David Reutimann's #99 Aaron's Dream Machine picked up a top ten in the Circuit City 250, tonight's Busch Series race at Richmond International Raceway. The Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota picked up a spot on the last lap and crossed the stripe in 9th.
The call to start engines came at 8:18pm ET. Denny Hamlin led the field to green nine minutes later, with David rolling off 16th. The #99 was up to 15th on lap 3 when the yellow flag waved.
The first caution was on lap 4 for Kyle Krisiloff's spin. He got loose under JJ Yeley, moved up the track into the #1, and his #14 went around on him.
Lap 8 saw the restart with David in 8th. On lap 10, the #99 dropped inside Kyle Busch's #5, and the pair raced side-by-side. The Aaron's Dream Machine picked up the spot as Busch struggled with a tire losing air.
Sam Hornish Jr hit the wall in Turn 2, drawing the second yellow flag on lap 14. He'd moved down the track in the corner, which lost air off Steven Wallace's #66 and sent the #66 into Hornish's #12.
Racing resumed on lap 20 with Hamlin leading and David in 14th. Jeff Burton drove the high groove around Hamlin one lap into the run and took the top spot.
The third caution came on lap 24 for Denny Hamlin. He'd drifted into Matt Kenseth coming off the corner and spun off the #17. The nose of his #20 sustained a great deal of damage. Kevin Lepage's #52 caught on fire under caution, just before the race was about to go green.
Burton led the lap 36 restart with David in 13th. Within the next eight laps, the #99 moved into 12th; however, Carl Edwards passed David eleven laps after that. By lap 63, Mike Bliss got around the Aaron's Dream Machine, and Casey Mears passed two circuits later. David was now 15th.
On lap 74, Clint Bowyer took the lead. Scott Wimmer passed David two laps later, just before the yellow flag waved.
Justin Diercks drew the fourth caution on lap 80. Dange Hanniford had gotten into him and spun him. Jon Wood received the free pass, and cars pit under yellow.
The green flag waved on lap 85 but was withdrawn on the next lap. Jason Leffler cut down into Brett Rowe when he went three-wide, and DJ Kennington T-boned Leffler's #38. David held to the low line to get through the accident scene. Jamie McMurray, who was just behind the #99, picked up a little damage.
Lap 97 saw the restart. Burton continued to lead while David rode 20th after a long pit stop under the fourth caution. Two laps into the run, the Aaron's Dream Machine moved into 19th. Passing JJ Yeley by lap 106 and Mike Wallace on the next circuit notched the #99 up two spots. Getting around Mike Bliss on lap 109 put David in 16th, and on lap 121, David rounded the #91 of Bobby Santos for another position.
Tony Raines' #33 began sparking intensely with a right front flat. He went to pit road on lap 135 as the race stayed green. David moved into 14th with Raines' departure.
Dange Hanniford's #56 backed into the wall, bringing out the sixth caution on lap 137. Brent Sherman also sustained damage. David Gilliland received the Aaron's lucky dog, and cars pit under yellow.
Lap 146 saw the restart. Burton led, and David was 13th. Eight laps into the run, the #99 got around Shane Huffman's #88 for position.
Matt Kenseth moved under Jeff Burton's #29 and took the lead on lap 168. On lap 203, David got around Juan Pablo Montoya for 11th.
JJ Yeley got loose under Derrike Cope, getting into Cope's #28 and drawing the seventh yellow flag on lap 221. Yeley received the free pass, and drivers made stops under yellow.
Lap 227 saw the restart with Carl Edwards leading; he and David Ragan had stayed on the track. David was 12th. Bowyer claimed the lead on lap 230 with fresher tires, and David passed Ragan five laps after that. The #99 picked up 10th from Edwards on lap 241. David passed Scott Wimmer on the last lap, finishing 9th. Clint Bowyer picked up the win.
Tomorrow night is the Nextel Cup race. Coverage of the Crown Royal Presents The Jim Stewart 400 starts at 7:00pm ET on FOX.