Trevor Bayne Daytona Nationwide Preview

CORNELIUS, N.C. — Trevor Bayne will make his first career start at the famed Daytona International Speedway in the Camping World 300 on Saturday. The 18-year-old driver has never raced on a track bigger than two-miles and knows he has something to prove to his team, competitors and fans. Additionally, the newly-formed Diamond-Waltrip Racing will make its NASCAR Nationwide Series debut this weekend.

QUOTES

BAYNE ON DAYTONA: “Daytona is a place where every kid dreams of racing. It’s going to be a different experience for me. I know I have a lot to learn when I get on the track Wednesday. I think the biggest thing I am going to have to work on is drafting. I plan to get behind some of the veterans and learn from them. My main goal is to survive. If I have to push someone across the line and finish second instead of wrecking that will be fine with me.”

BAYNE ON 2010: “Our ultimate goal is to win the NNS championship for Diamond-Waltrip Racing. I would also love to grab a win or two in the first handful of races. My other goal is to gain the respect of my competitors. I want them to know that I’m going to race them like they race me. I want them to respect the No. 99 machine when they are racing around me. I also want the NNS garage to know we are a force to be reckoned with this year and we plan to be racing for a win in the final laps of every race.”

CO-OWNER MICHAEL WALTRIP ON BAYNE: “Trevor has been fun. He just got in the car last year and started running up front. He kind of reminds me of when Martin (Truex Jr.) jumped onto the scene. His youthfulness, enthusiasm and willingness to listen and learn brings a special spark to this team. He wants to know what he is suppose to do in each situation. He wants the respect of his competitors.

“Also, for being 18-years-old he is respectful and appreciates what we’re doing for him. He has the respect for the sport and life in general which shows a whole lot for the way he was raised. I think his mom and dad should be very proud of him. We’re also very proud to be associated with him and we think he’s capable of competing for a win every weekend.”

ADDITIONAL NOTES OF INTEREST

· Bayne will make his 16th NNS start this weekend at DIS. He has a seventh-place finish at Indianapolis Raceway Park (IRP) and at Richmond International Speedway to call a career-best.

· Last season, the Knoxville, Tenn., native had an impressive 10.1 starting average. The young phenom only started two of his 15 races outside the top 12. He grabbed his first career NNS pole position at IRP in only his seventh career start.

· The 18-year-old driver’s only experience on a superspeedway came last season when he tested the new NNS car at Talladega Superspeedway. The Knoxville, Tenn., native was one of eight drivers to participate in this test. The majority of the time the teams worked on single-car runs, but Bayne was able to get in a little drafting practice during the end of the test session.

· Sirius XM listeners can tune into channel 128 every Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. to hear Bayne’s weekly visit on Sirius Speedway with Mike Bagley and Pete Pistone throughout the 2010 season.

Media Day Quotes - TREVOR BAYNE, No. 99 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry, Diamond-Waltrip Racing

Are you excited to start your season?

“We couldn’t be happier to be here in Daytona. We’re a little bit nervous, I’ve never been to Daytona before so we have a whole new learning game in front of us. I think we can do it. It’s going to be good to get out here and do some drafting and learn this new ball game. This is the kind of racing that I’ve always looked forward to doing and just haven’t had the opportunity to do it because of my age. Now that I’m 18, I can finally race here at Daytona and we’re really excited.”

Does the ability to show your personality give you an advantage in this sport?

“You have to be so well-rounded in this sport. I still have things to work on, but fortunately I’ve been able to speak a little bit and drive too -- so that’s been good for us. It’s not just driving anymore. You see these drivers that are all out running eight miles a day like Jimmie Johnson, getting in shape and they’re working in front of a camera. You have to be well- rounded in this sport for sure.”

Do you worry about your personality changing as you progress in NASCAR?

