Darrell Waltrip Motorsports was a NASCAR team owned by three-time Winston Cup champion Darrell Waltrip. It was formed in 1991 when Waltrip resigned from Hendrick Motorsports to start his own team, and was originally named DarWal, Inc.. During the 1970s, Waltrip, like many drivers of the time, formed their own teams for racing, in lower levels, originally DarWal, Inc, was his personal licensing agent and operator for many short-track cars he would race at many circuits on non-Cup weekends or special events, and eventually went to Busch Series racing. In 1991, the racing team moved up to the Cup level, with Hendrick support, but he divested himself of Busch operations at the end of the 1993 season. Sold the Busch team to Hank Parker in 1994.

Waltrip has also run part-time with his team, with his final NASCAR Truck Series race coming at Martinsville Speedway, where he finished 12th.

NASCAR Winston Cup

DWM debuted at the 1991 Daytona 500 as car No. 17 with sponsorship from Western Auto. (The car number and numbering style were a carryover from Waltrip's days as a driver for Hendrick Motorsports.) Waltrip led at one point during the event, but finished 24th following an accident late in the race. Waltrip won five races over the next two years, with his final top-10 points finish coming in 1994. After that, the pressure of being an owner/driver started to crash down on Waltrip, and his performance declined. After Western Auto was renamed to Parts America, they planned on leaving the team, but stayed on for another year before leaving after 1997. That same year, Waltrip failed to qualify for his first race in 23 years since the 1974 Winston 500 at the fall race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. In addition, DWM briefly expanded to two cars, when Rich Bickle finished 34th at that year's Brickyard 400 the No. 26 Kentucky Fried Chicken Chevy also fielded by DWM, as well as Waltrip running special paint schemes to commemorate his 25th year in the sport.

For 1998, Waltrip agreed to terms with concrete company Speedblock to replace Western Auto as his primary sponsor. However, Speedblock never paid Waltrip and he was not getting enough money from secondary sponsors Builders Square and Hechinger to justify keeping his team open. After the spring Darlington race, where he ran an unsponsored car with a paint scheme honoring terminally ill NASCAR legend Tim Flock, Waltrip agreed to sell his team to Tim Beverley and became an injury substitute for Steve Park for Dale Earnhardt, Inc.. Beverley would put the team on hiatus after buying it; after he later purchased the assets of ISM Racing's NASCAR operation that same season, he merged his two acquisitions into one and brought Waltrip back to drive for what was now Tyler Jet Motorsports, in what had originally been ISM Racing's #35 Pontiac sponsored by Tabasco. Waltrip finished out the season in the #35.

In 2007, Darrell Waltrip admitted that he failed as an owner-driver because he thought more like a driver and not like an owner.

