MWR has some prospective sponsors for 2009

Ty Norris, vice president and general manager of Michael Waltrip Racing, said three prospective sponsors for next season — two new to the sport, one old, according to Norris — are taking notice that MWR's three teams have been running better lately. Heading into Sunday's Sylvania 300 at NHMS, the #44 piloted by David Reutimann ranks 27th in owner points, Michael Waltrip's #55 Toyota ranks 32nd, and the #00 currently being driven by rookie Michael McDowell is 35th. With UPS and its considerable dollars headed elsewhere, MWR needs to find new money to fill the gap if it's going to field three teams again next season. Waltrip is set with NAPA signed on as the primary sponsor of his car next year, but Reutimann has only half of next season currently covered by Aaron's, which hopes to serve as a co-primary with another sponsor. Norris said he has no timetable for the aforementioned three prospective MWR sponsors, and admitted that fielding a third team for next season, which is the current plan, may hinge on what happens. "A lot of our current sponsors are re-signing. And we have at least three very, very solid opportunities that would, one, shore up the second half of the Reutimann car and, two, create a primary opportunity for McDowell," Norris said. "Time will tell, but at least those things are in the funnel, so to speak. More from NASCAR.com