CORNELIUS, N.C. — No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota driver David Reutimann knows a win to a NASCAR team can reach far beyond points or dollars, its influence impacts an organization’s morale, confidence and reputation in and out of the garage. Reutimann, who collected his second career Sprint Cup Series win in the Lifelock.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway on July 10th, has won in all three of NASCAR’s top touring series—The Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World Truck series. A win this weekend’s event at the 2.5-mile Pocono Raceway could propel Reutimann and the No. 00 team back into serious Chase contention.
QUOTES
REUTIMANN ON WINNING VERSUS POINT RACING: “I think a lot of things do get lost in the fact that there's a lot of focus put on the Chase, and rightfully so. That's what you're obviously trying to do. You're trying to win races. It's important to win races, but it's also about being consistent and all those things that gain you the most points. Every driver, when he's strapped in on Sunday, you're out there to try to win the race. For the drivers, I think the most important thing is going out there and trying to win races, doing what you can to help your cause. If you win races, that's always the better way to get in the Chase as well. It's a win-win situation if you can go out and win races. I know that's what we're focused on doing.”
ON THE IMPACT OF WINNING A RACE: “It can change the whole outlook of your entire organization. If you're having a rough year, things aren't going well, you're able to go out and win a race, you automatically kind of forget everything that's happened bad up to that point. You can switch things around and make it so you're like, Wow. I mean, no matter how your season has gone up to that point, you win that race, you're like, the sky is the limit from that point on. It gives the driver confidence. It gives the team confidence. More importantly, it gives the guys back at the shop that aren't able to be at the racetrack with you, but are turning out your racecars, getting your stuff prepared, gives them added enthusiasm, a little pep in their step, so to speak. It makes them see what they're doing at the shop is really important. They're able to see the results on the racetrack. I think that's great for any race team.”
ADDITIONAL NOTES OF INTEREST
• Only Kevin Harvick (9.2), Jeff Gordon (9.5), Tony Stewart (10.5), Jeff Burton (10.7) and Denny Hamlin (12.0) have a better average finish than Reutimann (12.9) in the last 10 races. Reutimann (1302) also ranks seventh in total points during that span.
• Last weekend at Indianapolis, Reutimann snapped the longest streak of consecutive lead laps finishes at 11 races. He has finished on the lead lap in 15 of 17 races that he was running at the finish and 15 out of 20 total races in 2010.
• Reutimann won the LifeLock.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway on July 10. The Sprint Cup Series win is his first of the season and second of his career. Reutimann led 52 laps in the win — the second highest total of any race in his career (Best,104 laps at Richmond in fall 2008).
• Reutimann has won at least one race in all three of NASCAR’s National Touring Series - Sprint Cup Series (Charlotte-1 2009, Chicago 2010), Nationwide (Memphis 2007) and Camping World Truck Series (Nashville 2005).
• Reutimann has finished 20th or better in 14 of the 17 races that he has been running at the finish in 2010—and 15th or better in 12 of the 17. Reutimann has collected 25 bonus points for leading laps in five races in 2010.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Sunday, July 25, 2010
David Reutimann Brickyard 400 Report
David Reutimann Race Summary: No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota driver David Reutimann’s 2010 Brickyard 400 went bad less than half a lap from the starting line in Indianapolis on Sunday. Kyle Busch triggered a multicar crash in turn two of the opening lap that saw several cars spin. Reutimann hit another car causing severe right front damage to Michael Waltrip Racing’s No. 00. Reutimann made several pit stops and spent much of the race making repairs. He ended the race in 28th down three laps to the leaders and fell from 15th to 18th in points. The Sprint Cup series returns to action Sunday at Pocono International Raceway.
David Reutimann, No. 00 AARON’S DREAM MACHINE Toyota Camry
The Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota started 29th and finished 28th
The No. 00 suffered severe damage in a first lap, multicar accident triggered by cars ahead of Reutimann.
Team made several stops to repair the damage and return Reutimann to the track.
Reutimann finished 28th—down three laps to the leaders.
Reutimann’s 11-race streak of finishing on the lead lap was the longest in Sprint Cup competition.
REUTIMANN QUOTE: "That's about as frustrating as it gets. We didn't even get a chance to race today. Something happened up in front and I had nowhere to go and hit pretty hard. They crew did a great job working on it so we could run the rest of the race and get a respectable finish. We'll get going again in Pocono."