“It’s something you have to keep in check. It’s definitely easy to fall into that hole, being in Mooresville (N.C.), that’s ‘Race City’ so that’s all you see all the time is racing, racing, racing. I love to go back home to Knoxville (Tenn.) and keep grounded. Actually, I got baptized this off-season and I think that was something that I was really looking forward to and finally got that done and got the weight off my shoulders. You have to stay grounded and keep the same person that you are. It’s easy to be in that cookie-cutter mold, but I think different people are what make this sport. When you look at Motocross or anything like that, they’re not all the same dudes getting off the dirt bike and we don’t want to be all the same person getting out of that race car. I think NASCAR has something to offer for everybody -- there’s a driver for everybody out there, for sure.”

How competitive is the Nationwide Series?

“I think your top-15 (teams) in the Nationwide Series are really, really stout. Whether it’s Nationwide drivers or Cup drivers because of the team support that they have. Those cars are so good -- you’ve got Joe Gibbs, Penske, Paul Menard is running full-time this year -- you’ve got some really good teams and hopefully we can be grouped into that category with Diamond-Waltrip Racing. Hopefully, we can be one of those teams that they know they have to watch out for each and every weekend. That’s our goal is to be a top-five team. I think we have the resources and the capability, now we just have to do it and try to get better every weekend. By the end of the year I would like to say that we are a top-three team every week. I think going into the season we may be top-10. It’s kind of hard to say because we changed so much in the off- season with engineers and tire guys -- we tried to make the best group that we possibly could. Jerry Baxter is still the crew chief on the car and I’m still the driver. Hopefully, we can keep working together like we did last year and just get better every race.”

What is it like to work for Michael Waltrip?

“He’s a great guy and he’s really good with sponsors and that’s really important in this day and time. That’s something I want to learn from him every week -- how to keep these sponsors happy and he definitely knows that. Michael Waltrip Racing had 100 percent renewal this season -- they brought back every single sponsor they had last year and that’s huge. I’ve never seen an owner more dedicated. He’s in the shop almost every single day. He works out with the drivers because he still has that mentality of a driver and I think that’s going to make him a really successful owner.”

Can you finish in the top-five in points?

“That’s our goal. We talked about it and Jerry (Baxter, crew chief) did an interview and he called me to tell me that he told them what our expectations were and that I needed to tell them the same. We both said top-five without even talking. In our minds, that was our goal. If you look at some of the teams that ran up there this year, I definitely think we’re on par with them, if not a little better. I think we can be up in the top-five by the end of the season.”

AARON’S, INC. ADDS SIX ADDITIONAL NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES

ATLANTA (Jan. 20, 2010) – Aaron’s, Inc. announced today it will add six more Sprint Cup races, plus the Sprint All-Star Race to its 2010 schedule. The additional races increase Aaron’s total to 24 races as the primary sponsor of the Michael Waltrip Racing No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine driven by David Reutimann.

The six additional point races coming in the first half of the season include: Auto Club Speedway, Dover International Speedway, Pocono Raceway, Michigan International Speedway, Infineon Raceway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

“We are pleased that Aaron’s expanded our involvement with David and the No. 00 team this season,” said Robin Loudermilk, Chief Executive Officer for Aaron’s, Inc. “We have developed an excellent relationship with David, Michael Waltrip and this organization over the years and they have continued to delivere solid results for Aaron’s. Adding these six races reinforces our commitment to this team and confidence in this sport. We look forward to another exciting year on the track.”

Reutimann said solid sponsorship is one of the most important ingredients to success in 2010.

“I feel like a Lucky Dog every time I get to work with the folks at Aaron’s,” said Reutimann. “They’re a great group of people and we have an amazing relationship that continues to grow. I take a lot of pride in my relationship with Aaron’s and I am excited to have Aaron’s and Lucky Dog on board for six more races. Michael introduced me to Aaron’s and into the MWR organization and I’m very thankful for all the people that support me. In 2010 we plan to reward that support.”

