#99 7th in Milwaukee by Kellyanne Lynch
23 June 2007
David Reutimann's #99 Aaron's Dream Machine finished 7th tonight in the AT&T 250, tonight's Busch Series race at the Milwaukee Mile.
Aric Almirola led the field to the green flag at 8:47pm ET. David rolled off 8th. Two laps into the run, he passed Johnny Benson, and he got around Shane Huffman two circuits later. David lost a spot to Carl Edwards on lap 7. He was still 7th when the yellow flag waved.
Ian Henderson smoked and slowed off Turn 4, drawing the first caution on lap 30. Drivers made stops when pit road opened, and the Aaron's Dream Machine lost some track position.
Lap 42 saw the restart with Almirola leading and David in 17th. Two laps into the run, the #99 gained a position. David was up to 15th by lap 45 when Carl Edwards took the lead, and he picked up 14th the next time around the track.
Todd Bodine hit Tim McCreadie, drawing the second caution on lap 49. Frank Kreyer received the free pass.
Racing resumed on lap 54 with Edwards leading. Jason Leffler dropped inside, and although he tried to take the top spot one lap into the run, he did not succeed. Meanwhile, David maintained 14th.
Moments later, the yellow flag waved for the third time on lap 57 when Todd Kluever spun Ron Hornaday and sent Hornaday's #77 into the wall. DJ Kennington received the free pass. On lap 60 under caution, Denny Hamlin took over driving the #20 car from Aric Almirola and lost a lap. This allowed David to gain 13th.
The race returned to green on lap 62. Edwards led, and David was 13th. On lap 69, the Aaron's Dream Machine got around Marcos Ambrose's #59, but the #99 lost the spot on lap 87 to Todd Bodine. David got stuck behind Steve Wallace on lap 104, which allowed David Ragan to pass for position. Four laps later saw him fall to 15th when Mike Wallace; however, he regained the spot on lap 112 when Mike Bliss dropped through the ranks.
David lost the lead lap on lap 114, but two laps later, he got back in front of race leader Edwards. He was still in front of Edwards' #60 when the yellow flag waved.
The fourth caution was on lap 120. Steve Wallace ran into the back of Robert Richardson III, spinning Richardson and collecting Kelly Bires. Marcos Ambrose received the free pass, and the leaders pit under yellow. NASCAR issued Steve Wallace a one-lap penalty for aggressive driving and forbid him from using the free pass to get back on the lead lap.
Lap 126 saw the restart. Edwards led, and David was 13th. Three laps later, the #99 passed Kevin Hamlin for position.
Debris on the track brought out the fifth caution on lap 144, giving Denny Hamlin the free pass. David was one of the few drivers who made a stop.
Racing resumed on lap 149 with Edwards leading and David in 11th. On lap 155, Denny Hamlin passed for position, and seven laps after that, Mike Wallace got around the Aaron's Dream Machine. David was now 13th.
The yellow flag waved for the sixth time on lap 165 when Bodine slammed Scott Lagasse Jr into the wall. When leaders pit, Edwards lost six positions in his box.
Mike Wallace led the lap 171 restart with David in 16th. The #99 picked up 15th one lap into the run. Meanwhile, Edwards pit with a flat right rear tire.
Denny Hamlin took the lead on lap 174, and David was up to 13th. By lap 90, the #99 was 12th after getting around Stephen Leicht. David passed Shane Huffman on lap 204, and although he lost the spot the next time around the track, he regained it one circuit later. Getting around Mike Wallace on lap 209 moved him into 10th, and two laps later, he got around Johnny Benson for 9th.
The seventh caution was on lap 222 for Frank Kreyer. Edwards received the free pass back onto the lead lap. Leaders pit under caution. David was reporting that the #99 was tight in centre of the turns and plowed like dump truck on exits. The Aaron's Dream Machine took on four tires and fuel and would be good to go on gas until the end.
Lap 226 saw the restart with Scott Wimmer leading and David still in 9th. One lap into the run, he picked up a spot from Benson.
Kevin Hamlin's accident drew the eighth caution on lap 230; Mike Wallace had spun him. David was 7th at the time.
Racing resumed with 15 laps to go. Wimmer led with Leffler in hot pursuit. David was 7th. Wimmer, Leffler, and Hamlin went three-wide for the lead, and Hamlin jumped out front on lap 239.
The ninth caution was on lap 242 for a multi-car accident. Marc Mitchell, Richard Johns, and Ron Hornaday all ran into the back of each other.
Hamlin led the field to the restart with four laps to go and David in 7th. They finished in those spots, although Aric Almirola was declared the winner as he had started the car today.
Coverage of the Nextel Cup's Lenox Industrial Tools 300 airs July 1st at 1:00pm ET on TNT. The Busch Series' Camping World 200 runs the day before. Coverage starts at 2:30pm ET on ABC.