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Post by 221dayton on Aug 17, 2015 8:55:57 GMT -5
Sabates says no deal with Kaufman yet
Jay Pennell FOX Sports 8/16/15
When Rob Kauffman announced at the beginning of August he had purchased an interest in Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, many in the NASCAR community wondered what it meant for the future.
Kauffman is also a co-owner in Michael Waltrip Racing, but it was made clear the two organizations would operate separately throughout the rest of the year. As uncertainly and questions circulated in the weeks that followed, little information has come out about the details Kauffman's deal.
A source close to the situation indicated this weekend at Michigan International Speedway the deal between Kauffman and the Ganassi organization is far from done, something Felix Sabates confirmed to FOXSports.com Sunday morning.
"Basically we're talking. We don't have anything concrete," said Sabates. "We'd like to do something with (Kauffman), because I think he can add a lot to our team. We don't have anything signed."
With MWR running Toyotas and Ganassi running Chevrolets, Kauffman has a unique predicament on his hands. The source indicated MWR has already been cut off by Toyota in all areas, with the exception of providing motors.
Sabates could not speak to how Kauffman will handle the manufacturer situation, but said believes Kauffman eventually will have a decision to make.
"I don't think it will work for him to have both (Chevrolet and Toyota teams), but you never know," he said.
Sabates said the motivation for Ganassi's team regarding any possible moves is to make the team stronger, noting that "a three-car team is stronger than two cars."
Sabates said expanding to a three-car organization has no bearing on the on-going discussions with Kauffman, but the overall goal is to expand the team.
"Our goal is to expand either next year or the following year," he said.
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Post by 221dayton on Aug 19, 2015 9:05:23 GMT -5
ORGANIZATION WILL NOT FIELD FULL-TIME CARS IN 2016
MWR Press Release 8/19/15
CORNELIUS, N.C. - Michael Waltrip Racing and Clint Bowyer have mutually agreed to separate at the conclusion of the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup season.
Bowyer, currently 16th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase standings, will be free to pursue other career options in 2016 and beyond.
MWR will continue to field the No. 15 and No. 55 Toyotas for the remainder of the 2015 season. Kauffman said MWR will not field a full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup entry in 2016.
ROB KAUFFMAN:
“MWR will race hard and compete for the remainder of the 2015 season. This decision was made after weighing several different options and scenarios.
“I felt it was important to make an announcement as soon as we had clarity, so that is what we are doing today. I want to thank all of our staff, partners, sponsors and fans for all their effort and support over the years.
“Clint Bowyer has done a lot for MWR since joining us in 2012 and we appreciate the energy and effort he has given the organization. After many discussions, Clint and I agreed we would go our separate ways at the end of the season and I wish him well in whatever direction he pursues.”
CLINT BOWYER:
“I want to thank Michael, Rob and everyone at Michael Waltrip Racing that made these past four years special. After extensive discussions with Rob and MWR, we came to the point that we mutually agreed our paths in the future just didn’t align but I think we all agreed on the next steps in a very professional manner. I am looking forward to what future opportunities may come but for now we have a championship to pursue in 2015 and we owe it to every one of our sponsors, partners, employees and fans to deliver on and off the track.”
MICHAEL WALTRIP:
“Rob joined MWR in 2007 and has helped give us the resources to build a competitive race team, and in 2012, Clint Bowyer took us to the doorstep of a championship. From where MWR started behind my house in Sherrill’s Ford to winning Sprint Cup races, poles and earning Chase berths, I am proud of what we accomplished.
“My family has been a part of NASCAR for almost five decades and I plan on being a part of it for years to come. I would not have had the opportunity to start this journey without so many great partners, sponsors and employees and I want to thank each of them for making Michael Waltrip Racing a reality.”
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Post by 221dayton on Aug 19, 2015 9:24:41 GMT -5
MWR is Almost Gone
Tom Jenson FOX Sports 8/19/15
Michael Waltrip Racing’s run in NASCAR is all but over, with the team announcing Wednesday morning that it will not field a full-time car in 2016.
In addition, MWR driver Clint Bowyer has been granted a release from the team and is free to sign wherever he wants for next year. Bowyer and David Ragan, who is unsigned for 2016, will finish out the season at MWR.
