By Kellyanne Lynch, mikeypower.com
2 September 2006
David Reutimann's #99 Aaron's Dream Machine finished 20th in the Ameri-Quest 300, tonight's Busch Series race at Fontana. The Michael Waltrip Racing entry spent eighteen laps in the top ten and was ultimately bitten by an unfortunate pit strategy. The late race caution that the #99 team needed never came.
David started tonight's race from the 23rd position. Pole-sitter Clint Bowyer jumped out ahead when the race went green at 10:13pm ET. David had picked up two spots to Scott Wimmer and John Andretti. Getting around Paul Menard and Burney Lamar the next time around the track bounced the #99 up to 19th. Although Todd Kluever passed on lap 5, Auggie Vidovich dropped back. David drove along the high side of Kluever's #06 and battled the Roush racer for position. He was creditted with 18th on lap 6. Vidovich's engine had been running hot, and it blew.
The first caution was for Vidovich's #4 on lap 7. David was 19th; Kluever had gotten back around him. Cars at the back of the pack went to the pits; the top twenty-eight cars stayed on track. Brad Keselowski made a stop, but had to return as he had taken a wedge wrench from his box.
Lap 10 saw the restart with David in 18th. Kyle Busch passed along the high side and took the lead from Bowyer shortly after the green flag waved. Nine laps into the run, the Aaron's Dream Machine got around Jimmie Johnson's #48 Lowe's Monte Carlo for 17th. Kevin Harvick took the lead on the same lap. By lap 22, David was back to 18th; Jon Wood had passed.
Kyle Busch spun off Turn 2, drawing the second caution on lap 30. Jason Leffler was first reported to have received the free pass; he had pit on lap 18 for fresh tires. NASCAR changed their ruling to give the free pass to Scott Wimmer who, during the run, had gone to pit road and lost the lead lap. Everyone pit under caution, and Kevin Harvick won the race off pit road. David was 20th after stops.
Harvick led the lap 34 restart, and cars fanned out mid-pack. Passing Kluever and Johnny Sauter on lap 37 advanced David to 18th. One circuit later, Jamie McMurray pit to change two tires due to potentially loose lug nuts. When McMurray's #64 stopped, David picked up 17th.
Mark Martin took the lead for lap 40. Three laps later, NASCAR brought out the third caution. Paul Tracy had spun through the fourth turn. Some drivers chose to make stops.
Racing resumed on lap 48 with Martin's #6 leading. David was 13th. Eight laps later, Kevin Harvick and Carl Edwards passed and moved the #99 back to 15th. Lap 62 saw David pass Harvick and Menard to gain back those spots. TNT reported that the car had been "bad loose" most of the night. The Michael Waltrip Racing team had made significant track bar and air pressure adjustments to tighten up the Aaron's Dream Machine. The pit reporter described David's run as "impressive".
The fourth caution came on lap 74. Kertis Davis' #0 lost his left front tire, giving Stephen Leicht the free pass. Drivers pit under yellow - just before they would have had to make green flag stops. Kasey Kahne's #9 was the first car back onto the track.
Lap 79 saw the restart with Kahne out front. David was 14th. Mark Martin challenged for the top spot and grabbed it along the backstretch.
Jerry Robertson's #78 spun, bringing out the fifth caution on lap 83. He had gotten loose inside PJ Jones. Jamie McMurray received the free pass.
Martin led the lap 86 restart, with David in 13th. Kyle Busch drove outside Mark Martin, gunning for the top spot. Martin powered his way ahead going into Turn 3 and held the top spot.
On lap 93, David passed Jon Wood for 12th. He was the highest ranked driver who was not a Cup regular.
The yellow flag waved for the sixth time one lap later. JJ Yeley's tire popped off after Paul Tracy's #34 cut down the tire on Yeley's #18. Yeley hit the wall, and collected Tracy and David Raegan. Mike Bliss received the free pass, and drivers made stops.
Martin led the field to the green on lap 100, with David running 10th. Two laps into the run, the #99 picked up 9th from Denny Hamlin. Two circuits after that, David was 8th; he'd gotten around Carl Edwards. Lap 109 saw Hamlin repass the Aaron's Dream Machine; the #99 was back to 9th. Reed Sorenson dropped David to 10th two laps later, and one lap later, Carl Edwards put him back in 11th. Casey Mears moved David back to 12th on lap 116.
Green flag stops began with Kenseth on lap 129. David picked up 11th with the #17's stop, and he pit one lap later at the same time that Kyle Busch did. The leader pit on the next lap, giving Biffle the lead. Tony Stewart picked up the top spot on lap 132 when Biffle made his stop. Kahne got the lead when Stewart made his stop on lap 134. Biffle was black-flagged for leaving when a tire had rolled out of his box. David was 25th and the last one on the lead lap at that time. He was 24th by lap 136. Three laps later, he was 23rd, and Mike Bliss' stop one lap later gained him 22nd.
At the front of the field, Paul Menard was on Kasey Kahne's rear fender for the lead. Menard's #11 was marked in the top spot on lap 141. Kahne took back the spot, but Menard grabbed it back on lap 143. Meanwhile, David passed David Green for 21st on lap 144. Stephen Leicht and PJ Jones dropped through the ranks, allowing the #99 to move into 19th one circuit later. Lap 148 saw Reed Sorenson pass; David was 20th.
Kahne got back around Menard and picked up the lead on lap 149. He crossed the stripe along the apron and won. David came in 20th.
Be sure to watch Mikey race tomorrow in the Sony HD 400! Coverage of the Nextel Cup race starts at 7:00pm ET on NBC.
