Michael Waltrip Racing finished midpack in the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, today's Nextel Cup event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Bill Elliott drove the team's #00 Burger King Chevrolet to a 22nd-place finish. Michael Waltrip's #55 Napa Auto Parts Dodge did not make the field for this race.
The call to start engines came at 2:39pm ET. Bill fired the engine of his MWR Chevrolet in the 26th spot. His pit was the 24th on pit road.
Pole-sitter Jeff Burton took the green flag fifteen minutes later, and pulled solidly into the top spot to lead lap one. Meanwhile, Bill lost a spot to Dale Earnhardt Jr on the first lap. He lost two more positions to Brian Vickers and Tony Stewart one lap later.
The yellow flag waved for the first time on lap 4. Joe Nemechek had drifted up the track, drawing air from Elliott Sadler's #38 and turning the M&M's Ford. Sadler assessed blame to himself. The #00 gained a spot with Sadler's drop, but lost two to Sterling Marlin and Scott Wimmer. With Nemechek's pit, Bill picked up 29th.
Racing resumed on lap 7, and Burton continued to lead. Kasey Kahne's #9 pursued him, dropped under, and took the top spot along the backstretch. Bill restarted 29th. Jeff Gordon dropped dramatically through the ranks with a broken bolt on the sway bar, as Burton retook the lead on the backstretch on lap 8. Gordon's #24 pit; however, with the competition yellow coming on lap 15, he was not allowed to take on fuel. He would need to pit again, as the sway bar was not found to be unhooked until after his stop.
Bill picked up 28th on lap 9; however, he fell to 31st the next time around the track. He gained one spot back to Jeff Green one circuit later, and another to Mike Skinner on lap 13.
The competition yellow came for tire checks on lap 16 - the second caution. Everyone made stops, and Jeff Gordon made several stops. He fell to three laps down.
The green flag returned on lap 20. Burton led, and Bill was 31st. The yellow came back moments later.
Boris Said drew the third caution on lap 21 when Reed Sorenson tangled with Boris Said. Said's #60 rested backwards on the grass. Kurt Busch pit to have his nuts checked, allowing Bill to pick up 30th.
Lap 24 saw the restart. Burton led, and Bill was 30th. The #00 passed Dave Blaney's #22 one lap into the run. Five laps later, the Burger King Chevy gained another position to Jeremy Mayfield, but Kurt Busch got around him the next time around the track.
Bill was 29th. Lap 36 saw him pass Martin Truex Jr for another spot. Four laps later, Jimmie Johnson fell off the pace with a flat left front tire.
The fourth caution came out for Johnson's sprinkled tire debris. Mike Skinner, who had just pit, got the free pass back onto the lead lap. NASCAR determined the caution would count as the competition yellow. A fire started in the #48 box of Jimmie Johnson, and although it was immediately extinquished, smoked pit road. Kenny Wallace led a lap before he pit.
Burton led the field to the lap 45 restart. Bill rode 31st, but Joe Nemechek passed on lap 47. Two laps later, Jimmie Johnson passed and moved Bill back to 33rd. Bill gained 32nd to Reed Sorenson on lap 57.
The yellow flag waved for the fifth time on lap 58 when Jeremy Mayfield smacked the wall. Jeff Gordon received the free pass, gaining one of his two laps back onto the lead lap. Drivers made stops, and Brian Vickers was the first off pit road after taking on just two tires. Stewart had to return to tighten his nuts.
Lap 61 saw the restart. Vickers led, but Burton took the top spot almost immediately. Bill was 30th. Two laps into the run, he picked up a spot to Dave Blaney; however he lost it to Tony Stewart one circuit later. Bill fell to 31st on lap 67 when Bobby Labonte passed.
Kevin Harvick took the lead from his teammate on lap 71, but Burton reclaimed it the next time around the track. Meanwhile, Bill gained 30th from Joe Nemechek. Lap 74 saw Harvick take back the top spot.
The sixth caution came on lap 87 for debris in Turn 3. Jeff Gordon was given back the lead lap, and drivers pit under yellow. Harvick narrowly beat teammate Burton off pit road.
Harvick led the lap 90 restart, with Bill in 34th. One lap into the run, Burton powered past Harvick into the top spot, and Matt Kenseth's #17 went with him.
On lap 94, Bill gained two spots to Bobby Labonte and Sterling Marlin. He was now 32nd. Kyle Petty dropped through the ranks dramatically during the next circuit, allowing Bill to pick up 31st. The #00 was up to 30th after passing Kyle Busch's #5 on lap 99. Four laps later, Bill got around Reed Sorenson; however, he lost spots to Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr on lap 106. He was back to 31st.
Lap 108 saw Bill Elliott drop to 40th and lose the lead lap. Two laps later, Matt Kenseth took the top spot. Burton ducked under him, and the pair ran side-by-side.
Jimmie Johnson took the lead on lap 118. Green flag stops began shortly thereafter. Johnson pit on lap 125, giving the top spot to Kenseth. The #17 pit the next time around the track. With stops, Bill regained the lead lap and rose to 33rd by lap 127.
Stops continued to cycle, and Kyle Busch gained the lead on lap 127. When Busch pit, Nemechek took the top spot. In the end, Jimmie Johnson had the lead on lap 129. Bill was 32nd. He picked up a spot to Joe Nemecheck the next time around the track; however, two laps later, Nemechek passed him back.
Mark Martin reported a loose wheel on lap 134. Fifth in the standings, he said he would have to pit. Bobby Labonte slowed with an engine problem. He went to the garage and fell out of the race.
Debris in Turn 3 drew the seventh caution on lap 142. Kenny Wallace received the free pass. Most drivers came to the pits, and Hamlin was the first off with a two-tire stop. A few drivers had stayed on the track, including Kyle Busch, who picked up the lead. Other drivers who stayed on the track were Dale Earnhardt Jr, Ryan Newman, and Joe Nemechek.
Busch's #5 led the lap 146. Bill was 35th, but two laps into the run, he gained a spot to Sterling Marlin. One lap later, he got around Jamie McMurray and JJ Yeley. He was now 32nd. Passing Blaney one circuit later gained Bill another spot.
On lap 151, Earnhardt Jr was all over Busch's #5 for the top spot, with Johnson hot on their tail. Earnhardt Jr's #8 pulled aheead, but not long enough to count. Johnson had the lead on lap 152.
Getting around Sorenson on lap 152 advanced Bill to 30th. Two laps later, he picked up another spot from Dale Jarrett. Bill passed Kyle Petty on lap 158, and got around Casey Mears the next time around the track.
With one lap left in the race, the #00 got around Joe Nemechek's #01. Robby Gordon got up into Greg Biffle and wrecked him, and the caution came out just after the checkered flag. Denny Hamlin and Kasey Kahne also picked up damage, and Tony Raines ran over debris. Bill Elliott finished 22nd.
Tune in to NBC on the 13th for the AMD at The Glen! Coverage starts at 12:30pm ET. The Busch Series race will be the day before, also at Watkins Glen. The Zippo 200 airs at 2:00pm on the same station.
