Why Michael Waltrip Racing Has Plenty To Smile About

It was not unfair to think last year, that Michael Waltrip was steering his racing team into an iceberg, just like the Titanic. He started the season at minus 100 points due to an embarrassing cheating scandal where he was caught putting jet fuel in his car, and the season never picked up much steam after that.

The only bright spot, was he and teammate David Reutimann finished inside the top 35 at 22nd and 25th. At least they would be able to start the first few few races if they survived. That was the thinking of most that follow NASCAR.

But the offseason saw Toyota start to develop better engines, and MWR also changed some things as well. New personnel and gritty determination may be paying off as Reutimann just got his first top-five finish, and Waltrip has finished strong, as well as started on the front row of the season opening Daytona 500.

Any fan of NASCAR can tell you that three races don't make a season, but with MWR having both cars inside the the top 12 in points—NASCAR's Chase zone—it appears that Waltrip may be hawking NAPA parts for at least another full season.

It is not foolish to believe that this is a team that could, at least realistically, land at least one car in the Chase this season. At 45, Waltrip doesn't have many more seasons to say that. 

Reutimann, on the other hand, is a young rising star and is clearly enjoying both being competitive, and his boss' big smiles so far this season.

So what has made such a big difference? 

Last year, MWR had glimpses of promise only to fall as the race went on due to a car breakdown, a crash, or a bad pit stop. 

"There were times last season when we pushed a car with a problem just a little too hard to stay on the lead lap." said Waltrip.

To cure those problems, he brought Steve Hallam, the former head of race operations at the McLaren Formula One team, to serve as director of race engineering late last season. 

He moved former engineering director Nick Hughes, to be the team's technical director. 

But clearly, it was the movement of Hallmam this season to the team's competition director that made everything click.

He allowed Waltrip to be a driver for the most part, and he became the man who made sure things were done right, and people were called to the carpet for their mistakes, including Waltrip himself. 

Making everyone accountable for their own actions helped clean up the silly mistakes they were making.

Now, MWR shows up to the track prepared, with cars ready to race, and people who aren't changing. 

Consistency brings results. It began late last season when Reutimann started stringing a few top 20 finishes together, and Waltrip started finishing races running strong.

"We were told in the beginning it would be a three year process, but after the first year, few thought we'd be able to finish the third and still be standing." Waltrip said recently.  "Now we're looking at not only surviving, but competing for wins and becoming contenders."

Now flush with good finishes and a great start—with both drivers inside the line for the Chase—there are plenty of smiles and back pats to go around. 

Yes, it's still early and anything can happen in this long NASCAR season, but it's pretty clear that Michael Waltrip Racing will be here for year four and beyond.