RACE NOTES:
Jamie McMurray won the Brickyard 400 (17th Running), his fifth victory in 278 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
Kevin Harvick, Greg Biffle, Clint Bowyer and Tony Stewart rounded out the top five.
There were 14 lead changes among 10 leaders and six cautions for 25 laps. Twenty five cars finished on lead lap.
Kevin Harvick leads the point standings by 184 points over Jeff Gordon.
Chip Ganassi became the first owner to win the Daytona 500, Brickyard 400 and the Indy 500 in the same year.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Aaron's, MWR and David Reutimann Together Through 2012 in Sprint Cup Series
Aaron’s Ups Primary Sponsorship From 24 to 30 races in 2010
Extends Agreement through 2011 & 2012
INDIANAPOLIS (JULY 25, 2010) – Michael Waltrip Racing announced today that it has signed agreements extending its relationships with driver David Reutimann and primary sponsor Aaron’s, Inc. on the No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota through the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup season.
“I’m glad both Michael Waltrip Racing and Aaron’s want to keep me around,” joked Reutimann. “I’ve been asked about my contract for the last month and we’ve had a handshake agreement, but now it’s done and I’m glad I can finally talk about it. I’m thrilled. This is where I want to be – at Michael Waltrip Racing driving the No. 00 with Aaron’s on the hood. Aaron’s has been a great partner and I consider myself a lucky dog every time I get behind the wheel of the Aaron’s Dream Machine.
“Michael and Darrell Waltrip have given me just about every chance I have ever had in NASCAR since 2004 and I don’t want to go anywhere else. Good things are happening here and I plan to be a part of it.”
Reutimann, 40, earned his second Sprint Cup victory on July 10 in Chicagoland. He earned his and MWR’s first Sprint Cup victory at Charlotte in May 2009. He owns victories all three NASCAR national touring series. No driver owns more Toyota starts than Reutimann in NASCAR.
MWR co-owner Michael Waltrip said he never doubted Reutimann’s return.
“We never wavered on wanting to extend David and neither did Aaron’s. David and Aaron’s are like family to me. They’ve both been a large part of Michael Waltrip Racing since the very beginning and have stuck with us through thick and thin,” said Waltrip. “In the beginning we all took a chance on each other. You might say it was a high-risk, high reward proposition for everyone involved, but we all believed in each other and we are now starting to see those rewards a little more each day.
“Aaron’s along with NAPA AUTO PARTS and Toyota are three of the cornerstones MWR built upon over the years. Their loyalty to us has been as important as any ingredient in our success of late. I’m very proud that these companies have stayed with us as long as they have. We have a very bright future and plan to reward their loyalty in the coming years as we grow and continue to visit victory lane.”
Aaron’s will increase its primary sponsorship of Reutimann’s No.00 from 24 to 30 races in 2010 with TUMS and Best Western completing the schedule. Aaron’s will remain at 30 races in 2011 and 2012 and assume associate sponsorship position with all MWR Toyotas.
“Increasing our involvement in the NACSAR Sprint Cup Series and extending our partnership with Michael Waltrip Racing and David Reutimann through 2012 is a testament to how successful this relationship has been for Aaron’s,” stated Ken Butler, Chief Operating Officer of Aaron’s, Inc. “Much of Aaron’s growth and success is a direct result of our partnership with MWR and we are thrilled to continue that for two more seasons. We have built a rich history with Michael Waltrip and this organization over the last 11 years and I could not imagine Aaron’s partnering with anyone else in this sport. We look forward to being a part of their continued success.”
Aaron’s relationship with Michael Waltrip Racing began in 2000 when the Atlanta-based company sponsored six races for Waltrip’s Nationwide team. The relationship grew from a partial Nationwide program to one of the most recognizable Cup partnerships in the sport with aggressive activation and extensive usage of Waltrip and Reutimann in television and radio commercials.
MWR fields fulltime NASCAR Sprint Cup teams for Reutimann and Martin Truex Jr. as well as a fulltime K&N Pro Series entry and a six-race Nationwide Series entry for Ryan Truex. MWR along with Gary and Blake Bechtel co-own Diamond-Waltrip Racing that fields a fulltime Nationwide entry for Trevor Bayne.