“I'm so lucky to have great partners like Aaron’s. We asked them to step up and they did again!,” said team co-owner Michael Waltrip. “We've been fortunate to win races with them over the years. Aaron’s business has grown exponentially since we joined forces in 2000. We couldn’t be prouder of their continued support of our organization and look forward to the relationship for years to come.”

Aaron’s is in the second year of a three-year Sprint Cup sponsorship agreement with Reutimann and MWR after serving as the team’s Nationwide sponsor since 2000.

In addition to Reutimann’s 24 Sprint Cup races, Aaron’s plans to sponsor nine races on the No. 99 Toyota for newly-formed Diamond-Waltrip Racing and 18-year-old Trevor Bayne in the Nationwide Series. Aaron’s will also sponsor Waltrip’s return to the Nationwide Series at the Aaron’s 312 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 24.

About Aaron’s, Inc.
Aaron’s, Inc. (NYSE: AAN), the nation’s leader in the sales and lease ownership and specialty retailing of residential and office furniture, consumer electronics, home appliances and accessories, has more than 1,695 Company-operated and franchised stores in 48 states and Canada. Founded in 1955 by entrepreneur R. Charles Loudermilk, Sr. and headquartered in Atlanta, Aaron’s has been publicly traded since 1982. For more information, visit www.aaronsinc.com.

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NASCAR TO REPRESENT MICHAEL WALTRIP RACING LICENSING BUSINESS

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Jan. 13, 2010) – NASCAR and Michael Waltrip Racing announced today a new partnership in which NASCAR will become the sole licensing representative for the race team. The agreement includes all driver marks within the Michael Waltrip Racing team, including David Reutimann, Martin Truex Jr., Michael Waltrip, as well as young future stars Trevor Bayne and Ryan Truex.

With this agreement, NASCAR’s licensing business, headquartered out of Charlotte, N.C. at the NASCAR Hall of Fame, will utilize its assets to grow the licensed product business and provide retailers with new and more comprehensive product options for the MWR team, including track merchandise opportunities, e-commerce channels and national retail outlets.

“The depth of NASCAR’s licensing group is only matched by its collective experience,” said Ty Norris, Vice President and General Manager of Michael Waltrip Racing. “The licensing and merchandising world is dramatically changing for teams and drivers, and this partnership has positioned MWR properly for the future. Our on-track success has led to off-track demand. This strategic move will increase the offerings and value to our fans.”
NASCAR will also provide retail development, new business, marketing, public relations and media assets in expanding the licensed product portfolio that includes apparel, collectibles, novelty, gifts, headwear and other non-traditional licensing concepts.

“NASCAR is very pleased to have the opportunity to work with Michael Waltrip Racing. We feel confident that we can leverage our resources to provide them with a comprehensive solution that addresses all of their licensing needs, including a complete merchandise and retail strategy, as well as additional exposure for their team and sponsors,” said Blake Davidson, managing director of licensed products for NASCAR. “There is a ton of opportunity with Michael Waltrip Racing in 2010, especially given Michael’s historic career and their strong driver pool of David, Martin, Trevor and Ryan.”

About NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for one of North America’s premier sports. NASCAR is the No. 1 spectator sport – holding 17 of the top 20 highest attended sporting events in the U.S. and is the No. 2 rated regular season sport on television. NASCAR races are broadcast in more than 150 countries and 20 languages. NASCAR fans are the most brand loyal in all of sports, and as a result more Fortune 500 companies participate in NASCAR than any other sport.

NASCAR consists of three national series (the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series,) four regional series, and one local grassroots series, as well as two international series. Also, part of NASCAR is Grand-Am Road Racing, known for its competition on road courses with multiple classes of cars. NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races at 100 tracks in more than 30 U.S states, Canada and Mexico. Based in Daytona Beach (Fla.), NASCAR has offices in New York, Los Angeles, Charlotte (N.C.), Concord (N.C.), Bentonville (Ark.), Mexico City and Toronto.

