Mystery Disease Kills Thousands
Gay Marriage Vote Puts Heat On Christie
SPEEDWAY, Ind. -- David Reutimann's win two weeks ago certainly helped his cause for Friday morning's announcement at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but the wheels had been in motion long before his second career win.Ty Norris, Michael Waltrip Racing's executive vice president and general manager, confirmed as much Friday when he thanked all involved parties for not leaking the news that had been six weeks in the making: Reutimann has a new extended contract with the team through the end of 2012.
"It's a huge relief," Reutimann said, flanked by team owner Michael Waltrip and Aaron's COO Ken Butler in the IMS Economaki Press Room.
Reutimann won his second-career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway on July 16, with his first coming in the rain-shortened 2009 Coca-Cola 600.
The deal calls for Aaron's -- a sales and lease ownership company -- to sponsor Reutimann for 30 races next season and in 2012. Additionally, they will bump up support this season to 30 races on the No. 00 instead of the original 24.
"When you operate year-to-year, it's obviously a different situation," Reutimann said. "Just because you have a multi-year deal, you gotta go out there and perform. Just because you have a contract doesn't mean you can cruise."
"I think that's a common misconception, that once you sign on, you're good for a couple of years and you can go out there and not do your job as well as you're supposed to," Reutimann said. "I don't have but one speed, and that's to go as hard as I can all of the time."
The MWR-Aarons partnership is now a decade old, and Butler said his company's explosive growth across the country could certainly be related to their ever-increasing NASCAR sponsorship -- certainly good news for those in the somewhat-struggling sport trying to woo sponsorship to race cars.
"I go around with my Aaron's shirt in airports and people come up to me in all places and they instantly will say 'the Dream Machine' or 'the Lucky Dog' or 'David Reutimann' or 'Michael Waltrip,'" said Butler. "I know it's working."
"I truly don't believe we would have propelled our growth without our business in this sport."
How Long Will Santorum's Surge Last?
Washington Gay Marriage Legislation Signed Into Law By Governor Chris Gregoire
House GOP Offers Deal In Big Fight
Officials Confirm: Prescription Drugs Found In Whitney Houston's Room
Obama Budget Signals Shift From Austerity Measures To Campaign Promises
U.S. Green-Lights Google's Massive $12.5 Billion Purchase
Syrian Rebels Fight Off Attack On Key Town
Downgraded: Moody's Cuts Credit Ratings Of Italy, Portugal And Spain
WATCH: Fox News Pundit's Disturbing Comments About Rape
Pressure Mounts On Mortgage Giants To Pursue Principal Reductions
When Will The New iPad Be Announced?
Wall Street Fears Volcker Rule Will Force Testosterone Monitoring
Topless Protesters Target 'Gas Gangsters'
Afghanistan Base Named 'Aryan' Raises Objections From Soldiers
WATCH: CPAC's 'Best In Show'
WATCH: 25 Million Tons Of Japan Tsunami Debris Headed Directly Our Way
Obama's Birth Control Rule Will Hurt Homeless Veterans, Warns GOP Congressman
WATCH: Bill Maher Rips GOP Concept Of 'Elites'
GOP Candidates Out Of Step With Catholic Church On Unemployment
WATCH: Anderson Cooper's Hilarious Adventures With Adele
Supreme Court Justice Robbed
It's Only Getting Worse: Economists' Latest Dire Prediction
Huff TV: WATCH: Arianna Weighs In On Tony Bennett's Call To Legalize Drugs
