Full Throttle

When Michael Waltrip was unceremoniously forced out of his association with DEI it was obvious to most “Mikey” would land on his feet somewhere, along with his NAPA sponsorship.

Many, including myself, questioned the wisdom of his choice in an eventual landing spot with Bill Davis Racing (BDR). With this latest announcement that Waltrip and Doug Bawel had formed Waltrip-Jasper Company things are starting to make a bit more sense. Consider this “alignment of (Toyota) stars.”

Mikey along with wife Elizabeth has fielded a [avatar:http://cranialcavity.net/files/bgn.gif]Busch Series[/avatar] team for a number of years with the expressed intentions of ultimately of moving into Cup as an owner.

Bill Davis has been the “go to guy” in Toyota’s Craftsman Truck Series efforts, and by all indications will carry that experience into Cup/Busch in 2007.

Mikey’s brother Darrell has also been an owner in NCTS with David Reutimann and 2006 Rookie if the Year candidate Joey Miller driving Toyota Tundra Trucks. Reutimann’s ride carries sponsorship from Japanese industrial giant NTN. A key thing to remember here is Darrell along with Michael have appeared in advertisements for Toyota, and Aarons.

With BDR supplying cars, engines and personnel to the Waltrip-Jasper team (and the #55), along with NAPA staying with Waltrip it’s not out of the realm of possibility that come 2007 both Michael and Darrell will be in Busch, and or Cup, as part of the Toyotas brigade that will start their assault on the higher levels of NASCAR.

I also wouldn’t be suprised to see the brothers join up under the same Toyota umbrella. Add in Michael Waltrip’s plans for