About Aaron’s, Inc.
Aaron’s, Inc. (NYSE: AAN), the nation’s leader in the sales and lease ownership and specialty retailing of residential furniture, consumer electronics, home appliances and accessories, has more than 1,730 Company-operated and franchised stores in 48 states and Canada. Founded in 1955 by entrepreneur R. Charles Loudermilk, Sr. and headquartered in Atlanta, Aaron’s has been publicly traded since 1982. For more information, visit www.aarons.com.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
David Reutimann - Indianapolis Motor Speedway Preview
QUOTES
BUZZIE REUTIMANN ON DAVID’S CHICAGO WIN: “People want you to put into words what it feels like to watch your son win a race at the highest level, but I don’t think there are really words that can describe that feeling. We can sit and talk about winning races all night long, but it’s the ones we lose we don’t want to talk about a whole lot. It was just a great victory. I know that when David won that Coke 600 that he always felt that it was sort of a “gimmie” and he was living with that. I know when he won that race in Chicago that the weight of the world came off his shoulders - you could just tell the relief in him. The first thing I said to him when I stuck my head in the car in victory lane was, ‘Tonight we did it kid! There was no rain in sight and it was all about the racing.’ I said, ‘You whipped them all! Tonight we’re the best!’ but I think it took a couple days for it all to sink in.”
BUZZIE REUTIMANN ON THE SHOW OF RESPECT FROM OTHER DRIVERS: “The other drivers coming over and congratulating David meant just as much as winning the race to me. When Jeff Gordon and Carl Edwards came to victory lane—and even back in the garage where they were working on the cars—all the guys on the other team came and offered congratulations. Getting the respect from the other drivers means a lot. You race guys like you want to be raced and that makes a big difference because if you start roughing guys up it’s going to come back to you—I taught him that. I told him don’t go out there and run over somebody because you’re likely to get run over the next time. David’s been pretty smart about that.”
PRESS CONFERENCE: Michael Waltrip Racing will make an announcement regarding the No. 00 team at noon Friday in the Economaki Press Conference Room at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Reutimann & Waltrip will be available to media after the announcement.
ADDITIONAL NOTES OF INTEREST
• Only Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick and Jeff Burton have a better average finish than Reutimann (11.6) in the last 10 races. Reutimann is tied with Denny Hamlin during that span.
• In the last 10 point races, Reutimann has scored 1,341 points - sixth most of any driver and moved from 27th in points to 15th. The 12-position gain is the largest gain among any driver over that span — Tony Stewart gained the second most positions at +6.
• Reutimann currently has the longest streak of consecutive lead laps finishes at 11 races. He has finished on the lead lap in 15 or 16 races that he was running at the finish and 15 out of 19 total races in 2010.
• Reutimann led 52 laps in his win at Chicagoland Speedway—the second highest total of any race in his career (Best, 104 laps at Richmond in fall 2008). He has collected 25 bonus points for leading laps in five of the 11 races. Reutimann has one win, three top-fives and nine top-15 finishes during that span.
• Reutimann has finished 20th or better in 14 of the 15 races that he has been running at the finish in 2010—and 15th or better in 11 of the 15.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Reutimann Chicagoland Race Report
- David Reutimann, No. 00 TUMS Toyota Camry - won - 15th in points.
David Reutimann Race Summary: No. 00 TUMS Toyota driver David Reutimann won his second victory in 118 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts on Saturday night at Chicagoland Speedway. It was Reutimann’s first win since he won the rain-shortened Coca-Cola 600 last year at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Reutimann’s No. 00 TUMS Toyota was strong all day and he was able to grab the lead from Jeff Gordon on lap 212. Final scheduled pit stops began on lap 232 and when the field had completed its stops, Reutimann held a lead of more than three seconds over Gordon. The Zephyrhills, Fla., native was able to hold off Carl Edwards in the closing laps to grab Michael Waltrip Racing’s second Sprint Cup Series victory Reutimann moved to 15th in the points—just 96 points out of the 12th and final Chase spot. The Sprint Cup Series enjoys an off weekend before traveling to Indianapolis for the Brickyard 400 on July 25.
