Reutimann 10th in Aaron's Dream Machine at Milwaukee
By Kellyanne Lynch, mikeypower.com
24 June 2006
The #99 Aaron's Dream Machine picked up another top 10 finish the AT&T 250, today's Busch Series race at the Milwaukee Mile. Craftsman Truck Series driver David Reutimann brought the Michael Waltrip Racing machine home in 10th.
Reutimann ranked 12th and 11th in first and second practice respectively. In the first session, he turned his best lap in 30.414 seconds at 118.367 MPH, trailing pace setter Johnny Sauter by 0.391 seconds. He was 0.285 seconds behind Aric Almirola in happy hour with a 30.029-second lap at 119.884 MPH.
Rain washed the track after practice, and before time trials. Reutimann was the 17th of 41 drivers on the track for qualifying. He turned his best of two laps in 29.767 seconds at 120.939 MPH, and was 6th at the time. He ultimately ranked 13th and was 0.336 seconds behind Aric Almirola in the #20. Because Denny Hamlin assumed over driving duties of the #20, the pole-winning car dropped to the rear of the field during pace laps. The drop allowed Reutimann to advance a row, and he gained another to Stephen Wallace, who hit the wall in qualifying and required repairs.
The race began at 9:06pm ET. Paul Menard's #11 inheritted the first spot, and the Aaron's Dream Machine was 9th. On lap 6, Reutimann picked up a spot as Todd Kluever dropped two; however, he lost it to Ron Hornaday seven laps after that. Thirteen laps into the race, he was back where he started - in 9th. Lap 14 saw him lose a spot to Kevin Harvick.
Clint Bowyer gained on the race leader throughout the following laps. He rode his rear fender on lap 28, and took glances to the inside. Menard guarded his position. Three laps later, Bowyer powered under Menard's #11 and claimed the top spot going into lap 32. His #2 AC Delco Chevrolet jumped out to nearly a second ahead of the former leader.
On lap 42, Reutimann dropped under Hornaday and was marked in 9th the next time around the track. A FOX pit reporter said that Reutimann complained he was "pushing the nose and chattering the tires". He rode a little over fourteen seconds behind race leader Bowyer.
Reutimann picked up 8th from Kenny Wallace on lap 53. Denny Hamlin passed one lap later, dropping the Aaron's Dream Machine back to 9th. Meanwhile, Bowyer had lapped the 26th-place car.
Cars around Reutimann on lap 62 went three-wide, and beside him, John Hayden spun.
The first caution came one lap later. Hayden had stuck his lapped #85 under the Aaron's Dream Machine, and Reutimann held his line. Leaders pit under the yellow.
Racing resumed on lap 68. Bowyer continued to lead, as Reutimann had fallen back to 15th following stops. He had gained a spot before the yellow flag waved.
The second caution came on lap 70 for an accident involving Auggie Vidovich, Reagan Smith, John Andretti, and Todd Kluever.
Lap 74 saw the restart. Bowyer led, and Reutimann ran 14th. Passing Stacy Compton two laps into the run advanced the Aaron's Dream Machine one spot.
Denny Hamlin took the lead halfway through lap 80. Two laps later, Bowyer looked inside Hamlin's #20, and the pair ran side-by-side. Hamlin was credited on lap 84, but Bowyer was still to his inside. Bowyer's #2 powered past the #20, and Hamlin attempted a cross-over move. Bowyer slid ahead, grabbing the top spot again on lap 85.
Ron Hornaday was all over Reutimann's rear fender on lap 87. The #99 lost a spot to Hornaday just before the next caution.
The yellow flag waved for the third time on lap 92 around the 15th position. Compton had been knocked back after going three-wide and was rear-ended by another car. A few other hot rods bounced off one another, including Kyle Busch, who sustained damage to the nose of his #5. The leaders pit, and Vidovich led under yellow.
Racing resumed on lap 96. Vidovich slid back with debris on his tires, and Mike Wallace grabbed the top spot. Reutimann was 17th, but passed Ashton Lewis Jr two laps into the run. He dropped back to 17th on lap 100 when Stephen Wallace passed him.