About Michael Waltrip Racing From its 140,000-square-foot shop in Cornelius, N.C., Michael Waltrip Racing fields Toyota Camrys in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for Waltrip, David Reutimann and Martin Truex Jr. as well as a NASCAR Nationwide entry for Trevor Bayne and a Camping World East Series entry for Ryan Truex. The team also maintains JTG-Daugherty’s No. 47 Toyota Camry driven by Marcos Ambrose. MWR began more than a decade ago as a modest family-owned NASCAR Nationwide Series team in Sherrills Ford, N.C. and has posted five NASCAR Nationwide victories. In 2007, MWR served as a flagship team for Toyota Racing Development, USA’s entry into both NASCAR Sprint Cup and NASCAR Nationwide competition. Reutimann earned MWR its first NASCAR Sprint Cup victory in May 2009 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. MWR announced the formation of Diamond-Waltrip Racing with majority owners Gary and Blake Bechtel for the 2010 season. The NASCAR Nationwide team will help develop young drivers for MWR’s Cup effort.

Michael Waltrip Racing Wraps Two-Day Test with Salo and Trulli

Michael Waltrip Racing officials were pleased with the outcome of a two-day test with Formula One drivers Jarno Trulli and Mika Salo behind the wheel of the No. 55 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota at New Smyrna Speedway in New Smyrna, Florida.

"Both Jarno and Mika have done really well," said Steve Hallam, Executive Vice President of Competition for Michael Waltrip Racing and a 27-year Formula One veteran. “They have both delivered competitive lap times. They bring a different perspective to our ears. We are able to hear about the cars in a different way. Also, Trevor (Bayne) being here is very useful because he is articulate and able to relate their experiences to reality. It has been a really positive test and has brought good value to us."

"They wanted to test our NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota and see what our sport is all about," Waltrip said. "They did an outstanding job and were turning some pretty quick times. We were just as serious about this two-day test as they were. We brought down an entire crew. Toyota, our team and engineers fully supported this effort. We were 100% committed to giving it our all just like we would at any of our tests.”

On Tuesday, Diamond-Waltrip NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Trevor Bayne climbed into the No. 55 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota seat to shake down the car before Salo took to the wheel for the first time during his one day of testing. For over two years, Salo searched for an opportunity to test a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car. Ironically, Salo knew MWR co-owner Rob Kauffman for a little over a year, but what he did not know was that he co-owned multiple NASCAR teams until recently.

“Thanks to Rob, I was able to test a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car for the first time in my life,” said Salo, who turned 208 laps in the No. 55 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota. “I was very comfortable out there and had a lot of fun. I was quick and I know that if I had today to test, I would be a lot quicker. Now, I want to have 42 other cars around me and see what it is really like.”

“I have never raced on an oval before and New Smyrna is a good place to do my first run,” Salo said. “I would be scared if we were at a high speed circuit. I was just trying to get the feel of the car with the changes they were making. At the beginning, I was running to get comfortable. The car is a lot heavier and has a lot of power. I was comfortable in the car and that’s basically what I wanted. They made different changes. They changed springs, bars and so forth. We tried different things so I could understand what everything does.”

As Salo tested, Trulli observed. Midday the two were surprised when they had a visit from one of the locals - - Mark Martin.

“All of a sudden, Mark Martin was here at New Smyrna,” Salo said. “He sat down in front of me and I listened. I learned some things from him during his time here. I also learned some things from Michael, David (Reutimann) and Marcos (Ambrose) when I attended the race at Phoenix International Raceway.”

Trulli turned his first laps Wednesday morning. Climbing out of the car for the first time he said he was shocked by the differences between Formula One and NASCAR.

"In the beginning, it was a big shock for me," said Trulli, who turned nearly 300 laps today. "It was the first time in my life I was leaving pit road in a closed cockpit. I needed to get used to that feeling of not having my head out. I'm used to being in a stiff car on the ground. The Cup car moves around a lot. It requires skill, feeling and understanding. There are so many different factors and you need to be a smart person to be aware of what is happening around you."

