Michael Waltrip ranked 38th in Nextel Cup final practice, in preparation for tomorrow's Lenox Industrial Tools 300. He turned his best lap in 30.118 seconds at 126.463 MPH and was 0.504 seconds behind fastest lap turner Martin Truex Jr.
Cars took to the track at 10:05am ET. While the crew worked on the #55 car, crew chief Joe Shear Jr told spotter Ross that Carl Long needed a spotter for the Busch Series race, and asked if he would do it.
"Okay," Ross replied. "Are we close to coming out?"
Shear said they were still working on the car.
Ross said he wanted to use the bathroom and was making sure he had enough time. He told Shear he'd see Carl Long after qualifying.
"Getting buckled in now," Shear said of the driver after a while.
"35 minutes to go," Ross, who had returned to his post, noted.
Mikey was on track at 10:18am, and was told to get in behind Carl Edwards' #99. Shear read off a 30.36, 30.19, and a 30.20.
Mikey read off a 200 and 230 for water and oil temperatures. He asked if the crew had been jacking with the wedge during the break. Shear said they had taken out a little wedge. The driver reported the car was worse. He told them to look at springs and travel, and asked again for a whopping right rear shock and to raise the track bar up about an inch on the left. He also wanted to leave the one on the right down and to put the housing back. He asked for a bigger right front spring or rubbers across the back or just in the right rear. Mikey said the car was too loose before, and now it was a little too tight. He reiterated wanting a rubber out of both right rears, but said he didn't want the track bar touched at the moment.
Shear asked crew member Tom to build shocks and to put rubbers in the right rear - a full rubber - and to change the left spring.
Mikey asked how the temperatures were in the front tires.
"Looks pretty good," Shear replied.
Mikey wondered if they should stand up the right front any more. He addressed a crew member named Benny, and asked someone to tell Benny he was talking to him. He repeated his suggestion about the tire.
At 10:29am, he returned to the track. Shear told him, if the car wasn't better right off the bat, come back in, and they would try something different. He read off lap times of 30.49, 30.24, and 30.11.
Mikey liked the track bar down; he said they would just have to work around it. He was back in at 10:32, with 17 minutes left of practice.
"I really don't have those brake issues anymore, for some reason," Mikey commented. He said the car wasn't vibrating. Shear said maybe the problem had cleaned itself out.
"Where are we on the right rear?"
"32 air pressure."
Mikey asked also asked about the shocks. Shear replied, and added that they were leaving the track bar where it was at.
"I'm confused," Mikey said. "I didn't know where to go or stop."
Shear apologised, and told Mikey to move into the garage area.
He was back on the track at 10:36. His spotter cleared him behind Jeff Gordon's #24. Shear read off lap times of 30.26 and 30.34.
Mikey gave temperatures of 210 and 235. He said he really wanted a right rear shock change and rebound off the left rear. He said he was pushing worse, but not by much. He said, if they take care of the tires, they can have more in the race. He told the crew to make sure the chain was neutral on the sway bar so they wouldn't have issues there.
Shear wanted to top off on fuel and pun on another set of tires.
Five minutes remained. Mikey told them they needed to make sure the springs were okay.
"Don't worry about gas," he said. "Let's just get back out there." He then didn't think they would be able to make another run.
Caution out for debris," Ross said. He thought they may get a couple laps if they come out, because cars were still lining up under the caution on pit road.
"That's it," he said after a moment. "They're holding them."
