David Reutimann, No. 44 UPS Toyota Camry

Sharpie 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway

August 19, 2008

UPS Racing Team Notes of Interest

Sunday’s race at Bristol Motor Speedway (BMS) will mark Reutimann’s second Sprint Cup Series start at the “World’s Fastest Half Mile”. Reutimann currently sits 27th in the NASCAR driver point standings with Michael Waltrip in the 28th spot in owner’s point standings. Reutimann posted a top-20 finish in the Spring Bristol race after starting from the rear of the field as a result of the qualifying session being cancelled due to rain. Reutimann has a pole to his credit in the Craftsman Truck Series at Bristol while driving for Darrell Waltrip Racing in 2005.

Reutimann Discusses Racing at Bristol Motor Speedway

Bristol was a big race for Michael Waltrip Racing in the spring. Can you talk about what it’s like to be locked inside the top-35?

“After our qualifying struggles during the 2007 season, being locked into the top-35 was a huge goal for all three teams in our organization. Bristol was the final race prior to the transition from using the 2007 points to using the 2008 point standings so it was really an important race for our team. It’s a track where you can’t really predict what’s going to happen whether you’re running up front or at the rear of the field so for all three of our teams to come out clean and leave Bristol inside the top-35 was a huge accomplishment.

Through the season, although we’ve had our struggles, I’m proud of this #44 Team and the direction we’re heading. To be solidly inside the top-35 every week is a huge relief especially heading into a track like Bristol where we’ve struggled with qualifying in the past.”

Any other strategy that is important for this weekend…

“Bristol is an amazing track but it’s one where you are forced to be on your toes at all time. As demanding as it is on the drivers, it is equally demanding on our spotters. Things just happen a lot quicker there and they really have to look ahead because we are all stacked on top of each other. There can be a crash in Turn 3 while you’re is coming out of Turn 2 and you can get caught up in the accident in a matter of seconds.”