Newton: Waltrip a breath of fresh air (2024)

CORNELIUS, N.C. -- Michael Waltrip knew exactly what happened upon hearing that fellow Sprint Cup team owner Felix Sabates apologized to the city of Detroit and people of Michigan International Speedway for comments made during the recent media tour.

He could just visualize the minority owner of Earnhardt Ganassi Racing surrounded by a group of reporters doing his best to entertain.

"Sometimes you get an audience and you want to perform," Waltrip said. "Sometimes you get carried away. Nevertheless, I know his heart is in the right place. I respect him and I appreciate him. What you see is what you get."

And so it is with Waltrip.

Like Sabates, Waltrip is not your typical NASCAR owner. He's colorful and not afraid to say what's on his mind. He's willing to put himself out there, particularly for a sponsor, even if it makes him look silly.

He is just … different.

You won't see Jack Roush, Rick Hendrick or Joe Gibbs posting a picture of their feet on Twitter and writing, "Look at them toes right there. [I'm] ready to put 'em in the water," as Waltrip recently did.

You probably won't see them on Twitter at all.

And that's OK, but we still need more owners like Waltrip. We need them to show their personalities just like we need drivers to.

The NBA has Mark Cuban. The NFL has Jerry Jones.

We haven't seen an owner in NASCAR like Waltrip since Sabates came into the sport in 1987.

Sabates still makes news with comments such as suggesting cutting MIS out of the Sprint Cup schedule because "there's nobody left in Detroit other than the police and the unemployed."

He also suggested in the same interview that Indianapolis should be cut from the schedule even though it typically is the highest attended race of the year and said IRL darling Danica Patrick will struggle in NASCAR because she doesn't like to be touched unless it's "maybe by her husband or Big Daddy or GoDaddy."

OK, so maybe he went a bit far there even though he simply was trying to be funny. Even Waltrip admits he can't push the envelope that much because too many people depend on him.

But that's the type of color the sport has been missing, the reason NASCAR recently announced the no-bump rule was off for the Daytona 500 and told drivers to have at it.

They finally get the message: Fans want color.

Waltrip is color.

Since May, the two-time Daytona 500 champion has appeared on "My Name is Earl," Fox's "Sean Hannity Show," Jeff Foxworthy's game show "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?" and Speed TV's Haiti relief program.

He also swapped places for a day with the winner of a fan contest for sponsor Best Western, reached a deal to appear on Showtime's "Inside NASCAR," did an interview for the Wall Street Journal, drove in the 24 Hours of Dubai where he met Middle East dignitaries, and filmed commercials for sponsors.

And on top of that he "tweets" like a maniac, sending out random thoughts to his more than 22,000 followers faster than he can turn RPMs in his car.

"Before it's all said and done he may be the new role model as an owner in this sport," said crew chief Pat Tryson, who worked with owners Roush and Roger Penske before joining driver Martin Truex Jr. at Michael Waltrip Racing this season.

That may scare some at buttoned-up NASCAR and make a few sponsors nervous, but in the end people will realize there's brilliance behind Waltrip's sometimes perceived insanity.

"You've got too many car owners that are too regimental," Sabates said. "You need a couple of flakes out there like me and Michael. I've gotten myself into so much trouble over the years. You get in trouble. Who cares?"

Exactly. Have fun with the sport. It may be big business, but it's also a game.

Waltrip understands that. Maybe that's why he turned an old movie theater and skate park into his race shop.

"I've always believed … that there's two things that go on simultaneously [in racing]," Waltrip said. "One of them is competition. The other is entertainment. And this one doesn't hurt this one. You can be as entertaining as you want and build the best cars in the world."

For the first two years MWR was more entertaining than competitive. There were more embarrassments than there were successes, starting with NASCAR discovering an illegal substance in Waltrip's engines in his first race as a driver/owner.

Waltrip also went through a divorce.

But instead of giving up, Waltrip became stronger. He brought in a business partner, Robert Kauffman, formed an alliance with JTG Daugherty and hired better people around him.

He finished 2009 with two drivers -- David Reutimann and Marcos Ambrose -- ranked in the top 18 in points with a combined one win, nine top-5s and 17 top-10s. He also realized it was time to step aside as a full-time driver to make room for Truex this season.

“

You've got too many car owners that are too regimental. You need a couple of flakes out there like me and Michael. I've gotten myself into so much trouble over the years. You get in trouble. Who cares?

”

-- Felix Sabates

"There are particular owners that feel like they are the only answer, so people under them give them the answers they think they want to hear," MWR general manager Ty Norris said. "Michael … challenges you to be creative in how you do your job and then lets you do it."

Tryson agreed.

"There is no dictatorship," he said. "You sit down in a room and everybody works it out together. To me that's a little bit unique in today's world."

Again, Waltrip is different.

"He's way different," said Norris, who once worked for the late Dale Earnhardt at Dale Earnhardt Inc. "Some people still don't take him as serious as they should. He sometimes doesn't take himself serious. But ultimately behind the facade is a very, very creative passionate owner."

Norris says Earnhardt, despite being a lot more reserved publicly, would be proud of Waltrip because of his commitment. He also says Earnhardt would laugh at some of the things Waltrip says and does.

"Laughing his ass off," Norris said.

Waltrip credits the months he spent observing the seven-time champion after signing with DEI before the start of the 2001 season with shaping him as an owner.

"I got to see how involved he was," Waltrip said. "… Just being involved, being a part of it, it genuinely motivates people to be the best they can."

That's not to suggest other owners aren't involved or engaged. Hendrick hasn't won nine of the past 15 Cup titles by being disengaged.

"I don't want to compare myself to those others because I don't hang around with them much," Waltrip said. "I always joke that when I'm in my car, racing down the back straightaway, I never have looked over and seen Jack Roush in his little hat pull up beside me. I have a unique view from an ownership perspective."

It's a refreshing perspective, one that sponsors certainly appreciate.

"Michael's personality and approach is unique among NASCAR spokespersons, but it resonates with the fans and it sells, which is why we're pleased with our partnership," said Darren Singer, the vice president of marketing for TUMS.

Unique, indeed. You'd be hard-pressed to find another owner who would trade places with a fan, pick the fan's kid up from school, help the kid with his homework, do laundry, cook dinner and go bowling all for the sake of a sponsor.

Waltrip did. He may do more of that now that he's scheduled to run only the Daytona 500 in Cup and a "few" races in the Camping World Truck Series for Billy Ballew.

"That's the one good thing I like about my upcoming season, I don't have much to do," Waltrip said with a laugh. "So if anybody asks me to do something I'll say, 'Hell yeah I'll do it.'"

The sport needs more of that.

David Newton covers NASCAR for ESPN.com. He can be reached at dnewtonespn@aol.com.