Motorsports

Reutimann scares cousin

It was not only a spotter's nightmare, but a cousin's.

By BRANT JAMES
Published February 27, 2007

It was not only a spotter's nightmare, but a cousin's.

Shawn Reutimann keyed his mike three times, first asking cousin David to "talk to me." Reutimann's No. 00 Toyota had been demolished against the wall between Turns 3 and 4 after being rammed from behind by Greg Biffle with six laps left in Sunday's Nextel Cup race at Fontana, Calif. The Zephyrhills native was at best woozy, trying to gather his faculties and make an exit.

Then Shawn keyed the mike again, told him the car had caught fire. His cousin had yet to respond to any of his pleas, and he was growing increasingly concerned until the track switched the feed on its grandstand video board to Reutimann's in-car camera.

"I saw him start to move, and he said he heard me say it's on fire. And that's when I could see him reach for the shifter and try to get out of the car," Shawn Reutimann said. "Right up until then, I'm not sure he knew. ... He was a little loopy there."

There is no worse feeling for a spotter, he said.

"Him being family makes it worse," he said. "You're helpless. There's nothing you can do."

Reutimann walked with assistance to an ambulance and was treated and released from the infield care center.

Reutimann was unavailable on Monday. Shawn Reutimann said it appeared Biffle - who sought out and apologized to David, he said - was much faster than the 155-160 mph of the No. 00 Toyota and would have been allowed to pass on the straightaway.

"From the impact, his left foot knocked the clutch pedal right off the car," Shawn Reutimann said. "The doctor was checking his foot to make sure he didn't break it."

He was still sore Monday but is expected to participate in a Car of Tomorrow test at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway on Wednesday and Thursday.

Hello moto

Florida is a fertile field for any athlete who can benefit from a warm, sunny place to play. But motocross riders seem to like mud and slop just fine, and they thrive here, too, particularly near Tampa Bay. Check out the main event results of the AMA Supercross event on Saturday in Atlanta:

Winner: James Stewart, Haines City

Runnerup: Ricky Carmichael, who is transitioning into a stock car career with NASCAR's Ginn Racing, originally from Clearwater.

Third place: Chad Reed, Tampa.

Sixth place: Timmy Ferry, Largo.

Stewart leads the series in points (188) and wins (six), with Reed second (171 and one win). Ferry is third with 145 points and Carmichael ninth with 91 points and a victory.

Part-timer

Mark Martin, left, scheduled to drive 22 races in the No. 01 Chevrolet for Ginn Racing this season, left California as the Nextel Cup points leader for the first time since Sept. 22, 2002. He finished second in a controversial Daytona 500 and fifth Sunday.

"I am loving this, and I am rolling," Martin said with a smile.

He has waffled about retirement for three years, so is there any chance he might want to return full time?

"No."

All righty. Good thing team owner Bobby Ginn isn't tempted to coerce him.

"A deal's a deal," Ginn said Monday. "My deal with Mark was he could race what he wanted to race, and I'll never ask him (to do more)."

[Last modified February 26, 2007, 23:57:19]