Tommy Baldwin Racing Thumbnail Logo

Truex will make his first superspeedway start in the NNS season-opener. The 19-year-old racer made his NNS debut in 2010 at Gateway International Raceway and made 24 starts in the 2010 and 2011 seasons. He compiled five top-10 finishes including a third-place finish at Kansas Speedway. Truex competed in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East in 2009 and 2010 and won the championship both years with a top-10 average finish.

“I’m happy to be back in a racecar,” said Truex. “I was back and forth between teams last year, so it is nice to be in a car for the first race of this season. I’m excited about racing at a superspeedway. This is my first restrictor plate race and first start at Daytona. It’s something I’ve never done, but it looks like a lot of fun. Superspeedway racing is something I need to learn as I progress in my career. Hopefully, I can find myself a good partner to work with and have a good finish at the end.”

Santos has competed under the TBR Development banner since 2010. He competed in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour (NWMT) in 2010 and 2011 and won the championship in his first season in the series. The 26-year-old won the inaugural USAC National Pavement Sprint Car Series championship last season in a family-owned car. Santos made five starts in the NNS since 2007. His last start was at DIS February 2011 where he finished 17th in a JR Motorsports-prepared Chevrolet.

“I’m thrilled to compete in the Nationwide series again,” said Santos. “The Daytona race last year was a lot of fun. It was kind of a last minute deal, so I’m glad we’ll have some time to prepare for it this year. Tommy and Al have done a lot to help my career, and I appreciate them giving me this opportunity in the Nationwide Series.”

This season will mark TBR’s fourth season of competition. TBR began as a part-time one-car NSCS team in 2009 and developed into a top-35 team by 2011. In 2012, TBR plans to compete with two NSCS teams. The part time NNS team will expand on TBR’s driver development program in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. The team would like to increase the number of races in both the NSCS and NNS schedules, provided more sponsorship can be found.

“We are really working hard to develop young talent,” explained owner Tommy Baldwin. “The Nationwide series is a great place for young drivers to learn the ropes and compete at the same tracks as the ‘Cup series. It is important to give these kids opportunities to showcase their talents for their future and for the future of TBR.”

TBR NASCAR Nationwide Series Schedule:

· February 25th – Ryan Truex – Daytona International Speedway

· April 27th – Ryan Blaney – Richmond International Raceway

· May 11th – Ryan Blaney – Darlington Raceway

· June 29th – Ryan Blaney – Kentucky Speedway

· July 6th – Bobby Santos – Daytona International Speedway

· July 28th – Ryan Blaney – Indianapolis Motor Speedway

· August 24th – Ryan Blaney – Bristol Motor Speedway

· October 12th – Ryan Blaney – Charlotte Motor Speedway

About Tommy Baldwin Racing:

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) Crew Chief Tommy Baldwin formed Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR) in 2009. Baldwin utilized a declining economy to open a NSCS team with a stringent budget. The team worked to build to full-time competition, and by the 2011 season, the team’s third season, TBR competed in every race and locked the No. 36 Chevrolet in the top-35 in NSCS Owner Points. Dave Blaney drove the No. 36 Chevrolet to TBR’s highest finish of third in the October 2011 event at Talladega Superspeedway. TBR also fielded a second car for select races in the past two seasons with multiple drivers.

Based in Mooresville, N.C., TBR will compete in the NSCS in 2012 with NASCAR veterans David Reutimann and Dave Blaney. The team will also compete in the NASCAR Nationwide Series with Ryan Blaney, Bobby Santos and Ryan Truex.

For more information on Tommy Baldwin Racing, visit tommybaldwinracing.com or follow us on Facebook, facebook.com/TBR.HBR, and Twitter, twitter.com/TBR_Racing.

Tommy Baldwin Racing Thumbnail Logo

Blaney, son of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) and TBR driver Dave Blaney, made a combined three starts last season in the NKNPS East and West, winning in his third start and capturing his first NASCAR victory at Phoenix International Raceway. Blaney also won the 2011 PASS South Championship and found success in the ARCA Racing Series where he finished in the top-10 in his two starts.

“I’m really excited about the opportunity to run a mix of K&N and Nationwide races this season,” Blaney commented. “We were really competitive in the K&N Series last year, and I think we will be even more competitive this year. Hopefully, we will have an opportunity to win all six races. We will have good equipment racing with TBR. It will be great to race with and learn from the Nationwide guys. To be able to race on bigger tracks will be a good learning experience too. I’m grateful that SealWrap is supporting my progression in NASCAR and really excited to work with them throughout the season.”

This season will mark TBR’s fourth season of competition. TBR began as a part-time one-car NSCS team in 2009 and developed into a top-35 team by 2011. In 2012, TBR plans to compete with two NSCS teams. The part time NNS team will expand on TBR’s driver development program in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. The team would like to increase the number of races in both the NSCS and NNS schedules, barring more sponsorship opportunities.

“We are really looking forward to restarting our Nationwide program as we have had much success in the past in that series,” explained Tommy Baldwin. “Watching Ryan the last few years, we are excited to get to the track and see him perform. As we look to the future, this Nationwide program is a stepping-stone for the Cup program, and we are excited to start with Ryan.”

Blaney will join his dad, Dave Blaney, with TBR this season. The elder Blaney drove the No. 36 Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet last season where he locked the team in to the top-35 in NSCS points and captured a third-place finish at Talladega Superspeedway.

“I’m proud that Ryan is making the next step in his racing career,” Dave Blaney said. “I think it is a great opportunity for him to run with TBR and still run some races in the K&N Series. He has learned very quickly in every series he has driven, so I am anticipating what competing in the Nationwide series brings. Thanks to SealWrap and Heavy Duty who have stepped up their programs as Ryan has moved through the ranks. It’s really refreshing to build a relationship with companies at this level and be able to grow together.”

SealWrap Repair Tape, a self-fusing rubber tape, partnered with Blaney in 2010 in the NKNPS. SealWrap Repair Tape uses a stretch-and-wrap technology that makes repairing irregular forms and shapes easy. There are no bonding agents, adhesives or glues to make it work. SealWrap fuses to itself and creates an air and watertight seal.

“Everyone at SealWrap is extremely excited to be involved with such a professional organization as Tommy Baldwin Racing,” said Don Lux, SealWrap National Sales Manager. “We have been and will continue to support Ryan Blaney in his racing career, and this sponsorship opportunity is a perfect way for us to continue doing that. Nationwide and K&N fans are our customers. They are hard working, do-it-yourselfers who use our SealWrap product around the house and on their cars and trucks. We here are SealWrap are passionate about our product and passionate about racing!”

