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Michael Waltrip, currently a co-owner of Michael Waltrip Racing and a two-time Daytona 500 winner, has been entered to drive in the 55th running of the prestigious race by Swan Racing.
Swan Racing the newly revamped team will reunite Waltrip with his former crew chief Tony Eury Jr. was recently with JR Motorsports.
"I am thrilled to drive the No. 30 Toyota for Swan Racing and the chance to win a third Daytona 500," said Waltrip about the one-race deal. "Reuniting with Tony Jr. and Steve Hmiel brings back a lot of good memories and is going to create new ones."
"Swan Racing is here to compete and to build a championship contender," said Swan Racing owner Brandon Davis who has vowed to end the practice of habitual "start and parks" for the team.
"This one-race partnership with Michael puts a two-time champion behind the wheel and the No. 30 in the mix at the Daytona 500."
Michael Waltrip's record at Daytona
Waltrip qualified for 25 consecutive Daytona 500s between 1987 and 2011 winning his first in 2001 and a second in 2003. In 2002, Waltrip won the July race at Daytona International Speedway, bringing his total to three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series wins at the "World Center of Racing."
"This is a great move for Swan Racing," said David Stremme who will be the regular driver of the No. 30 Toyota.
"Michael and I have been friends for a long time. We got to talking last year and from my perspective I thought this would help to further our relationship with Toyota and be a good building block for Swan Racing."
The signing also reunites Waltrip with the team's competition director, Steve Hmiel, who worked with the driver at Dale Earnhardt Racing as crew chief for 12 races in 2001. Eury Jr. had been Waltrip's crew chief for 26 races in 2005.
"Michael is a familiar face for a lot of us here at Swan Racing," said Eury. "We know each other's habits, wants and needs on the track. We're going to Daytona to compete and hopefully we'll make a mark for Swan Racing."
Eury has been a part of 19 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victories with Waltrip and Earnhardt Jr. He was part of teams that won the Budweiser Shootout twice at Daytona International Speedway in 2003 and 2008 with Earnhardt.
Swan Racing the newly revamped team will reunite Waltrip with his former crew chief Tony Eury Jr. was recently with JR Motorsports.
"I am thrilled to drive the No. 30 Toyota for Swan Racing and the chance to win a third Daytona 500," said Waltrip about the one-race deal. "Reuniting with Tony Jr. and Steve Hmiel brings back a lot of good memories and is going to create new ones."
"Swan Racing is here to compete and to build a championship contender," said Swan Racing owner Brandon Davis who has vowed to end the practice of habitual "start and parks" for the team.
"This one-race partnership with Michael puts a two-time champion behind the wheel and the No. 30 in the mix at the Daytona 500."
Michael Waltrip's record at Daytona
Waltrip qualified for 25 consecutive Daytona 500s between 1987 and 2011 winning his first in 2001 and a second in 2003. In 2002, Waltrip won the July race at Daytona International Speedway, bringing his total to three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series wins at the "World Center of Racing."
"This is a great move for Swan Racing," said David Stremme who will be the regular driver of the No. 30 Toyota.
"Michael and I have been friends for a long time. We got to talking last year and from my perspective I thought this would help to further our relationship with Toyota and be a good building block for Swan Racing."
The signing also reunites Waltrip with the team's competition director, Steve Hmiel, who worked with the driver at Dale Earnhardt Racing as crew chief for 12 races in 2001. Eury Jr. had been Waltrip's crew chief for 26 races in 2005.
"Michael is a familiar face for a lot of us here at Swan Racing," said Eury. "We know each other's habits, wants and needs on the track. We're going to Daytona to compete and hopefully we'll make a mark for Swan Racing."
Eury has been a part of 19 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victories with Waltrip and Earnhardt Jr. He was part of teams that won the Budweiser Shootout twice at Daytona International Speedway in 2003 and 2008 with Earnhardt.