Car No. 17 results Year Driver No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 Owners Pts 1972 Darrell Waltrip 95 Mercury RSD DAY RCH ONT CAR ATL BRI DAR NWS MAR TAL38 CLT DOV MCH RSD TWS DAY BRI TRN ATL8 TAL27 MCH NSV3 DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT6 CAR TWS 1973 RSD DAY12 RCH CAR6 BRI30 ATL33 NWS DAR24 MAR TAL31 NSV24 CLT7 DOV TWS2 RSD MCH DAY25 BRI ATL31 TAL7 Chevy NSV24 DAR RCH DOV20 NWS MAR CLT CAR 1974 RSD DAY7 RCH CAR25 BRI ATL7 DAR9 NWS MAR TALDNQ NSV3 DOV20 CLT4 RSD MCH DAY24 BRI NSV3 ATL4 POC TAL44 MCH DAR2 RCH DOV35 NWS MAR CLT3 CAR5 ONT6 1975 17 RSD DAY26 RCH15 CAR21 BRI6 ATL5 NWS7 DAR2 MAR2 TAL4 NSV1 DOV22 CLT4 RSD21 MCH5 DAY4 NSV28 POC34 TAL MCH DAR DOV NWS MAR CLT RCH CAR BRI ATL ONT 1991 DAY24 RCH7 CAR9 ATL9 DAR25 BRI6 NWS1 MAR3 TAL2 CLT8 DOV7 SON25 POC1 MCH7 DAY32 POC29 TAL15 GLN6 MCH32 BRI8 DAR24 RCH7 DOV19 MAR15 NWS20 CLT9 CAR32 PHO2 ATL10 1992 DAY26 CAR10 RCH5 ATL39 DAR24 BRI25 NWS15 MAR3 TAL29 CLT38 DOV5* SON8 POC13 MCH2 DAY13 POC1 TAL23 GLN12 MCH2 BRI1* DAR1 RCH3 DOV20 MAR15 NWS9 CLT34 CAR22 PHO3 ATL23 1993 DAY18 CAR30 RCH8 ATL35 DAR16 BRI6 NWS5 MAR4 TAL26 SON35 CLT11 DOV24 POC30 MCH19 DAY13 NHA19 POC10 TAL37 GLN14 MCH13 BRI29 DAR28 RCH7 DOV3 MAR18 NWS11 CLT19 CAR7 PHO7 ATL3 1994 DAY28 CAR23 RCH16 ATL3 DAR26 BRI15 NWS28 MAR4 TAL14 SON18 CLT30 DOV6 POC30 MCH10 DAY25 NHA23 POC28 TAL24 IND6 GLN7 MCH9 BRI4 DAR13 RCH10 DOV3 MAR10 NWS13 CLT9 CAR23 PHO10 ATL21 1995 DAY32 CAR38 RCH7 ATL34 DAR21 BRI3 NWS10 MAR4 TAL4 SON35 CLT18 DOV20 POC42 MCH26 DAY34 NHA17 POC36 TAL43 IND17 GLN8 MCH15 BRI4 DAR40 RCH22 DOV36 MAR8 NWS14 CLT34 CAR12 PHO38 ATL16 1996 DAY29 CAR16 RCH27 ATL32 DAR34 BRI26 NWS25 MAR16 TAL21 SON14 CLT13 DOV39 POC30 MCH25 DAY26 NHA37 POC40 TAL9 IND40 GLN18 MCH22 BRI11 DAR32 RCH22 DOV39 MAR23 NWS27 CLT42 CAR21 PHO10 ATL37 29th 2657 1997 DAY10 CAR32 RCH16 ATL16 DAR11 TEX43 BRI25 MAR9 SON5 TAL32 CLT21 DOV28 POC7 MCH24 CAL15 DAY14 NHA33 POC26 IND14 GLN18 MCH15 BRI42 DAR26 RCH32 NHA32 DOV32 MAR24 CLTDNQ TAL37 CAR29 PHO12 ATL40 25th 2961 1998 DAY33 CAR41 LVS35 ATL40 DAR30 BRI TEX MAR TAL CAL CLT DOV RCH MCH POC SON NHA POC IND GLN MCH BRI NHA DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT TAL DAY PHO CAR ATL 50th 278

Car No. 26 results Year Driver No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 Owners Pts 1997 Rich Bickle 26 Chevy DAY CAR RCH ATL DAR TEX BRI MAR SON TAL CLT DOV POC MCH CAL DAY NHA POC IND34 GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH NHA DOV MAR CLT TAL CAR PHO ATL 58th 61

Craftsman Trucks

In 1996, Waltrip began his own team in the Craftsman Truck Series team, hiring Bill Sedgwick to drive his No. 17 Sears/DieHard Chevy. Sedgwick collected eight top tens and finished 14th in points. In 1997, Rich Bickle drove the truck, winning three races and finishing second in points. After the season, Bickle resigned as he had hoped to run with Waltrip in the Cup series in 1998. Waltrip was about to run Phil Parsons in the truck, but after Sears pulled out, he shut the team down until 2003.

In 2003, Waltrip fielded his own truck, this time in partnership with brother Michael and HT Motorsports for a pair of Craftsman Truck races at Martinsville Speedway with the No. 17, the first with Tide (with the Tide with Bleach brand, intentionally reminiscent of his 1989 Daytona 500 win), and the second with the Aaron's promotion of The Three Stooges that ran in various series.

DWM became full-time in 2004 as one of the new works Toyota teams. NTN Bearings sponsored the truck for two seasons, driven by David Reutimann, who won the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Rookie of the Year award. The team expanded to a second team in 2005, purchasing the No. 12 truck piloted by Robert Huffman from Innovative Motorsports. Huffman was replaced during the season by Mike Wallace.

Joey Miller attempted to pilot the No. 12 truck full-time in 2006, but was released late in the season and the team finished with various drivers. Reutimann ended the season third in points and moved up to the NEXTEL Cup and Busch Series to drive for Waltrip's brother Michael Waltrip. The team became co-owned by Darrell and Michael Waltrip but kept the Darrell Waltrip Motorsports banner, as noted on the Waltrip Racing Web site.

As part of changes in 2007 with its move into Michael Waltrip's operations banner, the team became a one-truck team and the number was switched to No. 00 to maintain consistency with the rest of the Michael Waltrip Racing banner. A. J. Allmendinger drove the No. 00 for a few races to help in his NASCAR experience, with Aaron's as the sponsor, along with Red Bull for a few races early in the season. Michael Waltrip Racing put developmental drivers Josh Wise and Ken Butler III in the truck, while Justin Labonte also drove a few races for the team. After one last race with Michael McDowell the team sold off its truck equipment in October 2007 to legendary road racing team The Racer's Group.

