The ’04 ROY will run up to 15 races that are companion events with Cup schedule

David Reutimann, the 2004 Truck Series rookie of the year, plans to return to the series in 2012, agreeing this week to run up to 15 races in the No. 92 Chevrolet for Ricky Benton Racing, mainly companion events associated with his part-time Cup schedule with Tommy Baldwin Racing.

Team spokesman Rick Benton said Saturday that talks began in earnest after the team hired crew chief Jason Overstreet in early December.

Along with the Truck schedule, David Reutimann will run part-time for Tommy Baldwin Racing in the Cup Series.

“We heard about [Reutimann’s] situation after being released from Michael Waltrip Racing,” Benton said. “Our crew chief, Jason Overstreet, had worked with David several times back early on. So they’ve got a relationship there, so we just kind of thought it might be a good possibility to put that deal together.

“He’s a very marketable guy and we thought he’d be a good fit for what we like to do business with a lot of clients. It all came together and that’s where we’re at.”

Benton said talks became “hot and heavy” in the past couple of weeks, leading to the agreement. The specifics are still to be worked out, but Benton said Reutimann is expected to be in the truck for the season-opener at Daytona.

“We’re going to try to run races that tag along with the Cup schedule, but there may be a couple of other events,” Benton said. “We’re setting out to run 15 races. That’s the goal, and then try to see what we can fit in there.”

Benton said adding Reutimann continues a natural progression for the small operation based in Cerro Gordo, N.C., about three hours east of Charlotte. RBR Enterprises finished 25th in owners points in 2011, with driver Clay Rogers‘ best finish coming at Daytona, where he finished third behind Michael Waltrip and Elliott Sadler.

“We dabbled in it a little bit two years ago when we brought in Dennis Setzer,” Benton said. “Then last year, we upped the schedule, running 13 races with Clay Rogers. We’re just trying to grow our program and trying to step up a little bit.

“We just want to make sure when we go, we’re going to be a class act. We want to be competitive and basically we want to run up front. Times are pretty tough now but we’re trying to make the investment that hopefully people will tag along and help us get there.”

Benton said the team had been talking to several drivers, but felt Reutimann “was the best fit for our current situation.”