First win for Michael Waltrip Racing in shortest 600 ever
From: Sporting News Wire ServicesDavid Reutimann was the big winner in NASCAR's losing battle against Mother Nature in Monday's rain-shortened 24 Hours of the Coca-Cola 600 Sprint Cup race at Lowe's Motor Speedway.
Nearly 25 hours after the 50th edition of the race was supposed to start, and with menacing storm cells dotting the radar, NASCAR called the event after 227 of a scheduled 400 laps. That made a first-time winner of Reutimann, who parlayed a strategic call by crew chief Rodney Childers into the unlikely victory.
The win in NASCAR's longest race, which was postponed from Sunday because of rain, was the first for Michael Waltrip Racing -- now in its third season of Cup competition -- and the first for a Toyota team other than Joe Gibbs Racing. Reutimann led five laps, all under the final caution. He was running 14th when rain started falling on Lap 221.
The top three finishers -- Reutimann, pole-sitter Ryan Newman and Robby Gordon -- remained on the track when NASCAR threw the sixth caution of the race on Lap 221 after a shower hit Turn 2. Six laps later, the race was red-flagged for the fourth time.
"It certainly wasn't the prettiest win," said Reutimann, who won the race with his father, renowned short-track racer Buzzie Reutimann, in attendance. "Rodney Childers made a great call and told me to stay out.
"When you envision winning your first Sprint Cup race, this is not exactly the way you envision it. But these things are so hard to win, we'll take it any way we can get it. It's fun, but I felt like I was down on pit road for a month [waiting for NASCAR to call the race]."
Reutimann gained two positions to 13th in the Cup standings, trailing 12th-place Mark Martin by six points.
"Obviously, their crew chief made an awesome call," an elated Michael Waltrip said of the No. 00 Toyota team's effort. "David and I have been in position to win races before, and fate took it away from us. So I look at this as payback."
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mwr winning the coke 600 life is good [napa stay with MW].
ReplyDeleteGreat for David. Here's to just one of many I am sure.
ReplyDeleteNice job David, Rodney, and MWR. I had a funny feeling about this race. I guess I have MWR 6th sense.
ReplyDeleteConsidering how this team is running, this was inevitable and so is the next one which we all expect to be this year as well.
ReplyDeleteMWR is going to be one of the great power houses of racing.
Congratulations to all of you!
Yeaaa!!!Double Zero Hero, we are so proud of David and all the MWR team. I can't wait to stop by Race World USA and see the trophy.
ReplyDeleteTHIS WIN WAS FOR ALL THE MWR FANS WHO HAVE STAYED WITH THEM FROM THE START!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeletei could not believe it ! it was the best day of my life to see waltrip hugging his winner the franchise rutimann. i remembered when they was hardly making it in the races and now to say MWR is the COCA-COLA 600 CHAMPIONS is so awesome
CONGRATS DAVID RUTIMANN & MICHAEL WALTRIP
AND CONGRATS TO THE WHOLE MWR COMPANY !!!!!!!
I am so glad I sat through the delays and was there when MWR had its first cup win! Congratulations to David and Michael and everyone at MWR and Aaron's! Here's to many more!
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ReplyDeleteI was so happy to see David get the win, I knew it was coming this year. Hope to see a lot more win from the whole MWR organization. Congratulations to David and Michael, keep up the good work. That 00 team run great every week, the problem most time is mistake by the pit crew. Hope they take this win and improve and win a lot more races.
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