An ill-timed pit stop dropped Michael Waltrip one lap down midway through the Circuit City 250, today's Busch Series race at Richmond International Raceway. His #99 Cottman Transmission Dodge spent fourteen laps in the top ten due to early pit strategy, and finished the race 25th.
Rain delayed the start of tonight's Busch Series event. The field rolled off pit road shortly after 8pm and started the race under caution before returning to pit road for a red flag and a rain delay.
The race went green at 9:08pm. Jason Leffler led the field to the stripe, shot off Turn 4, and took a solid lead over Clint Bowyer. Mikey, who had started 35th, lost one spot on the first lap and another on the second. Lap 4 saw the #99 reclaim 36th to Tim Sauter. One lap later, he was back to where he started.
The Cottman Dodge gained ground as the green flag run continued. Mikey picked up 32nd on lap 7 by getting around Jon Wood, Greg Biffle, Aaron Fike, and David Gilliland. Passing Ashton Lewis Jr the next time around the track advanced him to 31st. He got around John Andretti one circuit after that. Contact between Steve Park and Justin Diercks dropped Mikey to 33rd by lap 12.
Rain descended upon the track again, drawing the first caution on lap 14. Some drivers chose to pit, allowing Mikey to advance to 32nd. NASCAR brought out the red flag on lap 24, at approximately 9:25pm. The yellow flag returned twenty minutes later, only to be withdrawn and returned to red five minutes after that.
At 10:35pm, the field returned to yellow with a more positive forecast for the rest of the night. The green flag waved on lap 35, at 10:43pm. Leffler led the field, with Mikey in 32nd.
Maneuvering around David Gilliland moved the Cottman Dodge into 31st one lap into the run. Mikey passed Diercks and Lewis Jr for 39th on lap 39, but was re-passed by Dierks one circuit later.
The second caution came on lap 41. Mark McFarland got into the back of Stacy Compton, causing Compton to rear-end the wall and slide down the track. The field slowed, and John Andretti was spun. Andretti's #10 came up the track, and Park got into him. Mikey dodged the wreck by driving low through the scene.
Leffler led the lap 45 restart. Mikey was 25th. Two laps into the run, he gained a spot to Diercks.
The yellow flag waved for the third time on lap 49. Diercks slid up and into Gilliland, and spun. Kenny Wallace received the free pass. Mikey pit under caution, along with others.
Racing resumed on lap 52 with Leffler in the lead. Mikey was 34th. Six laps later, he picked up two spots, and another one lap later. He passed Danny O'Quinn for 28th on lap 61, Scott Wimmer for 27th one circuit later, and Mike Wallace for 26th one lap after that. He passed Mike's nephew Steve the next time around the track. Getting around Elliott Sadler put him in 24th on lap 66. Meanwhile, Ryan Newman took the lead.
Mikey passed David Gilliland for 23rd on lap 72, and gained another spot to Jon Wood one lap later.
The fourth caution came on lap 76, after O'Quinn spun Wood. Most leaders pit. Paul Menard did not, and assumed the top spot. Mikey also stayed on the track and picked up 2nd. The green flag returned on lap 81.
Lap 86 saw Kasey Kahne pull up inside Mikey for position. Kahne's #9 took the spot, just before the next caution.
The yellow flag waved for the fifth time on lap 88. Jay Sauter booted Elliott Sadler, spinning Sadler's #90 into Reed Sorenson and Mark McFarland. Carl Edwards also sustained damage.
Racing resumed on lap 91. Menard led, with Mikey running 3rd. Mikey fell to 5th one lap into the run, and continued sliding back through the pack. Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick dropped him to 7th one lap later. At the front of the field, Kasey Kahne took the lead on lap 94.
The sixth caution came on lap 95. Contact between Reagan Smith and Reed Sorenson cut down Smith's tire. Mikey was on pit road at the time, and lost the lead lap. He dropped to 38th.
The green flag returned on lap 99. Kahne led, while Mikey rode 38th and one lap down. Jay Sauter ran into Aaron Fike a few times, giving himself a tire rub. He smoked around the track. Fike hit the wall a couple laps later and slid through the ranks. Mikey picked up 37th by lap 106, as Fike went to the garage. He got around Jon Wood shortly thereafter, taking 36th and becoming the first driver one lap down. He lost that status on lap 120 when Tim Sauter got lapped. Others lost the lead lap shortly thereafter.
Stanton Barrett lost a tire and hit the wall nose-first hard, bringing out the seventh caution on lap 122. He was the driver eligible for the free pass, but lost it due to involvement in the accident that brought out the caution. Some drivers chose to pit, including Mikey. He picked up 34th, and became the first driver one lap down.
Racing resumed on lap 133. Kahne led, and Mikey rode 34th. Jon Wood lost his brakes, hit the wall ten laps later and went to pit road, but the race remained under green. Jerry Robertson lost the lead lap on lap 157; Mikey was no longer the first driver one lap down.
The eighth caution came on lap 161. Johnny, Tim, and Jay Sauter were driving in a row when Tim let up for Johnny, and Jay spun Tim. Steve Wallace spun behind them.
Menard led the lap 168 restart. Mikey was 33rd, the first driver one lap down. He was consistently the fastest one on the track. He rode Menard's tail, looking to unlap himself.
The yellow flag waved for the nineth time on lap 188. Tim Sauter got loose, slid down, and bumped Yeley. Mikey received the free pass back onto the lead lap.
Racing resumed on lap 192. Menard led the field, with Mikey in 32nd and back on the lead lap. The yellow flag returned on lap later. The tenth caution was for Kasey Kahne spinning off the side of Greg Biffle. Kahne's #9 went to the garage after some repairs on pit road.
The green flag returned on lap 198, with Mikey running 27th. Mikey picked up a spot to Mark Green four laps into the run, but fell to 28th the next time around the track. Kevin Harvick took the lead on lap 203.
Metal debris at the start/finish line drew the eleventh caution on lap 212. Burney Lamar received the free pass.
Harvick led the field to the lap 217 restart. Mikey was 29th. Two laps into the run, he passed Roberton for 28th.
The twelfth caution came on lap 225. The field had gone three-wide, and Jason Leffler ran up the track and drove Mark McFarland and himself into the wall.
Harvick led the restart on lap 228. Mikey rode 26th, and was still there when the yellow flag waved two laps later.
Ryan Newman hit Sorenson three times and threw the Cup Series rookie into the wall, bringing out the thirteenth caution. Mikey was up to 25th.
The race continued on lap 237. One lap into the run, Lewis Jr got around Mikey and moved him to 26th. The #99 moved back to 25th by getting around Steve Wallace.
At the front of the field, Jeff Burton battled Kevin Harvick for the top spot. The pair ran side-by-side, made contact, and Harvick held the top spot. Burton peaked again on lap 243 but fell back in line. With four laps to go, Burton ran side-by-side again with Harvick, but only momentarily.
Lap 248 saw Mikey lose a spot to Jason Leffler. Mikey nosed out Lewis Jr at the stripe for 25th, going three-wide to the checkered flag. Harvick picked up the win.
Be sure to watch Mikey tomorrow night in the Nextel Cup race! Coverage starts at 7:00pm ET on FX.