Ryan Blaney (Photo Credit: 51 Sports)

· March 17th – NKNSE – Bristol Motor Speedway

· April 26th – NKNSE – Richmond International Raceway

· April 27th – NNS – Richmond International Raceway

· May 11th – NNS – Darlington Raceway

· May 19th – NKNPSE – Iowa Speedway

· June 29th – NNS – Kentucky Speedway

· July 28th – NNS – Indianapolis Motor Speedway

· August 3rd – NKNPSE – Iowa Speedway

· August 24th – NNS – Bristol Motor Speedway

· September 28th – NKNPSE – Dover International Speedway

· October 12th – NNS – Charlotte Motor Speedway

· November 10th – NKNPSW – Phoenix International Raceway

About Tommy Baldwin Racing:

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) Crew Chief Tommy Baldwin formed Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR) in 2009. Baldwin utilized a declining economy to open a NSCS team with a stringent budget. The team worked to build to full-time competition, and by the 2011 season, the team’s third season, TBR competed in every race and locked the No. 36 Chevrolet in the top-35 in NSCS Owner Points. Dave Blaney drove the No. 36 Chevrolet to TBR’s highest finish of third in the October 2011 event at Talladega Superspeedway. TBR also fielded a second car for select races in the past two seasons with multiple drivers.

Based in Mooresville, N.C., TBR will compete in the NSCS in 2012 with NASCAR veterans David Reutimann and Dave Blaney. The team will also compete in the NASCAR Nationwide Series with Ryan Blaney.

For more information on Tommy Baldwin Racing, visit tommybaldwinracing.com or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

About SealWrap Repair Tape:

SealWrap is a great product that everyone can use. SealWrap is a repair tape that you just stretch-and- wrap around whatever you need- no adhesives or glues are needed!

The secret is SealWrap’s ability to fuse to itself. That means there are no bonding agents, adhesives or glues to make it work. It simply fuses to itself and won’t let go! Repairing irregular forms and shapes can now be handled easily. Simply STRETCH-N-WRAP!

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- Tommy Baldwin Racing Press Release

No. 92 BTS Tire and Wheel Distributors / fleetHQ.com Chevrolet Silverado - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen / Getty Images for NASCAR

The team’s schedule could expand if more sponsorship is secured.

“The truck series is where I got my start,” said Reutimann. “It’s a very competitive series and I am thrilled to have this opportunity to run some races with a good team that is in the process of building.

“There is definitely the potential to run well (at RBR Enterprises). I wouldn’t have accepted this opportunity if I didn’t believe that. It’s going to be a challenge, but I like the fact that they are committed to bringing the best piece to the track at the races we run instead of taking less than our best to every race.”

The move to RBR Enterprises reunites Reutimann in the truck series with recently hired crew chief Jason Overstreet, with whom he worked at Darrell Waltrip Racing and Germain Racing. Together the duo combined for six poles and one race win in the series with Waltrip from 2004-06.

“Having worked with David and having a great working relationship with him definitely flattens the learning curve,” Overstreet said. “We have a lot of experience working together, so we have already hit the ground running and can’t wait for Daytona to get here.”

The driver agrees.

“It definitely makes things easier having that relationship with Jason,” Reutimann said. “It really is neat to be working with him again and not having to go through the whole process of learning someone new.”

Team owner Ricky Benton is looking forward to what Reutimann and Overstreet bring to the fledgling organization for the 2012 season.

“Over the last two years, we have made great progress in our truck program and are thankful for everyone who has been involved,” said Benton. “But putting a winning driver the caliber of David Reutimann behind the wheel and having Jason (Overstreet) managing the team and making the race day calls is going to take us to the level where we are running up front consistently and contending for wins.

“Now we just need to get a few more partners on the truck to make a run at the championship.”

Driver Clay Rogers finished 20th in the 2011 NCWTS points standings driving the No. 92 BTS Tire and Wheel Distributors / fleetHQ.com Chevrolet despite only making 15 of 25 starts in the series.

About RBR Enterprises

Based in tiny Cerro Gordo, N.C. (population 244), RBR Enterprises has been racing in numerous touring series throughout the Southeast for over 20 years. Competing extensively in the USAR Pro Cup Series – winning a championship in 2002 and two Rookie of the Year honors – the team has made forays into the ARCA Series and several NASCAR Touring Series. In 2010, RBR joined the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with driver Dennis Setzer, competing in eight races.

RBR teamed up with Clay Rogers for the 2011 season finishing 20th in the driver standings and 25th in the owner standings despite only running 15 of the 25 races. The season was highlighted by a third place finish in the season-open NextEra 250 at Daytona International Speedway.

- RBR Enterprises Press Release

Tommy Baldwin Racing Logo

Team still searching for funding for full season

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Tuesday, January 3, 2012) – Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR) added NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) driver David Reutimann to the team’s 2012 driver lineup alongside Dave Blaney. Still seeking sponsorship for both Reutimann and Blaney, details regarding car number, sponsors and team members will follow in the upcoming weeks.

Reutimann, a Zephyrhills, Fla., native, made his first NSCS start in 2005. He competed in four full NSCS seasons with Michael Waltrip Racing and compiled two wins, 12 top-fives, 26 top-10s and four poles. The 41-year-old racer also competed in the NASCAR Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series where he captured two wins.

“Tommy has built a really good organization from the ground up in a really short amount of time,” said Reutimann. “One of the things I like about Tommy and what’s refreshing about him is that he is just a racer. There are lots of things he could be doing but instead he is at the shop every day working hard to build the organization from the ground up. There are not a lot of true racers in the garage, and he is one of them. It’s the way I was raised with my Dad, so we are on the same page. I’m just really looking forward to the season and see what we can do.”

TBR competed in every event in the 36-race NSCS schedule in 2011 and raced into the top-35 in NSCS Owner Points, meeting the team’s 2011 season goals. Blaney drove to the team’s best finish of third in the October event at Talladega Superspeedway. The team also fielded a second car for five events in the second half of the season.

“Reutimann will be a great addition to our program and to Dave Blaney,” commented team owner Tommy Baldwin. “Last season, we met our goals of running the entire schedule and making the top-35 in points. This season, our goal is to continue our progress on the competition side. Having two veteran drivers in Reutimann and Blaney is a very important step in our program’s growth.”

“We are still working on finding funding for next year, but having a car guaranteed in the first five races, including the Daytona 500, is a big step for our team,” Baldwin continued. “We had success last year with our partners. Although Golden Corral will not return in 2012, they were very happy with the exposure they received. We hope they have shown other companies the value of our program and that our program will once again align with their business objectives.”

About Tommy Baldwin Racing:

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) Crew Chief Tommy Baldwin formed Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR) in 2009. Baldwin utilized a declining economy to open a NSCS team with a stringent budget. The team worked to build to full-time competition, and by the 2011 season, the team’s third season, TBR competed in every race and locked the No. 36 Chevrolet in the top-35 in NSCS Owner Points. Dave Blaney drove the No. 36 Chevrolet to TBR’s highest finish of third in the October 2011 event at Talladega Superspeedway. TBR also fielded a second car for select races in the past two seasons with multiple drivers.

