Waltrip Scores Seventh-Place Finish in Daytona 500

// Courtesy : Autostock Images //

Daytona Beach, FL. – Michael Waltrip kicked off the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season with a solid seventh-place finish in his No. 55 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry in Sunday’s Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. The two-time Daytona 500 champ was in contention for the win when rain shortened the race to just 152 laps out of 200.

 “We might have over achieved a little bit,” said Waltrip who started the race in 27th position in a back-up car. “We didn’t have a great car especially in comparison to my primary car that was wrecked Wednesday in practice. We had to scramble to get in the top-10 so I’m happy with that. If we would have gone back to racing,e miht have gotten an even better finish. I didn’t feel like I had the fastest car, but it handled great. Maybe that’s why it wasn’t so fast because it was set up to handle well. I’ll just tke what I can get.”
 
The opening laps of the Daytona 500 saw Waltrip battle both a loose and tight-handling condition. Crew chief Bootie Barker used the competition yellow on lap 25 to make air pressure and track bar adjustments. Waltrip returned to the track in 33rd place and Kyle Busch took over the lead from the pole sitter Martin Truex Jr.
 
Waltrip’s NAPA Toyota responded well to the changes as he was able to run just outside the top 10 by the 50-lap mark. The driver called over the radio to say the car was very well balanced, but just needed more speed. However, the lack of speed wasn’t the only concern for Barker and the boys. Tire failures slowed the race down two times to bring out the caution on laps 55 (Travis Kvapil) and 119 (David Stremme). Plus, inclement weather was lurking. During the caution periods, the team inspected the tires, bolted on four fresh Goodyears and added fuel.
 
When the race restarted for the fifth time on lap 124, the NAPA Toyota Camry was 20th and Elliott Sadler was the new leader. Unfortunately, it took just one lap for the race to slow after Brian Vickers tried to put a block on the lapped car of Dale Earnhardt Jr. Instead of a clean block, the two touched triggering a 10-car crash involving drivers Kurt and Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Robby Gordon, Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson, Jamie McMurray and Scott Speed. Waltrip dodged the melee, and to be on the safe side, Barker brought his driver in to inspect the car, change all four tires and take on fuel. 
 
The green flag once again waved on lap 133 with Waltrip in 20th. The NAPA driver knew rain was on its way so he made another fast charge to the front. He climbed to 11th place when Jeff Burton and Regan Smith got together to bring out the yellow flag on lap 138. Barker kept the NAPA Camry out on track to maintain the track position as rain drops started to fall. Fortunately, the weather improved and NASCAR threw the green flag on lap 143. In just two laps, the NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota was in fifth position and in contention for the win. Unfortunately, Waltrip’s momentum slowed when Aric Almirola wrecked on the backstretch. The NAPA Toyota was posted in seventh position, but moments later, the rain once again began to fall. NASCAR was forced to call the race completed after being under a red-flag period for 20 minutes. 
 
Winning his first Daytona 500 was former NASCAR champion Matt Kenseth. Rounding out the top-10 finishers were Kevin Harvick, AJ Allmendinger, Clint Bowyer, Elliott Sadler, David Ragan, Waltrip, Tony Stewart, Reed Sorenson and Kurt Busch.
 
Michael Waltrip Racing turned in the highest finishes for Toyota in the Daytona 500. Besides Waltrip’s top-10 finish, David Reutimann scored 12th place and Marcos Ambrose finished 17th.
 
Next up for Waltrip and his NAPA Racing team is the Auto Club 500 at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif. Broadcast Coverage gets underway Sunday at 5:00 p.m. ET on FOX. It can also be heard on MRN Radio and Sirius XM Satellite Radio.

Reutimann Finishes 12th in the 51st Running of the Daytona 500

// Courtesy : Autostock Images //

Daytona Beach, FL (February 15, 2009) David Reutimann drove the No. 00 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) Aaron’s Dream Machine to a 12th place finish in Sunday’s 51st running of the Daytona 500. Reutimann was moving through the field when the caution flag came flew with 55-laps to go as rain moved into the area. The race was called official after a 20-minute rain delay and Reutimann would settle for the 12th place finish in the opening race of the 36-race season.
 
Starting the Great American Race in the 28th position, Reutimann quickly moved up to as far as 13th while struggling with a loose condition early the race. Crew Chief Rodney Childers and the team made minor chassis adjustments to the Aaron’s Dream Machine over several outstanding pit stops and improved the handling through the high-banks of Daytona International Speedway.
 
While running 17th midway through the race, Reutimann dodged a multi-car wreck at the front of the field on lap 123 that damaged several cars as sprinkles of rain began to fall in the area. After a long caution to clean the debris, Reutimann would restart 21st and begin his march to the front.
 
Running the outside high line with teammate Marcos Ambrose the duo moved up through the field until the final caution fell on lap 145. Rain began to pepper the track and the racecars were ordered to pit road in hopes that the weather would pass. After a 20 minute red flag, NASCAR officials finally called the race and Reutimann would collect a 12th place finish, the best in his short NSCS career.
 
The next race for Reutimann and the No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine will be at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, CA next Sunday Feb. 22 at 4:00 PM eastern. The Auto Club Speedway will also be the site of the debut of Ken Butler III in the NASCAR Nationwide Series where he will drive R3 Motorsports No. 23 Aaron’s Lucky Dog Dream Machine in the Stater Bros 300 Saturday Feb. 21.