13th Top-Ten of 2008

FONTANA, CA (August 30, 2008) David Reutimann struggled with a loose racecar for most of the night and finished eighth in the NASCAR Nationwide Camping World RV Service 300 at The Auto Club Speedway. This is Reutimann’s second eighth place finish in a row, Thirteenth top-ten of the year.

Before Saturday night’s race, driver and crew worked hard on trying to find the proper set up for the Aaron’s Dream Machine on the two-mile Superspeedway.  Reutimann felt like his car was sliding around and was not quick enough through turns one and two. His car was free center off which made it hard to get back on the throttle as quickly as he wanted. After making a few minor adjustments, the #99 Aaron’s Dream Machine posted the seventh fasted time during the last practice secession and would be good for qualifying as well as the race.

Reutimann started the Camping World RV Service 300 thirteenth and would never fall below this position for the remainder of the race. The Aaron’s Dream Machine moved quickly through the field running in the ninth position within the first ten laps of the race. By lap 20, the car was loose. “The car was loose on exit and would not turn through the center, I needed more front grip,” said Reutimann. Unfortunately, Fontana is a wide track. This two-mile, d-shaped superspeedway allows drivers to run all over the track which means, racing in Fontana can be filled with long, drawn out caution-free racing. Reutimann would most likely have to wait until lap 41 for their first scheduled green flag pit stop of the night.

The Aaron’s Dream Machine made its first pit stop on lap 41 in the 12th position and after making quick adjustments to the right front and left rear tire pressures pulling a rubber out of the left rear, a track bar adjustment and gas, the Aaron’s Dream Machine restarted in the eighth position.

The first caution didn’t come until lap 55 where most teams stayed out for track position but everyone had another chance to make adjustments when the second caution came out at lap 77. Still dealing with loose conditions, loose center off, the Dream Machine took left side tires going down on tire pressure to help tighten off exit and gas. The Dream Machine pitted tenth and restarted in eighth.

With only five cautions and two green flag pit stop opportunities, the driver and crew took advantage of most of these making adjustments to the car without losing any track position. Although adjustments made throughout the night helped, Reutimann and Crew Chief Jerry Baxter could not find the perfect balance to run with the leader Kyle Busch who dominated all night winnng his seventh Nationwide race.

Reutimann did a great job, running consistent laps and staying out of trouble to bring home an eighth place finish and his thirteenth top-ten of the season.

“After Fontana we only have eight races left in the season,” said Reutimann. “We just really need to get some top five finishes closing the gap in the points.”

Reutimann remains fourth in the Nationwide Series standings behind leaders Clint Bowyer, Brad Keselowski and Carl Edwards.

The next race for Reutimann will be at Richmond International Raceway where he made his first NASCAR Nationwide Series start back on May 3, 2002.

You can catch Reutimann and the Aaron’s Dream Machine at Richmond this Friday, September 5th at 7:30pm / est LIVE on ESPN2.