By the one hour lunch break, Trulli had a better feel for the NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry.

"Running here at New Smyrna is easy and very exciting, but racing here might be difficult," Trulli said. "It would take a lot of experience. I prefer a high speed circuit, but at least I have a taste and know the feeling. Today, was important for me to understand what I have to do to get better. In driving the car, I must understand the car. I have to trust it. The center and exit of the corner are important. Braking is crucial here."

Trulli is thankful to MWR and Toyota for the opportunity and admitted his interest was sparked when Juan Pablo Montoya made his move to NASCAR.

"I didn't know about NASCAR until Juan Pablo Montoya made his move," Trulli said. "The world has changed and everyone is looking at different Series. I haven't signed with anyone yet and I've talked to teams. My door is open right now."

MWR benefited just as much from the test as did Salo and Trulli.

"We have two enormously talented drivers that showed interest in trying NASCAR," said Ty Norris, Vice President and General Manager for Michael Waltrip Racing. "MWR wanted to participate because we are always interested in recruiting talent and we have a great desire to expand to a fourth NASCAR Sprint Cup team in the near future. We know the talent pool currently racing in NASCAR, so it is of great interest to us to evaluate talent from other racing disciplines. It just adds another international element to our organization.”

Bayne, Aaron’s Racing Team Take Top-15 Finish at Phoenix

Event/Date: Able Body Labor 200/Nov. 14, 2009

Venue: Phoenix International Raceway – Avondale, Ariz.

Starting Position: 37^th

Finishing Position: 15^th

Avondale, Ariz. (Nov. 14, 2009) – Trevor Bayne and the No. 99 Aaron’s team overcame a poor qualifying effort to finish 15^th in the Able Body Labor 250 at Phoenix International Raceway.

While the end result just missed the mark in terms of expectations, the 15^th-place effort earned the Knoxville, Tenn., native his seventh top-15 finish in only 15 starts.

On Saturday morning, Bayne announced he would drive the No. 99 NASCAR Nationwide Series Toyota fulltime in 2010 for the newly-formed Diamond-Waltrip Racing.

The good news off the track didn’t transform to good news on the track when Bayne struggled in qualifying and started the 200-lap event 37^th. However, the young driver didn’t let the poor qualifying effort discourage him as he picked up nine spots before the first caution flag flew on lap seven.

He hit pit road two laps later for four fresh Goodyears, fuel and a minor chassis adjustment to help with the tight-handling conditions. The 18-year-old driver restarted 33 on lap 12.

Bayne began picking his competitors off one-by-one and by lap 37 he was listed in the 13^th spot. His forward progress came to a halt when tight-handling conditions returned to the No. 99 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota.

The second caution flag of the day flew on lap 77 for debris. Veteran crew chief Jerry Baxter summoned his driver to pit road for another round of adjustments to hopefully cure the tight-handling conditions. A solid pit stop by the over-the-wall crew allowed Bayne to restart 10^th on lap 83.

The rookie driver worked his way up to the ninth before the tight-handling conditions returned. Over the final 100 laps Bayne raced in and around the top 15. The young phenom crossed the finish line 15^th in his final start for 2009.

Carl Edwards grabbed his fifth NNS victory followed by Kevin Harvick, Reed Sorrenson, Clint Bowyer and Brad Keselowski.

Next weekend, NASCAR’s junior circuit will close out the 2009 season at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

ESPN2’s live coverage of the 300-lap event will begin Saturday, November 21 at 4 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The race will also be broadcast on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius XM Satellite Radio. Qualifying will air live the same day beginning at 11:30 a.m. EST on SPEED. MRN and Sirius XM Satellite Radio will also provide live updates of time trials.

