Michael Waltrip Racing's photostream

Over a decade ago, Michael Waltrip established a modest family-owned NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) team in Sherrills Ford, N.C., called Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR). It was the first of many phases for Waltrip’s mission to become a full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series owner.

Waltrip won four of his 11 career NNS races with MWR. In 2004, he began entering cars in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) on a limited basis with select drivers while he also carried out his role as driver of the No. 15 NAPA AUTO PARTS entry for Dale Earnhardt, Inc.

That same year he watched as Toyota made a successful debut in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series winning four races and five poles in its first season. As Toyota Tundras stacked up wins in the division, Waltrip knew it was only a matter of time for the manufacturer to venture into the NNS and NSCS.

Waltrip courted Toyota, a move that would position his organization to align with the manufacturer in the very near future. In 2007 when TRD, U.S.A. (Toyota Racing Development) expanded its involvement into both series by providing engines and technical support, MWR became one of three full-time NSCS Toyota Camry operations. The opportunity opened the door to a lifelong dream for Waltrip to build a 140,000 sq. ft. shop to house his multi-car Toyota Camry teams while at the same time providing an interactive family destination for fans.

Partnering with TRD during their inaugural year in the NSCS along with longstanding relationships and new sponsor partnerships granted Waltrip the chance to fulfill his ownership aspiration at the pinnacle of the sport. Waltrip had the means to field a three-car team with the No. 55 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry, No. 44 and No. 00 Toyota Camrys. In addition, Waltrip’s No. 99 Aaron’s Dream Machine NASCAR Nationwide Series team joined the newly developed Toyota Camry camp and was a serious championship contender in its first year with the manufacturer finishing second overall in the championship driver point standings with David Reutimann.

As MWR’s founder and Chief Executive Officer, Waltrip quickly realized during his first season that he could not do it all alone. Waltrip set out in search of a partner who could help take his company to the next level. On October 12, 2007, during a press conference at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., Michael Waltrip introduced Robert Kauffman as an equal ownership partner in a newly formed company, Michael Waltrip Racing Holdings, LLC (MWRH).