Tag Archives: David Reutimann

NASCAR broadcasts these days are, as many fans complain, not exactly equitable in how they dole out airtime to drivers. While one guy (you fill in the name) will be on TV throughout the broadcast no matter where he is running, another (fill in that guy too) might be having a great run-and you hardly see him. At the end of the race, when they show the results, you look and think, ‘I had no idea.’ Sometimes it seems as though that scenario is a microcosm for NASCAR as a whole. Some guys make the news because they are running well-while others are exceeding expectations and you hardly hear a word about it. A few actually get more press for running bad than some of the frontrunners. There are a few drivers who have very quietly put together decent seasons without fanfare. They all might not make the Chase, but all things considered, are having much better seasons than the press (or lack thereof) suggest. Check out these five hidden gems, who are quietly putting together a better season than some who make the news (but shall remain nameless).

Each week, we’ll go through media reports, interviews, PR, and all of our own stuff to find the best quotes from the Sprint Cup race, capturing the story of how the weekend unfolded. It’s the most original commentary you’ll ever find: the truth, coming straight out of the mouths of …

We’re one race past the statistical halfway point of the 2009 season and as we gear up for the stretch run of 17 Sprint Cup races in 18 weeks, the much maligned (and in equal parts ballyhooed) “Chase for the Sprint Cup” is just seven races away. So before we get down to the serious business of the sharp end of the season, we’ve graded each of the top 40 drivers – based on the points standings as we run headed to the Brickyard. We’ve divided our review into two halves; today, we focus on the top 20 drivers while tomorrow we’ll look at the wheelmen running in positions 21 through 40. Some of these grades will seem just right to you, others a country mile off. But no matter what you think, let us know what you agree with, what you don’t, and why below… Leading off, it’s “owner/driver” Tony Stewart, a moniker he’s taken well to, it seems.

*The first road course of the year is in the books. Were there any surprises at Infineon, and did we learn anything from this one?* Mike: Um yeah, Kasey Kahne freaking won. Jeff: Kasey Kahne! Kurt: Kasey winning — now that was a surprise! And not just winning but holding off Tony Stewart of all drivers. Beth: Yeah, Kasey Kahne shocked me, that's for sure. Amy: RPM having three cars in the top 10 was definitely a surprise! Bryan: That performance Kahne made to win the race was very impressive. Stewart was chomping at the bit and Kahne was flawless.

With the honorable exception of David Reutimann, the driver formerly known as the Franchise, it was another very positive weekend for Michael Waltrip Racing at Infineon Raceway this past Sunday; yet more evidence to support the remarkable rise from the ashes of the jet-fuel “first race” debacle at Daytona in 2007. Taking top billing was everybody’s favorite Australian NASCAR driver, Marcos Ambrose, who finished third -- a season high -- behind race winner Kasey Kahne and Tony Stewart. For the Launceston, Tasmania native, the third place finish made up for his fine run, but terrible finish at the same track last year, and tied his highest Cup finish, having also come home third at Watkins Glen in 2008.

Sunday was a long day in Long Pond, PA, as only a few teams really had their cars hooked up to handle the tricky triangle that is Pocono Raceway. While positive storylines like the implementation of double-file restarts and Tony Stewart’s march from the back of the pack to win his first race as an owner permeated the day, the same old song of single-file racing at the front of the pack was set to loop. The only chance for some teams to find success at Pocono was by gambling on fuel mileage, which garnered top 10 finishes for Marcos Ambrose and Juan Pablo Montoya. Unfortunately, teams high in the points that are not worried about falling out of Chase contention, like Tony Stewart’s, Carl Edwards’, and Jeff Gordon’s also tried the same strategy and came out on top. Here are the *HOT*, *WARM*, and *COLD* teams after the conclusion of the Pocono 500.

_Each week, we’ll go through media reports, interviews, PR, and all of our own stuff to find the best quotes from the Sprint Cup race, capturing the story of how the weekend unfolded. It’s the most original commentary you’ll ever find: the truth, coming straight out of the mouths of the drivers, crew members, and car owners themselves. This week, here’s a peek at what the drivers were thinking following the Pocono 500 at Pocono Raceway:_ "We had a great race car. I'm so proud of our guys on this Office Depot / Old Spice team. We had a car that we were consistently in the top 3 speed-wise all day and were able to run guys down. Luckily we got enough laps under caution there with the rain that that put us right on the edge of our window of making it [on fuel]. I'm ecstatic. It was nice to get that All-Star win this year, but it was nice to get that first points win too." _Tony Stewart_

_Each week, we’ll go through media reports, interviews, PR, and all of our own stuff to find the best quotes from the Sprint Cup race, capturing the story of how the weekend unfolded. It’s the most original commentary you’ll ever find: the truth, coming straight out of the mouths of the drivers, crew members, and car owners themselves. This week, here’s a peek at what the drivers were thinking following the Autism Speaks 400 in Dover, Delaware Sunday:_ "That was a great race. We obviously had a great race car all day long, and I've got to thank Chad (Knaus, crew chief) for giving me such a great Kobalt Tools Impala. My hats off to Tony Stewart. That was one heck of a race. I had to drive so far over my head to get by him. Just very proud of this effort and what we did out there on the race track today." _Jimmie Johnson_

Who… Gets my shoutout of the race? A driver who quietly had an outstanding weekend, Casey Mears had a strong finish at a difficult track. After hovering near the top ten on the speed charts since Friday, Mears brought it home in ninth, the highest finishing position in the Richard …

*How does David Reutimann's win in the Coca-Cola 600 rate among the great upsets in NASCAR history? And does it salvage what, to that point, had been a rain-soaked, inconsistent 340-mile mess left at the mercy of Mother Nature?* Kurt: A great upset? I never thought of it like that. Casey Mears' win would have be an upset then? Amy: I don't know if I'd call it one of the greatest upsets, because it wasn't as if Reutimann won it under green. But it was a neat victory, and props to that team for playing thee strategy cards just right.