“MWR will race hard and compete for the remainder of the 2015 season. This decision was made after weighing several different options and scenarios,” said MWR co-owner Rob Kauffman, who last month said he was buying a stake in Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates for next year.
“I felt it was important to make an announcement as soon as we had clarity, so that is what we are doing today,” said Kauffman in a statement issued by the team Wednesday morning. “I want to thank all of our staff, partners, sponsors and fans for all their effort and support over the years.”
Kauffman, an investment banker, joined MWR in the fall of 2007, the team’s first season. At the time, MWR was on the verge of going out of business and Kauffman’s infusion of cash and managerial expertise saved the team from an early collapse.
“Rob joined MWR in 2007 and has helped give us the resources to build a competitive race team, and in 2012, Clint Bowyer took us to the doorstep of a championship,” said Waltrip in a team statement. “From where MWR started behind my house in Sherrill’s Ford to winning Sprint Cup races, poles and earning Chase berths, I am proud of what we accomplished.
“My family has been a part of NASCAR for almost five decades and I plan on being a part of it for years to come. I would not have had the opportunity to start this journey without so many great partners, sponsors and employees and I want to thank each of them for making Michael Waltrip Racing a reality.”
Bowyer will surely be in demand as a driver and could follow Kauffman to the Ganassi organization. He finished second to Brad Keselowski in the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship, the team’s best season.
But a cheating scandal in the final regular-season race of 2013 was the start of a long downhill slide for MWR. Longtime MWR sponsor NAPA Auto Parts left soon after and the team downsized to two full-time cars for 2014.
Brian Vickers, who drove the team’s No. 55 was sidelined last year and again this year by ongoing health issues related to blood clots. Vickers gave the team its last victory at New Hampshire in 2013.
The team’s lack of on-track success in the last two years proved to be the final blow. MWR missed the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup last year and Bowyer is in 15th place this year.
In July 2013, FOXSports.com asked Waltrip just how important it is to have his cars qualify for the Chase for the Sprint Cup.
Waltrip, the founder and co-owner of Michael Waltrip Racing, was uncharacteristically blunt.
“Our business model doesn’t work without us making the Chase,” Waltrip said. “We invest in our cars and our team and we tell our sponsors that with the way we built our team, we’re going to make the Chase, we’re going to win races.”
Asked if the difference between making the Chase and missing it is in the millions of dollars per car, Waltrip told FOXSports.com, “I would say it’s safe to say that because of the purse and sponsor incentives, but more than that, it’s about survival. You have to be a Chase team if you want to be here for the long haul.”
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Post by 221dayton on Aug 19, 2015 11:51:16 GMT -5
Michael Waltrip on the breakup of MWR: 'It's a sad day'
Jared Turner FOX Sports 8/19/15
On the heels of Wednesday morning's news that Michael Waltrip Racing is parting ways with Clint Bowyer at season's end and won't field Sprint Cup Series teams in 2016, team co-owner and founder Michael Waltrip discussed the situation during FOX Sports 1's live telecast of Camping World Truck Series practice at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Waltrip, who works as an on-air FOX NASCAR analyst in addition to his role at MWR, founded the organization that bears his name in 2006.
The following year, MWR was introduced as one of three teams to lead Toyota's entry into the Sprint Cup Series where the organization today fields the full-time entries of Bowyer and David Ragan.
Fielding a question on-air from FOX Sports 1 Truck Series play-by-play announcer Adam Alexander, Waltrip was was candid about his emotions with regard to Wednesday's news.
"It's a sad day for MWR obviously," Waltrip said on the FOX Sports 1 telecast. "I love the culture we've built there. Our sponsors -- they're not sponsors; they're partners. And our employees are our teammates. We just have the perfect workplace, and unfortunately in 2016, we're not going to be racing there. My hope is somebody wants to have a really nice shop full of really cool people that work together well and want to have a race team and we can provide that for them."
MWR co-owner Rob Kauffman, who late last month confirmed he was buying a stake in Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, joined MWR in the fall of 2007. At the time, MWR was on the verge of going out of business and Kauffman, an investment banker, brought an infusion of cash and managerial expertise that kept the organization afloat.
