David Reutimann

Emil David Reutimann (born March 2, 1970) is an American NASCAR driver from Zephyrhills, Florida. He currently drives for Tommy Baldwin Racing. In 2007, he NASCAR Rookie of the Year honors in the Craftsman Truck Series. He is the son of Buzzie Reutimann, who made one NASCAR start in 1963.

He began his racing career in dirt-track modifieds and late models. In 1997, Reutimann moved into the NASCAR regional series before moving the the Busch Series in 2002. He started racing the Sprint Cup Series in 2007, driving for Michael Waltrip Racing. He remained with the team over the next four years until being released after the 2011 season. On January 3, 2011, he signed a one-year contract to race for Tommy Baldwin Racing. Between the 2007 and 2011 Sprint Cup seasons, Reutimann has recorded two wins, 23 top-tens, and three pole positions.

Early career

Reutimann, a third-generation racer, began his racing career in dirt-track modifieds and late models before moving up to the Slim Jim All Pro Series in 1997. He was named Rookie of the Year, finishing in the top-ten eight times and had a fifth-place points finish. The next season, he dropped to seventh in points, but received the Sportsmanship award at season's end. After several years, Reutimann got his first three wins in 2002 and finished second in the overall championship standings.

That same year, Reutimann made his Busch Series debut at Richmond International Raceway. Driving the No. 87 Geico Chevrolet Monte Carlo for NEMCO Motorsports, Reutimann started thirty-fourth but finished sixteenth. He led twelve laps at his next race at Memphis Motorsports Park, and finished in the top-fifteen in each of his next two races. The following season, he ran seven Busch races for NEMCO, finishing fifth at Nashville Speedway USA and The Milwaukee Mile, as well as qualifying Greg Biffle's car on the pole at Memphis. He also attempted the New England 300 and the Brickyard 400 in the Winston Cup Series in the No. 04 for Morgan-McClure Motorsports, but failed to qualify both times.

In 2004, Reutimann signed on with Darrell Waltrip Motorsports to race the NTN Bearings truck in the Craftsman Truck Series. Winning the pole in his second race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Reutimann had four top-fives and finished 14th in points, garnering Rookie of the Year honors. Reutimann won his first career race in 2005 at Nashville Superspeedway, and ended the season thirteenth in points. He also made his Cup debut at Lowe's Motor Speedway, driving the No. 00 State Fair Corn Dogs Chevrolet Monte Carlo for Michael Waltrip. He finished 22nd. He went winless in 2006, but had two poles and finished third in the championship standings. He also made fifteen Busch starts and had four top-tens.

Sprint Cup Series

Michael Waltrip Racing

2007-2011

Reutimann moved up to the Nextel Cup Series in 2007 with Waltrip Racing, carrying sponsorship from Burger King and Domino's Pizza and a Raybestos Rookie of the Year Candidate. Late in the season, he won the 2007 Sam's Town 250 at Memphis Motorsports Park for his first career Busch Series win, and Toyota's second win in Busch Series competition. He finished second overall in the Busch Series' last season before becoming the Nationwide Series In 2008, Reutimann ran the first five races of the season in the No. 00 car, before taking replacing the retiring Dale Jarrett in the No. 44 UPS ride and handing the No. 00 ride over to rookie Michael McDowell.Reutimann scored his first career top 10 at Lowe's Motor Speedway during the Coca-Cola 600 with a 10th place finish. He also recorded top 10's at the Auto Club Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway, and the Richmond International Raceway. At the Richmond race in September, Reutimann led a race high 104 laps, but fell to 9th place. In the season finale at the Homestead-Miami Speedway, Reutimann claimed his first career pole position. He became the 23rd driver to win poles in all three of NASCAR's top series.

For 2009, Reutimann moved back to the No. 00 Aaron's Dream Machine. Reutimann competed in a limited Nationwide Series schedule, splitting time with MWR and Braun Racing. On May 25, Reutimann scored his first Sprint Cup win in the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowes Motor Speedway. With this victory, David became the 20th different driver to win a race in all three of NASCAR's top series (Winston/Sprint Cup series, Busch/Nationwide series, and Craftsman/Camping World Truck Series). This race was the 50th Coca-Cola 600 at Lowes Motor Speedway. He also became the first driver in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series history to win a race without leading a lap under green. In addition, he was the first driver to ever win with the No. 00 in the NASCAR Cup Series^[1] This also entered Reutimann automatically into the 2010 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. Reutimann would go on to finish the season 16th in the point standings, a personal best.

