By: Zach Catanzareti, Staff Writer
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — One year ago, Josh Reaume started his own Gander Outdoors Truck Series team, Reaume Brothers Racing based out of North Carolina.
Now, Reaume has the best finish of both his race team and of his career after finishing sixth in Friday night’s NextEra Energy 250 at Daytona International Speedway.
Surviving the treacherous night filled with hard hits, spins
“We raced our race and let them — let it all unfold,” Reaume said. “I just tried to be patient, tried to be smart. I hate that we weren’t more there for the last restart but we were about out of gas, it was sputtering there.”
Running the full season in 2019 in the No. 33, Reaume is happy to have his first top 10 come in the season opener.
“An Awesome night, a great way to start off our season,” he said. “In the No. 33 all year, a really good points day will put us in a good position going forward.
Outside the monetary help, the result also gives a well-earned pat on the back to the small organization.
“It’s a boost of confidence,” he said. “We’re a small team, this is the start of our second year. To start off like this, I’m really at a loss for words.”
With only nine trucks at the finish, Reaume came out on the winning end with a relatively clean truck.
“If anyone had any idea — I pulled three all-nighters to make it here,” he said. “The most sleep I got last week was at the track because they actually kick you out of the garage area and make you go home.
“To come out of here with a sixth-place finish, you couldn’t have told me I was going to do that a week ago. Thrilled.”