Matt Waltz
| Matt Waltz | |||||||
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| Born | Matthew Waltz October 6, 1989 O'Reilly Auto Parts Challenge (Texas ) | ||||||
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| Statistics current as of November 5, 2016. | |||||||
Matthew Waltz (born October 6, 1989) is a retired American professional stock car racing driver. He competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving for Derrike Cope Racing and Obaika Racing, and raced late models at Langley Speedway, winning the track championship in 2017.[1][2]
Racing career
Late models
Waltz grew up racing Late Model cars on his home track Langley Speedway, which he shared with fellow NASCAR driver Brandon Gdovic. He took second in the Denny Hamlin Short Track Shootout in 2014,[3] the same year he won twelve races at Langley.[4] Returning to Langley in 2017, Waltz claimed his first late model championship at the track.[5]
Xfinity Series
Waltz began his
In 2016, Waltz debuted with Obaika Racing at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, qualifying 39th and finishing 28th. Two races later at Iowa Speedway, rear gear problems dropped him to a 35th-place finish. Waltz then ran four races for Obaika in the Xfinity Series Chase, finishing no higher than 34th.[10]
After the 2016 season, Waltz returned to late model racing because of inadequate sponsorship and did not compete in a NASCAR race in 2017.[11]
Retirement
In early 2018, Waltz announced his retirement from full-time racing due to a number of factors, mainly a lack of opportunities to advance, a want of more free time, and spending more time running his family business.[12] He did, however, come out of retirement to attempt the 2019 ValleyStar Credit Union 300.[13]
Personal life
Waltz is an Old Dominion University graduate with a Mechanical Engineering degree,[14] racing while attending classes.[15]
Motorsports career results
NASCAR
(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
Xfinity Series
Xfinity Series results
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | NXSC | Pts | Ref | ||
| 2015 | Derrike Cope Racing | 70 | Chevy | DAY
|
ATL
|
LVS
|
PHO
|
CAL
|
TEX
|
BRI
|
RCH | TAL
|
IOW
|
CLT
|
DOV
|
MCH
|
CHI | DAY
|
KEN
|
NHA
|
IND
|
IOW | GLN
|
MOH
|
BRI | ROA | DAR
|
RCH 33 |
CHI
|
KEN | DOV
|
CLT
|
KAN | TEX
|
PHO DNQ |
HOM
|
78th | 11 | [16] | ||
| 2016 | Obaika Racing | 97 | Chevy | DAY
|
ATL
|
LVS
|
PHO
|
CAL
|
TEX
|
BRI
|
RCH | TAL
|
DOV
|
CLT
|
POC
|
MCH
|
IOW
|
DAY
|
KEN
|
NHA 28 |
IND
|
IOW 35 |
GLN
|
MOH
|
BRI | ROA | DAR
|
RCH
|
CHI
|
KAN 37 |
PHO
|
HOM
|
51st | 41 | [17] | ||||||
| 77 | KEN 36 |
DOV 35 |
CLT
|
TEX 34 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
* Season still in progress
1 Ineligible for series points
References
- ^ "Matt Waltz - NASCAR Driver". www.foxsports.com. Retrieved 2016-08-01.
- ^ "Matt Waltz Career Statistics - Racing-Reference.info". racing-reference.info. Retrieved 2016-08-01.
- ^ O'Brien, Marty. "Matt Waltz will make Xfinity Series debut at RIR on Sept. 11 for Derrike Cope Racing". dailypress.com. Retrieved 2017-04-27.
- ^ O'Brien, Marty. "Matt Waltz clinches first Langley Speedway Late Model title". dailypress.com. Retrieved 2017-09-28.
- ^ O'Brien, Marty. "Matt Waltz clinches first Langley Speedway Late Model title". dailypress.com. Retrieved 2017-09-28.
- ^ "XFINITY Debut Has Matt Waltz Wanting More". RACE22.com. 2015-09-16. Retrieved 2016-08-01.
- ^ Marquis, Andy (September 12, 2015). "Matt Waltz Looks Ahead After Xfinity Series Debut". Popular Speed. Retrieved 2017-09-28.
- ^ "Matt Waltz 2015 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results - Racing-Reference.info". racing-reference.info. Retrieved 2016-08-01.
- ^ O'Brien, Marty. "Matt Waltz ready for Xfinity Series debut at Richmond". dailypress.com. Retrieved 2017-04-27.
- ^ "Matt Waltz 2016 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results - Racing-Reference.info". racing-reference.info. Retrieved 2016-08-01.
- ^ "NASCAR 101: Who Didn't Return to NASCAR in 2017?". www.frontstretch.com. 9 November 2017. Retrieved 2017-11-15.
- ^ O'Brien, Marty. "Langley Speedway track champ Matt Waltz won't race in 2018". dailypress.com. Retrieved 2018-03-17.
- ^ Weaver, Matt (October 5, 2019). "Martinsville 300 Last Chance Races starting lineups". Short Track Scene. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
- ^ Parsons, Brian (2015-09-11). "Local driver Matt Waltz to make Xfinity series debut at Richmond". WAVY-TV. Retrieved 2017-04-27.
- ^ O'Brien, Marty. "Matt Waltz clinches first Langley Speedway Late Model title". dailypress.com. Retrieved 2017-09-28.
- ^ "Matt Waltz – 2015 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
- ^ "Matt Waltz – 2016 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
External links
- Matt Waltz driver statistics at Racing-Reference