David Reutimann - Michigan International Speedway Preview

CORNELIUS, N.C. — No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota driver David Reutimann spent his Monday traveling to Chicago to assist Chicagoland Speedway in announcing it will become the first race in the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Chase for the Championship. The press conference took place at Fulton’s on the River in downtown Chicago and was attended by NASCAR VP of racing operations Steve O’Donnell, Reutimann, Kevin Harvick and Chicagoland Speedway president Craig Rust.

QUOTES

ON CHICAGOLAND SPEEDWAY BEING ADDED TO THE 2011 CHASE SCHEDULE:
“Chicagoland Speedway is a cool place. It’s a neat racetrack, the facility is phenomenal and the people are great. People can talk about the markets and all the other things that are really, really important to our sport, but I think what it comes down to for us, what’s important for a driver, is that it’s a fun racetrack. Anytime a driver can go out there and have fun at a racetrack you are going to see better racing. You’ll see guys run at the top or the bottom or the middle and I just think that adds excitement to the event. What makes Chicago such a cool racetrack – I mean you have a back straightaway that’s not straight, so I don’t know what you’d call that, but whatever you want to call it – maybe the curveaway. It’s a unique racetrack and great facility. I just think it’s a perfect place to start the Chase. Hopefully next year I’m part of that equation as well.”

ON THE ADDITION OF THE 1.5-MILE RACETRACK TO THE CHASE: “People say that Chicagoland Speedway is just another mile-and-a-half racetrack and it is, but that’s where the similarities end from a lot of the other racetracks that we go to. It’s just unique, especially with the entrance of the corners. Every year you go back the racetrack gets a little more personality. I always consider racetracks to be a living breathing thing and their attitudes change over the years as well. One bump that was not that big one year will be maybe a little bit bigger issue the next. With that being said, it’s a cool racetrack and it’s a challenge.”

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON ADDING ANOTHER 1.5-MILE TRACK TO THE CHASE?
“I’m all for it, especially since I won there. The only problem that I have is that they changed it to a day race, and that’s just going to completely mess my deal up. (Laughs). I finally for one race in my entire life get things figured out and then they change it on me. I think the reason behind the move to a day race was like – well, Reutimann ran pretty good there, so what can we do to mess up his program. (Laughs). I’m sure they had a big meeting on that.

“What’s important is that we have good racing on the racetrack and I think this particular racetrack adds to that. I think this is a win-win personally.”

ADDITIONAL NOTES OF INTEREST

• Reutimann has finished on the lead lap in 17 of 19 races that he was running at the finish and 17 out of 22 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 15 of the 19 races that he has been running at the finish in 2010—and 15th or better in 12 of the 19. Reutimann has collected 25 bonus points for leading laps in five races in 2010.