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Reutimann Diary: Talladega Race A Big Unknown

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 5, 2007

Updated: 10/04/2007 11:45 pm

Zephyrhills' David Reutimann is one driver who wishes NASCAR's Car of Tomorrow wasn't making its super speedway debut this weekend at Talladega. He had a very good run in the old car in Talladega's spring race, climbing into the top five when his engine expired in the closing laps. In this week's edition of his Tampa Tribune diary, Reutimann says he doesn't expect his COT Toyota to be as competitive.

I was real excited when we left Talladega in April. It was like, 'man, if we could just bring this car back in October, we'll be in great shape.' Then I remembered that this weekend's UAW-Ford 500 was going to be a COT race. That was a disappointment.

We had a COT test at Talladega a couple of weeks ago, and we weren't very good speed-wise. The cars drive fine - just like the other stuff, really - but we weren't very good compared to the competition. Our guys took the cars back and hacked the bodies off and did a bunch of other stuff to try to make them better.

This race is a big unknown for us. Hopefully, Toyota will bring a better motor package with more horsepower. And hopefully the little bit of massaging NASCAR allows you to do with the COT will be done, and we'll be OK.

Talladega is a fun track, and they did a good job repaving it. Plus, there's a dirt track across the street. Any time there is a small dirt track near a big track, that's good for me. I'm going to race over there one night in a dirt late model for Ivedent Lloyd, who I used to race at Ocala Speedway. He was probably my fiercest competitor at a local dirt track. We beat on each other a lot. Over the years, he became a good friend.

I still haven't signed the new contract proposal I've received from Michael Waltrip Racing. We had a meeting Wednesday, and we're real close. I think we have it worked out to where I'll also come back and do the same Busch program I did this year - which is something I really want to do.

It was fun getting to watch my cousin, Wayne Jr., and uncle, Wayne Sr., run the USAC Silver Crown race last weekend at Kansas. Wayne Jr. did a good job in getting a second-place finish. I bought a set of tires for my uncle so he could race. It was money well spent, because I think I enjoyed watching him as much as he did racing.

Wayne Sr. was way down in horsepower, so he'll probably be wanting a bigger engine now. I don't mind helping with tires, but I'm not buying any motor!

Tony Fabrizio

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