NASCAR WCUP: Atlanta a welcome sight for Philips driver Michael Waltrip
19 November 1999
Posted By Terry
Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
HARRISBURG, N.C. - After two difficult weeks in a row,
Philips Chevrolet driver Michael Waltrip is glad to see Atlanta Motor
Speedway as the next stop on the NASCAR Winston Cup schedule. Waltrip,
who
posted a 10th place finish at Atlanta this spring, feels at home on a big,
fast racetrack. And, while there are places bigger, there is almost no
place faster than the 1.54 mile quad oval in Atlanta.
Michael Waltrip at Atlanta...
Starts: 28
Top 5s: 1
Top 10s: 7
Top 15s: 14
Ave. start: 24.32
Ave. finish: 19.61
Winnings: $482,420
Best start: 7th ('91, '95)
Best finish: 5th ('91)
1999 (race 1): 10th
Michael Waltrip on...
...looking forward to Atlanta:
"If I've had a bad week, and you tell me I'm going to Atlanta, I'll say, 'that's good. That will be good therapy.' I just always run well there. I like those big, fast tracks, and Atlanta in particular, is a lot of fun."
...utilizing a higher line at Atlanta Motor Speedway:
"Ideally, what I'd like to see us do is run right around the bottom and be fast because it's a lot easier. They even painted a little white line right around the bottom that you can follow. But unfortunately, sometimes your car won't handle quite the way you want it to, so you have to branch out and try a little different line. That's the great thing about Atlanta is that you can do that. There are options available to you, and that's good."
...maintaining a positive outlook in the midst of a slump:
"In this job, you can't get down. You've got to stay positive, and keep going forward. I'm really happy that the season didn't end after Homestead and Phoenix because I know we're a lot better team than that. Now, we get to go to Atlanta. It will be my bet we'll run real well and finish up the year on a positive note."
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