Truck No. 00 results Year Driver No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Owners Pts 2007 A. J. Allmendinger 00 Toyota DAY15 CAL25 ATL27 MAR27 CLT2 DOV9 MCH32 BRI21 NHA34 23rd 2021 Josh Wise KAN17 TEX13 MLW29 KEN21 NSH19 GTW8 LVS6 TAL23 ATL35 TEX PHO HOM Ken Butler III MFD36 MEM33 Justin Labonte IRP27 MAR12

Truck No. 5 results Year Driver No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Owners Pts 1996 Darrell Waltrip 5 Chevy HOM PHO POR EVG TUS CNS HPT11 BRI NZH MLW LVL I70 IRP FLM GLN NSV RCH9 NHA MAR5 NWS10 SON MMR PHO LVS20

Truck No. 11 results Year Driver No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Owners Pts 2004 Darrell Waltrip 11 Toyota DAY ATL MAR24 MFD CLT DOV TEX MEM MLW KAN KEN GTY MCH IRP28 NSH BRI RCH NHA LVS CAL TEX MARDNQ PHO DAR HOM 58th 134 2005 DAY CAL ATL MARDNQ GTY MFD CLT DOV TEX 51st 125 Ken Schrader MCH29 MLW KAN KEN MEM IRP NSH BRI RCH NHA LVS MAR ATL TEX PHO HOM

Truck No. 12 results Year Driver No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Owners Pts 2005 Robert Huffman 12 Toyota DAY19 CAL9 ATL10 MAR19 GTY35 MFD33 CLT21 DOV35 TEX29 MCH19 MLW31 KAN18 KEN30 MEM31 22nd 2586 Mike Wallace IRP26 NSH18 BRI9 RCH6 NHA17 Joey Miller LVS15 ATL10 TEX25 PHO15 HOM13 Darrell Waltrip MAR13 2006 Joey Miller DAY33 CAL13 ATL36 MAR16 GTY29 CLT22 MFD5 DOV32 TEX30 MCH20 MLW23 KAN30 KEN13 MEM20 IRP NSH BRI19 NHA LVS TAL MAR ATL TEX PHO 34th 1541 Michael Waltrip HOM17

Truck No. 17 results Year Driver No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Owners Pts 1995 Darrell Waltrip 17 Chevy PHO TUS SGS MMR POR EVG I70 LVL BRI MLW CNS HPT IRP FLM RCH8 MAR35 NWS21 SON MMR PHO 1996 Bill Sedgwick HOM30 PHO18 POR4 EVG10 TUS6 CNS7 HPT10 BRI28 NZH28 MLW2 LVL17 I705 IRP30 FLM11 GLN14 NSV23 RCH21 NHA10 MAR34 NWS17 SON20 MMR29 PHO23 Ken Schrader LVS8 1997 Rich Bickle WDW3 TUS2 HOM11 PHO5 POR1* EVG1* I704 NHA20 TEX21 BRI2 NZH4 MLW3 LVL5 CNS5 HPT23 IRP10 FLM3 NSV6 GLN16 RCH4 MAR1* SON12 MMR5 CAL26 PHO18 LVS16 2nd 3737 2004 David Reutimann Toyota DAY9 ATL3 MAR8 MFD14 CLT36 DOV17 TEX3 MEM17 MLW32 KAN29 KEN9 GTW9 MCH24 IRP17 NSH9 BRI11 RCH30 NHA5 LVS17 CAL6 TEX30 MAR27 PHO21 DAR28 HOM4 15th 2904 2005 DAY12 CAL13 ATL24 MAR23 GTY24 MFD21 CLT17 DOV5 TEX10 MCH8 MLW23 KAN3 KEN3 MEM2 IRP11 NSH1 BRI29 RCH17 NHA33 LVS12 MAR34 ATL33 TEX5 PHO7 HOM36 14th 2979 2006 DAY9 CAL4 ATL5 MAR15 GTY3 CLT6 MFD9 DOV5 TEX4 MCH15 MLW5 KAN10 KEN12 MEM7 IRP34 NSH6 BRI10 NHA12 LVS6 TAL6 MAR18 ATL4 TEX7 PHO8 HOM8 4th 3530 2007 Michael McDowell DAY CAL ATL MAR KAN LOW MFD DOV TEX MCH MLW MEM KEN IRP NSH BRI GTW NHA LVS TAL MAR30 ATL TEX PHO HOM N/A -

See also Ginn Racing Michael Waltrip Racing

External links