Hyundai WIA and Michael Waltrip Racing Enter into a Technology Partnership

Hyundai WIA America Corp. (HWA) announces a Technology Parternership with Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR), a leading NASCAR Team with three full-time Sprint Cup Teams. The Technology Partnership provides MWR with the exclusive use of two state-of-the-art Hyundai WIA vertical machining centers, to machine critical components on their stock cars, in an effort to provide a competitive edge.

Prior to entering into a formal partnership, MWR began its relationship with HWA at the start of 2012 season as a customer, with their purchase of two Hyundai WIA F500 vertical machining centers. The machining centers were purchased through HWA dealer - Adept Machine Tools, (based in Charlotte, NC),  to expand the capacity in MWR’s growing machine shop. Over the past nine months, the two Hyundai WIA F500’s  have proven themselves to be up to the challenges faced by MWR, as they tweak core chassis components used in their cars to ensure they have as much of a competitive edge as possible, each and every race weekend… From qualifing to race day.

“Our drive is to “get fast, faster.”  When rules changes come in mass as they have for the 2013 racing season, only the teams with the ability to design, manufacture and test components quickest get the edge.  This new partnership with Hyundai WIA gives MWR the competitive advantage needed this winter, in order to prepare for the 2013 racing season,” explains Michael Waltrip.

The two brand-new verticle machining centers installed, as part of the technology partnership, include a Hyundai F510B and F650. The Hyundai WIA F510B is a heavy-duty machining centers, with a box guideway design and 2-step gear head, for enhanced rigidy when taking deep cuts. The Hyundai WIA F650 compliments MWR’s machine shop as their largest capacity machining center, allowing for additional oversized parts to be machined in-house. This brings to total number of Hyundai WIA vertical machining centers installed at MWR up to four.

“Michael Waltrip Racing is one of the hottest, most talked about teams in NASCAR. Not only is Michael Waltrip himself one of (if not the) most popular personality in the sport today, his three Sprint Cup teams had an increadible 2012 season. We couldn’t be more excited about partnering with MWR for the 2013 season and beyond,” stated an enthusiastic David Barber, Marketing Manager for Hyundai WIA America Corp. “As MWR’s needs grow, we plan to grow with them by providing additional machines and applications support.”

Michael Waltrip Racing had an impressive 2012 season with two of their Sprint Cup teams making it into the Chase. Clint Bowyer No 15 finishing the season 2nd in points, Martin Truex Jr. No 56 completed the season in the 11th position. On top of that, Napa Know How Team No 56 was named 2012 Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew.

Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) bagan more than a decade ago as a family-owned Nationwide Series team in Sherrills Fork, North Carolina. In 2012, MWR is fielding three full-time Sprint Cup teams with Martin Truex Jr., Clint Bowyer, Mark Martin and Michael Waltrip. Currently both Martin Truex Jr. and Clint Bowyer remain in the Chase for the 2012 Sprint Cup Championship.

Hyundai WIA is a core division of the Hyundai Motor Group and is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. Products such as CNC machine tools, robots, industrial machinery, automotive components and aircraft parts, are manufactured at their state-of-the-art manufacturing campus located in the industrial city of Changwon, South Korea.