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).

Since then, Waltrip has in place a sound Board of Directors and Executive Management Structure. Waltrip serves as Chairman of the Board, Robert Kauffman, Johnny Harris, Mike Malone and Phil Parsons are Board Members. The executive staff includes Cal Wells III appointed as Executive Vice President, Larry Johns Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Terry Bassett as Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer and Ty Norris Vice President and General Manager.

During the 2008 NSCS season, Waltrip's company proved to be light years ahead of its freshman season with its three teams intact. The proud owner watched as his teams grew in competiveness, led races, garnered strong finishes and earned coveted spots in the top-35 owner points by season's end.

Waltrip also continued to showcase his pride and joy, the No. 99 Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota Camry, which helped start it all. The team Waltrip cultivated brought home respectable finishes and finished in the top-10 (seventh-place) driver points standings with Reutimann during the 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series season.

In the 2009 NSCS season, MWR enjoyed its maiden trip to victory lane winning the Coca-Cola 600 at Lower's Motors Speedway in Concord, N.C., as well as form a technical alliance with JTG-Daugherty Racing and driver Marcos Ambrose who finished 18th in points. JTG's fields cars out of MWR's state-of-the-art facility in Cornelius, N.C.

Waltrip, a four-time NSCS winner, a 1996 All-Star Challenge winner and 11-time NNS winner plans a limited schedule in 2009 while Martin Truex Jr. and Crew Chief Pat Tryson join the MWR family giving the organization high expectations 2010 and beyond.