TREVOR BAYNE QUOTE:

“We got to pass a lot of cars, that’s for sure. We started 37th after qualifying and going out first, that killed us. I love this race track. It’s one of the most fun places I’ve been just because you get to drive it. It’s not riding around holding the steering wheel. We had a pretty good car at the beginning. We followed the 18 (Kyle Busch) and the 29 (Clint Bowyer) all the way up through the field. Once we got to about 12th we leveled off with everybody. We kept trying to adjust it and made some good adjustments and we made some bad adjustments and unfortunately some bad adjustments were at the very end. We had to try something, we were maintaining where we were at and we needed to try moving forward. We just lost too much rear grip and fell back a couple extra spots. I think if we would have left it alone we could have stayed in the top 10, but you know you have to try stuff. You have to keep moving forward because you know everyone else is going to be. It was a good run, I guess. Good job in the pits. The car was halfway clean until about 20 (laps) to go and then they got in the right side of us in the wreck in turn four. It was a decent day and we learned a lot.”

Good Weekend for Waltrip at Phoenix Despite Being Caught Up In Wreck

AVONDALE, Ariz. – Michael Waltrip Racing had a prosperous weekend at Phoenix International Raceway. The organization announced contract extensions with Toyota and Best Western along with a multi-year partnership with Gary and Blake Bechtel that puts driver Trevor Bayne in the No. 99 Nationwide Series Toyota in 2010. The same held true for driver Michael Waltrip as his team had solid practice sessions and an 11^th-place starting spot for Sunday’s main event. His NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota was fast in the race but, a wreck on the restart on lap 119 ended the team’s chance for a top-15 finish. The two-time Daytona 500 champion was able to get back on track after repairs to finish in 36^th position.

“It was a great week for MWR (Michael Waltrip Racing),” said Waltrip. “We announced our Toyota extension and Best Western coming back to our team as a sponsor. I’m really proud of the effort our team put together, but disappointed in the end result, obviously.

“We lost power steering so we pitted twice during the caution to try and fix it. It put us midway in the pack. The guys in front of me messed up and got together. I slowed down and because I still didn’t have any power steering, I tried to turn right at the last second to miss the 96 (Erik Darnell), but I couldn’t turn. A couple guys passed me and it caused them to get in it. Ty, my spotter, said it wouldn’t have mattered if I had power steering or not. I was doomed. That’s what happens when you get caught in the back. It’s a shame, but the NAPA Toyota was strong.”

Martin Truex Jr., who will be driving the No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota next season, led the field to the green flag. Waltrip was in close pursuit during the first green-flag sequence. His only complaint was the right-side tires had too much air in them. Waltrip ran comfortably in the top 15 before making his first stop for four tires and fuel on lap 70.

Not long into the next run, Waltrip lost his power steering. It was a handful, but he persevered until the first caution of the day was thrown for debris. Crew chief Gene Nead brought Waltrip in for service on laps 116 and 117. The team put on four fresh tires and added fuel. The second stop saw the crew add power steering fluid. Waltrip returned to the track in 24^th position.

The race returned to green on lap 119, but the restart was anything but clean when Brad Keselowski was hit from behind. Waltrip had nowhere to go and was collected in the mess. The NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota sustained significant damage to the front of the car and was forced to go behind the wall for repairs. The NAPA team’s hard work enabled Waltrip to refire the engine on lap 171.

For the remainder of the race, the NAPA Toyota was on track going from 39^th to a 36^th-place finish.

As for Waltrip’s teammates, David Reutimann and Marcos Ambrose, their finishes reflected the type of car Waltrip had before his accident. They finished 10^th and 11^th, respectively,

Meanwhile, points leader Jimmie Johnson rebounded from last weekend’s crash to win his third victory of the season. His lead over teammate Mark Martin is 108 points heading into the final race of the season at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Following Johnson to the finish line to round out the top 10 were Jeff Burton, Denny Hamlin, Mark Martin, Martin Truex Jr., Kurt Busch, Clint Bowyer, Juan Pablo Montoya, Jeff Gordon and David Reutimann.

Next Sunday, it’s NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. It gets underway at 2:30 p.m. ET on ABC, MRN and Sirius XM Satellite Radio.