Reutimann doesn't anticipate driver switch if he fails to qualify

By Bob Pockrass - Associate Editor

Friday, April 04, 2008

Chris Graythen
Getty Images for NASCAR

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FORT WORTH, Texas – David Reutimann faces another weekend where he has to qualify on speed, and he is not looking forward to it.

Reutimann said Thursday he wouldn’t anticipate that Michael Waltrip Racing would put him in the car driven by Michael McDowell if he doesn’t make the field.

Reutimann saw his guaranteed status slip away last week with a problem at Martinsville. It was the first time in his Cup career that he had had guaranteed status.

Last week, Michael Waltrip Racing had requested that his No. 44 team (formerly driven by Dale Jarrett and now by Reutimann) swap points with the No. 00 team (formerly driven by Reutimann and now by McDowell). NASCAR rejected the swap, leaving Reutimann to go from a car 27th in points to a car 34th in points prior to Martinsville.

After the troubles in Martinsville, Reutimann is back at having to qualify on speed this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway for the Samsung 500. His No. 44 team is 37th in points, 20 points behind the No. 01 Dale Earnhardt Inc. car in 35th.

“I had to do it every race last year, so we’re just back in the same boat that we were in,” Reutimann said. “At least we’re a little bit closer to the top 35 than we were last year. It’s disappointing. I really thought we would be in a different situation.

“I really thought NASCAR was going to let us swap points, and we all know how that turned out. It’s just the situation I have. It’s just another weekend of throwing up on pit road again. That’s how it is. … I’ve got to do my best that it only lasts for a week.”

If Reutimann misses the race, the team could replace McDowell with Retuimann, but Reutimann said that hasn’t been discussed.

“The 00 is the car that Michael McDowell drives, and as far as I know, if I don’t get in, I’ll be watching,” Reutimann said. “I wouldn’t want to do that. My job is to get the 44 car in. If I can’t get that car in, then I don’t need to be in the race.”