CORNELIUS, N.C., (May 2, 2007) ----- Michael Waltrip announced today the addition of Jason Burdett to Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR). Effective immediately, Burdett joins MWR to serve as crew chief for the No. 44 UPS Team.
MWR hired Burdett to add more depth to the organization as well as to bring new ideas and organization to the No. 44 UPS Team. The New York-native joins MWR from Robert Yates Racing (RYR) where he started working in 1999. He spent the 2000 to 2002 seasons at Hendrick Motorsports where he worked with both the No. 24 and No. 48 teams before returning to RYR in 2003 to work with the No. 88 team - first as a car chief and most recently as the assistant crew chief.
"Jason is a guy who brings a lot to our organization and more importantly he is someone that Dale has worked with for a number of years," said car owner Michael Waltrip. "We said at the beginning of the season we have to continually review the talent that is out there and Jason is an individual that we believe brings an excellent work ethic, youth and new ideas."
Matt Borland, who had been serving as the crew chief for the No. 44 UPS Team, was offered the position of technical director - a move scheduled to take place during the course of the next two seasons. However, Borland declined the move.
"When I first talked to Matt last November, the position of Technical Director was discussed as an option," said Ty Norris, general manager of MWR. "We thought we needed his skills immediately as Dale Jarrett's crew chief. But a crew chief can only be as good as the products delivered to him, and in hindsight, we could have utilized his skills in the technical director role from the beginning. Matt has tremendous class, knowledge and work ethic. We're disappointed, but we weren't going to force him into a different role, so we all agreed to separate."
Burdett's tenure with MWR started on Wednesday and he will be serving as crew chief for the No. 44 UPS Team beginning this weekend at Richmond International Raceway.
"Jason is someone I have watched grow and mature in this sport," Jarrett said. "He has a great deal of knowledge and has great intuition for these cars. He's done just about every job there is on a race team and I believe he is someone that adds a great deal not only to the No. 44 UPS Team but to all of Michael Waltrip Racing."
Jarrett and Norris will both be available for questions from the media this Friday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. EDT in the infield media center at Richmond International Raceway. Anyone wishing to discuss these changes and the season to date will need to do so at the designated time on Friday.
###
