Michael Waltrip Racing to stay with Toyota.

Michael Waltrip Racing announced that Toyota has signed a multiyear extension that will keep the team in a Toyota Camry until 2012.

MWR which was formed by Waltrip when Toyota decided to compete in Nascar's top Series three years ago, got their first win this year when David Reutimann won the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in May.

"I never would have been a team owner if not for Toyota, There were times when I was proud of that and times when I wondered what I got myself into. But it's been worthwhile and very rewarding for me."

-- Micheal Waltrip

Waltrip, who has raced full time in the No. 55 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota Camry for his own team for the last three years, will drive a part time schedule in 2010. He will be replaced by Martin Truex Jr in the No 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota Camry.

"Michael Waltrip Racing was a part of Toyota's freshman class and they have shown tremendous progress, Michael has always been a tremendous spokesperson for Toyota and continues to impress all of us with the moves he is making to elevate MWR to a championship-caliber organization."

-- Lee White, president of Toyota Racing Development.

Partial-season sponsorships the future of Nascar?

No, Your not reading the title wrong, so don't worry about having to have your eyes checked.

According to many industry people, the time of having full season sponsors is over, and the time of having partial season sponsors are in.

This according to many is shown by the recent announcement by Michael Waltrip Racing that Tums will sponsor the teams No. 00 Toyota Camry driven by David Reutimann, as well as the announcement that Lance and Kleenex will be partial primary sponsors of the No. 47 Toyota driven by Marcos Ambrose.

The No. 47 is owned by JTG Daugherty Racing, but the team formed an alliance with MWR at the beginning of the season.

With the MWR deal, Tums will be expanding their presents in NASCAR as the antacid company is already an associate sponsor of Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, and sponsor of races at Martinsville Speedway.

Another trend that is appearing in sponsorships is a move from the Nationwide Series to the Sprint Cup Series, as is seen with Kleenex sponsorship. Kleenex has been a sponsor in the Nationwide Series for several years, the last Nationwide team being the No 27 of Baker Curb Racing. Lance Inc also was a sponsor in the Nationwide series but they haven't been active in the sport for some years, the last team they sponsored was the No 47 of JTG Daugherty Racing.

With These deals and Aaron’s being the other primary sponsor of the No 00, and Little Debbie, Clorox and Kingsford sponsoring Marcos for half the season. That makes NAPA Auto Parts, MWR's only full season sponsor.

Weather or not this is going to be a trend or not, i don't think anyone can say for certain, but for now this partial sponsor thing seams the only way small teams and some big teams can survive.