Las Vegas, NV - David Reutimann drove his No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine to a fourth place finish Sunday in the Shelby 427 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and collects his first career top-five finish for Michael Waltrip Racing and his sponsor Aaron’s. Reutimann and his team overcame a mysterious oil leak, a tight handling racecar and a late race fuel gamble to bring home a solid finish in the third race of the 2009 NASCAR season.
Qualifying fourth for the 285-lap event, Reutimann had to drop to the rear of the field for Sunday’s start because of an engine change after qualifying and took the green flag in 40th position. Reutimann and Crew Chief Rodney Childers planned to bring the Aaron’s Dream Machine into the pits for routine maintenance on lap 75 when Reutimann reported smoke in the cockpit.
Concerned about a fatal engine malfunction, the team carefully inspected under and around the engine compartment looking for the source of the smoke, but found nothing. After a series of stops under caution and several inspections, the smoke stopped and the Dream Machine kept racing. The crew speculated that there was a small amount of overflow oil that made its way onto the manifold that produced the smoke, but it never was an issue after that one incident.
The Dream Machine was fast early in the race and Reutimann had moved up to 20th by lap-100 and broke into the top-fifteen on lap 122. The Dream Machine was tight under throttle coming out of the turns and requested more front grip at each pit stop. Crew Chief Rodney Childers ordered air pressure tweaks and slight chassis adjustments to help during each exceptional pit stop, but the issue would plague the Dream Machine throughout the race.
Taking only two tires during a pit stop late in the race put the Aaron’s Dream Machine into fifth with 58 laps remaining. The team’s fuel mileage calculator predicted that the 00 would run out of fuel on the last lap of the race, so Reutimann was ordered to try to save as much fuel as he could while driving under caution. Reutimann would switch the engine off and coast down the backstretch to save as much as he could before the green flag dropped again on lap 227.
Racing from fifth to fourth and keeping pace with those ahead of him, the fuel calculator estimated that there would be enough fuel to finish the race if it stayed green for the remainder of the race. The gamble may very well have paid off as those ahead of Reutimann were expected to have to stop for fuel to make it.
Unfortunately a caution flag came out on lap 258 and erased that strategy as everyone pitted for tires and fuel.
Reutimann would hang tough for the rest of the race and take the checkered flag in the fourth position. The best finish in his three-year Cup career. The finish vaulted Reutimann and the team from 12th to fifth in the championship owner points race.
“We had a great Aaron’s Dream Machine all weekend. Having a great qualifying run then overcoming our issues with starting 40th and driving to the front, dealing with the oil leak, then playing the fuel mileage game toward the end it really shows how solid this team is.” Reutimann stated after the race. “It’s such a team effort. From Aaron’s being on board all year, Toyotas support to Rodney Childers and the guys. We had great pit stops and everything was in place to run up front. For a young organization, I’m really proud of what we have done.”
Aaron’s received tremendous exposure throughout the weekend with television and radio interviews, inclusion in a pre-race skit on FOX, and exceptional race coverage as Reutimann drove the Dream Machine through the field to the front. Aaron’s also hosted C.O.O Ken Butler, several divisional V.P.’s and local associates who attended the races and enjoyed some time with Aaron’s drivers throughout the weekend.
Reutimann and the No. 00 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Aaron’s Dream Machine will race next Sunday, March 8 in the Kobalt 500 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway.
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