David Reutimann, No. 00 TUMS Toyota Camry
- David Reutimann won the LIFELOCK.com 400, his second victory in 118 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races
- It has been 42 races since his last win
- This is his first victory and first top-10 finish in four races at Chicagoland Speedway
- The TUMS Toyota started seventh
- Worked his way into the top five on lap 26
- Reutimann battled with Gordon for the several laps and finally grabbed the lead on lap 212
- Reutimann raced in the top five for the majority of the race
How much does this win mean to you?
“First of all, I have to thank the fans and everyone else at Michael Waltrip Racing. Everybody did such a great job today. Toyota Racing Development and having Tums on the car this weekend, it’s just been a great weekend. I don’t even know what to say. It was probably the lamest burnout I’ve ever seen at this race track, I was tearing up pretty bad. I have to thank all my guys, they did a great job. There was no rain tonight. We earned this one, nobody gave it to us and that feels really good.”
What is happening at Michael Waltrip Racing right now?
“Everyone of these guys you see behind me that works on this car and the guys at the fab shop, Toyota and Toyota Racing Development has given us some great horsepower tonight. It’s phenomenal horsepower and it’s just a total team effort. I heard so much stuff for winning a rain-shortened event that everybody said we didn’t earn it. Tonight, I don’t know what they can say about this one.”
What would you tell everyone who said your first one wasn’t earned?
“I don’t know. They were watching the same thing I was. Tonight we earned it and it’s a total team effort -- everyone at Michael Waltrip Racing did a phenomenal job. I don’t even know what to say. You think about these moments all your life and you think about all the right things to say. I’m about to cry, this is awesome.”
What changed for you the last one-third of the race?
“We were just better on the long run. That last run, that was the worst we were all night was the last green flag stretch. The car was really, really loose and I knew the 99 (Carl Edwards) was catching us awful fast. It was a good night, a good effort by everybody. It feels really good to get a second (win) under our belt and get it over with.”
How much sweeter is this win tonight than your first one?
“We took a lot of heat for how we won the first race. Tonight we just had the car to beat. We were struggling that last half a little bit, the most we struggled all night. We just held on, had a good enough lead where we could just ride a little bit. I knew the 99 (Carl Edwards) was coming, I was hoping he’d run out of time and thankfully he did.”
Any worries with lapped traffic near the end of the race?
“Everybody is trying to stay on the lead lap; nobody wants to give any room. With that being said, I think everybody ran me really clean. You can’t ask for everybody that is trying to race, you can’t ask for anything more. It’s a great finish and a great feeling to win our Cup race the way this was.”
RACE NOTES:
• David Reutimann won the LIFELOCK.COM 400 at Chicagoland Speedway
• Carl Edwards (second) posted his second top-10 finish in six races at Chicagoland Speedway
• Jeff Gordon, Clint Bowyer and Jamie McMurrary rounded out the top-five
• The race lasted two hours 45 minutes and 34 seconds and featured 10 lead changes among seven drivers
• The race was slowed by four cautions for at total of 21 laps
• The next race is July 25 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
David Reutimann - Chicagoland Speedway Preview
CORNELIUS, N.C. — No. 00 TUMS Toyota driver David Reutimann admits he’s not only racing against 42 other drivers each weekend, but he’s also racing against the calendar. The Michael Waltrip Racing driver’s surge in the point standings comes as the battle for births in the “Chase for the Championship” intensifies. But will the Zephyrhills, Fla. native have enough time for a comeback?
With only eight races left in the regular season, Reutimann is 17th in points trailing the 12th and final Chase spot by 170 points. But, Reutimann has recent history on his side. He jumped from 30th to 17th in points in the last 10 weeks and no driver outside of the top-12 has earned more points (1,033) or has a higher average finish (12.6) in the last eight weeks. Reutimann said racing on the 1.5-mile ovals is his team’s strong suit so Saturday night’s race on the 1.5-mile oval at Chicagoland Speedway couldn’t come at a better time.
REUTIMANN QUOTES
REUTIMANN ON CHICAGO: “I like Chicago a lot. It’s a great facility and a fun racetrack. We’ve been good at Chicago in the past and I’m hoping that we’re good this weekend—which I think we will be. I’m just excited to get back to a mile-and-a-half racetrack. We’ve been really strong on the mile-and-a-half tracks over the last two years. That may be the best part of our program at Michael Waltrip Racing. We have a pretty large point deficit to make up in the next eight races, but Chicago is one of the tracks that I look at as a chance to gain some of those points back. We’re continuing to make up ground on a lot of other teams, but we’re starting to cut it close on time to make a serious run at it. I think we have the team to do it, but we just have to start finishing races and not leave any points on the table.”