Based in Mooresville, N.C., TBR will compete in the NSCS in 2012 with NASCAR veterans David Reutimann and Dave Blaney.

For more information on Tommy Baldwin Racing, visit tommybaldwinracing.com or follow us on Facebook, facebook.com/TBR.HBR, and Twitter, twitter.com/TBR_Racing.

- Tommy Baldwin Racing, Press Release

David Ragan

It seemed that Ragan had been in the hunt for a job with Penske Racing after the mutual seperation with the organization and Kurt Busch earlier in December. Though David Ragan, David Reutimann, and Brian Vickers were considered the top drivers still without rides for the 2012 season, Penske Racing decided to hire A.J. ALlmendinger. Allmendinger had been with Richard Petty Motorsports, but there was no sponsor for his No. 43 after Best Buy moved over to Roush-Fenway Racing. With no sponsor on the hood, Allmendinger looked elsewhere.

The open position with RPM is rumored to be going to Aric Almirola, a NASCAR Nationwide Series driver. Though no sponsor has been officially announce, it is believed that the organization would announce the sponsor and the driver at the same time. If Almirola is leaving the Nationwide Series, then a spot at JR Motorsports will be open. Reports are the seat filling is between Ragan and Cole Whitt, a former Red Bull Racing NASCAR Camping World Truck series driver. With so few opportunies, Ragan is hoping that he will land in the drivers seat.

- Stock Car Spin

Eddie Sharp Racing (ESR)

“I’m excited to join the team at Eddie Sharp Racing and have the chance to work with Cale Gale,” commented Jerry Baxter, crew chief of the No. 33 Rheem Chevrolet Silverado. “Cale has a tremendous desire to be a good driver, the team is keyed up for a new season, and everyone at Rheem seems great—to have that kind of enthusiasm surround our entire program makes me excited to walk in the shop every day.”

After spending the last few years working with young drivers helping to guide and develop their skills, Baxter will join Eddie Sharp Racing on January 1, 2012. Baxter was most recently at Michael Waltrip Racing where he worked with up-and-coming drivers before they reached the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series ranks, including David Reutimann, Scott Speed, Trevor Bayne, and Ryan Truex.

“I’m really looking forward to this season,” continued Baxter. “It’s another challenge with another young driver, and I think it will be a lot of fun. Cale is a great guy.”

“I’m very excited to have Jerry Baxter on-board for the 2012 season,” commented Eddie Sharp, team owner. “He’s a veteran crew chief and has the ability to bring a tremendous amount of knowledge and experience to our team. His enthusiasm for the job has everyone else excited for the upcoming season, and I can’t wait to see what he and Cale are able to achieve in the No. 33 Rheem Chevy Silverado.”

About Eddie Sharp Racing

Eddie Sharp Racing (TeamESR.com) is a championship winning race team housed in a 40,000 square-foot facility in Denver, N.C. After just four short years of competition within the ARCA Racing Series, the team impressively accumulated upwards of 20 race wins. 2009 was a pivotal year for ESR, as they dominated the series with six race wins, 15 top-fives and 19 top-10s en route to the series championship with driver Justin Lofton. In 2010, ESR made the transition to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. In 2011, Sharp and Lofton were reunited within truck competition. In 2012, ESR will expand to three teams, with Lofton set to return to the No. 6 Chevrolet Silverado, Cale Gale set to join the team behind the wheel of the No. 33 Rheem Chevrolet Silverado, and a third driver to be named later.

- Eddie Sharp Racing Press Release

No. 92 BTS Tire and Wheel Distributors / fleetHQ.com Chevrolet Silverado (Clay Rogers) - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen / Getty Images for NASCAR

NASCAR Veteran Jason Overstreet has been named crew chief and team manager for the Ricky Benton Racing (RBR) Enterprises Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) entry. His first race with the team will be the season-opener in Daytona on February 24, 2012.

“I can’t wait for February,” said Overstreet. “I am looking forward to the challenge of helping build this race team in the truck series and having success at the track. There is a great foundation in place at RBR and I am excited to be a part of it.”

Overstreet spent 2010 and 2011 at Rusty Wallace, Inc. (RWI) where he served various roles, including crew chief and car chief for Michael Annett, Brendan Gaughan and David Reutimann. Prior to moving to RWI, Overstreet served as crew chief for Johnny Sauter at ThorSport Racing and at Germain Racing for Justin Marks. From 2004-08, Overstreet was the crew chief for Reutimann at Darrell Waltrip Racing.

“We are very excited to have someone of Jason’s caliber on board with us for 2012,” said RBR Enterprises owner Ricky Benton. “We have made great strides over the last two years with our truck program and look to grow those successes with Jason’s leadership at the shop and at the racetrack.”

Driver Clay Rogers finished 20th in the 2011 NCWTS points standings driving the No. 92 BTS Tire and Wheel Distributors Chevrolet despite only making 15 of 25 starts in the series.

A driver for the No. 92 BTS Tire and Wheel Distributors / fleetHQ.com Chevrolet for 2012 has yet to be determined.

About fleetHQ.com

fleetHQ is a business solutions provider for commercial trucking fleets and service tire dealers all across North America. fleetHQ provides 24-hour support, and helps fleets reduce operating cost while making it easier to do business.

About BTS Tire and Wheel Distributors

BTS Tire & Wheel Distributors offers wholesale distribution services to tire and automotive dealers across the Southeast, operating out of locations in North and South Carolina.

About RBR Enterprises

RBR has been racing in numerous touring series throughout the Southeast for nearly 20 years. Competing extensively in the USAR Pro Cup Series – winning a championship in 2002 in that series – the team has made forays into the ARCA Series and several NASCAR Touring Series. In 2010, RBR joined the NCWTS with driver Dennis Setzer, competing in eight races.

RBR teamed up with Rogers for the 2011 season. Originally, the team was committed to the first five races and 15 races total for the year. The schedule could expand more if additional sponsorship can be secured.

- RBR Enterprises Press Release

Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

• The NASCAR Nationwide Series title is the third for Ford Racing and Roush Fenway Racing (Greg Biffle in 2002 and Carl Edwards in 2007).

• This marks 12th driver’s championship for Ford Racing in NASCAR’s top three divisions combined (8 NSCS, 3 NNS, 1 NCWTS) and the sixth overall for Roush Fenway Racing (2 NSCS, 3NNS, 1 NCWTS).

• Today also capped an impressive season for Mustang, which won a manufacturer and driver championships in its rookie NASCAR season. In addition, Mustang won 13 NASCAR Nationwide Series races, which is the most for any model in 2011.

FORD CHAMPIONS

• Greg Biffle became the first driver in NASCAR history to win a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series championship. Biffle captured the 2002 NNS title in dominant fashion as he posted a series-best 25 top-10 and 20 top-5 finishes in 34 starts. In addition, he tied for first with poles (5) and wins (4), but his consistency throughout led to a 264-point victory for the championship over second-place Jason Keller.

