NASCAR Team Spotlight: Michael Waltrip Racing

Michael Waltrip Racing 2014 Preview

By Richard Tix

Well, last year I pronounced this team as having a bright future in my article MWR Creating a Contender, then the rest of the season happened. After Richmond, not only did every driver of the team's season change, the whole outlook of MWR changed. I though this team was on the brink of something, and now enetering 2014 they are on uneven ground. One night in Richmond, it truly changed everything for this team. Going into 2014 Clint Bowyer is still around, but he will have to build back up his reputation. Martin Truex Jr lost his sponsor (NAPA) and then lost his ride with MWR. Brian Vickers is coming back and is medically cleared, so lets hope he can stay healthy.

2013 Team Stats *Only Includes Current Drivers (Bowyer/Vickers)
Wins: 1
Top 5: 12
Top 10: 24

Clint Bowyer

• Lets look past everything that happened at Richmond for a moment (itch itch). Bowyer made his second straight apperance into the Chase but managed not to figure out a way to win a race. His numbers went down accross the board from 2012 to 2013. 10 top 5's and 17 top 10's helped him get to the Chase but he only finished 7th.

Brian Vickers

• Vickers ran far less races in 2013 yet he did manage a win, unlike Bowyer. Once again health issues cut his season short. He has been medically cleared by doctors to return to full time racing in 2014 so lets hope he stays healthy enough to show what he can do with MWR.