Pocono: Michael Waltrip preview

Waltrip's standards high entering Pocono

Mooresville, N.C. (June 10) -- "It's a great feeling to be the driver of the NAPA Chevy," Waltrip said. "I go to Pocono expecting a top-five finish and to compete for the win. In order to have confidence in this sport, confidence has to be based on reality. The reality of our situation is that our cars are running well and we should have a great run this weekend. We are going up to Pocono with the best stuff we have."

Michael Waltrip will compete in his 37th NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race at Pocono Raceway on Sunday where he will look for his sixth top-10 run and his first pole at the Long Pond, Pa., racetrack. His best finish at Pocono was second in 1988, but Waltrip scored his second-best finish of fourth last fall driving the NAPA Chevrolet. His best start was third in 2002.

This Week's Race Car is Chassis #26 a brand new race car for the No. 15 Dale Earnhardt, Inc. team. The car has not been to the wind tunnel and has not been tested. It will take the track for the first time in the NEXTEL Cup practice on Friday morning at 11:00am.

In Last Year's June Pocono Race the NAPA Auto Parts NASCAR Cup team finished 18th, a less than expected performance according to its pilot Michael Waltrip.

"We are better than what our car showed, " Waltrip explained. "I am glad we managed to secure a top-20 finish, because it felt like I was in jail the entire afternoon. I couldn't go anywhere. My car was a little loose overall, but handled pretty well; we probably chose the wrong gear. We won't make the same mistake."

Look at the Numbers

261 - Number of points out of the top-10
583 - Number of career Cup starts for Waltrip
3 - Consecutive seasons Waltrip has won a Cup race
955 - Number of laps Waltrip has led in his career
34 - Career top-fives for Waltrip
2 - Career top-fives for Waltrip at Pocono Raceway

Championship Points Michael Waltrip currently holds the 20th position in the point's chase where he is trailing the 16th position by 99 points and the top-10 by 261 points.