REBELRACER Posted May 26, 2006 Report Share Posted May 26, 2006 CONCORD, N.C. -- Michael Waltrip couldn't qualify his way into Sunday's Coca-Cola 600, so he bought his way into it. Michael Waltrip Credit: Autostock Officials with Michael Waltrip Racing confirmed Friday that Waltrip has purchased the No. 74 Dodge of Derrike Cope, who had taken the final spot in the 43-car field during Thursday night's qualifying for the longest race in the Nextel Cup Series. The car will be repainted bearing Waltrip's No. 55 and all of his sponsors, including primary sponsor NAPA. This is not the first time a Waltrip has bought his way into the 600. Michael's brother, Darrell, purchased Carl Long's ride in 2000, his last season in NASCAR's premier series. Had Cope not given up his car it would have been the first time since 1975 that neither of the Waltrips made a Cup race. That also allows Michael to extend his streak of consecutive races to 262. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RodneyRodriguez Posted May 26, 2006 Report Share Posted May 26, 2006 thats the old Richard Petty/DK Ulrich move revisited!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazyhorse Posted May 26, 2006 Report Share Posted May 26, 2006 or kyle petty.............just last week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abrungot Posted May 26, 2006 Report Share Posted May 26, 2006 I wonder what the price tag was? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USRA23TRUCK Posted May 26, 2006 Report Share Posted May 26, 2006 I LIKE KYLE PETTY, HE WAS KICK ASS IN EARLY 90S. THE OLD KYLE IS LURKING IN THERE SOME WHERE. O YA MAYBE HIS CREW CAN AVERAGE BETTER THAN A 16.8 SECOND PITSTOP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poorboy Posted May 26, 2006 Report Share Posted May 26, 2006 Mikey needs to save some of that money for a new hair style. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purestock3 Posted May 26, 2006 Report Share Posted May 26, 2006 Wonder if he's installed a roof Hatch?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panderson Posted May 27, 2006 Report Share Posted May 27, 2006 Kyle Petty and Waltrip are role models for many people in racing. Glad to see Waltrip make a good business decision and get into the race. His trademark hairdo and Hatch are so cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supertx Posted May 27, 2006 Report Share Posted May 27, 2006 I think it sucks that you buy your way into a race at that level.You know the team has money why not do your homework and make your equipment fast this is the kind of crap thats taken racing down the wrong road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KahneFan Posted May 27, 2006 Report Share Posted May 27, 2006 I guess I'm confused. If this was THR wouldn't the driver that qualified have to be the same driver to start? Or, if you're going to have a pinch driver if you will, they must at least drive your car. I could maybe even see changing the paint scheme, but not the number. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiTech Posted May 27, 2006 Report Share Posted May 27, 2006 DONT PEOPLE KNOW MONEY TALKS BS WALKS. SOMEONE COMES UP TO YOU AND NAMES A PRICE THAT REALLY GOOD .I KNOW WHAT I WOULD DO SALESALE SALE SALE.. AND YOU KNOW THAT MIKE CAN DRIVE . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jracer98 Posted May 27, 2006 Report Share Posted May 27, 2006 It sounds to me like he wants NAPA to be in the race. Bill Davis Racing owns the 55. It's not like BDR is taking care of the sponsor... Jay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REBELRACER Posted May 27, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 27, 2006 well it sounds like he is going to be racing the derrik cope car, just relettered with the napa logos...........my question is what happens if he wrecks in practice or happy hour..........does he get to pull out one of his backup cars or how will that work............ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazyhorse Posted May 28, 2006 Report Share Posted May 28, 2006 hell...now he has 3 back up cars............"money talks bs walks" walked 2 dudes from enron into a combined 50 years , atleast.................nascar doesn't need the money , if they're getting a portion? so why allow it? because napa pumps more sponsorship dollars directly into nascar than cope's ma and pa sausage farm or indian rez sponsor ever will. still don't make it right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jracer98 Posted May 28, 2006 Report Share Posted May 28, 2006 Why isn't this thread titled "DERRICK COPE ELECTS TO SELL HIS SPOT IN THE COKE 600 FOR 3 TIMES THE MONEY 40th-->43rd WOULD HAVE PAID"? Jay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebelracewriter Posted May 28, 2006 Report Share Posted May 28, 2006 NA$CAR, enough said!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tqj3 Posted May 28, 2006 Report Share Posted May 28, 2006 If Earnhardt hadn't had that tire go down, Derricke Cope would have been out of racing years ago instead of always being known as "Daytona 500 Winner Derricke Cope," while Mikey has parlayed a goofball persona into a successful career. Both did what they needed to do, and I doubt many of us would have done it differently. It's a rough sport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hray Posted May 28, 2006 Report Share Posted May 28, 2006 THE MONEY 40th-->43rd WOULD HAVE PAID"? Jay is right. A wise business move and if Cope really wants to race he can take a small amount of that money and rent a car for some saturaday nite race of his choice. The rest will finance BDR's next NASCAR race. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truck99 Posted May 28, 2006 Report Share Posted May 28, 2006 I guess I'm confused. If this was THR wouldn't the driver that qualified have to be the same driver to start? Or, if you're going to have a pinch driver if you will, they must at least drive your car. I could maybe even see changing the paint scheme, but not the number. NASCAR is completely different than the local racing scene when it comes to how the cars/drivers/owners acquire points and the like. At the local level, points are assigned only to the driver regardless of what car he is driving. Thanks to that rule, we finished the last 3 races of the season two years ago in the LaFont #3 machine. Thanks again to the LaFonts! In Nascar, rules exist to allow for a substitute driver and things like Waltrip's recent move. It's really apples vs. oranges. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REBELRACER Posted May 29, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 29, 2006 wonder what will happen if he fails to qualify this week? or the next? is he going to keep buying his way into the field each week..........i mean i know bdr doesnt have the best stuff, and most of that is his own fault with the whole toyota lawsuit deal, so im sure he will fail to qualify for another race or two down the road...........and what happens if he cant buy his way into the field, what will napa think or do about that?.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tqj3 Posted May 29, 2006 Report Share Posted May 29, 2006 RebRacer- They'll probably keep backing him. He's the best spokesman in racing right now. Or did you think this was about winning races? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REBELRACER Posted May 29, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 29, 2006 it is obvious that racing is second and sponsorship money is first..........he is the best in the garage when it comes to pimping his sponsors, that is the only reason napa agreed to jump ship with him.............it surely wasnt for his boyish good looks and unmatched driving ability......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tqj3 Posted May 29, 2006 Report Share Posted May 29, 2006 Right on, RebRacer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USRA23TRUCK Posted May 29, 2006 Report Share Posted May 29, 2006 hhmm guess you didnt know that derrick cope was at the top in his local series way back when , i quess being in 2nd when he won the daytona 500 does not matter. it only means he was better than 41 of the rest that day i really get sick and tired of people ragging on race car drivers weather they are doing good or not, bottom line is they are there and we are here. and if you think any one of them suck as a driver, well it is my opinion to tell you that your wrong. and if it means you think im starting something, so be it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USRA23TRUCK Posted May 29, 2006 Report Share Posted May 29, 2006 kyle petty-- 1st---8-- times51 top 5s 166 top 10s out of 566 races. yea hes sucks --whatever. #2 derrick cope 1st ----2 times, 6 top 5,s 32 top 10s out of 351 races as of the year 2000. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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