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Nationwide
Series News
To View the 2008 Schedule Click on the Link to the right
HEARTBREAKER FOR REUTIMANN IN NASHVILLE Aaron’s Dream Machine Earns a Solid Third
Place Finish Saturday Night NASHVILLE, TN (June 7, 2008) After dominating the field during the closing laps of the NASCAR Nationwide Series Federated Auto Parts 300 at Nashville Superspeedway Saturday night, a late caution allowed the field to close in on David Reutimann’s bumper and shuffle the top positions at the finish. His fifth top-five finish of the season moved Reutimann into the second spot in the championship chase. In the first weekend where dual-series drivers were dividing their time between the Cup Series in Pocono, PA and the Nationwide Series in Nashville, TN, David Reutimann managed tight travel schedules and tactical logistics in order to practice, qualify and race his cars in both series. Reutimann flew to Nashville on Friday afternoon for the second Nationwide practice, flew back to Pocono Friday evening, and then returned back to Nashville for Saturday’s qualifying session and evening race. David started the 225-lap event 14th and wasted little time moving forward, passing four cars on the first lap and settling solidly in the top-ten for the first half of the race. The Aaron’s Dream Machine was handling well and Reutimann’s lap times were some of the fastest on the track, but David wanted more front grip in order to get to the front and make a charge at the leaders. Savvy pit strategy by Crew Chief Jerry Baxter midway through the race moved the Aaron’s Dream Machine into the third spot where Reutimann would run until the race’s sixth caution allowed another pit stop on lap 148 for new tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment to the front tires to help the car through the turns. With 75-laps to go, Baxter calculated the Dream Machine would be able to make it to the end without another fuel stop and ordered Reutimann to save fuel during cautions. Reutimann moved into the second position behind leader Clint Bowyer on lap 168 and proceeded to close in and pass Bowyer and take the lead with 50 to go. Reutimann would lead the field for the next 25 laps and build up a five-second lead over second place. With such a large lead over second place and only 12 laps remaining, Reutimann seemed to be cruising to his first victory of 2008. Unfortunately, the tenth caution flag of the race flew on lap 213 and erased Reutimann’s dominating lead. On the restart with eight laps to go, Reutimann’s tires had cooled during the caution, and that allowed Bowyer, Brad Kesolowski and David Stremme to pass the Dream Machine. Reutimann would pass Bowyer on the last lap to take the checkered flag in third behind first-time winner Kesolowski and second-place finisher, Stremme. "We had a good car, but that last yellow killed us." Reutimann said after the race. "We didn't win the race. These races aren't all that easy to win, despite what some people think. And, when you have a chance to win, and you don't, it’s cause for me to get a little upset." It was an exciting race and the solid third place finish moved Reutimann into the second spot in the driver point’s championship and MWR into the fourth spot in the owner’s championship point’s race. The next race will be another split weekend for Reutimann when the Cup cars will be in Michigan and the Nationwide cars will be in Kentucky. You can catch all of the race action from Kentucky on ESPN 2 Saturday, June 14 at 8:30 PM.
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Nationwide
2008 Schedule
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