"Rob is going to be a part of Chip Ganassi Racing going forward," Waltrip said on FS1. "Rob and I are best buddies. He's done an amazing job of stabilizing MWR in the beginning and then we raced for a championship -- finished second (with Bowyer) in 2012. So, my heart goes out to all the employees, all the people that worked at MWR. Hopefully, somebody wants to have a team and they can have it right there at our place."
"I'm thankful. I'm happy. It's a great run that we've had. We'll just see what's next."
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Post by 221dayton on Aug 20, 2015 8:42:06 GMT -5
Clint Bowyer in driver's seat despite MWR demise
Jeff Gluck USA TODAY Sports August 19, 2015
The impending demise of Michael Waltrip Racing was not entirely unexpected. Since the news last month that MWR owner Rob Kauffman was looking to buy into Chip Ganassi Racing, it seemed MWR would cease to exist in its current form in NASCAR's 2016 season.
But what was surprising is how the news impacted Clint Bowyer. MWR’s star driver was released from his contract one year early, which immediately makes him a free agent for next year and beyond.
That the two entities – MWR and Bowyer – were linked by Wednesday's announcement is sadly fitting. The Richmond race-fixing scandal they were both part of in 2013 sent the organization on a downward slide from which it could never fully recover.
One of them still has a bright future and that’s Bowyer. He can take loyal sponsor 5-Hour Energy to whatever team he wants and hopefully salvage something out of his once-promising career. He scored a career-best three wins and 23 top-10s in 2012, his first season with MWR and Toyota, but is winless since.
In a statement released Wednesday, 5-Hour Energy director of communications Melissa Skabich said: “5 Hour ENERGY has enjoyed a great relationship with Michael Waltrip Racing and Clint Bowyer since joining forces in 2012. MWR and Clint have delivered above and beyond with our partnership and we thank them for their dedication. Clint is a great ambassador for our products, customers and retailers. The MWR team and Clint will continue to remain focused on getting 5-hour ENERGY in the Chase. We will make no further comment until we are ready to announce our future plans.”
There are no positives for MWR or its employees, who officially learned Wednesday they’ll be looking for new jobs after this season. That’s with the exception of team founder Michael Waltrip, who still has his TV career with Fox Sports to fall back on.
Also in doubt: The future of No. 55 car sponsor Aaron’s, which passed on sticking with Chase Elliott when the young driver jumped into the Xfinity Series in order to sponsor Vickers. Aaron’s might have an opportunity to rejoin Elliott at Hendrick Motorsports.
But the biggest question is Bowyer, 36, who controls his future today as much as he did when he left Richard Childress Racing to join MWR. With no apparent openings at major teams for next season, Bowyer might need a placeholder ride for a year – much like Kasey Kahne when he drove for Red Bull Racing before joining Hendrick's four-car juggernaut.
After that, Bowyer would have more options. The garage has been buzzing for a few months about the possibility of Bowyer joining Stewart-Haas Racing, but to replace who?
Reigning Sprint Cup champion Kevin Harvick is locked in. Danica Patrick just signed a multi-year contract extension. And co-owner Tony Stewart said Tuesday that Kurt Busch’s extension will be done “soon.”
That could leave Stewart, who is struggling to be competitive and has his best years behind him at 44. Could Bowyer drive at SHR in 2017?
SHR spokesman Mike Arning told USA TODAY Sports the team wasn’t commenting “out of respect for the situation involving Michael Waltrip Racing and its personnel.”
“Our focus is on finishing 2015 strong and getting as many of our drivers into the Chase as possible,” Arning said.
In the meantime, it doesn’t sound like hooking up with Ganassi for one year is an option for Bowyer if Kauffman buys into the team, as the owner stated he planned to. Kauffman said he and Bowyer “agreed we would go our separate ways at the end of the season and I wish him well in whatever direction he pursues.”
Said Bowyer: “I am looking forward to what future opportunities may come but for now we have a championship to pursue in 2015 and we owe it to every one of our sponsors, partners, employees and fans to deliver on and off the track.”
