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Crash part of rough night for Reutimann

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By RICK HARMON Tribune correspondent

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 5, 2009

Updated: 07/05/2009 12:23 am

DAYTONA BEACH - David Reutimann started his night at the back of the field at the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway, and it basically ended with him spinning through the backstretch.

The Zephyrhills native was scheduled to start the race 14th after qualifying was rained out Friday and the lineup was set by owner's points. But the team was forced to change the engine in the No. 00 Toyota, sending him to the back of the field.

Reutimann battled through the first 60 laps and was in the top 15 after 75 laps. But on Lap 77, he found himself in the wrong place.

David Stremme got turned into the wall and hit Kasey Kahne, sending cars careening through the backstretch. During the melee, which involved 13 cars, Reutimann got turned into Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Reutimann was able to make repairs and return to the track, but he was four laps down. On Lap 102, he blew the right-front tire in Turn 2, sending him into the wall.

On Lap 133, Reutimann returned to the track with the right side of his Toyota looking more like a quilt than a race car. The car was damaged so badly, the crew had to take orange tape to put his No. 00 on the right door.

He finished 36th.

Pre-race festivities

Daytona International Speedway officials always try to bring celebrities to the track for races. This time, new Bucs tight end Kellen Winslow, Vince Carter of the Magic, former driver Kyle Petty and Papa John's pizza founder John Schnatter held honorary positions before the race.

Winslow was honorary race official and attended the driver's meeting, participated in driver introductions and rode in one of the pace cars.

"I'm a big fan of NASCAR," Winslow said before the race.

Carter, who recently was traded to the Magic, was the honorary pace car driver, leading drivers around the track before the start of the race.

"Friday was the first time I've ever driven a standard transmission car," said Carter, who graduated from Daytona Beach Maitland High. "I didn't realize it was a stick. I called my friend who works at a car dealership and I made him bring me a stick-shift car and I practiced in my driveway - up and down. I'm sure my neighbors thought there was something wrong with me."

Petty, who is an analyst for TNT, gave the command "Gentlemen, start your engines" and Schnatter was honorary starter and waved the green flag.

McNair remembered

Both Winslow and Carter commented on the death of former Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair.

Carter didn't know about McNair's death until asked by a reporter.

"What?" Carter said when told of the death. "I did not know that. I met him a couple years ago at Disney's Wide World of Sports at one of those quarterback challenges."

After the news conference, Carter went to a reporter's computer to read the news report.

Winslow said he had not met McNair but said, "It's an unfortunate situation. It's bad that stuff happens like that, especially when it's a member of your club."

Mayfield speaks, sort of

Jeremy Mayfield, suspended by NASCAR for a failed drug test and temporarily reinstated by a judge, posted an open letter to "all my fans, friends and fellow competitors" on NASCAR.com.

Mayfield, who was cleared to race by a federal judge Wednesday, couldn't get his car ready in time to compete at Daytona but he hopes to have sponsorship to be able to run next week at Chicagoland.

"We've decided that our time is best spent in North Carolina working around the clock to try and secure the funding needed to get the No. 41 car to Chicago and beyond," the statement said.

Close finish

Max Angelelli and Brian Frisselle won the Brumos Porsche 250 in the Rolex Grand-Am Series on Saturday, placing their Daytona Prototype Ford Dallara 0.270 seconds ahead of Jon Fogarty and Alex Gurney. It was the fifth-closest finish in Grand-Am history.

Rick Harmon

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