Michael Waltrip spent years chasing wins in NASCAR, finally winning after 462 races. But that was just the start. A trip to Napa Valley changed his path. What began with golf and a chat about beer turned into something big. Now, Michael Waltrip Brewing Company is moving fast. With racing lessons and business goals, Waltrip has built more than a brand. The journey from racecars to taprooms holds more than just hops and plans.
Key Highlights
- Michael Waltrip’s persistence in racing taught him patience and resilience, crucial for building his brewing business.
- His brewing venture started from dissatisfaction with beer options, inspired by a Napa Valley trip with friends.
- Transitioning from racing to brewing, Waltrip applied meticulous planning and attention to detail learned from NASCAR.
- The Michael Waltrip Brewing Company was born from a blend of friendship, curiosity, and entrepreneurial spirit.
- The brewing company exemplifies Waltrip’s drive for excellence, evident in his racing and business endeavors.
From NASCAR Champion to Brewery Visionary
In NASCAR, Michael Waltrip is a name that resonates with resilience and victory, and now he’s channeling that same indomitable spirit into the craft beer industry.
Waltrip, who endured an astonishing 462 NASCAR Cup Series races before clinching his initial victory, embodies patience and resolve. His successes at the Daytona 500 are proof of his relentless pursuit of excellence. Now, he’s applying that same drive to his latest venture: Michael Waltrip Brewing Company.
While some might think Waltrip’s shift from high-speed racing to brewing beer is an unusual pivot, it reflects his penchant for mastery. He approaches his craft beer endeavor with the same meticulous attention to detail that he once applied to racing at nearly 200 MPH.
Origins of Michael Waltrip Brewing Company
Michael Waltrip’s journey from the racetrack to the brewery is as thrilling as one of his legendary last-lap victories. The seeds of Michael Waltrip Brewing Company were sown during a casual Napa Valley trip in 2018, where the conversation among friends turned from wine to beer. This discussion illuminated a gap—a personal dissatisfaction with existing beer options.
Waltrip, alongside Bryan R. Sperber and J. Glynn Gross, decided to brew their own, igniting a passion that would ferment into a business venture. The narrative unfolds like a finely crafted brew—layered, unexpected, and satisfying. What began as a light-hearted golf course idea evolved into the realization that their beer preferences could be transformed into something tangible.
This venture was driven by Waltrip’s innate entrepreneurial spirit, a quality that once saw him build Michael Waltrip Racing from the ground up. The brewery’s origins reflect a blend of friendship, curiosity, and a dash of serendipity.
“Well, a couple of buddies said let’s go play golf. ‘What kind of beer do you want?’ I said, ‘I don’t really like many beers. I like wine.’ Then it was like, ‘We should make some beers, give it a try!’ And that’s how it all started – that was probably 10 years ago. We started making a few beers, having a little bit of fun. And it’s just grown.” – (Waltrip)
Launching the Business and Growth Plans
The leap from the racetrack to the brewery was a bold approach, but not one without foresight and ambition. Michael Waltrip, alongside his partners Sperber and Gross, transformed challenges into victories.
The trio, fully invested in their beer brand, took on clear roles: Waltrip as Chief Fun Officer, Sperber as CEO, and Gross as Executive Chairman/Secretary/Treasurer. Facing the pandemic’s hurdles, their initial Phoenix plans pivoted to a promising opportunity in Bristol, Virginia, where they debuted their primary taproom on Labor Day, 2021.
In 2023, Waltrip announced an audacious goal—opening 100 taprooms within five years. His latest taproom graced Concord, near the Charlotte Motor Speedway, in May 2024.
“We have awesome beers in distribution, we have great distributors that were adding every day across the Southeast and post to all the country…We have a stout team that helps us do those things. And I’m just really proud to be a part of it. It’s not my name written on the building – I’m a partner. I’m the guy that helps make the decisions, pick what beers go where, I name some of the beers, I’m involved in every aspect.” – (Waltrip)
Brewing and Racing—A Familiar Drive
Every corner of Michael Waltrip’s brewing adventure echoes the adrenaline-fueled thrill of racing. The same curiosity and drive that propelled his racing career now fuel his brewing passion.
“It’s a whole lot like my racing career. You start out…you’re naive, you’re inquisitive, you’re curious, you want to do more. The more you learn, the more immersed you get. And that’s what it’s been with the beer business.” – (Waltrip)
Waltrip notes that both endeavors require starting from a place of naivete, then diving deeper as curiosity turns into expertise. The brewing process, much like perfecting a race car, demands attention to detail and a thirst for innovation.
His shift from the racetrack to the brewery mirrors the meticulous and tactical planning necessary for success in either field. The Michael Waltrip Brewery and Company has already marked its presence on a race car, symbolizing the seamless blend of his two worlds.
Michael Waltrip Brewing Hits the Dragstrip
Venturing from the race tracks to the dragstrip, Michael Waltrip Brewery is speeding into a new arena. This bold move into the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) demonstrates how Waltrip’s brand is not just about crafting quality beer but also about embracing speed and excitement.
Last June, Tony Schumacher’s Top Fuel car debuted with a striking MWB livery, featuring the brewery’s signature Talladega Light and Bristol Sunshine tangerine ale cans. Such a partnership was not accidental but a calculated decision by Schumacher’s car owner, Joe Maynard, who invested in Waltrip’s rising empire.
“Michael Waltrip is a legend in my mind. The guy is riot…Joe Maynard, our team owner, partnering up with him has been awesome for us to unveil a really cool-looking car here in Bristol. I look up to him [Waltrip]. He’s a really cool guy.” – (Schumacher)
- Calculated Partnerships: Aligning with Joe Maynard highlights the business insight behind MWB’s motorsports collaborations.
- Brand Visibility: Featuring prominently on Schumacher’s car, MWB captures attention beyond traditional beer markets.
- Embracing Speed: CEO Bryan Sperber’s enthusiasm reflects MWB’s commitment to exhilarating ventures, resonating with fans of both beer and racing.
“Michael and I, when we started the company, it was all about making really great beer, having great food, and — like in Talladega Nights — we want to go fast. I don’t think you can go faster than Tony Schumacher’s Top Fuel car.” – (Bryan Sperber)
News in Brief: Michael Waltrip’s Brewing Journey
Michael Waltrip transformed past setbacks on the racetrack into a thriving brewery empire, demonstrating that resilience can fuel success in unexpected ways. With the same competitive spirit he once displayed in NASCAR, Waltrip now races to the top of the craft beer world.
His brewery, blending the thrill of racing with the art of brewing, stands as a testament to his relentless drive. Who knew losing could taste so sweet?
