David 24th in Dega BGN race by Kellyanne Lynch 28 April 2007 David Reutimann's #99 Aaron's Dream Machine was wrecked with eight laps to go in the Aaron's 312, today's Busch Series race at Talladega Superspeedway. His Michael Waltrip Racing entry led two laps and was in the top ten for twenty-eight of 120 laps. The Aaron's Camry sported a special paint scheme today. A nine-year-old fan from Oregon won a design contest, and she and her family were in the stands to watch the dream machine in action. David started today's race from the 15th position. He moved up to 8th during the first run while Brad Coleman's pole-sitting #18 led. The green flag run ended when Jason Leffler was turned. His #38 went behind the wall. Racing resumed on lap 7 with Coleman in the lead and David in 8th. The Aaron's Dream Machine was up to 7th when David Ragan bumped the back of Ward Burton's #27, moving the #27 up into Clint Bowyer and spinning Burton. David, Scott Wimmer, and Marcus Ambrose were turned around as cars slowed, and Martin Truex Jr hit the outside wall hard. Wimmer and Truex Jr went to the garage. The seconed caution came on lap 9 for the multi-car accident. Lap 14 saw the restart. Coleman led, and David was 31st. One lap into the run, David took the lead; however, Juan Pablo Montoya moved into the top spot after the stripe. Meanwhile, David dropped to 34th and then advanced to 29th. By lap 18, the #99 was up five spots. He was 18th one lap later. Carl Edwards took the lead on lap 20. Meanwhile, David was back to 21st. One lap later saw him in 19th. Casey Mears moved into the top spot on lap 22 with Hendrick teammate Kyle Busch pushing him. One lap later, David picked up the 13th position. As Tony Stewart took the lead one lap later, the #99 moved up a spot. David was back to 13th on the next circuit. Kyle Busch's #5 barrel-rolled through the grass, bringing out the third caution on lap 26. Contact from Tony Stewart's #33 had sent the #5 up the track and sent it nose-first into the wall. Busch's tire flew over the #99. Cars pit under yellow, and Montoya stalled on pit road. Stephen Leicht received the free pass. Kasey Kahne stayed on track and picked up the lead. ABC spoke with David, as their in-race reporter. Commentator Dale Jarrett called his Michael Waltrip Racing teammate over the radio. "Yeah, go ahead, DJ," David replied. "What's it looking like out there?" Dale asked. "The race car's excellent. Jerry Baxter and the guys gave me an awesome Aaron's Dream Machine," David commented. "You think it's fun where you're at. It's wild. I'm afraid we're not done yet." "Good luck the rest of the day," Dale said. The green flag returned moments later. Kahne led the lap 31 restart with David in 15th. Shane Huffman's #88 scuffed the wall and pit one lap into the run as David dropped a spot. By lap 33, David was 11th. Dale Earnhardt Jr moved into the lead on lap 34. David Gilliland took it the next time around the track, and the #99 rose to 4th. When Clint Bowyer took the lead on lap 36, David was 3rd. The Aaron's Dream Machine rode the inside line, pushing Carl Edwards. Mike Wallace was marked in front of him along the outside groove on lap 37. On lap 39, David grabbed the top spot with Clint Bowyer pushing. The #99 jumped to the high line, and the inside freight-trained past him. Carl Edwards took the lead on lap 41, with David in 2nd. The Aaron's Dream Machine was 10th on the next lap and 12th the lap after that. Bowyer took the lead on lap 44, and David was up to 8th. The #99 was 10th on the next circuit. The hood of Regan Smith's #4 popped up over the windshield, causing Smith to slow and to pit. Meanwhile, David moved up to 5th. On lap 48, Casey Mears took the lead. David was back to 11th. Mike Wallace took the top spot one lap later with nephew Steven pushing. David was 10th. By lap 51, David was 16th. Steven attempted to pass his uncle and fell through the field. When Mears took the lead on lap 54, David was 15th. Lap 55 saw the fourth yellow when Stewart spun David Gilliland for blocking. Cars pit under yellow, and Kevin Harvick and Danny O'Quinn Jr had tires roll away. Mears led the lap 60 restart with David in 25th. Steve Wallace led a charge to the outside with Greg Biffle pushing. By lap 63, David was 17th, but he was 18th on the next circuit. Steve Wallace took the lead on lap 65 with David in 10th. The #99 rode the outside line, pushing Kasey Kahne, who pushed O'Quinn. Cars from the middle lane snaked in front of the trio as they raced around the track. The #99 was 16th on lap 68. Two laps later, David was 13th; however, he fell four spots during the next circuit. Lap 74 saw David in 20th. Dale Earnhardt Jr took the lead on lap 75. Harvick was pushing, but then looked to the inside. Earnhardt Jr lost his support, and Mears reclaimed the lead. David was 15th but was 19th on the next circuit. He was 18th on lap 78, 16th one lap later, and 14th one circuit after that. On lap 81, David shot up to 7th. His Aaron's Dream Machine was 9th one lap later. Lap 85 saw Edwards back in the lead. He fell back a bit and struggled with overheating. Meanwhile, David was 11th. Kevin Harvick took the lead the next time around the track while David dropped to 17th. He was 16th on the next circuit when Aric Almirola's #20 took the top spot. One of Almirola's hood pins was loose. As the #20 led, David moved into 9th. He rode the outside line, which was picking up momentum. The fifth caution came on lap 90. Montoya had slowed dramatically just as Edwards bumped teammate Greg Biffle. Biffle's #16 hit the wall, and behind them, someone nudged Jon Wood into the wall too. Harvick was leading at the time with David in 13th. Huffman received the free pass. Cars pit under yellow, and Mears took fuel only. The last time the #24 changed tires was lap 27. Dale spoke with David again under yellow and asked him about his chances. "Well, we got in that little tustle at the beginning," David explained. "It won't go itself with the nose pushed in." He said he planned to drive behind the #8, because they were fast. Andy Petree spoke with Baxter, who confirmed they would follow the #8. Petree said the nose looked good following repairs. Harvick led the lap 94 restart. Moments later, the #8 car fell off the pace and went to the pits after blowing third and fourth gears. Meanwhile, David was 19th. On lap 98, Mears took the lead. David was now 21st. He lost two positions the next time around the track but picked up one of those spots one lap later. The sixth caution was on lap 102 for Almirola's #20. Cars had slowed around the corner, and Ward Burton spun Almirola. David was led low around the wreck. A few cars at the rear of the field pit under yellow. Mears led the lap 105 restart. David was 15th and dropped a spot one lap into the run. Cars moved into two lines, and David moved into 12th on lap 108. He was 18th when he was involved in a multi-car wreck. Lap 110 saw the seventh caution. Reed Sorenson had turned Steve Wallace across David's nose. The #9 came down the track, and David and Sorenson collided. Steven Leicht and Marcos Ambrose were also collected. NASCAR red-flagged the race on lap 111. The race went green again at 5:51pm ET on lap 114. Mears led, and David was not on the track. Debris in Turn 2 drew the eighth yellow flag with two laps to go. Kahne was black-flagged; the debris had come from his #9. Meanwhile, David came back on track. Turning one lap put him ahead of other cars taken out in the last wreck. The field prepared for a green-white-checkered finish. Mears led it, but Bobby Labonte pushed Tony Stewart into the lead off Turn 2. Labonte passed along the outside off the final corner and won the race with his car overheating. David was marked in 24th, 9 laps down. Coverage of the Nextel Cup's Aaron's 499 begins tomorrow at 1:30pm ET on FOX.