Reutimann won his second career race at the 2010 LifeLock.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway in the No. 00 TUMS Toyota, after chasing down Jeff Gordon and passing him for the lead. Reutimann would pull away and lead the rest of the race, after a late charge by Carl Edwards died off.

In 2011, Reutimann spun early at Watkins Glen, and got some damage, but that wouldn't be the highlight of his day. On the final lap, Boris Said turned David Ragan entering the esses. Ragan came back onto the track and hit Reutimann, who hit the ARMCO barrier, and he rolled over spectacularly after the hard hit. He was mostly unscathed. Later in the season, Reutimann and MWR decided to part ways after the season was completed.

Tommy Baldwin Racing

2012

On January 3, 2012, Reutimann signed a one year contract to drive for Tommy Baldwin Racing.^[2]

Controversies

Kyle Busch rivalry

In the Irwin Tools Night Race in August 2010, Busch passed Reutimann during the final 100 laps and won the race. Reutimann finished second. In Victory Lane, Busch said he was simply a better driver than Reutimann. Reutimann also had a run in with Kyle Busch at Kansas Motor Speedway, as Kyle Busch entered turn two on lap 53 at Kansas, the front of his No. 18 Toyota made contact with the rear of the No. 00 Toyota of David Reutimann. The touch sent Reutimann spinning into the SAFER Barrier on the outside of turn two. Busch continued on and was still in the top-10 on lap 156 when he had another encounter with Reutimann. As the duo exited turn two with Busch on the high side and Reutimann's car on the low side, Reutimann's car moved up and slammed into the left side of Busch's machine, causing severe damage to the rear of the M&M's Toyota. Reutimann's car spun and was much more damaged and spent time in the garage, finishing 35th, 11 laps down. Some quotes from drivers David Reutimann and Kyle Busch, and team owner Michael Waltrip:

Michael Waltrip quote:"There are 43 drivers on the race track each Sunday and there is no delineation between Chase participants and non-Chase participants when it comes to respect. Everyone at Michael Waltrip Racing is working hard to deliver great results to our owners, employees and sponsors. All organizations have a lot at stake each week as we are all measured by our performance and finishing position. When David Reutimann's chance to compete for a win at Kansas was taken away, it set off a series of events that have been well documented. I stand behind David because his record of sportsmanship is flawless. It is the duty of MWR's drivers to deliver for Toyota and our other partners, and I expect them to be treated fairly while doing so."

Reutimann quote: "I don't care if you're in the Chase or not, you need to think about who you're running over when you're running over them. I don't care who you are. If you're in the Chase, you have as much responsibility to drive with respect as I do to everybody else. If you guys want me to feel bad about what happened today, I feel bad, yeah, that our car got wrecked and it ruined our day. That's what I feel bad about. He just rolled over me. I'm on the bottom of the race track and he had the whole top of the race track to go to, and he run over me. I got wrecked."

Busch quote: "It's just really unfortunate," Busch said. "These guys work their butts off to put ourselves in the Chase and to have the opportunity to try to go after a championship and to have it end up like it did today is disappointing. The guy (Reutimann) was loose. He said it on the radio. He slid up off the bottom and I got into him unintentionally and just spun him out. My fault 100%, but then the retaliation to a guy that's in the Chase that's racing for something& he'll be here next year. He could've wrecked me in any of the first 26 races next year. That would've been fine. It's just hard to swallow something like a day like today where we had a solid top-five car going."

Personal life

Reutimann lives in Mooresville, North Carolina, with his wife Lisa and daughter Emilia (born 2001). They are members of Berea Baptist Church in Mooresville.^[3]

Before he was a full-time race car driver, Reutimann worked briefly for United Parcel Service, which in 2008 became his primary sponsor for the rest of that season.^[4]

Reutimann owns a Shelby Mustang GT500 that was given to him by Rob Kauffman,co-owner of MWR,when he won at the Coca Cola 600.

References

External links

• Official Website
• David Reutimann at Racing Reference