Michael Waltrip is ready to spread the NASCAR message across the Atlantic Ocean as the two-time Daytona 500 champion makes his second appearance in front of 150,000 global motorsports enthusiasts at the 20thannual Goodwood Festival of Speed in England.
Waltrip will drive a 2012 No. 15 5-hour ENERGY Toyota at the annual festival that features a hill climb by historic motor racing vehicles.
“It is so cool to fire up a NASCAR Sprint Cup car and see the reaction on the faces of everyone there,” said Waltrip recalling his 2010 trip to Goodwood. “You wouldn’t believe all of the people who are interested in NASCAR in jolly old England. For many of them, this is as close as they’ll ever be to a Sprint Cup race. I’m honored they asked me to make a few runs and it’s also cool that (Michael Waltrip Racing co-owner) Rob Kauffman will make some runs too.”
The Goodwood Festival has become one of the largest and most diverse motorsports events in the world. The festival includes everything from modern concept cars to historical vehicles dating back to 1902, along with racecars from all disciplines. NASCAR stock cars, Formula 1 Grand Prix racers, Le Mans style cars and various forms of motorcycles will all make their run up the hill at Goodwood.
Waltrip said sharing his and NASCAR’s history is important as the sport grows globally. In 2010 Waltrip drove a No. 15 NAPA AUTO PARTS car at Goodwood painted like the car he drove to Daytona 500 victories in 2001 and 2003.
The No. 15 Waltrip will drive in England this month won three races in 2012 and finished second in the Chase for the Sprint Cup with Clint Bowyer behind the wheel.
Waltrip races a part-time Sprint Cup schedule that includes four superspeedway races in 2013. In addition to his network television work, he devotes nearly all of his attention to his Michael Waltrip Racing team that fields Sprint Cup cars for drivers Martin Truex Jr., Clint Bowyer and a car shared by Waltrip, Mark Martin and Brian Vickers.
Some of NASCAR’s most famous names like Waltrip’s brother Darrell Waltrip, Richard Petty, David Pearson, Bobby Allison and Smokey Yunick also made appearances at Goodwood since the festival’s inception in 1993.
MWR’s participation in international racing events is part of a worldwide business strategy and a way to promote the team on a global stage. MWR’s international effort has included appearances in events like Goodwood and Toyota Motorsports Festival in Japan as well as fielding entries in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Rolex 24 at Daytona plus races in Dubai, Bahrain, Shanghai, Spa, and Road Atlanta among others.
Waltrip will leave for England on July 11. Follow updates on Waltrip’s Goodwood trip on Twitter at @mw55 and Instagram @mwr55.
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