Sunday, August 15, 2010

MWR Michigan Race Report

Martin Truex Jr., No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry - finished eighth-now 20th in points.


David Reutimann, No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry - finished 16th-now 18th in points.



Martin Truex Jr. Race Summary: Martin Truex Jr. and the NAPA racing team finished eighth in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Michigan International Speedway marking the sixth top-10 finish in 2010 for the Michael Waltrip Racing team. The Mayetta, N.J., native started ninth and raced in the top 12 for most of the race. During a caution with about 45 laps to go, Crew chief Pat Tryson kept Truex on the track while most of the frontrunners pitted. The NAPA Toyota restarted second then quickly took the lead on the restart and stayed at the front of the field for five laps. Truex pitted during the following caution and battled his way to eighth when the checkered flag waved. Truex remains 20th in the point standings. The Sprint Cup series returns to action Saturday night at Bristol Motor Speedway.



MARTIN TRUEX JR.: "Overall it was a good day for the NAPA Toyota. Pat (Tryson, crew chief) did a really good job calling the race. We stayed out that one time and got track position and then were able to get our four tires and we were able to stay up there. We had a really good car on the long run. It took us a while to get going on the short run and that hurt us. We were as good as anyone on the long run. It just took us too long. It's something to work with. We were a lot better than we were here last time. The guys are working good and making the cars better and we feel good about that."



Truex Notes:

Truex started ninth and finished eighth—now 20th in points.

The No. 56 climbed from ninth to fifth in the early going.

On lap 83 the No. 56 dropped from ninth to 20th due to a loose handling condition.

The NAPA team tried several adjustments over the next 75 laps to tighten the car.

On lap 154 Truex stayed out under caution and restarted second.

Truex grabbed the lead on the restart then led laps 160-164— upping his total to 13 for the 2010 season.

Owns six top-10 finishes in 23 starts completing 96 percent of the laps.



David Reutimann Race Summary: No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota driver David Reutimann spent most of Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Michigan International Speedway adjusting to the constantly changing track conditions before earning a hard fought 16th-place finish. The Michael Waltrip Racing driver moved from 14th to 10th in the first 60 laps, but struggled with the balance of the racecar as the day progressed. The No. 00 team stayed out to gain track position on lap 159, but a series of quick cautions dropped Reutimann to 19th at the final restart on lap 172. Reutimann raced his way to 16th before the checked flag flew on lap 200. Reutimann remains 18th in the point standings, trailing the top 12 by 165 points with three races remaining before the Chase cutoff. The series returns to action Saturday night at Bristol Motor Speedway.



DAVID REUTIMANN: “We just fought it all day today. We’d work to correct one thing and it would hurt something else. We tried some pit strategy by staying out late in the race to gain some track position, but really we just did the best we could with the Aaron’s Dream Machine. The track conditions were tough today, but on a day like today you just do what you can to gain every position. We’ll take it and head to Bristol.”



Reutimann Notes:

Reutimann started 14th and finished 16th.

The No. 00 raced its way from 14th to 10th in the first 60 laps

The Aaron’s Dream Machine struggled with a tight center, loose off handling condition

The No. 00 fell a lap down during a green flag stop on lap 135, but raced back to the lead lap within seven laps.

Reutimann stayed out under caution on lap 159 to restart fourth.

Reutimann restarted 19th on the final restart on lap 172 and improved to 16th when the race ended.



RACE NOTES:

Kevin Harvick recorded his third win of the year.

Harvick is the first driver to clinch a berth in the Chase for the Championship

Denny Hamlin, Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth rounded out the top five.

Kevin Harvick leads the point standings by 293 over Jeff Gordon

Race took 2 hours, 46 minutes and 38 seconds and included five cautions for 25 laps.

There were nine leaders and 17 lead changes.

NASCAR estimated the race attendance at 105,000 fans.

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