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Post by searchers on Aug 21, 2015 13:13:12 GMT -5
The decision to leave Michael Waltrip Racing came down to two simple factors for team co-owner Rob Kauffman: Business and performance. Two days after MWR announced it would not field a full-time team in 2016, Kauffman told reporters on Friday at Bristol Motor Speedway that the organization would be "more or less ceasing operation" at the end of the season. While Kauffman contended he and fellow co-owner Michael Waltrip remain close friends, he made it clear the organization would not have continued without his help after joining the team in 2007. "Michael Waltrip Racing really wouldn't have existed through to today without a significant and continued financial support from me," said Kauffman. "I think that just from a business standpoint, that didn't make sense any longer. You can't have a top-10 budget and top-10 resources and not be in the top 10 for a sustained period of time. This is a performance-related business and it's all about performance. "It's a great sport, but a very difficult business model," he said. "From a business decision, it just made sense to not go forward with that organization because it just wasn't commercially viable." MWR was mired in controversy at the outset of the 2013 Chase for the Sprint Cup, when NASCAR determined the team manipulated the September Richmond race to get Martin Truex Jr. into the Chase by having Clint Bowyer spin to bring out a caution, and ordering Brian Vickers to pit road in the closing laps to give Truex another spot. The saga that followed that event saw NASCAR take Truex out of the Chase, with sponsor NAPA and Truex eventually leaving the team, which suffered a damaged reputation. While he did not say outright his decision to leave MWR was a direct result of Richmond, Kauffman indicated Friday that he believes the saga hurt the team in the long run. "Certainly that was a pretty heavy body-blow to the organization and caused a big restructuring," Kauffman said of the Richmond controversy. "2014 was, on some level, a large reset year both financially and competitively. I think as we got into the late spring -- April, May 2015 -- from a performance standpoint the company wasn't where it needed to be. That kind of forced some decisions and thought process over the summer, and that's kind of where we wound up today. At the end of the day, it's a competitive business, and that's where we are." Kauffman pointed out despite his comments and decision to leave MWR, he was voting with his "wallet as well as heart" to remain invested in NASCAR by investing in Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates next season. While Sabates told FOXSports.com last weekend at Michigan International Speedway there was no concrete deal between the Ganassi organization and Kauffman, it seems from Kauffman's comments on Friday that getting a deal done is little more than a formality. Kauffman indicated he was heavily involved in running the day-to-day operations of MWR, but will be able to step back and allow the Ganassi team to take care of those details. "I'm not really the best person to run a race team day-in and day-out, and I think one of the attractions of partnering with Chip is that he runs his business himself, he's a racer, he's at a race event almost every single weekend," Kauffman said. "That will free up some of my time to do a variety of different things." Also serving as the chairman of the Race Team Alliance (RTA), Kauffman said the group is making progress while working with NASCAR to create a more viable business model for owners in the sport. "I'm quite optimistic on the discussion with the folks at NASCAR regarding a variety of things around the sport -- the competition side, the long-term equity program are all initiatives well under way -- and we're working quite hard on those. I'm optimistic we'll make some good progress in the next couple of months." Kauffman said if he is the leader of the RTA and the organization is willing to "pull the plug on a team," it truly shows the difficulty teams face in trying to remain successful in NASCAR. "It's a very challenging model," said Kauffman. "At the same time I think it's on track to improve with the discussions we've had in the last year or so with the folks at NASCAR and the long-term equity program we've been discussing. It's a little bit complicated to figure out. Rome wasn't built in a day, so we're making progress. I'm optimistic that we'll come up with something that's better long-term. "Fundamentally, what drives this business is what drives all sporting-related businesses, and that's fans and popularity," he said. "I think with exciting racing, stands full, people talking about the sport is what really drives it, and all the rest of us are really just in the background." www.foxsports.com/nascar/story/rob-kauffman-speaks-michael-waltrip-racing-clint-bowyer-bristol-motor-speedway-082115
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Post by 221dayton on Aug 22, 2015 10:13:30 GMT -5
Michael Waltrip Racing to cease operations at season's end
Bob Pockrass ESPN 8/21/15
BRISTOL, Tenn. -- Rob Kauffman, an amateur racer who is a highly successful businessman, said Friday he had enough of pouring his own money into Michael Waltrip Racing without seeing results and announced that MWR would cease operations after this season.
