Michael Waltrip Quotes

Author Image

Michael Waltrip

Profession : Driver

Birth : April 30, 1963

You know, it's funny: Over my career, I didn't win as much as I hoped, but I can look like Flavor Flav if I want to put on all my rings that I've won for different reasons.

Michael Waltrip

I love the sport, I love getting other drivers' helmets and collecting some of the things that are special to me.

Michael Waltrip

It takes a good car for anybody to be good, but it takes a good car and a special driver to achieve greatness.

Michael Waltrip

I think people - especially folks who haven't seen a lot of NASCAR - they get this idea that we're just going around in circles. And that's so far from the truth. You're running as hard as you can to get all you can every lap.

Michael Waltrip

It's my opinion tracks got too wide. You put 43 cars on the track, and if the turns are too wide like they are at some tracks, you sort of lose perspective of what's going on.

Michael Waltrip

I would probably build somewhere between a half-mile and three-quarter-mile track. It would be sort of like Indianapolis Raceway Park. When I was a kid, that was my favorite track.

Michael Waltrip

They say some people are born with the ability to play golf. I wasn't.

Michael Waltrip

I love when architects build a golf course that compliments the landscape rather than intrudes upon it.

Michael Waltrip

I really love the camaraderie you can share amongst some buddies, and the ability to laugh, enjoy the afternoon, enjoy the day. Golf brings all of that together and that's something I really enjoy.

Michael Waltrip

People that know me know I take stuff personally.

Michael Waltrip

I don't know anyone who's started more consecutive Daytona 500s than me.

Michael Waltrip

Physically helping me with advice and direction and a job was Richard Petty. He did a lot for me at a young age, when I needed help and direction.

Michael Waltrip

I love Daytona and Talladega. I'd like to think maybe I could quit one day running all the races and just run a few that I like.

Michael Waltrip

I just don't think human beings are designed to have that big of a swing of emotions. I mean, I'm standing in Victory Lane literally seconds after Dale Earnhardt died. Dale Earnhardt was not only my car owner that day, my first victory in 463 tries, but he was my dear friend, too.

Michael Waltrip

Well, when you think of Dale Earnhardt, you think of determination. You think of grit. Just a blue-collar, working-class guy that got out there and fought for the checkered flag and fought hard for it. And I got so much out of him. He inspired me.

Michael Waltrip

Well, my favorite memory of a president was in 1984. I was in the grandstands at Daytona, and maybe I was 20 years old. So just sort of down in Daytona, having a good time for the 500 - or for the 400 in July. And Air Force One lands on the back straightaway. It was President Reagan.

Michael Waltrip

And Dale Jr., Dale's son, and Dale and I all raced to the checkered - were racing toward the checkered, which would have been the greatest race in NASCAR history, I'm convinced of it, had we have made it that last quarter of a mile. But instead it became the worst race in NASCAR history when Dale crashed and died on turn four.

Michael Waltrip

The drivability of an engine is a big part of the setup on a road course. If you can't squeeze the gas down you can't go anywhere.

Michael Waltrip

I try to motivate and inspire people by showing them how much I love this sport and love this organization.

Michael Waltrip

I built my team with Dale in mind. He lives with me. He's part of who I am because I just appreciated who he was and how he went about things. People worked on his cars at Dale Earnhardt Incorporated before I got there. When Dale would walk by you could just tell people were thinking, 'these are Dale Earnhardt's cars.'

Michael Waltrip