell emerged from this season as the loser. He lost his Cup deal and looks to be running a part time (for now) Nationwide schedule with JTG. That being said with a little more seat time, I think McDowell will be a force. This transition might be a good thing for him.
In 2009 expect a lot of the same out of this team. I expect improvement from Reutimann but I doubt he will make the Chase. As for Waltrip he has come out recently and said if he does not show marked improvement this season he will retire. If what Waltrip says is true, bet on him hanging up the driving gloves at the end of the season.
Robby Gordon Motorsports
Robby Gordon Motorsports is truly the little team that could. In its third full season Gordon’s team made the switch to Dodges after having been with Ford and Chevrolet in the prior seasons. Despite it being in a disadvantaged position, Gordon’s team was able to keep him sponsored and on-track.
Gordon’s performance in 2008 was slightly down from years past. While he was particularly strong at the superspeedways, he struggled to find speed everywhere else. He finished the season 33rd in driver points and 34th in owner points. His average finish was 29th.
While there was an almost merger at end of last season with what was then Gillett-Evernham, RGM remained an independent. The team still went through changes in the offseason though. For the fourth time in as many seasons they switched manufacturers, joining the Toyota camp.
Jim Beam will be back on the car for 13 races and I suspect RGM will be able to line something for the remainder, as they have in past seasons.
As with Waltrip, expect more of the same out of RGM. Gordon will have good races here and there, but there won’t be anything too spectacular from him. Whether talent or equipment, the team just doesn’t have the resources to compete with the Roushs or Hendricks of the world.
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on Feb 6th, 2009 at 12:04 am
I will start by saying that I am a Waltrip fan. Granted I do not have the “inside” information that you all have, but you come off as “haters”. I can tell you this…I stopped by his race shop to tour it while going to watch my wife graduate Army basic training at Ft. Jackson SC. ALL the people there were extremely friendly, the cars looked to be coming along on schedule and they were not “thrashing”. Granted, I am not in the industry so to speak, but you all have him wrote off before the season even starts. All this and the previous story that he was in financial emergency…what axe do you have to grind with him???
on Feb 6th, 2009 at 4:09 am
Mike: We don’t have any axe to grind with Michael Waltrip. In fact, I commend him for being able to continue to keep his operation in business even in the face of a tough economic time. I’m not really sure why you think we are “haters” either. I don’t believe anything we’ve ever written about Waltrip has been negative. We call it how we see it, and I guess if that comes off negative, I apologize. I agree 100% with everything Journo wrote in this post. We should continue to see improvement out of Reutimann, and Waltrip may be on the brink of retirement. For a guy that has struggled mightily over the last few years, I find it hard to forsee a resurgence is in his future. And that’s not me being a hater, that is me being honest. But if he does somehow manage to surprise us this year, good for him.
on Feb 6th, 2009 at 6:21 am
You’ve gotta give it to Robby Gordon. He’s one of the hardest working guys in motorsports. I really hope he shows something this year.
on Feb 6th, 2009 at 6:55 am
I am neither a MW fan, or a MW hater. That being said, MW is proof that, as Al Unser once said that “being a race car driver is 10% driving ability and 90% marketing”. Now before those of you stone me for claiming “any monkey can drive” (or so easy a cave man can do it-thanks Gieco), that is not what I’m saying. Racers will tell you that most drivers, with at least some talent, will get somewhat close to the best lap time. It’s that last 3/10th’s that separates the best from the rest. But it’s that 90% marketing that gets you “in-da-game”. Even MW will tell you that. And he has been really successful at that. Ask Paul Menard (i.e. Papa’s Menards $).
No, I tip my hat to MW if he does leave the seat asap and open up a spot for that driver w/ the extra 3/10ths in his/her gut.
on Feb 6th, 2009 at 7:43 am
I am a huge Robby Gordon fan. I think fans of Robby Gordon are similar to Chicago Cubs fans, we don’t expect a championship, we just love to see them in the game.
on Feb 6th, 2009 at 7:47 am
Mikey’s on track performance speaks for itself. I guess that’s hard for his fans to swallow. He’s easily MWR’s weakest driver & I think that’s something Mikey realizes himself when he said he’ll retire if he sees no improvement in the #55 this year. This is a good thing not a bad thing for MWR. It shows that Mikey does know what he’s doing in running a race team & is not willing to run it into the ground because of a driver’s ego that refuses to get out of the car. It’s not hard to write him off for this year.
