European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 21, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday april 21 2007 stars and stripes Page 37 Waltrip remains upbeat despite miserable Start by Mike Harris the associated press av9ndale Ariz Michael Waltrip has been through Tough times before that is a big reason Why the two time Daytona 500 Winner is far from ready to throw in the Towel As his new team goes through something More than simple growing pains in Nastars Sextel cup series five done this a Long time and i lost a whole Bunch of races in a Row before i won one and there was always times during that part of my career where i would lose my Confidence Waltrip said thursday at Phoenix International raceway then i would do something Good and id say 1 can do this the been very very proud of my mental attitude toward what in faced with what he has been through so far this year is a cheating scandal an embarrassing personal Acci Dent and on track failures that might have crushed some firs year team owners in doing Well Waltrip said in Happy i love being a car owner i really do i want to make a difference i want to have this team succeed be cause Ive always envisioned it As being a team that was built As a race fan which is what i am for race fans and of yeah by the Way were going to have fast toy Otas too Waltrip looking a bit Haggard and a Little thinner than when the season began acknowledges he took on a huge task in jumping into cup with a three ear team in Toyota first year in the series asked if knowing what he knows now he would still go with three teams Waltrip said Heck yeah All the problems weve had we More or less brought on our selves we know that the Model in this garage area is four teams to be Able to spend effectively and be Able to compete against the team that have those types of re sources it Doest have anything to do with How Many teams we have it has to do with some of the turmoil and problems weve faced since we started this Endeavor Back in Daytona Wal trips team was caught cheating at Daytona resulting in a big Fine a Points loss and Crew chief David Hyder and team director Bobby Kennedy suspended indefinitely by Lascar then earlier this month an embarrassed Waltrip was charged with reckless driving and failing to report an Accident both misdemeanours Waltrip said he fell asleep at the wheel of Bis person Al car and woke up to find it Over turned in a ditch on the track Little has gone right for Michael Waltrip racing either Waltrip has not qualified for a race since the season opening Daytona 500 he missed again thursday at Phoenix qualifying 38th out of 50 Drivers and ninth out of 15 Drivers vying for eight spots in the 43car Field Rookie teammate David Reutimann did make it on time qualify ing 25th he has now made five of eight starting Fields but has yet to finish better than 33rd in a race the third Waltrip Driver Dale Jarrett has driven in All seven previous races and will Start sat urday night too but he had to use the fifth of six allowable past series Champion provisional and has not finished better than 22nd in a race since Daytona we Haven done a very Good Job of complementing Dale Jar rett Waltrip said Reutimann and i dont get to race much and Hes out there pretty much on his own first of All it hurts me worse for sponsor Napa because i know they trusted me and they wanted me to do this Job for them and we Haven been Able to per form for them asked if he has considered put Ting another Driver in his no 55 Toyota camry Waltrip said he has considered everything in the world that could make this team successful  Pes your Hometown newspaper Why pay full Price Home delivery Only per week where toll free 08001011270 Germany 0800780265 Italy 08000858827 us 080078073 Belgium 08000225203 Netherlands 0900958303 Spain Dan 3498437 email hours of operation of 07001800 Samsun 07301300 european stars and stripes attn circulation dept unit 29480 Apoate 09211 Paul Driver Michael Waltrip failed to qualify thursday for the Samsung 500 at Avondale Ariz Waltrip has not made the Field since the Daytona 500 in february but other than considering it it Hast gotten All that far with me because i believe i have the right people in place in management i feel that Ive got the Best shot of anybody i know around Here of getting this car in the race so i want to be that Guy who gets in it and goes and tries to do that there have been a couple of key changes though this week Waltrip made buddy Sisco formerly Reutman is car chief his Crew chief Waltrip has also reduced his race weekend to jobs we just had our Post practice Deal in there and talked about things we might change and things we might do Waltrip explained the taken my focus from running off and doing to shows and doing things like that at the Racetrack to being right Here with my Guys All the time hopefully that will pay dividends As we go Forward but Waltrip said he realizes that he has to manage perception As Well As reality i have to make sure that the people that Are paying me to race my car Are comfortable with who i am and what i do As far As my at Tention to the details goes he said weve certainly got a big Hill to climb but in into it in engaged and i love the Opportunity that is Here for us if we can just turn this thing in a Good direction Friend Oden will enter Aba draft by Rusty Miller the associated press Columbus Ohio Ohio state freshman Greg Oden will make himself available for the Aba draft Friday a family Friend said thursday night there will be a release in the morning from Ohio state Greg Oden will be hiring an agent said Al Powell who has been a party to meetings Between Oden and two other buckeyes fresh men stars considering the draft As for the two others Powell was less specific Mike Conley or and Daequan Cook will not be hiring an agent at this time said Powell a paid assistant coach at Dayton Dun bar High school who helped coach All three players when they played aau Ball if Conley and Cook dont hire agents  retain the option of returning to school next fall col lege underclassmen have until Midnight april 29 to declare whether they intend to make themselves available for the draft Dunbar coach Pete Pullen Cooks High school coach and the current coach of Odens brother Anthony also said Oden would be announcing his intention to enter the draft Friday and that the other two players haunt yet decided whether to hire agents i thin Greg is making the right Choice for him and his future Pullen said Ohio state spokesman Dan Wal Lenberg said thursday night that he was unaware of any announce ment from Ohio state or any news conference regarding the three players involving the University coach Thad Matta was unavailable because Hes out on the Road recruiting players the decision to enter the draft is not irreversible until players sign with an agent players can Carrier work out for Aba teams and gauge interest As Long As they do not have an agent and have until june 18 to withdraw their names from the draft Pool they could still retain their Ohio state eligibility at that Point the players Are expected to be represented by conveys father Mike Conley or he won the olympic Gold medal in the triple jump in 1992 in Barcelona in addition to running a company world sport Chicago that helped Garner that City the ils bid for the 2016 summer games he also has created another sport representation company Mac management group and applied to the Aba to be a player agent a message seeking comment was left at his business number thursday night Oden who turned 19 on Jan 22 is a two time National player of the year in High school who lived up to All of that Promise after get Ting a late Start at Ohio state he and Conley friends and teammates since the sixth Grade in Terre haute ind led Lawrence North High school in Indianapolis to three consecutive state championships and a 1037 record Cook signed with Ohio state first and helped coax Conley and Oden to join him Oden underwent surgery on his right shooting wrist to reattach ligaments on june 16 2006 he worked out with the team while wearing a cast that eventually be came an elastic Brace after missing the first seven games of the season he came in and despite shooting free throws and most of his other shots an imme Diate Impact he ended up leading the Buck eyes in scoring 157 and re bounding 96 per game and topped the big ten in shooting percentage for Grafe Woehr Hillesheim and Vilseck for More information please Contact Tom at 01726707342