Waltrip prepares for what could be final Daytona 500

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — As Michael Waltrip prepared for what could be the final Daytona 500 of his career, he took exception when someone described him as “a pretty good driver.”

Pretty good drivers don’t last 25 years at NASCAR’s top level.

Pretty good drivers don’t get two different opportunities to drive for Dale Earnhardt.

Pretty good drivers don’t win two Daytona 500s.

“I haven’t been able to let that go in my brain because I think I am at least a good driver,” Waltrip said Wednesday. “I’m better than pretty good.

“I think what says a lot about my character and attitude is that when I lined up to run the 2001 Daytona 500 I was 0 for 462, that’s what the record said.

“But I was convinced that I was going to win that race. I believed in my heart that I had the tools, and I knew I had the ability to win that race. And I don’t know of very many people in this sport who could have lost 462 races and lined up in a car and driven to a win in their 463rd race.”

The record book shows that Waltrip is 4 for 759, and it’s not totally clear just how many races will be added to that total. Faced with a decision to prolong his driving career or focus on the continued growth of Michael Waltrip Racing, he had to think of the betterment of his race team.

It meant turning his car over to free agent Martin Truex Jr., and scaling back into a much more limited schedule. Only sponsorship didn’t develop the way Waltrip had hoped, and he headed into the season with only the season-opening Daytona 500 secure on his schedule.

He’s since put together a deal that will likely allow him to race at Talladega Superspeedway in April, but Waltrip feels confident this is likely his final 500.

And his participation in Sunday’s season-opener isn’t even guaranteed.

Waltrip must earn his way into the starting lineup via one of today’s qualifying races. He can win a spot in the 43-car field by either claiming one of the two “transfer” spots in his race, or, if Bill Elliott, Scott Speed or Bobby Labonte should claim a transfer spot, Waltrip would make the race based on his speed from qualifying.

He’s not worried, even though he joked about the three spins he’s had down the back straightaway this Speedweeks.

“I’ve gone down it three times backward, and it’s the only straight part of the entire track, so I can’t figure that out,” he said. “But I’m actually really encouraged, and I don’t think making the race is going to be a problem.”

Even if it was, Waltrip would likely find a way to overcome it.

He’s made a career out of making the most out of every situation, and the end result is a reputation as an endearing corporate spokesman. The groundwork he laid there is probably what continued his NASCAR career after a disastrous 2007 debut as a car owner.

Flush with three race cars, millions in sponsorship money, a glistening new race shop — and a ton of debt to show for all of it — Waltrip’s first season exploded before it even began. He was caught in a cheating scandal that rocked the Daytona 500 and almost caused him to pull out of the race, and it quickly became apparent that his cars were not competitive.

The three MWR drivers missed races, Waltrip suffered through his own personal and family issues, and money quickly began to run out.

But his sponsors never stopped trusting that Waltrip could get it figured out.