Reutimann has his sights on...
Reutimann has his sights on a Top 5 finish in Truck Series points this season.
Then Pattie became Joe Nemechek's Busch crewchief, and you know the rest. Reutimann went to NEMCO for select races, then to Darrell Waltrip's organization.
"Brian had a crewchief opportunity to work with Joe Nemechek for NEMCO Motorsports," says Reutimann. "And he was leaning on Joe for a number of years to give me a shot. Joe said, 'I can't really race him, but if he wants to buy a car, we'll go racing.' That's where Buddy Smith, who was a friend from Florida, scrimped and saved and we got the car and Joe took me to Richmond.
"After that, Joe started letting me go test with them. He'd let me get in the car and make 15 to 20 laps. Brian was bugging him so hard that Joe finally said we will do something with him. I don't think he expected us to run as well as we did at Richmond and other Busch Series events. When we did well, Joe went out of his way to make a lot of things happen for me. In addition to running full time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, I'm running a limited Busch Series schedule for Nemechek this year.
"My goals are to win some poles, win some races, and I'd love to finish in the Top 5 in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series points standings in the No. 17 NTN Bearings Toyota. I know those are fairly high goals, but my father always told me that if you walk in the pit gate, you should feel like you are the best guy there. You don't necessarily have to let anybody know that. You just have to feel it. If you don't feel it, then you don't have any business being there.
"I know this Darrell Waltrip Motorsports team is capable of achieving those goals. In later years, I still would like to be racing with the group of guys I'm racing with now. I would love to get the opportunity to race Nextel Cup one day. Five years ago, I didn't think I would be where I am today. At certain points, I would get disgusted because I wanted to be here so bad.
"I am so thankful for the opportunity I have to work for Darrell Waltrip under the direction of Bobby Kennedy and crewchief Jason Overstreet. I'm excited about where we are and where we are going."
And here's a closing word from the most senior partner in this entire group-Darrell Waltrip himself:
"I am elated that David Reutimann is behind our No. 17 NTN Bearings Toyota Tundra for the '04 season. I watched David's father, Buzzie, race for years, and I watched David drive Nemechek's Busch car last year. He did an incredible job at places he had never even been before. We were so fortunate to get him to drive our truck.
"Our goal is just to go out there and win something, whether it's the top guy in practice, the winner of the pole award, or a win for Toyota and NTN Bearings.