- Messages
- 15,262
- Reaction score
- 4,548
Changes in the Hollywood Hotel: Michael Waltrip joins the FOX NASCAR Sunday prerace team next season, taking a seat in the Hollywood Hotel alongside big brother Darrell and host Chris Myers. And in an innovative new role for Fox's NASCAR prerace show, veteran analyst Jeff Hammond takes his extensive experience as a former championship-winning crew chief to where the action is, in the garages and pit road. Both moves were announced today by FOX Sports Media Group President, Co-COO and Executive Producer, Eric Shanks. "Michael is simply one of NASCAR's most gregarious, genuine personalities, and we loved the dynamic between him and Darrell when we paired them up on occasion last season," said Shanks. "Michael has also been featured in numerous television commercials over the last decade, which makes him familiar to a much broader audience. I expect a lot of 'gotta see' TV coming out of an all-Waltrip Hollywood Hotel next season." In addition to his FOX NASCAR SUNDAY prerace work, the younger Michael also contributes analysis and updates in-race as time permits. Michael Waltrip adds NASCAR on FOX to on-air positions that already include FOX's sister network SPEED and Showtime's "Inside NASCAR." Waltrip is a co-owner of Michael Waltrip Racing, the first full-time three-car team to field Toyota Camrys when Toyota entered the Sprint Cup racing in 2007. Currently, MWR features Sprint Cup drivers David Reutimann (#00) and Martin Truex Jr. (#56). Waltrip made his NASCAR Sprint Cup series debut in 1985 at the Coca-Cola 600 and is a two-time Daytona 500 Champion (2001, 2003). His first book, "In the Blink of an Eye," marking the 10th anniversary of his 2001 Daytona 500 victory, was released in February 2011, and spent 11 weeks on the New York Times Best Seller list.
Shifting to Hammond, the plan is to use his extensive experience as a former NASCAR crew chief to work the pavement and mine the grease pits for the latest news and go wherever big stories develop all race-day long. Having a former crew chief serve in this role is a first for network television's NASCAR coverage. Hammond has been a member of the NASCAR on FOX broadcast team since 2001 the network's first covering the sport. In 1982, he became a NASCAR Cup crew chief, working for Darrell Waltrip at the pinnacle of the legendary driver's career. Together, they saw Victory Lane an impressive 43 times, including Waltrip's memorable Daytona 500 victory in 1989. Hammond, known as a methodical strategist, was Waltrip's pit boss in two of his three NASCAR Championship seasons (1982 and 1985). In total, he has 508 NASCAR Cup races on his crew chief resume, while his television credits also includes work for FX, ESPN, Turner and TNN.(FOX)(9-29-2011)
Sad to see Jeff Hammond leaving the Hollywood hotel I thought it was great to have him in there with Darrell but it will be cool to have Michael Waltrip in! At least Jeff will be staying on FOX!
Shifting to Hammond, the plan is to use his extensive experience as a former NASCAR crew chief to work the pavement and mine the grease pits for the latest news and go wherever big stories develop all race-day long. Having a former crew chief serve in this role is a first for network television's NASCAR coverage. Hammond has been a member of the NASCAR on FOX broadcast team since 2001 the network's first covering the sport. In 1982, he became a NASCAR Cup crew chief, working for Darrell Waltrip at the pinnacle of the legendary driver's career. Together, they saw Victory Lane an impressive 43 times, including Waltrip's memorable Daytona 500 victory in 1989. Hammond, known as a methodical strategist, was Waltrip's pit boss in two of his three NASCAR Championship seasons (1982 and 1985). In total, he has 508 NASCAR Cup races on his crew chief resume, while his television credits also includes work for FX, ESPN, Turner and TNN.(FOX)(9-29-2011)
Sad to see Jeff Hammond leaving the Hollywood hotel I thought it was great to have him in there with Darrell but it will be cool to have Michael Waltrip in! At least Jeff will be staying on FOX!
