Did Team Orders Plague Martinsville? Reutimann Spoils Good Race

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[media-credit name=”Barry Albert” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson were by far the class of the field today and one of them should have won the race. The two Hendrick Motorsports drivers combined to lead over 400 of the laps during the race.

What really got my attention was the #10 of David Reutimann. He had literally been in the way of every driver out there during the late stages of the race. Tommy Baldwin Racing has a technical alliance with Stewart-Haas-Racing. Did Reutimann stop on purpose to help set up the green-white-checkered finish?

Replay shows Reutimann having a clear entrance to pit road and clearly intentionally not coming to pit road. “I was trying to come to pit road and the engine shut off.” Reutimann said. He had been traveling at an incredibly slow speed for a quite a while up to that point, so I have to call that statement “Pure BS.” Does he think we were born yesterday? What would have 5 extra laps have done to the Top 35? Nothing. Before the caution had come out, Gordon and Johnson were both battling for the lead and Jr. was running third and traveling about six seconds behind his teammates.

Jeff Gordon or Jimmie Johnson should have been in victory lane today. This is another dark day in NASCAR. NASCAR on the other hand needs to investigate into this incident further.

This type of stuff does not lead to more fans, it drives them further away.

Comments

11 responses to “Did Team Orders Plague Martinsville? Reutimann Spoils Good Race”

April 3, 2012

Brian

Check your results before you say stupid things like in this article. Reutimann was only 3 laps behind teammate Dave Blaney sitting in the garage – so he could have passed him and gained one more point (which is all he is out of the top 35 by the way). If he had pulled off the track one lap earlier, Kyle Bush would have passed him. Kyle finished one lap behind David still running. This would have caused them to loose another point. The new point system is supposed to be easy for anyone to understand – guess not.

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April 2, 2012

gator

why does everyone think he was staying out for danica? it benefits him (reutimann) to stay in the top 35 so he has a guaranteed start at texas

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April 2, 2012

Jeff

Bowyer is a bonehead but there’s a bigger picture here. First the stupid top 35 rule is the main source of the problem. Second we all know Reuti stayed out so they could attempt to preserve a top 35 for Danica. But why is that even necessary? If she is such an incredibly talented driver like we keep hearing (as evidenced by her sterling performance so far last year and this year) then why are they so nervous about her not qualifying at Darlington? She only has to beat out start and park underfunded teams anyways. With Hendrick equipment, give me a damn break!!

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April 2, 2012

here

What no one has mentioned is the FANS that were in the seats at the race. I was one of them, I have NEVER heard people cheer at a race like they did when the caution came out. It made what was turning into a snooze fest have one hell of an ending to it. Rueti tried to do something for his team, he almost pulled it off. Instead, he made the race worth talking about instead of a well-attended boring race

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April 2, 2012

mr clause

It’s plain to see that this author has no real sources to write from. If he’s now a high school student how could he have been covering NASCAR since 2004? It’s evident that he has little grasp on the reality that is NASCAR. He certainly isn’t close to being a reporter, just another blogger that throws stuff out to see if it’ll stick somewhere.

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April 2, 2012

steven

Danicant at Darlington? Pure entertainment. Nykkon knows what’s up.

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April 2, 2012

Dennis

I do think if you push the “ignore the black flag for a few laps thing” and end up causing a caution because of it, you should sit out a race. I understand why he was out there, but the fact is he did change the outcome of the race.

I think Danica in Darlington is going to be tame compared to Danica trying to run Cup fulltime in 2013 and I’m a Danica supporter. Very afraid.

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April 2, 2012

Jerome

Nykkon;

Wonder what scheme will be dreamed up to ensure she gets in the race? A transfer of Stewart’s or newman’s points? Buying the ride of someone who qualifies? (If she fails to qualify and I hope she does fail to qualify.)
Author-lay off of Reutimann; he is a good. Guy anyone who saw his interview knows he waas near tears. He is struggling to do a good job for his team. NASCAR has many, many other issues they need to worry about. This is a non-story. As far as a “technical alliance” with Stewart-Haas-they are nothing but a defacto Hendrick team.

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April 2, 2012

Lydia

You’ve got to be kidding!! The dark day for NASCAR is your silly scenario! It’s writers like you who help to push the image of NASCAR into the sewer. I seriously would like you to spend your next colum and explain in detail EXACTLY how this scenario was planned and carried out to put Newman in the winners circle..or did the plan go awry because Stewart was supposed to win? Please..enlighten us!

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April 1, 2012

Nykkon

The #10 Car was trying to stay in the top 35 in owner points. It didnt play out and the car is now 36th in owner points. ONE POINT out of 35th. It sucks for everyone including reutimann that the car crapped out at the end. Keep in mind this is a shared ride with Danica Patrick so driver’s points do not matter it’s owner points that matter. The owner was trying to keep this car in the top 35 so Princess Patrick could have a shot at her next race at Darlington (Whoever dreamed up Danica running at darlington however needs their head examined.)

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1. April 2, 2012
  
  Dustin
  
  Tommy Baldwin Racing has a technical alliance with Stewart-Haas-Racing who then has a technical alliance with Hendrick Motorsports. I think Mr Hendrick would have had something to say if there were any team orders… everyone’s always looking for a conspiracy.
  
  And to Nykkon’s point. Those last 5 laps for Reutimann meant a TON, he lost 1 spot on the track which is 1 point. (both owners and drivers) that 1 owners point took him from tied for 35th to outside the top 35. Thats a lot more than “nothing” if you ask me considering he shares that ride with Danica.
  
  Reply