On the other hand. I think Reuit will make a big leap this year & while not making the chase may be on the cusp like David Ragan did last year. Marcos Ambrose will surprise. I think he will add a lot to MWR.
Props to Rob Gordon for sticking it out alone. I think if he merged with another team, he’d be worse off. He doesn’t play nice with others. I think running a Dodge last year had a lot to do with his performance & he may too, surprise this year in a Toyota (surprise meaning top 20 finishes) if he can finish races.
on Feb 6th, 2009 at 8:25 am
I think Waltrip should have retired a long time ago. He is at best an marginal driver, especially with the equipment he has had in previous years. I also feel he has almost all the time blamed other drivers for his wrecks, which are at least 60% his own fault. The Daytona manifold deal was a real travesty. Of course MW claimed innocence, but what else do you do? And rolling his SUV- just think if there had been another car at the scene. I could go on, but I think we see the issues here. Go get a real job, Mikey…
on Feb 6th, 2009 at 8:50 am
TC, Journo, I can see both sides of the post. Michael has had some big shoes to fill the past few years. The first couple of years between being an owner and a drivers, having preformance problems and dealing with rookie and sponsor issues. Michael has had a lot on his plate. MWR should be to the point where Mike can start to deal more with his driving issues and less ownwer issues. He has some great management personal, they also seem to have some good crew cheifs and crews. I know TRD enginge preformance has been an issue. I understand they have changed engine suppliers looking for improved preformance. I don’t think that you will see any of MWR cars in the chase this year but I think you will see all 3 in the top 15-20, once again improvment. I do think you will see all three drivers with one win each this year. Therefore yes more of the same. Improvement. As a side point, I think we will see a lot of similar issues for the next year or two with the new Stewart Haas program. Not to the scale of the issues MWR has had, but close. This will be an interesting year.
on Feb 6th, 2009 at 9:13 am
A couple of thoughts MWR.
While I don’t think it was the original intention, but MWR may have stumbled onto something good by letting JTGD and Germain to use MWR’s facilities and resources for their fledgling Cup teams. In doing this, MWR keeps the shop busy and generates a cash flow that might help the whole operation make it through this recession.
As for Waltrip’s driving career, as long as NAPA, or someone else, is willing to pay him (mostly for his effective TV ads, rather than his driving ability), I expect he’ll be around until he’s 50.
on Feb 6th, 2009 at 11:17 am
Mike- In no way am I a Michael Waltrip hater. I hoped, as with all of these, this could be an honest look at the team’s performance. Without a doubt Waltrip the man and the organization have struggled the past couple of seasons. I’m not writing him off, but if he does not see the improvement he wants to see I don’t think he will continue. He doesn’t want to just be a mediocre driver and I don’t think you can blame him for that.
As far as the financial trouble post goes, there is nothing in that post that is not true. They were laying people off telling them that was the reason. The fact of the matter is, if you don’t want things like that to get spread around you shouldn’t be telling people that is the reason they no longer have a job.
As TC says I wish them all the best of luck. I truly believe you are going to see continued improvement out of Reutimann this season.
on Feb 6th, 2009 at 11:43 am
Like some one said above, maybe Windowlicker, Robbie Gordon “doesn’t play well with others” is pretty much true. That is why I like Robbie Gordon. He will do it his own way, as it should be. Remember the year Robbie and Stewart got into a shoving match in pre-Daytona spirit? Now that’s a way to start a season. Get’s people interested!
For those of you who never witnessed Robbie, in person, flail an Cosworth powered Lola Cart Indy car around, you missed a treat. For a car that is (“was” – sorry for the demise of CART) meant to be finessed w/ precision like input, Robbie would take it by the scruff of the neck and wring out the exhilerating semi-car-control of a rodeo rider. Neat stuff you just don’t see on the tube!
on Feb 6th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
I don’t see how anyone could argue that MWR is suffering financial difficulties. Every team is. Add to that the low attendance of Race World USA –I don’t think it’s become the tourist attraction they thought it would. While it’s pretty impressive, people just don’t want to pay $15 a pop to see the place.