Running out of time

July 2, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

Reutimann needs sudden hot streak to compete for title

Associated Press

LOUDON, N.H.

David Reutimann’s lofty preseason expectations at making the Chase have been whittled to a bundle of frayed nerves with nine championship-or-bust races to go.

He has no desire to scan the points standings to check how far away he is from landing a spot in the 12-car field.

“There’s no really point,” he said. “I figure when you get close to where you need to be, someone will let me know.”

No one has told Reutimann he’s close enough to drive for the title — yet.

Reutimann has been as steady as any driver over the last nine races, finishing somewhere between fifth and 20th. He’s been consistent enough in the No. 00 to make the Chase reachable, just not strong enough to make a huge leap in points.

At least he hasn’t wrecked his way out of chances.

Reutimann knows he’s running out of time to catapult his way into the top 12 and qualify for the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. With nine races left until the field is set, Reutimann is finding himself a long shot.

He’s 150 points behind Carl Edwards for the 12th and final spot. It’s not out of reach, but the 19th-place Reutimann would have to surge past six drivers to run for the championship over the last 10 races.

“We need top-fives everywhere you look in order to gain ground,” Reutimann said. “We definitely have our work cut out for us, but if we run like we’re supposed to run, we can legitimately still do it.”

Reutimann can point to some disastrous bad luck early in the season if he fails to make the Chase. He suffered blown motors at Atlanta, Bristol and Texas — all races where he was running inside the top 10. He finished 28th or worse in four of five miserable races from Atlanta to Texas earlier this season to sink in the standings.

“The stuff we had happen to us at the beginning of the year, it’s hard to make up for that,” he said. “We’ve been as far back as 30th and we’ve been able to kind of claw back to where we are now.”

Reutimann knows how to claw back as well as just about any driver in the Cup series. He made his debut in NASCAR’s top level at 35, competing in one race in 2005. Reutimann didn’t drive in the series again until 2007 and for only 26 races.

One of the nicest guys in the garage, he landed a full-time ride in 2008 and won his first Cup race last year.

Reutimann, who drives for Michael Waltrip Racing, flirted with making the Chase for the first time last season. He was within six points of Mark Martin for 12th place at one point, before fading to finish 16th overall.

His run heightened expectations at MWR that he could find his name in the championship hunt with Chase veterans like Jimmie Johnson.