While Clint Bowyer appears to be hanging on to make the Chase for the Sprint Cup, MWR has not won a race in more than two years and has only seven wins in the nine years it has been racing in Cup. Bowyer finished second in the standings in 2012 and seventh in 2013, but the organization has only nine top-5s since the start of 2014.
Kauffman, who saved MWR from closing in 2007 by purchasing half the team from Waltrip, announced Wednesday that the team would not field Sprint Cup cars in 2016.
"Michael Waltrip Racing wouldn't have existed through today without substantial and continued financial support from me," Kauffman said Friday before Sprint Cup practice at Bristol Motor Speedway. "From a business standpoint, that didn't make sense any longer. You can't have a top-10 budget and top-10 resources and not be in the top 10 for a sustained period of time.
"It's a performance-related business. It's all about performance. It's a great sport but a very difficult business model. From a business decision, it just made sense to not go forward with that organization, which is not commercially viable."
Kauffman said he would not say how much he has invested into the team since buying the team.
MWR expanded from two cars to three in 2012 when it added Bowyer, but that lasted only two years after Bowyer and MWR were embroiled in a race-manipulation scandal at Richmond in the final regular-season 2013 race.
Bowyer spun to bring out a late caution and teammate Brian Vickers entered pit road under green, allowing Martin Truex Jr. to earn enough points to make the Chase. NASCAR later docked all of MWR 50 points -- knocking Truex out of the Chase -- and fined MWR $300,000. Truex sponsor NAPA Auto Parts announced it would drop the MWR sponsorship a few weeks later, and MWR had to cut back to two teams.
MWR has not won a race since then.
"Certainly that was a pretty heavy body blow to our organization," Kauffman said. "It caused a big restructuring; 2014 was at some level a large reset year for everybody, also [on the] financial [side]. As we got into the late spring in 2015, from a performance standpoint, the company wasn't where it needed to be, and that kind of forced some decisions and thought processes over the summer."
Kauffman wouldn't say whether a three-car organization would have produced better results.
"My crystal ball, unfortunately, is not clear," Kauffman said. "In a parallel universe, I'm not sure what would have happened."
Bowyer, who was in his first year of a three-year extension, said he didn't believe the scandal could be blamed for the MWR demise. His car was virtually fully funded for next season, although MWR had not signed a deal for manufacturer support for next year nor sponsorship for its car currently driven by David Ragan and sponsored by Aaron's.
"It was two years ago," Bowyer said. "Since then, Rob and everybody in management has restructured, reorganized and we are a two-car team. We are not a three-car team. We're a two-car team, which by the way, was fully funded on my car moving forward.
"It was a business decision by Rob to do this. I am proud to work for MWR and work for Rob. I am happy for that experience."
Forbes estimated Kauffman's net worth at $1.8 billion in 2007, but he is no longer on the magazine's list of billionaires.
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Post by espnisgone on Aug 22, 2015 11:30:06 GMT -5
Michael Waltrip is a cheat and an embarrassment to Nascar. He acts like a woman and whether that is for real or just to hype the crowd, it makes Nascar look bad.
I am happy to see him loose his organization but with that it brings us more of him on FOX. Not good. FOX is bad enough already with his brother never shutting up.
What MWR did to Truex is a good example of how screwed up it is.
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Post by Yogisd1 on Aug 22, 2015 14:59:12 GMT -5
You were right. It does look like he just wanted to get away from Michael.
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Post by VAisforRacers on Aug 22, 2015 17:01:09 GMT -5
I think it is more than just Kauffman trying to escape Mikey. Toyota wants out from under MWR too. Not sure where I got this idea, maybe from a Yahoo story or comment after one. It was speculation about Toyota putting pressure in NASCAR to help Toyota get a championship and that is why JGR is doing so well. The threat being that Toyota could pull out of NASCAR. For sure they want out of MWR. I know tin foil hats and stuff but after all it is a Brian France operation.
