David 16th in BGN Michigan race by Kellyanne Lynch
18 August 2007
David Reutimann's #99 Dominos.com Toyota sustained damage in the first lap of the Carfax 250, today's Busch Series race at Michigan International Speedway. The Michael Waltrip Racing entry finished 16th.
The call to start engines came at 3:37pm ET, and the green flag came eleven minutes later. Pole sitter Greg Biffle led the field to the stripe. Brian Vickers' #10 started on the outside row and powered past Biffle along the backstretch to lead lap 1.
Meanwhile, David started 14th. David Gilliland's #25 got into the left front of the #99 Dominos.com Toyota, causing a tire rub. Casey Mears had slid Gilliland up the track. David stayed on track, although his car was smoking heavily in the corners. ESPN reported that he had said earlier this weekend that he knew he couldn't catch points leader Carl Edwards in the standing but that he would try to chisel away some of those points.
David remained on the track. Although he was 20th by lap 5, his left front tire was smoking significantly less. The #99 lost a spot to Tony Stewart on lap 6.
The yellow flag waved for the first time on lap 7 for Kevin Hamlin. His #42 had gotten loose and had hit the outside wall so hard, sheet metal from the rear got ripped off the car. He lost a tire and spun as he sped to the pits. Kertus Davis was already off the track when Hamlin went to the garage. David was 22nd when he went to pit road, where his crew put barribond on the left front.
Vickers' Toyota led the lap 11 restart. David's Camry was 40th and was ahead of just one other car on track. He picked off Kyle Krisiloff one lap into the run. Lap 13 saw him get around Brent Sherman, Mark Green, and Bobby East for 36th. He passed four more cars in the next two laps and another on the next circuit.
Matt Kenseth dropped inside the #10 and passed Vickers for the lead going into lap 17. Meanwhile, David continued to battle his way through the ranks. He passed Kelly Bires the same lap that Kenseth took the lead and got around Jason Leffler on lap 19. Three laps later, he got around Kasey Kahne for 28th, and he passed Mike Wallace the next time around the track.
Vickers had just retaken the lead and David was 25th when the second caution came out on lap 25. Edwards had slid up the track and across Reed Sorenson's nose, and he spun himself out. He stopped in front of Sorenson's #41 pit box before going to his own. Leaders pit under caution.
Racing resumed on lap 29 with Denny Hamlin in the lead and David in 21st. Todd Bodine ran Bobby Labonte up the track in Turn 3, inflicting Labonte's #77 with a tire rub. David lost a spot one lap into the run but regained it the next time around the track.
The yellow flag waved for the third time on lap 33. Tony Stewart got loose while running along the high side and spun beside David. His former teammate, Bobby Labonte, received the free pass. Vickers pit to top off fuel after his crew struggled to fully fuel it during his last stop.
Kenseth led the lap 36 restart while David rode 19th. JJ Yeley cut in front of Brad Coleman on lap 39, and David dropped inside Coleman's #18 to avoid getting into him. He passed Ward Burton for 18th on lap 40; however, Burton got back around him the next time around the track. He regained the position to Kasey Kahne on lap 43.
Denny Hamlin took to the low line, ran side-by-side with Kenseth, and took the lead on lap 45. Meanwhile, Vickers got around David and moved the #99 back to 19th. Getting around Burton put the Aaron's Dream Machine in 18th on lap 46.
Lap 57 saw Kenseth drop inside Hamlin's #20 and take the lead. Five laps later, David passed JJ Yeley's #1. The Aaron's Dream Machine passed Marcos Ambrose's #59 for 16th on lap 68.
Hamlin got back around Kenseth in traffic, reclaiming the lead on lap 69. David Ragan dropped through the ranks six laps later, allowing David to pick up 15th.
The front runners made green flag pit stops on lap 77. David was with that group. Kevin Harvick took the lead when Hamlin made his stop. Brian Vickers moved into the top spot on lap 80, and when he pit, David Ragan led. Ragan stopped on lap 82, and Bobby Labonte took over first.
Stops cycled when Labonte pit on lap 87, putting Hamlin back in the lead. David was 18th but picked up a spot the next time around the track. He got around Marcos Ambrose on lap 104 for 16th.
David lost the lead lap on lap 109. He went on to finish 16th while Hamlin won by seven seconds over Kenseth.
Coverage of the Nextel Cup's 3M Performance 400 starts tomorrow at 1:00pm on ESPN.
---------------------
Reutimann Battles Back for 16th Place in Dominos.com Toyota
August 18, 2007 -- Brooklyn, MI -- David Reutimann, driver of the #99 Dominos.com Toyota in the NASCAR Busch Series, finished 16th this afternoon in the CARFAX 250 from the track that is delivered by Domino’s Pizza – Michigan International Speedway.
The #99 Dominos.com Toyota rolled off 14th today, and the team hoped that another good start would bring another strong top-10 run. Unfortunately, the #25 car got loose in the corner on lap five and hit the #99 Dominos.com Toyota in the left front courtier panel – bending it down on the tire and making the car extremely tight.
“The #99 Dominos.com Toyota was strong when the green flag dropped and I was just trying to patiently work my way through the field – then around lap five the #25 just loses it and slams into me. That ruined our day – I mean, we were playing catch up from that point,” said David.
The #99 Dominos.com team continued to work hard throughout the race – fixing the damage, and eventually working their way back to 16th before the green flag dropped.
“It’s disappointing because I know I could’ve finished in the top-10 or better. I wanted to give everyone at Domino’s something to smile about today,” said David.
Continue to watch for Raybestos Rookie of the Year contender David Reutimann and the #00 Domino’s Pizza Toyota tomorrow at Michigan International Speedway (the track delivered by Domino’s Pizza) for the 3M Performance 400.