• Carl Edwards won his first NASCAR championship in even more dominating fashion than Biffle as he claimed the championship by 618 points over runner-up David Reutimann. Edwards led the series with 21 top-10 finishes while tying for most top-5 efforts with 15 in 35 starts. He swept both races at Nashville for two of his four wins on the season with the other two coming at Bristol and Dover. Edwards was in charge of the points race pretty much the entire season, taking the lead after a fourth-place finish on the Mexico City road course in the third event of the year and never giving it up.

• Ricky Stenhouse Jr. won his first NASCAR Nationwide Series championship in only his second full season of competition through consistency. He led the point standings for 17 weeks, including the final 14, and won the first two races of his career as he swept both events at Iowa Speedway. Stenhouse Jr. battled Elliott Sadler the final month of the season, but came out on top by virtue of six top-5 and nine top-10 finishes over the final nine races.

FORD’S NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES CHAMPIONS

Year Driver Car Owner Wins Poles

2002 Greg Biffle Roush Racing 4 5

2007 Carl Edwards Roush Racing 4 0

2011 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Roush Fenway Racing 2 3

- PCG Campbell Press Release

No. 66 5-Hour Energy® Toyota Camry (Steve Wallace) - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen / Getty Images for NASCAR

This Week’s 5 Hour Energy Toyota … Steve Wallace will pilot Rusty Wallace Racing chassis RWR-070 in Saturday afternoon’s Ford 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Built new for the 2011 season, this Toyota Camry debuted at Texas Motor Speedway earlier this month, where Wallace finished 18th.

Looking Back at 2011 … Heading into the final race of the season, Wallace has accumulated two top-five, five top-10 and 15 top-15 finishes, an average start of 13.9 and an average finish of 16.5 in 33 races thus far in 2011. The 24-year-old driver has led six laps of competition and has completed 6,065 of the 6,197 (97.9 percent) laps contested thus far.

Get to the Points … A less-than-desired 29th-place finish at Phoenix International Raceway last week dropped Wallace one position, to 10th, in the NASCAR Nationwide Series driver point standings. After the 33rd race of the 2011 season, the 24-year-old driver trails eighth-place driver and Rusty Wallace Racing teammate Michael Annett by seven markers, and ninth-place Brian Scott by a single point.

Homestead Facts … In five NASCAR Nationwide Series starts at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Wallace boasts one top-10 finish. His best finish, eighth, came when the series visited the 1.5-mile oval in November, 2009. The Greensboro, N.C., native has an average starting position of 17th and an average finish of 18.8.

Welcome Aboard … Rusty Wallace Racing and 5-Hour Energy are pleased to feature Circle K on the TV panel and Sedanos on the lower rear quarter panels of the No. 66 Toyota this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Rusty Wallace Racing at Homestead … In 10 combined NASCAR Nationwide Series starts at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Rusty Wallace Racing entries have earned one top-five and three top-10 finishes with three different drivers including Brendan Gaughan, Jamie McMurray and Steve Wallace. McMurray’s second-place run in November 2004 is Rusty Wallace Racing’s best effort at the mile-and-a-half oval. Additionally, Rusty Wallace Racing entries have led one lap of competition and have completed 1,963 of the 2,003 (98 percent) laps contested in those events.

Rusty Wallace Racing in 2011 … With 33 of 34 races completed thus far in the 2011 season, Rusty Wallace Racing’s three NASCAR Nationwide Series entries have recorded a combined three top-five, 13 top 10 and 32 top-15 finishes. Rusty Wallace Racing Toyotas have completed 13,195 of 13,619 laps attempted, and have been atop the leaderboard for 21 laps with drivers Michael Annett, Jason Bowles, David Reutimann and Steve Wallace.

Steve Wallace - Photo Credit: John Harrelson / Getty Images for NASCAR

“I’m really looking forward to this weekend’s race. It’s been a very difficult year for the 5-Hour Energy team. The new Nationwide Series car really threw us for a loop. As soon as this race ends, we can start working on our program for 2012. But, we’ll give it all we’ve got for one more time in 2011, we’ll go out and try to finish the season with a strong run.” - Steve Wallace on racing at Homestead-Miami Speedway

About Living Essentials, LLC

Farmington Hills, MI-based Living Essentials, LLC, is the maker of 5-Hour Energy, the category leader in 2 oz. liquid energy shots. 5-Hour Energy is available nationwide at major retailers in the Grocery, Drug Store, Mass Merchant, Warehouse and Convenience Store classes of trade. Living Essentials sells over seven million bottles of 5-Hour Energy per week. For more information, please visit 5hourenergy.com.

About Rusty Wallace Racing, LLC

North Carolina-based Rusty Wallace Racing (RWR) is a professional auto racing team steeped in the legendary racing history of its founder, Rusty Wallace. The team currently campaigns the No. 66 and No. 62 Toyota Camrys-driven by Steve Wallace and Michael Annett, respectively-in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. RWR will also campaign the No. 64 Camry in select 2011 events. RWR entries have finished among the top-ten in the Nationwide Series driver or owner standings in each of the last three seasons. For more on Rusty Wallace Racing, please visit the award-winning rustywallace.com.

- Rusty Wallace Racing Press Release

David Reutimann - Photo Credit: Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR

CORNELIUS, N.C.

Reutimann hosts his Seventh Annual Charity Golf Tournament, Cook Out and Auction on Dec. 9 & 10 at Silverado Golf and Country Club in Zephyrhills, Florida. Friday’s cookout and auction precedes Saturday morning’s golf tournament.

He and his father Emil “Buzzie” Reutimann will also raise money by racing their dirt modified cars in the “Bubba is Thankful Weekend” Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, Fla. on Nov. 26 and the David Reutimann Foundation 50 at East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa on Dec. 10.

Proceeds from all the above activities go to a variety of Florida-based charities including All-Children’s Hospital and Camp Boggy Creek. In 2010, the David Reutimann Foundation raised more than $83,000.

REUTIMANN QUOTES

ON THE DAVID REUTIMANN FOUNDATION GOLF OUTING AND COOKOUT: “I’m really looking forward to it. We’ve had a lot of great times at that event over the years. We have a ton of people come out and spend time with us and help raise money for a lot of great causes. The charity auction each year has some one-of-a-kind items every year from NASCAR as well as a lot of other sports and entertainment personalities. Plus, the golf outing is just a lot of fun – some of the guys are pretty competitive, but others – like me, we don’t take ourselves too seriously and are just out there to have a great time with friends. In fact, I’m probably the only guy around that doesn’t golf in his own tournament – I just ride around on the golf car to mark sure everyone else is having a good time.”