Hamlin closed on Mike Wallace on lap 102, and took the top spot before the lap 103 stripe. Three laps later, Reutimann gained 16th from Danny O'Quinn. Stephen Wallace dropped the next time around the track, advancing the Aaron's Dream Machine to 15th. Lap 112 saw Reutimann pick up 14th from Vidovich, but he lost the spot to Stephen Leicht's #90 the next time around the track.
The fourth caution came on lap 117 for a hard, multi-car accident. Stacy Compton turned Burney Lamar into Jerik Johnson. Lamar sustained significant rear end damage, while Johnson's #76 wrinkled his quarter panel. After a long clean-up in Turn 1, NASCAR opened pit road. Some drivers chose to make stops, and Tim Sauter picked up the top spot.
Racing resumed on lap 129 with Tim Sauter leading and Reutimann in 18th. Mike Wallace and Denny Hamlin took him three-wide, and Hamlin took the lead before lap 133.
Reutimann lost a spot on lap 136 but regained it to Scott Wimmer the next time around the track. He picked up 17th from Tim Sauter on lap 145. Reutimann tailed Kenny Wallace throughout the following laps. FOX reported that the #99 team had raised the track bar at least six rounds; however, the tired continued to chattered in the centre of the turns, the nose continued to push, and the car wouldn't "free up". Regardless of his struggles, he was 15th by lap 159. He passed Carl Edwards for another spot within the next couple laps.
At the front of the field, Jason Leffler rode race leader Hamlin's rear fender. Leffler's #38 dropped under the #20 a few times but could not grip to the track. He took the lead on lap 167.
Reutimann continued picking up positions. He gained two on lap 180, advancing to 12th. Five laps later, he passed Stephen Leicht for another spot, and he moved into the top ten two laps after that by getting around Mark McFarland. Lap 189 saw Reutimann passing Hornaday for 9th. Six laps later, he maneuvered around Mike Wallace for another position.
Race leader Jason Leffler's #38 spun while going to pit road, drawing the fifth caution on lap 206. Leffler fell to 5th, while second place runner Denny Hamlin had just gone to pit road and would restart at the tail end of the lead lap. Carl Edwards received the free pass, and the leaders pit under caution.
Menard led the lap 211 behind tail-end-of-the-lead-lap drivers Denny Hamlin and Mike Wallace. Reutimann was 6th, but lost a spot to David Green one lap into the run.
Ron Hornaday spun, bringing out the sixth caution on lap 213. Mike Wallace received the free pass.
Menard led the lap 216 restart with Reutimann running 7th. The Aaron's Dream Machine lost a spot to Jon Wood two laps into the run.
The yellow flag waved for the seventh time on lap 219. David Green got loose and spun the #41 of David Stremme.
Racing resumed on lap 226 with Menard leading and Reutimann in 7th. Mark McFarland passed three laps into the run, moving the #99 to 8th. Kevin Harvick moved up into Stephen Wallace, cutting Wallace's tire. As the tire scattered debris, Tim Sauter spun.
The eighth caution came on lap 230 for Sauter.
Menard led the lap 234 restart. Reutimann was 8th. Carl Edwards, Stacy Compton, and Denny Hamlin all passed three laps later, dropping the #99 to 11th. Danny O'Quinn and Mike and Kenny Wallace got around Reutimann one lap later.
With ten laps to go, the nineth yellow flag came for an incident involving Stephen Wallace and Stephen Leicht.
Lap 244 saw the restart, with 7 laps remaining. Menard led, with Harvick hot on his tail. Todd Kluever knocked Erin Crocker into a spin at the restart, when the field bottled.
The tenth caution came for Crocker on lap 245. Reutimann was still 14th.
Three laps remained when the green flag returned. Harvick bumped off the rear end of Menard's #11 a couple of times before the restarts stripe, and several times after it. The pair checked up and Yeley spun Harvick. Several cars were collected, including Mark McFarland, Clint Bowyer, Jason Leffler, Jon Wood, and Carl Edwards.
NASCAR called for a green/white/checkered finish, which Menard led. Reutimann sat 11th. One lap to go, on lap 258, the #99 picked up 10th from Jay Sauter. Wisconsin native Paul Menard won his first Busch Series race; Reutimann was 10th.
Tune in tomorrow for the Dodge/Save Mart 350! Coverage starts at 3:00pm ET on FOX.
