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Reutimann Is Relieved To Be In Daytona 500

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 11, 2008

DAYTONA BEACH - Zephyrhills' David Reutimann was doing a television interview after his qualifying lap Sunday when boss Michael Waltrip walked up, grabbed him by the shoulder and said something in his ear.

"Good job," he said.

Reutimann did what he needed to do, turning a lap at 186.463 mph that was fourth fastest among the 53 drivers who attempted Daytona 500 qualifying.

If Daytona 500 qualifying was the same as it is for every other race, Reutimann would have the highest starting position of his career. But after the front row, most of the starting positions for Sunday's race will be assigned according to the finishing order of Thursday's 150-mile qualifying races.

Still, because starting positions 40-42 are awarded on speed, Reutimann is assured of being in his second 500.

"It means a lot to know that no matter what happens, I will be in the Daytona 500," Reutimann said. "That allows me to feel like the rest of the guys feel those in the top 35 with guaranteed starting berths. This way, we can concentrate on the race and not take chances that you normally wouldn't."

NEMECHEK'S UPSET: Lakeland's Joe Nemechek produced easily the biggest surprise of Daytona 500 qualifying, turning the third fastest speed in his Furniture Row Racing No. 78 Chevy.

There was at least one very good reason why Nemechek was fast: Furniture Row uses Hendrick Motorsports engines.

Even so, Chad Knaus, crew chief for pole winner Jimmie Johnson, was impressed.

"Yes, they have Hendrick power, but that is only half of the battle," Knaus said. "You still have to have great race cars and a great team to get the car out there and around the track."

Because Furniture Row Racing is a smaller team based in Denver - virtually every other team is based near the hub of the industry in North Carolina - Nemechek and teammate Kenny Wallace are major underdogs.

"I didn't know what to expect," Nemechek said. "The NASCAR's new car is not like the cars in the past. They're a handful to drive. Qualifying is not a piece of cake anymore. The 150s will be brutal."

JOHNSON & JOHNSON: Jimmie Johnson is on the pole for the 50th Daytona 500, but NASCAR legend Junior Johnson (no relation) will pace the field before the start.

The 76-year-old Junior Johnson, who won 50 NASCAR races and the second Daytona 500 in 1960, will drive a gold Corvette Z06 pace car. He'll join baseball's Cal Ripken Jr., actor Ben Affleck and "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno as recent honorary pace car drivers.

Besides being selected one of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers in 1998, Johnson won 139 races and six championships as a team owner with LeeRoy Yarbrough, Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip and others.

Seven-time Daytona 500 winner Richard Petty will be Sunday's honorary starter, and the 24 living former 500 winners will be grand marshals.

WINNING CARS: Twenty original or replica Daytona 500 winning cars will be on display on track grounds this week.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s 2004 Daytona 500 winning car and a replica of Dale Earnhardt's 1998 Daytona 500 winning car (team owner Richard Childress wouldn't part with the original) will be among the seven cars inside Daytona 500 Experience attraction outside the speedway.

A midway display located outside Turn Four will have 13 winning cars, including Jeff Gordon's No. 24 Chevrolets from 1997 and 1999. The Fan Zone located inside the track will have Junior Johnson's 1960 Chevy, Petty's 1971 Plymouth, Bill Elliott's 1985 Ford and Bobby Allison's 1988 Buick.

HOT LAPS: Daytona's Sprint Cup summer race, known as the Pepsi 400 since 1989, will be the Coke Zero 400 starting this year. International Speedway Corp., Daytona's parent company, signed a 10-year exclusive sponsorship agreement with Coca-Cola last summer. The Coke Zero 400 is set for July 5. ... The next track activity doesn't come until Wednesday, when there are two practice sessions for Thursday's 150-mile duels and one for Friday night's Craftsman Truck Series race.

Tony Fabrizio

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