The thing I enjoy most of all is going down to East Bay Raceway on Saturday after the event and getting a chance to run my modified car in the 50-lap race they have down there. I know it sounds a little odd that we spend almost 40 weeks of the year racing in the Sprint Cup Series, and you’d think we’d want a bit of a break, but for me to race my modified down there is really something special. It takes me back to where I came from on the dirt tracks. The funny thing is, when I was racing dirt tracks all over the Southeast growing up all I wanted to do was go race in NASCAR on the big tracks – now any chance I get I try to find my way back to the dirt tracks. Sometimes life it funny that way.”

 ADDITIONAL NOTES OF INTEREST

• Chassis Chatter: The No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine is racing chassis No. 708 this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. No. 708 debuted at Texas Motor Speedway on Nov. 6th with a 22nd place finish. Reutimann qualified sixth but was forced to start from the rear due to an engine change following final practice. Chassis No. 651 will serve as the backup.

• Autograph Signing: Reutimann will sign autographs at the MWR merchandise hauler on Sunday from 11:20-11:45 a.m.

• Starting in 2012: Michael Waltrip Racing announced last weekend at Texas Motor Speedway that Mark Martin will take over the driving duties of the No. 00 for 25 races and Michael Waltrip will drive for five races next season. The No. 00 will compete in all events, but a driver and sponsor have not been announced for the remaining races.

Toyota Motorsports Logo

Kahne led the final 14 laps (of 312) to record his 12th career NSCS victory. It was also the first Sprint Cup Series victory at Phoenix for the Camry.

David Reutimann (seventh) also earned a top-10 result in the race at the one-mile oval.

Cole Whitt (25th) made his first career NSCS start in Sunday’s race. Other Toyota drivers in the field included Joey Logano (11th), Denny Hamlin (12th), Martin Truex Jr. (20th), Bobby Labonte (21st), Brian Vickers (23rd), Casey Mears (26th), Kyle Busch (36th), Michael McDowell (40th) and Joe Nemechek (41st).

KASEY KAHNE, No. 4 Red Bull Toyota Camry, Red Bull Racing Team Finishing Position: 1st

How does it feel to be back in victory lane? “It feels so good. It’s been a long time coming. This whole Red Bull team has done an unbelievable job to keep working hard. Kenny Francis (crew chief) keeps on it — everybody at Red Bull, the car, the Toyota engine. It was a great run today. The guys did an awesome job. We fell back a little bit early and then came back and just kept getting it better. These guys haven’t given up in the last three months. It’s been really cool. It was really, really cool. It was slippery early, but as the tires built heat and got rubber on the track, the Goodyear tires came in pretty good. It ended up being a great race. I’m really excited.”

What has been the reason for your team’s recent resurgence this season? “I think just not giving up. I think one big thing is working with Kenny Francis (crew chief). That guy, as hard as he works, I want to work as hard and I want to do as much as I can to be up front. I know Keith’s (Rodden, engineer) the same way, and all these Red Bull guys are behind him. It’s been really exciting to do that. I want to also say this to my grandma. We lost my great grandpa last week — and it’s for her and my mom. It feels good to win for sure. He was a huge fan — a huge supporter.”

What does this win mean to you and the Red Bull Racing Team? “It means a lot. Some of these guys haven’t won before and it felt like I haven’t won. Kenny (Francis, crew chief) and the whole team that’s been together for a while that’s over at Red Bull, working with the Red Bull guys. It’s been a long season. The guys haven’t given up. We keep getting better as the season goes and it takes time to finish things up and get better when you come to something new. These guys have done an unbelievable job. It feels really good to get Red Bull in victory lane — I just wanted to win for them really bad before the switch. Man, they’ve been a big part of NASCAR. I hope in some way they are still a big part of NASCAR because I know everyone really enjoys them being here.”

Was the pit stop timing your race-winning strategy? “Oh, it definitely did for me. If we didn’t have that little bit of a lead, we wouldn’t have been able to hang on. It was big to pop in there early, try to get ahead of Carl (Edwards) and then hang on at that point.”

How have you put this streak together with the pressure of knowing the team is closing down after the season? “Well, we’re lucky that everybody kept working hard and has stayed after it, preparing great race cars. We’re bringing awesome cars to the track. Brand-new car. I wouldn’t say there’s anyone out there that’s building better cars at this time. The Red Bull guys are doing an awesome job and they haven’t given up It’s tough to hear you say it’s shutting down in eight days. Over the last three months, you have one of the top-five cars in NASCAR shutting down and that’s crazy. I think it’s just the people. They haven’t given up. They’re doing a great job. We’ve been able to stay focused. I love racing. If I’m in a race car, I want to do the best that I can. Kenny Francis has given me some cars in the last few months that we’ve been able to perform with and run with Carl (Edwards) and Tony (Stewart), who have been probably the two best.”

What are your impressions of the new Phoenix race track? “To me, other than the track being slippery, and that’s a hard tire a brand-new surface, it takes time to rubber in, takes time to get old and gritty and things. So, the entry to the c orners are slippery. The car slides a little bit more than you would like. That’s part of this place. It’s actually like that with the old track, too. It’s flat when you turn off the wall. It’s somewhat of a slippery, technical track at times. As the rubber went onto the racetrack, I really think this place is cool and I think it’s only going to get better as time goes on. I think it raced probably the best I can remember a brand-new race surface racing on the first race. I think it’s only going to get better, be a pretty exciting track. I think you’re going to have a lot of the drivers, teams, fans, looking forward to racing at Phoenix, looking forward to coming to Phoenix twice a year.”

What is the difference between your performance the results of your teammate Brian Vickers this year? “I think coming to Red Bull, it was exciting for me. It was something new, a change. I was really looking forward to coming over here and having one strong year here. I’ve been able to work with Kenny (Francis, crew chief) and Keith (Rodden, engineer). We just keep trying to get a little bit better each week. They keep trying to give me things to make me be able to go around the track as fast as I can. I’m not sure how Brian (Vickers) and those guys go at it, but he’s been a great teammate. Ryan Pemberton (No. 83 crew chief) has been great to work with. Always has a ton of enthusiasm. They’re both in victory lane after the race congratulating us. They’re right there in all of our debriefs and things. It’s been a lot of fun working with those guys. Like I said, I was excited to go to Red Bull this year, to be able to have fun and have a good teammate and work with a lot of good people over there. It’s been cool. It’s been a lot of fun.”

KENNY FRANCIS, crew chief, No. 4 Red Bull Toyota Camry, Red Bull Racing Team

How was your view of the race? “From the pit box, the track changed a lot. It wasn’t really surprising. I think everyone knew it was going to do something, we just didn’t know what. Everyone was kind of guessing. We started, went in one direction, then had to turn around and go back in the other direction to get the car to work. All in all we made a lot of adjustments on the car. Actually got it reasonable and pretty fast at the end. So we were pretty happy with it.”