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Post by chuck on Aug 27, 2015 23:54:46 GMT -5
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Post by 221dayton on Sept 3, 2015 17:46:24 GMT -5
Michael Waltrip Racing reports more than 200 employees will lose their jobs
Dustin Long NBC Sports 9/3/2015
Michael Waltrip Racing has filed paperwork with the state of North Carolina stating that 217 employees will lose their jobs with the team “ceasing operations.”
Employers with at least 100 full-time workers and planning a closure or mass layoffs are required to file a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification form with the state of North Carolina. Employers must provide 60 days advance notice of either a plant closing or mass layoffs.
In a letter to the North Carolina Department of Commerce, Michael Waltrip Racing’s layoffs will begin Nov. 1 and continue until April 15, 2016. The letter also states that MWR is “moving forward with an orderly liquidation of its assets, which is contemplated to be completed as of April 15, 2016. All employees have been notified of the reduction in force and ultimate closure.”
Michael Waltrip Racing announced last month that it will cease to field full-time entries in the Sprint Cup Series next season with news that co-owner Rob Kauffman has agreed to purchase minority interest in Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. Michael Waltrip Racing will continue to compete though the rest of this season. Twelve races remain.
Kauffman said at Bristol Motor Speedway that the team’s equipment will be sold after this season and that the shop’s “best use is as a housing development … instead of a race shop.
“Michael Waltrip Racing really wouldn’t have existed through today without substantial and continued financial support from me. I think just from a business standpoint that didn’t make sense any longer. You can’t have a top-10 budget and top-10 resources and not be in the top 10 for a sustained period of time.
“It’s a performance-related business. It’s a great sport, but a very difficult business model. From a business decision it just made sense to not go forward with that organization because it isn’t really commercially viable.’’
Clint Bowyer and David Ragan drive for Michael Waltrip Racing, while Brian Vickers is out indefinitely due to medical reasons. Bowyer is in the final spot to transfer to the Chase for the Sprint Cup with two races left before the 16-team field is set.
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Post by espnisgone on Sept 5, 2015 16:05:47 GMT -5
I think it is more than just Kauffman trying to escape Mikey. Toyota wants out from under MWR too. Not sure where I got this idea, maybe from a Yahoo story or comment after one. It was speculation about Toyota putting pressure in NASCAR to help Toyota get a championship and that is why JGR is doing so well. The threat being that Toyota could pull out of NASCAR. For sure they want out of MWR. I know tin foil hats and stuff but after all it is a Brian France operation. I guess everybody is out from under MWR.
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Post by 221dayton on Jan 9, 2016 11:05:36 GMT -5
MWR Shop advertised for sale-behind in taxes
Dustin Long NBC Sports 1/8/2016
A real estate company has posted signs at Michael Waltrip Racing proclaiming that the shop is “Available.”
A sign on the building and one near MWR’s signboard lists a phone number for inquiries with Lincoln Harris, a full-service real estate company based in Charlotte, North Carolina.
MWR officials announced last year that the NASCAR Sprint Cup team would cease after the 2015 season with co-owner Rob Kauffman leaving to become a co-owner with Chip Ganassi Racing. The team filed paperwork in September with the state of North Carolina that 217 employees would lose their jobs at MWR. The layoffs are scheduled to conclude by April 15.
The Cornelius, North Carolina, shop – located about 30 minutes from Charlotte Motor Speedway – features two buildings and sits on 11.479 acres. A sign proclaims the facility has more than 142,000 square foot.
No price is listed. NBC Sports’ calls to Lincoln Harris were not returned Friday.
The Mecklenburg County Assessor’s office lists the shop’s value as $12,807,200 – based on an assessment in 2011.
Public records show that the property had a tax bill last year of $137,909.73. That bill was due Sept. 1, 2015, but public records list it as delinquent and notes that interest began accruing Wednesday.
Waltrip converted a former movie theatre into his race shop and officially opened the facility to the public in May 2007. Michael Waltrip Racing won seven races, including the 2009 Coca-Cola 600 with David Reutimann, while housed there. The team’s final Cup victory came July 14, 2013, at New Hampshire Motor Speedway with Brian Vickers.
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Post by KelMump on Aug 28, 2019 3:09:47 GMT -5
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