| Michael Curtis Waltrip was born on April 30 in 1963 | | | | but did not perform as well over the next couple |
| in Owensboro, Kentucky and is the younger | | | | of years. |
| brother of Darrell Waltrip who is the retired | | | | In 1999 he managed to scrap through to the 29th |
| three-time NASCAR champion. By the time | | | | spot in points and went up two positions in points |
| Waltrip was eleven, he knew he wanted to be | | | | in the next year. In 2001, after he was brought |
| just like his older brother. He started go-karting in | | | | on board by Dale Earnhardt, Inc, he finally |
| Kentucky and traveled all the way to Indiana and | | | | managed to end his dry spell with his 2001 |
| Tennessee to compete. He won the mini-modified | | | | Daytona 500 win. He had another top ten finish in |
| championship at the Kentucky Motor Speedway. | | | | the Pepsi 400 and came in 24th overall. In 2002 |
| He was able to get himself a place on the | | | | he managed to repeat his career win but this |
| NASCAR Dash Series championship when he was | | | | time it was at the Pepsi 400 with a 14th position |
| just 20 years old. | | | | raise in points. |
| His debut involved the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte | | | | 2003 turned out one of his better years when he |
| while he finished at 20th and was 57th in points | | | | made a career-high win in two races with his |
| after five starts. A year later in 1986, he was | | | | second Daytona 500 win and was in the top-five |
| runner up for the Rookie of the Year honor with | | | | for most of the season. He hit another speed |
| 11th place finishes at Martinsville and Pocono. He | | | | bump in 2004 and went down to the 20th spot in |
| made his first career top-ten finish in the next | | | | points. In 2001, Waltrip started up his own team |
| season when he went back to Martinsville. He | | | | with his former team owner Jasper but he failed |
| made his debut in the Busch Series in 1988 while | | | | to qualify for the Coca-Cola 600. In 2007, Waltrip |
| driving for his older brother's time. He was lucky | | | | was involved in an accident in his Toyota Land |
| to get his first top-five finish in 1989. Lady luck | | | | Cruiser but he managed to win the pole at the |
| blessed him again when he won the Winston Open | | | | UAW-Ford 500 at Talladega Superspeedway even |
| in 1991 and got his first two career pole wins. An | | | | though he finished 25th after he was involved in a |
| accident however, stopped him from winning the | | | | crash. |
| Southern 500. He won the Winston again in 1996 | | | | |