What are your impressions of the new Phoenix race track? “For my part of the question, what kind of information we had to work with. We had the test back in October where we gathered a lot of information, ran a lot of laps here. Kind of got an idea what we thought the car kind of liked as far as the setup, which was different than what we had run here in the past, because we ran good here in the spring here on the old track that was completely different from that. We felt like it was sort of similar to Loudon and we used that kind of as a basis for our thoughts. We raced a different setup than we tested. We raced a different setup than Loudon. You’re thinking in those kind of directions. Once we started the race, we knew the track was going to be a lot different than how we practiced. We knew it was going to change through the day, we just didn’t know what it was going to do. We we re fortunate to be able to adjust correctly and get our car pretty good.”

DAVID REUTIMANN, No. 00 TUMS Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing Finishing Position: 7th

How was your race? “We had a good race today in the TUMS Toyota. The new layout and surface made things a little interesting, but we qualified in the top-10 and we were able to stay up there all day long. I’m proud of the crew guys for the job they did today. They really stuck with me and turned out some great pit stops. And, I have to thank Pat Tryson (interim crew chief) for stepping in to help us out — he called a great race today. This team is capable of racing like this all the time, but for one reason or another we just haven’t shown it much this year. This is a great group of guys! Probably one of the best in the garage and they have been with me a long time. We have one more week together and I was to go out on a high note at Homestead.”

JOEY LOGANO, No. 20 Home Depot Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing Finishing Position: 11th

DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 FedEx Freight Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing Finishing Position: 12th

What are your thoughts on the race track? “Nobody could pass anyone — so it was really, really difficult from that aspect. We did the best that we could with what we had. We just missed the set-up pretty bad today. We just didn’t run that well.”

Was there a problem with the front end of your race car after the race? “(I) was running in off that apron. Just trying to get a look and see if it bent the splitter or anything. It looks like it just got side skirts and that was about it.”

MARTIN TRUEX JR., No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing Finishing Position: 20th

BOBBY LABONTE, No. 47 Wounded Warrior Project Toyota Camry, JTG-Daugherty Racing Finishing Position: 21st

BRIAN VICKERS, No. 83 Red Bull Toyota Camry, Red Bull Racing Team Finishing Position: 23rd

COLE WHITT, No. 84 Red Bull Toyota Camry, Red Bull Racing Team Finishing Position: 25th

CASEY MEARS, No. 13 GEICO Toyota Camry, Germain Racing Finishing Position: 26th

KYLE BUSCH, No. 18 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing Finishing Position: 36th

Did you have any warning that something was wrong with your race car? “No, no indication this time, just a catastrophic failure. Just really, really unfortunate, too. These guys work their butts off two weeks in a row — all season long. It’s just devastating. To go through turmoil like this, all you can do is group together and pull through it and try to persevere and move on. We have one more chance, one more opportunity next week to win a race before the year is out to end it on a high note. Look forward to next year with everything going on. Can’t say enough about all these guys on this Interstate Batteries team this weekend, too. Changing the engine, starting behind, coming through, how to worry about qualifying and just getting in the show. All the way to third, you know, we had a shot. We were there. It’s unfortunate that we weren’t able to finish the race today.”

What happened to your race car? “Catastrophic engine failure. It’s terrible to have one in a weekend, let alone two in a weekend. I can’t say enough about this whole team. All these Interstate Batteries guys do such a phenomenal job and you know, it’s times like these where you feel like you’re down in the dumps and all you can do is try to pull together, persevere and move on through it. It’s certainly a tough few weeks and all we can do is look forward to next week at Homestead. It’s the season finale, but it’s a great opportunity for us to go out there and win a race in the final outing and get ready to build upon for 2012. Again, I hate it for these guys. They just don’t deserve this. All we can do is work forward.”

How did the track evolve during the race? “It’s slick. Man, you’re on tip-toes all the time. It’s tough, it’s very tough but some of us make it look easy, but it might be because we’re all considered the best in the business. Again, that’s a great point. I can’t say enough about my guys for giving me a great race car, too. We were up to third, we battled through the field and up from the back pack. We were running third there behind the 14 (Tony Stewart) and 99 (Carl Edwards) — the two championship contenders — we were right there with those guys having our own story battling out front and possibly having a shot for the win, which meant a lot to these guys.”

MICHAEL MCDOWELL, No. 66 HP Racing, LLC Toyota Camry, HP Racing Finishing Position: 40th

JOE NEMECHEK, No. 87 NEMCO Motorsports Camry, NEMCO Motorsports Finishing Position: 41st

- Toyota Motorsports, Press Release

Toyota Motorsports Logo

MARTIN TRUEX JR., No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing Starting Position: 5th

How was your qualifying lap? “Hairy to say the least. Slick as slick as slick out there, it’s a lot slicker than yesterday. We ran at least two-tenths quicker yesterday in race trim, so that just tells you how slick the track is. We were really good in race trim yesterday with our NAPA Toyota and we were off in qualifying and the guys made a lot of changes for qualifying. Based on the speed, it was an improvement. The feel wasn’t any good, but the speed was good so we’ll take that.”

How did the track feel in qualifying? “Slick, we really haven’t been on this track all weekend with the sun on it. This track, since it’s been paved, it’s been changing a lot as we run and put rubber down. When you run all weekend and it’s cloudy and changing a lot and then the sun pops out, you really know it’s going to change a lot. It’s just really slick out there right now.”

Can your team be a Chase contender in 2012? “You know, I’d like to think we can. We’ve worked very, very hard. Everybody at MWR (Michael Waltrip Racing) has worked very hard on this NAPA car. We’ve had a lot of speed this season, we’ve just beaten ourselves a little bit here and there. We’ve had a lot of tough luck. If we can correct those little things, I think we have the speed and the people and the equipment to do it. It’s just a matter of time and we’ll have to wait and see.”

How much do you want a win in 2012? “A win this year would be huge, it’s not over yet. We have two great tracks — here and Homestead — for me. That would be good to be able to win before the season is out. We’ve been in position this year to have a shot at winning two or three of these things and we just haven’t taken advantage of it. Like I said, we’ve had good speed in our cars, especially here lately and it’s just a matter of us racing smarter, being better prepared and making better decisions. I’m confident in this team that we can get the job done. I feel like we have a great race car for tomorrow. I was worried about qualifying, and now that we’re up somewhere towards the front, I feel really good about tomorrow. Homestead last year was probably our best run of the year. We led a bunch until we got a flat. I’m looking forward to going there. It would be awesome to close the year out with a win.”

DAVID REUTIMANN, No. 00 TUMS Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing Starting Position: 7th

How was your car in qualifying? “It wasn’t so good. We were loose and not very good. Disappointing for sure. It’s a bit tough to figure out right now.”

