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NASCAR WCUP: Waltrip still motivated by team's potential

7 July 1999

HARRISBURG, N.C. (July 7, 1999) - During the first half of the 1999 NASCAR
Winston Cup Series season, Philips Chevrolet driver Michael Waltrip caught
many people by surprise.  He and his new teammates at Mattei Motorsports
showed a competitive fire week-in and week-out that let everyone know they
would be unwilling to settle for anything less than their best effort.

Although the first half of the season had its share of setbacks, Waltrip
remains motivated and optimistic as the second half begins this Sunday at
New Hampshire International Speedway.


Michael Waltrip at New Hampshire (career)...

Starts:  8
Top 5s:  0
Top 10s:  1
Ave. start:  23.25
Ave. finish:  25.00
Winnings:  $223,300
Best start:  9th ('95)
Best finish:  10th ('96)
1998:  24th (race 1), 27th (race 2)


Michael Waltrip on...

...what he can take away from the first half of the season:

"The biggest thing is the fact that we've been competitive week-in and
week-out.  We've only missed it--where we didn't run respectably--basically
in one or two races.  And, we were basically a new team when the season
started with new cars and a lot of new people.  Even with that, we've been
able to run respectably and competitively.  That's the most important thing
to me, and makes me look forward to getting another shot at most of these
places a second time."

...overcoming first half setbacks:

"In the first half of the season, we had five finishes on 37th or worse, so
knowing that, I'm OK with where we are in the points.  I feel like our car
is fast enough to pass the people that are around us and move up, so I'm not
really worried about the points.  That's a good feeling.  In the past, I've
been worried about them a lot.  I used to dwell on them.  But, I just don't
feel that way this year.  I feel more excited about the potential to run
well on a given Sunday, as opposed to just trying to collect points.  If we
stay focused and keep doing what we're doing, the points will take care of
themselves."

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