MARTINSVILLE, VA (March 29, 2009) David Reutimann finished 20th in the Michael Waltrip Racing No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry at the Martinsville Speedway Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 Sunday. After running solidly in the top-ten for three quarters of the 500-lap event, a slow pit stop put Reutimann back in traffic which ultimately lead to contact with a lapped car that spun the Dream Machine and ended another solid run for the team.
With limited practice due to rain Friday and Saturday, Reutimann started 11th and moved forward to the seventh spot early and ran solidly in the top-10 for the first half of the race. Asking for the Aaron’s Dream Machine to rotate better through the center of the tight turns of the half-mile speedway, Reutimann was content to settle in until Crew Chief Rodney Childers could make adjustments during the first few pit stops. Struggling through the center of the turns would be a recurrent phrase over the radio for much of the race but Reutimann maintained his top-10 position until 70-laps remaining.
Pitting under caution, the crew dropped a lug nut while changing tires and cost the Dream Machine several positions on the next restart. Mired back in 16th, Reutimann dealt with slower, lapped cars on the inside lane which hampered his progression. Patiently working through the traffic, Reutimann battled with the lap down No. 12 of David Stremme and with 33 laps remaining, the two made contact which sent the Dream Machine spinning in turn two.
A caution came out as a result and Reutimann would bring the car into the pits for new tires. The spin and subsequent pit stop put the Dream Machine one-lap down from the leaders and would restart 21st with 25 to go. Reutimann picked up one position in the closing laps to finish 20th.
A clearly frustrated Reutimann discussed the encounter after the race. “We just got run over by a lapped car that had his eyes rolled back in his head and ran over us for no reason. It’s disappointing when you run top-10 all day and you don’t really touch anybody and then somebody spins you out. That’s hard to take, but we’ll just move on.”
Despite the 20th place finish, Reutimann and the team maintain their 11th place position in the points standings. Aaron’s received excellent television and radio coverage while the Dream Machine ran up front and several media stories were published over the weekend playing up Reutimann’s offhand comment about being “The Franchise of Michael Waltrip Racing”. The comment was certainly made in jest, but coming from mild-mannered Reutimann, the joke became news with several media outlets.
Franchisee Chad Michaels enjoyed the race with associates Tracey Lewis and Allan Hancock and had the opportunity to meet Reutimann before the race for autographs and photographs and to wish him luck. Rain cancelled the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race Saturday.
Brett Butler, son of Aaron’s Chief Operating Officer Ken Butler, was scheduled to make his Truck Series debut in the No. 47 Rockingham Speedway truck, but he will have to wait until Monday at noon for the race to begin.
You can watch all of the race action live on SPEED television. Reutimann and the No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine move on to the Texas Motor Speedway next Sunday. Texas will also host Michael Waltrip as he returns to the No. 99 NASCAR Nationwide Series Aaron’s Dream Machine scheduled to run on Saturday.
With limited practice due to rain Friday and Saturday, Reutimann started 11th and moved forward to the seventh spot early and ran solidly in the top-10 for the first half of the race. Asking for the Aaron’s Dream Machine to rotate better through the center of the tight turns of the half-mile speedway, Reutimann was content to settle in until Crew Chief Rodney Childers could make adjustments during the first few pit stops. Struggling through the center of the turns would be a recurrent phrase over the radio for much of the race but Reutimann maintained his top-10 position until 70-laps remaining.
Pitting under caution, the crew dropped a lug nut while changing tires and cost the Dream Machine several positions on the next restart. Mired back in 16th, Reutimann dealt with slower, lapped cars on the inside lane which hampered his progression. Patiently working through the traffic, Reutimann battled with the lap down No. 12 of David Stremme and with 33 laps remaining, the two made contact which sent the Dream Machine spinning in turn two.
A caution came out as a result and Reutimann would bring the car into the pits for new tires. The spin and subsequent pit stop put the Dream Machine one-lap down from the leaders and would restart 21st with 25 to go. Reutimann picked up one position in the closing laps to finish 20th.
A clearly frustrated Reutimann discussed the encounter after the race. “We just got run over by a lapped car that had his eyes rolled back in his head and ran over us for no reason. It’s disappointing when you run top-10 all day and you don’t really touch anybody and then somebody spins you out. That’s hard to take, but we’ll just move on.”
Despite the 20th place finish, Reutimann and the team maintain their 11th place position in the points standings. Aaron’s received excellent television and radio coverage while the Dream Machine ran up front and several media stories were published over the weekend playing up Reutimann’s offhand comment about being “The Franchise of Michael Waltrip Racing”. The comment was certainly made in jest, but coming from mild-mannered Reutimann, the joke became news with several media outlets.
Franchisee Chad Michaels enjoyed the race with associates Tracey Lewis and Allan Hancock and had the opportunity to meet Reutimann before the race for autographs and photographs and to wish him luck. Rain cancelled the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race Saturday.
Brett Butler, son of Aaron’s Chief Operating Officer Ken Butler, was scheduled to make his Truck Series debut in the No. 47 Rockingham Speedway truck, but he will have to wait until Monday at noon for the race to begin.
You can watch all of the race action live on SPEED television. Reutimann and the No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine move on to the Texas Motor Speedway next Sunday. Texas will also host Michael Waltrip as he returns to the No. 99 NASCAR Nationwide Series Aaron’s Dream Machine scheduled to run on Saturday.
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I definetly heard alot of mention of the'franchise' this weekend! as we should! david is doing a great job in the dream machine...i think a win is coming soon!
ReplyDeleteDavid you did a Great job and had a wonderful Race up until the end.. Wished you took 2 tires... lol .... Wish the best of luck to you next week at texas... From your Friends in Philadelphia... Alvan Hollinger( former Zephyrhills resident and dirt track mechanic.. the guy he helped used to pit next to your dad..) and David Hollinger. God Bless
ReplyDeleteIt was a shame Stremme had to end our good run, but that's what happens. David ran great and clean the whole entire race and got screwed by Stremme being a lap down in like 24th ish. Remember last fall in Texas, DReut Q'ed like 3rd or 4th and ran in the top 5 a lot of the race. Hold your heads up #00 team, and "The Franchise" shall return in Texas.
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