KASEY KAHNE, No. 4 Red Bull Toyota Camry, Red Bull Racing Team Starting Position: 10th

What do you think of the changes to this race track? “The track is great. It just needs rubber on it. When you start qualifying at the beginning of the day there’s not a lot of rubber, so it’s really slippery. Tomorrow’s race it will get better and better as the race goes on. It’s a pretty cool track. It’s neat what they did to it.”

How was your car handling during qualifying? “I just slid a little bit there. I’m still pretty happy with it. I think for tomorrow we should be in good shape and look forward to the race. Just trying to stay out of trouble early on and then I think we’ll be able to race pretty good.” – more -

How good does it feel to put together a string of strong finishes the last several races? “It feels great. It has been really nice how strong our Red Bull Toyotas have been. It has been a lot of fun driving them. We want to win. We haven’t yet, but we’ve been really close. We’ll just stay after it and try to get a win here, and just keep it around the top-five.”

BRIAN VICKERS, No. 83 Red Bull Toyota Camry, Red Bull Racing Team Starting Position: 18th

How was your car during your qualifying run? “It was all over the place. The track is just very slick right now. We were to loose for qualifying. We had such a good car yesterday, such a bummer because I thought we had a shot at the pole but the track has changed so much that I think whoever really gets lucky, maybe they ended up sketchy or whatever. I still think we have a really good car for the race once the grip comes back into the race track when there’s a lot of cars on it.”

What type of racing will we see Sunday? “I think in general it’s going to be a good race. The track really seems to come in yesterday when there’s a lot of cars on it, more so than I anticipated. If you get out of the groove, you’re going to be in trouble though. If you get out of the groove, I think there’s going to be a lot of wrecks.”

COLE WHITT, No. 84 Red Bull Toyota Camry, Red Bull Racing Team Starting Position: 19th

How was your qualifying lap? “It was a good lap. I got in on the first one – so that was enough for me. When they told me that we were in it was just kind of get the next one a little bit faster and pick up a couple spots. It was a great effort for us. I got to thank Red Bull for giving me the chance to even be out here to do this. Hopefully, we can impress some people and go to Homestead.”

How has the experience been this weekend driving the Sprint Cup car? “It’s been pretty crazy. I haven’t gotten much sleep — I can tell you that. More than anything, just happy to have the opportunity to be here. Between Toyota and Red Bull Racing, we wouldn’t be here. I got to thank those guys for giving me a chance to prove myself and make something for next year.”

When did you find out you were going to try to qualify for the Sprint Cup race? “To go to Phoenix — we’ve only had about a week-and-a-half to get ready. It’s been a little nerve-racking getting down here. We were pretty focused on going to Homestead. Then we found we had to come here to even go there (Homestead). Just trying to keep up with how everything changes.”

Will you be racing in Homestead? “I can’t say yes right now. But, I think with the way that we’ve already started here with yesterday and today – I think they would probably consider it for sure.”

JOEY LOGANO, No. 20 Home Depot Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing Starting Position: 25th

BOBBY LABONTE, No. 47 Wounded Warrior Project Toyota Camry, JTG-Daugherty Racing Starting Position: 31st

JOE NEMECHEK, No. 87 NEMCO Motorsports Camry, NEMCO Motorsports Starting Position: 32nd

DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 FedEx Freight Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing Starting Position: 33rd

KYLE BUSCH, No. 18 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing Starting Position: 34th

How will Sunday’s race be on the new track configuration? “I don’t know. I think a few of us are a little skeptical about it. We’ll see. Our qualifying run meant nothing to us. We have to start in the back anyways. Just to get a couple good laps to see where it puts us, see where we stack up with everybody. I definitely did not get everything out of that car that I could have and it was still on edge and difficult to drive. We’ll see what it ends up being with everybody out here today and put it back in race trim and get ready for tomorrow.”

How important is your race team? “Most importantly, I can’t say enough about my guys and everybody on this Joe Gibbs Racing team and Interstate Batteries and Toyota and all the folks that are here with us this weekend. Everybody always says our team works so hard, I think they’ve proven they work harder than anybody else out here with last week and of course having to change an engine first thing yesterday and doing everything we had to do to get back up to speed yesterday during practice to at least get time on the race track in the first session to get some notes put together and some plans for the second session. That helped us a lot.”

How will you be able to work through the field at a track like Phoenix? “It’s going to be really, really hard to work through the field because right now it’s a single lane and it’s very slick. We’ll see how it plays out. The more heat we get on the track, the more time that we make laps around here, the better the track is. It’ll be better the more the race gets going, but certainly the first few laps of tomorrow’s race is going to be pretty treacherous.”

How was your qualifying lap? “Our qualifying lap meant absolutely nothing to us. We have to start in the back anyways. Pit road is new here and it’s wider and the pit stalls are pretty lengthy, so I don’t think pit selection means a whole lot. It’s about getting a solid lap in, not tearing up the car and not doing anything dumb and getting ready for tomorrow. It was slick, I’ll tell you that. I only drive 70 percent and I already still had my hands full.”

How do you think the tires will hold up in Sunday’s race? “I would say look at Loudon mostly, Loudon is definitely a track position race. A lot of guys would just stay on their tires for 150 laps and not do anything, just put gas in the car so they can keep going.”

What does it take to be fast at Homestead? “It’s been a good track to us in the first third of a race, but then in the last second third it’s been tough. I like going to Homestead. To be fast there, you have to be able to get your car comfortable getting into the corner — that’s the biggest thing. The corners there, you can build so much speed through them that you have to be comfortable carrying that speed into the corner just as much as coming out of it.”

MICHAEL MCDOWELL, No. 66 HP Racing, LLC Toyota Camry, HP Racing Starting Position: 35th

CASEY MEARS, No. 13 GEICO Toyota Camry, Germain Racing Starting Position: 38th

How was your car in qualifying? “It was all over the place. We were really — conditions are a lot different. Everybody is fighting the track being slick. We were definitely way to loose for these conditions. We worked on race trim all the first practice when it was probably going to be closer to these conditions. Then the qualifying runs last night when it was nice and cool and the track had a lot of grip. Going out right now it was a lot different. We were loose.”

SCOTT RIGGS, No. 23 Toyota Camry Starting Position: DNQ

- Toyota Motorsports, Press Release

David Reutimann - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen/Getty Images for NASCAR

CORNELIUS, N.C.

SCOTT MILLER QUOTES

ON IMPACT AT MWR: “As with any race team at this level your goal is to build a team that is not only contending to make the Chase, but contending for championships. That doesn’t happen overnight, but you’ve got to get the wheels turning and headed in that direction. It’s been very short for me as far as time goes as far as assessing how everything goes and how everything works, but I can tell you just from a few days here that they do have a lot of good things going on. I think they really have built the foundation that just needs a little polish here and there before we start to see the upswing. With the addition of Clint Bowyer and the Mark Martin piece there is certainly a lot of things happening at MWR that are moving in a positive direction.”