REUTIMANN ON RACING DOUBLE DUTY: “This will be my last time to race in both the Nationwide Series and Cup Series in the same weekend this year. I had a three-race deal with Braun Racing to run in the Nationwide Series and this is my last time this season. When I used to run both series full-time it seemed normal to be in the car all the time. Now that I only do it a couple times a year it seems like a lot. I wish I had a few more races in the Nationwide Series because I think it’s a great series. It’s a lot of fun and it’s competitive, but for now we just have those three races. Maybe we can find some more races down the road, but to be completely honest my main concern right now is on the Cup Series side of things. We only have eight more races to get the No. 00 Toyota into the top-12 for a shot at the Chase.”
ADDITIONAL NOTES OF INTEREST
• Reutimann has 10 straight top-20 finishes. Only Harvick, J. Gordon, Ku. Busch and Hamlin have a better average finish (12.5) than Reutimann in the last 10 races.
• In the last 10 point races, Reutimann has scored 1,277 points - eighth most of any driver and moved from 30th in points to 17th. The 13-position gain is the largest gain among any driver over that span — Kasey Kahne has gained the second most positions at +6.
• Reutimann and Kevin Harvick are the only two drivers to finish on the lead lap of the last 10 races. Reutimann collected 20 bonus points for leading laps in four of the 10. Reutimann has eight top-15 finishes, including top-fives at Dover and Charlotte during that span.
• Reutimann has finished 20th or better in 13 of the 14 races that he has been running at the finish in 2010—and 15th or better in 10 of the 14. Reutimann’s lowest result in a race that he was running as the finish was 28th at Martinsville.
• Chicagoland marks the third of five primary paint schemes for TUMS this season. The No. 00 TUMS Toyota also will next appear at New Hampshire and Phoenix.
• Reutimann is racing in the No. 10 Toyota for Braun Racing on Friday night at Chicagoland. This will mark the third and final Nationwide race for Reutimann in 2010.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Reutimann Daytona Post Race Report
• David Reutimann, No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry - Finished 11th -17th in points.
David Reutimann Race Summary: No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine driver David Reutimann left Daytona International Speedway disappointed with an 11th-place finish Saturday night. The Michael Waltrip Racing driver survived several multi-car accidents either just in front or just behind him during the 400-mile race. As the laps wound down he appeared destined for a top-five finish but contact with Clint Bowyer on the backstretch coming to the checkered flag cost him several spots. Reutimann moved to 17th in the points— just 170 points out of the 12th and final Chase spot. The Sprint Cup Series next travels to Chicagoland for Saturday night’s race
David Reutimann, No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry
• Reutimann raced as high as second despite complaining of difficultly turning on the Daytona track.
• A fiery 16-car accident on lap 148 just car lengths behind Reutimann eliminated several cars.
• The No. 00 restarted third with eight laps remaining, but his inside lane fell far behind the outside lane.
• With two laps remaining he raced fifth narrowly avoiding a three-car wreck in front of him.
• After pitting, Reutimann started the green-white-checkered dash in 11th and rapidly made up places.
• He and Clint Bowyer collided on the backstretch coming to the checkered flag costing the No. 00 several positions.
REUTIMANN QUOTE: “I’m more than disappointed, I’m heartbroken. I had a pretty good car and everything was going pretty well. We just kind of gambled at the end and decided to take tires and nobody else came and we lost a lot of track position. Then with just the green-white-checkered ended up biting us at the end.”
RACE NOTES:
• Kevin Harvick won the race in a green-white-checkered finish. Kasey Kahne and Jeff Gordon rounded out top three.
• A 16-car accident with 12 laps remaining brought out the red flag for just over 19 minutes.
• The race lasted two hours 37 minutes and 19 seconds and featured 47 lead changes among 18 drivers
• The race was slowed by nine cautions for a total of 34 laps
• Rain cancelled qualifying and NASCAR determined the starting order by the point standings.
• Rain also delayed the start of the race more than two hours Saturday night.
• The next race is Saturday at Chicagoland Speedway.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
