David Reutimann Quotes - Auto Club Speedway Preview

Fan question of the week: Derek (twitter.com/DMPicone) asks, 'In 2007 you had a really scary wreck at California. Do you ever think about that when you return to that track?' "It may cross my mind because it was such a hard hit but I never dwell on it. Once I hit the track in my Aaron's Dream Machine it's time to focus on the job at hand."

Racing at Auto Club Speedway: "I really like California and I think my recent finishes reflect that. It's fast and you can race multiple grooves which makes it fun to pass, plus if your car is not handling the way you prefer, then you can move around the see if it works better somewhere else on the track."

When you make the long trip to the West Coast do you have any rituals or habits that you do to help with the time difference? "Well, I sleep all the way there - is that a ritual (smiling)? We're on such a fixed schedule every weekend, so when everything gets going at the track you really don't notice the differences. I think the biggest difference for me is not having my motorcoach out there and having to stay at a hotel."

What's unique or challenging about racing at Fontana? "It's a lot like Michigan so aero plays a big part. You can't knock in your fenders if you want to keep up the speeds we run there. The most important part is keeping up with the changes that occur to my Aaron's Dream Machine. How your car starts doesn't necessarily mean it will remain that way, so you must keep up with those changes to have a strong day."

Has your strategy for the rest of the season changed? "You just go as hard as you can to try to win races and try to learn some stuff for next year. It is really no different than your approach has been all year. We'll try to gain a little momentum through the last part of the season for the off-season."

Goals for this weekend: "The No. 00 Aaron's Dream Machine was the only non-chase car to finish in the top ten last weekend, so I think that shows how capable we are week-to-week. This weekend at California, we'd like to pick up right where we left off and have another strong top-five or top-ten finish."

2009 NSCS Points Standings: The eighth-place finish last week moved Reutimann up to 15th, 105 points behind Kyle Busch in 13th place – the highest non-Chase driver.

Chassis Information: The No. 00 Aaron's Dream Machine for Kansas is chassis No. 641. This Aaron's Dream Machine ran at Michigan in August and finished 9th.

Race Information: Watch the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in action at Auto Club Speedway on Sunday, Oct. 11. Race coverage for the Pepsi 500 begins at 2:30 p.m. ET on ABC.