S19: Michael Waltrip: The Car Guy

[radishcake]

Michael Waltrip is a winning professional racecar driver, founder and co-owner of Michael Waltrip Racing, a widely recognized network racing commentator and author of a best-selling biography.  Waltrip is a two-time winner of NASCAR’s crown jewel event, the Daytona 500, and is one of only two drivers in history to hold victories in NASCAR’s three top tier divisions over four consecutive decades. Waltrip still competes on a limited basis, posting two top 10 finishes in just four events in 2013. In recent years, Waltrip has driven in international events, competing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and 24 Hours of Daytona, as well as events in Spa, Belgium, Sebring and Dubai.

The Kentucky native founded Michael Waltrip Racing and his organization brought Toyota Motor Corporation into NASCAR Sprint Cup racing in 2007, where his teams have won seven times and finished runner-up in the championship standings in 2012. As an expert commentator on Fox Sports 1 for the Camping World Truck series and an analyst for NASCAR on FOX during NASCAR Sprint Cup races, Waltrip has established himself as one of the industry’s most respected voices and biggest personalities.

In 2011, Michael published his best-selling book In the Blink of an Eye, celebrating the 10th anniversary of his historic 2001 Daytona 500 victory on the same day his mentor, boss, friend and owner, Dale Earnhardt, perished on the final lap. His story spent 11 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller list.

Away from the track, Waltrip has competed in four marathons, including the Boston Marathon and his own marathon event, which raised more than $1,000,000 for charity. His humorous demeanor launched a multi-stop Comedy Tour in 2010.

Dancing with Emma Slater.

[jennifer6973]

Oh could we change NASCAR Superstar to something different?

Because he tends to annoy most NASCAR fans by just breathing.

How about Michael Waltrip: No Restrictor Plate Needed to Foxtrot ? or

Michael Waltrip:  No jet fuel needed to Tango

Edited September 8, 2014 by radishcake

[radishcake]

Seeing as he's a NASCAR racer, a NASCAR race team owner, AND he's a NASCAR commentator on Fox it seems a bit disingenuous to remove that from his nickname.

 

If there's a huge consensus for a name change I'll see what I can do!

 

ETA: for more erroneous info.

[jennifer6973]

Ok that's fine, but on the third point you are mixing him up with his brother

[radishcake]

Eh well ABC needs better fact checkers! I pulled that right from their press release! :D

[pally]

Michael Waltrip has won 4 Nascar Sprint Cup Races or a total of 16 if you include all Nascar series.  As an owner he is more known for the number of times he and his teams were caught cheating.than anything else,  Michael seems to be having issues with his background information, another press release said he won the Indy 500 twice...a race he has never competed in.

 

I can't come up with any good title for him other than Nascar's Loudmouth or maybe Nascar Dancer-Spins allowed

[limecoke]

Waltrip is nowhere near a NASCAR Superstar, except in his own mind.  He has the advantage of the same last name as his much more Superstar-ish brother Darrell and he's won a couple of restrictor plate races.  In any other kind of race he basically stinks.  His ownership has been largely marred by cheating scandals.  I've visited Michael Waltrip Racing in No. Carolina and it's basically a poor man's "Disneyland" for racing.  What he IS is an annoying famewhore who will mouth off until you want to slap him silly.  And I'm a NASCAR fan.

Edited September 10, 2014 by limecoke

[jennifer6973]

If anybody's interested in hearing/watching Michael do his second job(owner being first) tune into FoxSports1 on Friday around 8:30 pm.

[radishcake]

Since the only feedback I've had so far is negative please feel free to suggest a new name for this topic below.

[jennifer6973]

Michael Waltrip: Dancing without Restricter Plates

[no1skittishkitten]

His brother has this catchphrase that he uses at the start of races, "Boogity, boogity, boogity! Let's go racing, boys!" (he's dropped the "boys" in the Danica Era) Maybe you could do something with that? Like, "Boogity, Boogity, Boogity -- Let's Go Dancing, Michael!"

 

There was also the incident earlier this year, where he was doing pre-race interviews and insists he saw Donna Summer (who died two year ago). So, you could poke fun at that with something like, "He Sees Dead People."

 

http://www.tmz.com/videos/0_m5xfib1y

Edited September 10, 2014 by no1skittishkitten

[jennifer6973]

Ew lets leave the Boogity x 3 out of this.  All things considered, he's not Darrell.

[Uke]

"The Car Guy" works for me. I had no idea who he is and from reading this thread, I'm getting the impression that not too many people like him and he probably won't stick around very long anyways. Too bad cuz I adore Emma.

[jennifer6973]

It's not that I don't like him, I honestly used to think he was hysterical.  But he became a car owner, his absolute thoughts that everything NASCAR did was the greatest thing in the world, started to annoy, when he became a commentator. 

 

 

If you really want to see something truly amazing about him, go to yt and put in Michael Waltrip Bristol Crash. 

Edited September 11, 2014 by jennifer6973

[Uke]

It's not that I don't like him, I honestly used to think he was hysterical.  But he became a car owner, his absolute thoughts that everything NASCAR did was the greatest thing in the world, started to annoy, when he became a commentator. 

 

 

If you really want to see something truly amazing about him, go to yt and put in Michael Waltrip Bristol Crash. 

 

That's unbelievable - he walked away from that. Pretty amazing.

[jennifer6973]

Yep, last time I checked the car was at the International Motorsports HOF in Talladega, AL.

[MortysCleaningLady]

I work down the street from his garage/hq.  I'll be keeping my eyes open for video cameras and Emma!  (A lot of the mechanic types guys wear uniforms with the logo on it and eat at McAlisters, which I normally hit once a week for lunch, so I'll eavesdrop too.)

[M. Waltrip Racing]

We are the NASCAR team that Michael Waltrip owns and we are very excited about Michael being on the show this season. We've just discovered this blog and would love to contribute anyway we can. Feel free to ask us questions about Michael or racing. Thank you for the votes to get us past round 1. We promise you Michael is working hard to get better each and every week. 

 

Here is the video we put together of Michael and Emma talking to fans in Time Square after the GMA announcement. Hope you enjoy!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYzIQ69ouO8

[ari333]

I get the feeling that Bill Engvall, who I enjoy, is writing Michael's schtick. The problem is that Michael cannot pull it off, imo.

[SnarkyTart]

I get the feeling that Bill Engvall, who I enjoy, is writing Michael's schtick. The problem is that Michael cannot pull it off, imo.

I agree.  He's simply not a naturally funny guy and he comes off as a Try Hard.  I think I'd enjoy him more if he just keeps a pleasant attitude without trying to be a comedian, and practices hard.  He probably only has one or maybe two weeks left on the show anyway, and that'll be okay with me.

[M. Waltrip Racing]

We're excited about tonight's show. Michael will be dancing to Lee Brice's Girls in Bikinis. He's very involved with the race team and has been flying back and forth to the race track every week. We followed him around the track on Friday and put together this all-access video of him at the track. We think it turned out pretty good and hope you enjoy it!

 

 

Thanks!

[pally]

Waltrip is cementing his reputation as a loud mouthed idiot at least we won't have to deal with him long.

[MortysCleaningLady]

Free Emma!   

 

I understand why Emma had to wear a two piece swimsuit for that routine, but why was Michael wearing my granddad's bowling league summer uniform after an accident with a bedazzler?  Seriously, this guy is creepy.