Michael Waltrip picked up his first top ten of the Busch Series season. His #99 Yard Man Ford finished 10th in the Pepsi 300, today's Busch Series event at Nashville Superspeedway.
Mikey started today's race from the 32nd position. Clint Bowyer immediately jumped from the second spot to the lead. Cup rookie Denny Hamlin had started from the pole, and lost second off the fourth turn to Reed Sorenson. Sorenson was credited with second the first lap, as Bowyer led. The pair ran side-by-side throughout the first lap, until Hamlin dropped dramatically after Danny O'Quinn took air off his spoiler.
The first caution came on lap 3, after Kyle Busch's #5 got loose and spun independently. Mikey was 27th by then, having passed Jay Sauter, Jason Keller, Kyle Busch, Kertis Davis, and Stanton Barrett. NASCAR called Hamlin to the officials' hauler at the end of the race for not slowing down for the yellow flag. A few drivers chose to pit.
The green flag returned on lap 6 with Bowyer in the lead. Mikey ran 27th, but gained a spot to Stacy Compton one lap into the run. Lap 8 saw Mikey running three-wide in a battle for 24th with Johnny Sauter and Matt McCall. Passing Sauter took Mikey to 25th on lap 9. Mikey got around Erin Crocker the next time around the track, and picked up another spot. His Yard Man Ford ran approximately ten seconds outside the top spot. Regan Smith dropped on lap 15, allowing Mikey to advance to 23rd. Reed Sorenson dropped inside Bowyer and took the lead on the same lap.
Stephen Wallace got around the #99 on lap 18, moving Mikey back to 24th. Matt McCall's drop two laps later allowed the Yard Man Ford to reclaim 23rd, and the #99 took another spot by getting around Joel Kauffman two circuits after that.
Chris Wimmer's #23 hit the wall, drawing the second caution on lap 27. David Odell received the free pass, and the leaders pit under the yellow flag. Sorenson retained his lead, and Mikey was 21st after his stop.
Racing resumed on lap 31. Sorenson slipped up the race track, allowing Bowyer to take the lead in the same manner he had on the first lap, when he had slid by Hamlin. Mikey held onto 21st.
The third caution came on lap 34 for Kevin Lepage in the #56. Lepage had wrecked in Turn 2, rear-ending the wall. The other two yellows came for accidents in the same turn.
Bowyer led the lap 38 restart. The field scrambled behind the race leader, as Mikey rode 20th. Two laps into the run, he picked up 19th. Mike Bliss passed the Yard Man Ford two laps later, but Mikey regained the spot to Bliss the next time around the track. Blocked behind the #43, the #99 lost the position again - this time, to Reed Sorenson's #41. Sorenson had pit under the last caution and was now rallying back to the front of the pack.
Getting around Aaron Fike's #43 on lap 50 and Jason Leffler on lap 53 moved the Yard Man Ford to 18th. Mikey passed Mark McFarland for another position on lap 68.
Race leader Clint Bowyer pit on lap 72, forfeiting the top spot to Denny Hamlin. Mikey picked up 16th with Bowyer's stop, but was back to 17th when Leffler passed him four circuits later.
Kevin Harvick's #21 dropped inside Hamlin's #20 for the top spot on lap 79. The pair ran side-by-side, but Hamlin retained the lead. Harvick rallied back two laps later, ducking inside the #20 once more. The pair bounced off one another as they ran side-by-side. This time, Harvick got around the #20. He led for the first time on lap 83.
Passing Johnny Sauter on lap 90 earned Mikey 16th, just before the next caution.
The yellow flag waved for the fourth time on lap 92 after David Odell spun in the #07 car while heading for pit road. Twenty-six cars remained on the lead lap, with Jason Keller getting the free pass. The leaders pit; a tire got away from Stephen Wallace's #64 box. Hamlin picked up the lead following stops, while Mikey came off pit road last.
Racing resumed on lap 96 with Hamlin leading and Mikey running 25th. The Yard Man Ford got around Regan Smith in the #35 one lap into the run.
The fifth caution came on lap 98 for a multi-car wreck. Erin Crocker's #98 spun and hit the wall independently. The field slowed, and Mark McFarland's #88 rear-ended Todd Kluever's #06 with help from John Andretti's #10. Jorges Goeters, Jay Sauter, David Odell, and Mike Bliss were also involved. Clint Bowyer received the free pass, and Mikey rose to 18th.
Hamlin led the field to the lap 103 restart, with Mikey in 18th. Danny O'Quinn's drop allowed Mikey to pick up a spot one lap into the run.
The sixth caution came on lap 106 for debris. Jason Keller received the free pass. Mikey had dropped three spots on that lap, placing him 20th.
Lap 110 saw the restart. Hamlin led the field, with Mikey in 21st. Passing Jay Sauter on lap 113 and Leffler on lap 118 moved the #99 to 19th.
The yellow flag returned for the seventh time on lap 124. Johnny Sauter slid up the track and wrecked his brother Tim. David Green was also involved. Ron Hornaday received the free pass, and half the leaders pitted.
Hamlin led the lap 130 restart, with Mikey running 19th. Eight laps into the run, Mikey picked up a spot to Jay Sauter. Passing Jason Leffler on lap 142 advanced him to 17th. The #99 was approximately fifteen seconds off Hamlin's pace.
The eighth caution came on lap 162 for debris. Nineteen drivers remained on the lead lap, and Stacy Compton received the free pass. Paul Menard led after stops, and Mikey was 16th.
Menard led the lap 167 restart. Menard's #11 had only taken on fuel, and with old tires, lost spots shortly after seeing the lead flag. Hamlin reclaimed the top spot in the first two turns. Meanwhile, Mikey picked up 15th one lap into the run.
Harvick was all over Hamlin on lap 171. The pair were side-by-side off Turn 4. Hamlin was credited with the lead, but Harvick remained beside him.
The nineth caution came on lap 173 after Kyle Busch spun on the backstretch. Mikey picked up 14th, and Harvick was credited with the top spot. Menard pit under yellow, allowing Mikey to pick up another position.
Lap 177 saw the restart. Harvick led, and quickly got distance on all but Hamlin. Mikey was 13th. With 41 laps to go, he was up to 12th. Menard, with fresh tires, was all over his rear fender. Two laps later, Menard dropped inside the #99 and passed. The Yard Man Ford was back to 13th.
NASCAR brought out the tenth caution with 38 laps to go for an accident involving Kyle Busch and Steadman Marlin. Busch went to the garage as safety workers attended to Marlin, who emerged from his wrecked #14 under his own power.
Harvick led a single-file restart with 30 laps remaining in the race. Mikey was 13th. Passing Steve Wallace within the first three laps back to racing advanced him to 12th.
With 21 laps to go, Sorenson was all over Harvick's rear fender. Third through approximately twelfth ran single-file.
Sorenson's #41 slowed with eight laps to go, drawing the eleventh caution. His right side had pancaked against the wall in Turns 1 and 2 with a down front tire. His team changed right sides only. He had been running 2nd, and would restart at the back of the pack as he pit before pit road opened.
Racing resumed with two laps remaining in the race. Harvick led, and Mikey was 11th. Mikey dropped inside Ashton Lewis Jr and took the position. Mikey crossed the stripe 10th, with Harvick picking up the win.
NASCAR goes to Arizona next weekend. Tune in to the Subway Fresh 500 next Saturday night at 8pm ET on FOX. Coverage of the Busch Series' Bashas' Supermarkets 200 begins the night before at 8:30pm on FX.
