By Kellyanne Lynch, mikeypower.com
17 September 2006
Michael Waltrip finished 23rd in the Sylvania 300, today's Nextel Cup race in Loudon, New Hampshire. Kevin Harvick came away with the win after starting from the pole.
The #55 Napa Dodge rolled off from 35th. JJ Yeley passed one lap into the run, but Mikey regained 35th to Kasey Kahne one lap later.
Jeff Green brought out the first caution on lap 3. He got into Kyle Busch's right rear, turning Busch's #5 into the wall. Green slid down the track into the inside wall, and Jeff Burton made slight contact with Green's #66. Sterling Marlin ran over a spring from the #66 car, flattening a tire.
Lap 9 saw the restart. Harvick led, and Mikey was 32nd. Passing Travis Kvapil two laps into the run moved the #55 up to 31st. He got around Kyle Petty two laps after that, but Jarrett moved him back a spot on lap 14. Kahne dropped him to 32nd two circuits later. Mikey fell to 33rd on lap 20 when Kvapil passed, but he regained it from the driver seven laps later.
Jeff Gordon took the lead on lap 29, just before the yellow flag waved.
The second caution was on lap 30, after Scott Riggs turned Joe Nemechek's #01 into the wall. Nemechek had slid up in front of Riggs, and Riggs' #10 got on the throttle earlier than the #01. Leaders made stops under the yellow.
Racing resumed on lap 34 with Denny Hamlin leading. Hamlin's #11 had taken on just two tires. Mikey was 28th. Kevin Harvick took Hamlin and teammate Jeff Burton three-wide and took the lead on lap 37, giving Hamlin a bump back through the ranks.
Mikey gained a spot on lap 40, advancing to 27th. Two laps later, he got around Tony Raines for another position, and two laps after that, he passed Elliott Sadler. The #55 was up to 25th.
Jeff Gordon took the lead on lap 54. One lap later, Mikey picked up 24th from Clint Bowyer. Robby Gordon passed on lap 69. Five laps later, Mikey lost another spot to Sadler, and two laps after that, Bowyer passed. The #55 was now 27th.
Debris in Turn 2 drew the third caution on lap 81. Gordon was still leading, and Mikey was still 27th. Jamie McMurray received the free pass back onto the lead lap. Drivers opted to make stops.
Gordon's #24 led the lap 86 restart, with Mikey running 25th. Jeff Burton took the lead one lap later, at the same time that Ted Christopher spun and Mikey picked up 24th. The race remained under green.
The fourth caution on lap 90, after Greg Biffle pushed Sterling Marlin into Jimmie Johnson. Johnson's #48 hit the wall.
The green flag returned on lap 94, with Burton in the lead and Mikey in 24th. One lap into the run, the #55 got around Riggs' #10 and picked up 23rd from David Gilliland one lap after that. Mikey was 22nd on lap 96 and 21st the next time around the track.
Debris from Dave Blaney's #22 brought out the fifth caution on lap 98; Martin Truex Jr had knocked it loose. Some drivers chose to pit.
Lap 104 saw the restart with Jeff Burton leading. Mikey was 19th, as some drivers had made stops. Two laps into the run, Biffle passed the #55. Lap 111 saw Mikey fall to 21st, and two laps later, Yeley dropped him another spot. Robby Gordon passed on lap 116.
On lap 125, Mikey picked up 22nd from Dale Jarrett. He passed Truex Jr for 21st eight laps later.
Harvick took the lead on lap 139. Mikey rode 21st until lap 163, when he moved up to 19th. He gained one of those spots, because Tony Stewart had pit for repairs. Dale Earnhardt Jr and Greg Biffle pit next, as did Mikey. A number of drivers began making green flag stops. Casey Mears overshot his box and spent a great deal of time on pit road. Mikey fell to two laps down and 32nd at the same time, on lap 170.
When Harvick made a stop, Mark Martin picked up the lead on lap 171. Mikey was marked one lap down in 28th at the time. Martin pit the next time around the track, handing the lead to teammate Matt Kenseth. With Kenseth's stop, Yeley got the top spot. Mikey picked up 24th but was still a lap down on lap 176. Yeley and Robby Gordon had yet to pit. Yeley pit on lap 177, and Robby Gordon got the top spot.
Stops cycled with Robby Gordon's stop on lap 179. Harvick regained the top spot. Mikey was 23rd, and the second to the last driver on the lead lap. When Kyle Busch pit and Robby Gordon dropped with his stop, Mikey was up to 21st. Kvapil made a stop on lap 180, putting the #55 in 20th. Dave Blaney passed on lap 182, moving Mikey to 21st.
Mikey fell off the lead lap on lap 184. Robby Gordon had also passed, putting the #55 was in 22nd.
The sixth yellow was on lap 194 for debris in Turn 3. Kasey Kahne received the free pass. Mikey was 23rd; Riggs was marked in front of him. Some drivers made stops, including Mikey.
Harvick led the lap 199 restart. Harvick led, and Mikey was 27th and lapped. The yellow flag returned one lap later.
Clint Bowyer slid up the race track and turned Kyle Busch into the wall, bringing out the seventh caution on lap 200. Kyle Busch would have received the free pass, so nobody got it.
Racing resumed on lap 204. Harvick led, and Mikey was 26th and lapped. Two laps into the run, the #55 got around Bowyer for position.
Bobby Labonte's backwards car drew the eighth caution on lap 208. He slowed for Yeley, and Kurt Busch turned him. Casey Mears received the free pass. Cars made stops under yellow. Blaney stayed on track to take the lead. Riggs and Mikey stayed out to be at the tail end of the lead lap.
Blaney led the lap 216 restart. Mikey was 26th. He drifted up the track as he battled Blaney. Harvick took the lead in traffic on lap 217 and was on Mikey's rear fender. Mikey passed Riggs for 25th. Harvick bumped Mikey out of the way on lap 218. Two laps later, Jarrett got lapped and became the first driver one lap down.
Lap 266 saw the nineth caution after Scott Riggs hit the wall. Truex Jr received the free pass. Leaders pit under yellow, but Harvick did not.
Lap 271 saw the restart. Harvick led, and the three behind him had not made stops. Mikey was 25th and lapped. He gained a spot one lap into the run when Tony Raines had to serve a penalty for jumping the restart.
Kyle Petty's engine blew, bringing out the tenth yellow flag on lap 293. Racing resumed four laps later with Harvick leading and Mikey 24th. With two laps to go, Jarrett dropped, allowing the #55 to pick up a spot.
Harvick won, and Mikey finished 23rd as the first driver one lap down.
Tune in Sunday at 12:30pm ET for the Cup race at Dover!