ON MARK MARTIN: “Obviously he has a wealth of experience in all aspects of it. He pays a lot of attention to his racecars and his setups. He works with his guys and it will just be like Clint and I will bring a little background knowledge from the programs we worked at previously at RCR and Mark can bring a little of what he learned from where he is coming from – all of which have been successful organizations. Hopefully we can mold some of those things together and come together from a competitive standpoint.”

ON MOMENTUM HEADING INTO THE OFF-SEASON: “It never hurts. The momentum and having a good run of races to finish off the year helps build morale and gets everyone feeling good about the things to come. But by the same token if something were to happen that were to set us back, we have so many new things planned for next year and all of that over the winter that I don’t think it would affect us too much. It sure would be nice to take a good couple runs into the winter and start off next year with some of that momentum.”

ON PHOENIX: “Well, I have one race with the new team, so we have that experience base to work from. (Laughs). Other than that, I didn’t even go to the tests out there, so I really don’t even know what the place looks like since the reconfiguration. I might not even be able to find the front gate. We’ll just role with the punches and go with the flow and hope for the best this weekend.”

ADDITIONAL NOTES OF INTEREST

• · Reutimann at Phoenix International Raceway: In eight career NSCS starts at Phoenix International Raceway, Reutimann has an average starting position of 19th and finish of 21st. Reutimann has two top-10s that he recorded back to back in 2009 and led 1 lap in the 2009 spring race.

• · Program Alert: On Wednesday, Nov. 9, David Reutimann is scheduled to appear on ESPN2’s NASCAR Now at 3 p.m. and SPEED TV’s NASCAR RaceHub at 6 p.m.

• · Autograph Signing: Reutimann will sign autographs at the MWR merchandise hauler on Sunday from 11:00-11:30 a.m.

• · Starting in 2012: Michael Waltrip Racing announced last weekend at Texas Motor Speedway that Mark Martin will take over the driving duties of the No. 00 for 25 races and Michael Waltrip will drive for five races next season. The No. 00 will compete in all events, but a driver and sponsor have not been announced for the remaining races.

No. 66 5-Hour Energy® Toyota Camry (Steve Wallace) - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen / Getty Images for NASCAR

This Week’s 5 Hour Energy Toyota … Steve Wallace will pilot Rusty Wallace Racing chassis RWR-058 in Saturday afternoon’s Wypall 200 at Phoenix International Raceway. A workhorse of the 2011 season, this Toyota Camry raced at Auto Club Speedway in March, Nashville Superspeedway in April, and twice in the month of May, at Darlington Raceway and Charlotte Motor Speedway. Wallace then raced it at Michigan International Raceway in June, at Bristol Motor Speedway in August and most recently, at Richmond International Raceway in September.

White Flag Next Time By … With just two races remaining in the 2011 season, Wallace has accumulated two top-five, five top 10 and 15 top-15 finishes, an average starting position of 13.7 and an average finish of 16.1. Wallace has completed 98.2 percent of the laps contested (5,891 of 5,997) thus far.

Get to the Points … Wallace continues to maintain the ninth position in the NASCAR Nationwide Series driver point standings. With just two races remaining in the 2011 season, Wallace trails eighth-place driver Kenny Wallace by 13 markers, and holds a 12-point advantage over his Rusty Wallace Racing teammate, Michael Annett, for the 10th position..

Wallace at Phoenix … In 10 NASCAR Nationwide Series starts at Phoenix International Raceway, Wallace boasts two top-10 finishes. His best finish at the one-mile desert oval is 10th, where he has finished twice (November, 2009 and November, 2010).

Welcome Aboard … Rusty Wallace Racing and 5-Hour Energy are pleased to feature Safeway on the TV panel and Circle K on the C-post of the No. 66 Toyota this weekend at Phoenix International Raceway.

Rusty Wallace Racing at Phoenix … In 29 combined NASCAR Nationwide Series starts at Phoenix International Raceway, Rusty Wallace Racing entries have earned one top-five and seven top-10 finishes with three different drivers including Brendan Gaughan and Jamie McMurray. Rusty Wallace, a former driver in NASCAR’s junior division, himself contributed a top-10 finish in November 2004. Gaughan’s fourth-place run in April 2010 is Rusty Wallace Racing’s best effort at the desert oval.

Rusty Wallace Racing in 2011 … With 32 of 34 races completed thus far in the 2011 season, Rusty Wallace Racing’s three NASCAR Nationwide Series entries have recorded a combined three top-five, 12 top 10 and 31 top-15 finishes. Rusty Wallace Racing Toyotas have completed 12,821 of 13,219 laps attempted, and have been atop the leaderboard for 21 laps with drivers Michael Annett, Jason Bowles, David Reutimann and Steve Wallace.
Meet the Driver … Fans can meet Wallace Thursday, November 10 from 6 – 7 p.m. MST at the Total Wine store located at 1416 North Litchfield Rd. in Goodyear, Ariz.

Steve Wallace - Photo Credit: John Harrelson / Getty Images for NASCAR

“We’re all looking forward to getting to Phoenix next week, because our short track program has been really strong this year. We feel like we can be competitive when we get there. Everyone is starting with a clean slate since the track has been reconfigured, so we’ll look to make the most of the extended practice sessions and hopefully have a good finish.” - Steve Wallace on racing at Phoenix International Raceway

About Living Essentials, LLC

Farmington Hills, MI-based Living Essentials, LLC, is the maker of 5-Hour Energy, the category leader in 2 oz. liquid energy shots. 5-Hour Energy is available nationwide at major retailers in the Grocery, Drug Store, Mass Merchant, Warehouse and Convenience Store classes of trade. Living Essentials sells over seven million bottles of 5-Hour Energy per week. For more information, please visit 5hourenergy.com.

About Rusty Wallace Racing, LLC

North Carolina-based Rusty Wallace Racing (RWR) is a professional auto racing team steeped in the legendary racing history of its founder, Rusty Wallace. The team currently campaigns the No. 66 and No. 62 Toyota Camrys-driven by Steve Wallace and Michael Annett, respectively-in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. RWR will also campaign the No. 64 Camry in select 2011 events. RWR entries have finished among the top-ten in the Nationwide Series driver or owner standings in each of the last three seasons. For more on Rusty Wallace Racing, please visit the award-winning rustywallace.com.

- Rusty Wallace Racing Press Release

Michael Waltrip Racing Logo

CORNELIUS, N.C. –

Team officials notified Reutimann this week.

“David has been a significant part of Michael Waltrip Racing since the very beginning and will forever be a part of our heritage,” said Co-Owner Michael Waltrip. “We want to thank David for his contribution to our growth and success over the past five years and wish him well in the future.”

Reutimann will remain with the team for the final three races of the 2011 season.

In 168 Sprint Cup Series starts, all for Michael Waltrip Racing, Reutimann recorded two wins, 12 top-five, 25 top-10 finishes and won four pole awards.

- Michael Waltrip Racing, Press Release