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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Although NASCAR is expected to make an announcement this afternoon regarding the status of Michael Waltrip Racing, here is what FOXSports.com knows so far.
NASCAR vice president of competition, Robin Pemberton, has escorted Michael Waltrip Racing vice president of competition Bobby Kennedy from the garage. Ty Norris, general manager of MWR, said the back-up car hadn't been through inspection a second time, and the team isn't sure if it will practice today. Michael Waltrip has returned to the garage area.
At 1:45 p.m. ET, NASCAR stopped the inspection process on the primary car (No. 55) of Michael Waltrip, and shortly before 2 p.m. ET, Waltrip and Michael Waltrip Racing vice president of competition Bobby Kennedy left the garage area in a golf cart after meeting with NASCAR officials in the Nextel Cup hauler.
Since 7:30 this morning, NASCAR officials had been disassembling the entire fuel system of the car. A back-up car was brought out from David Reutimann's No. 00 hauler to be decaled for Waltrip to race.
The organization felt that Reutimann's back-up car was more solid than Waltrip's, but the car did not pass tech inspection. The crew is working on the car to take it through inspection again, but it's not likely that it will be ready for Waltrip to practice before the session ends at 2:55 p.m. ET.
However, as the cars rolled off at 12:00 p.m. for first practice, Waltrip's secondary car had not left the garage, let alone been through the inspection process. But it was the understanding of MWR's VP of competition Bobby Kennedy that the car would eventually get on the track for practice, but the process was slow. As of noon, Kennedy said that No. 55 crew chief David Hyder had not left the building. The word on Hyder, however, was an indefinite suspension appeared imminent.
Michael Waltrip Racing met with both NASCAR CEO Brian France and NASCAR president Mike Helton Wednesday morning and was told to expect an announcement later Wednesday afternoon.
Gossip in the garage revolved around two possible scenarios for Waltrip and the No. 55 team: A) a 6-8 week suspension for the No. 55 car and B) the possibility of Waltrip racing the No. 32 car with his sponsor's decals. Neither theory could be confirmed at this time.
NASCAR vice president of competition, Robin Pemberton, has escorted Michael Waltrip Racing vice president of competition Bobby Kennedy from the garage. Ty Norris, general manager of MWR, said the back-up car hadn't been through inspection a second time, and the team isn't sure if it will practice today. Michael Waltrip has returned to the garage area.
At 1:45 p.m. ET, NASCAR stopped the inspection process on the primary car (No. 55) of Michael Waltrip, and shortly before 2 p.m. ET, Waltrip and Michael Waltrip Racing vice president of competition Bobby Kennedy left the garage area in a golf cart after meeting with NASCAR officials in the Nextel Cup hauler.
Since 7:30 this morning, NASCAR officials had been disassembling the entire fuel system of the car. A back-up car was brought out from David Reutimann's No. 00 hauler to be decaled for Waltrip to race.
The organization felt that Reutimann's back-up car was more solid than Waltrip's, but the car did not pass tech inspection. The crew is working on the car to take it through inspection again, but it's not likely that it will be ready for Waltrip to practice before the session ends at 2:55 p.m. ET.
However, as the cars rolled off at 12:00 p.m. for first practice, Waltrip's secondary car had not left the garage, let alone been through the inspection process. But it was the understanding of MWR's VP of competition Bobby Kennedy that the car would eventually get on the track for practice, but the process was slow. As of noon, Kennedy said that No. 55 crew chief David Hyder had not left the building. The word on Hyder, however, was an indefinite suspension appeared imminent.
Michael Waltrip Racing met with both NASCAR CEO Brian France and NASCAR president Mike Helton Wednesday morning and was told to expect an announcement later Wednesday afternoon.
Gossip in the garage revolved around two possible scenarios for Waltrip and the No. 55 team: A) a 6-8 week suspension for the No. 55 car and B) the possibility of Waltrip racing the No. 32 car with his sponsor's decals. Neither theory could be confirmed at this time.
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