NASCAR WCUP: Michael Waltrip hoping Dover provides 'break-out' run on Sunday
24 September 1999
Posted By Terry
Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
HARRISBURG, N.C. - With four straight disappointments at
the racetrack, it's fair to say that Philips Chevrolet driver Michael
Waltrip would probably like to put the month of September behind him.
But,
with the final race of the month scheduled for Dover Downs this Sunday,
Waltrip is not quite ready to look ahead to October. Waltrip has enjoyed
plenty of success at Dover in the past, including his first Winston Cup
pole
and two Busch Series wins, and heads into this weekend's 400-mile event
with
a full load of confidence.
"I love Dover. I always feel like I'm going to have a car that can run in the top 10 at Dover, and I think we definitely had that in the spring before we broke. I feel like on this trip here, our performance will be better than it was in the spring, so it makes me very confident about going there. I really expect to qualify up front on Friday, and I expect to race up front on Sunday."
...what Joe Nemechek's win meant to Winston Cup:
"One of the biggest upsets ever in Winston Cup racing came on Sunday. Joe Nemechek has been good at times, but he has lacked the consistency to put him on top of the list of people that might break through and win a race. That's what made Joe's win surprising and special. It's not because of a lack of ability on Joe's part or on the part of his team, but just because of where they have been. They broke out, and broke out big. That excites me as a driver, and it's just good for our sport.
"I really feel like this Philips team has the capability to do what Joe did. It's kind of hard sometimes to get everybody to buy into that, but I feel that way. I know it didn't matter whether or not anyone was buying into it with Joe when they threw the checkered flag on Sunday."
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