Michael Waltrip finished 14th in the UAW-Ford 500, today's Nextel Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway. His #55 Napa Auto Parts Dodge also led a lap.
Just before the call to start engines, Mikey's wife Buffy leaned into the car and gave him a kiss.
"Mr. Spotter," crew chief Tommy Baldwin Jr said over the team frequency. "Anybody got a copy?"
"Loud and clear," replied the spotter, Ty Norris.
"10-4."
The call to start engines came moments later, at 2:28pm ET.
"Hello?" Mikey called over the radio. "Hello?"
"What's up, MW?" came the crew chief's reply. "I copy."
"Yeah, it's all good," Mikey said as he put on his gloves. His crew put up the window net. At 2:32pm, the #55 rolled off pit road with the field, riding in the 21st spot.
"Mike, we've got the 8 behind us and the 01 in front of us," Baldwin Jr noted. "So it's the 07, 8, and then us. And we're in the 9th stall, so we're all the way down."
"Okay," Mikey replied.
"All right, buddy. That's pit road speed right there," Norris observed as the field ran pace laps.
Mikey judged pit road speed at 3700 RPM and in second gear.
Baldwin Jr said the speed should be higher - around 40 and second.
"Well, I'm showing 36, and ain't catching anyone," Mikey commented. He said he had added one hundred. "You need to get a new calculator."
"Taculator?" Baldwin Jr asked. "You mean taculator?"
After a moment, Mikey said, "Here, I'll show you 41."
"All right," Baldwin Jr answered. "The other day, it was the spotter and the crew chief having communication problems. Now it's the driver and the crew chief. There's one elment there that doesn't change." He discussed how the new plate may affect the car.
"All right, buddy. One to go when you get here," Norris noted. "I'll just tell you what's going on around you. You do what you do."
"All right, Mike," added the crew chief a moment later. "Give a tug on those seat belts. Have a good day. This is restrictor plate racing. I don't have to explain anything to you."
"All right," Mikey replied. "Y'all have a good day in there."
"All right, buddy. Be ready," guided the spotter. "Coming to the green this time. All right. Pace car's off. You ready? You ready? Green green green. Everybody's staying two by two."
The green flag waved at 2:41pm, with David Gilliland's #38 leaving the field to the stripe.
"Still two by two," Norris noted. "Everybody's got help. Three wide right there. Three wide. Still three by three, all the way behind you. Three by three. Still three by three."
Mikey rode the inside line and was 20th on the first lap. He drifted back, however, and the second lap saw him in 33rd. He was 35th by the end of the circuit and 27th on lap 3.
At the front of the pack, Jeff Gordon had taken the lead. Jamie McMurray took it on lap 4. The front three were single-file.
Three more cars passed the #55. Lap 5 saw Mikey back in 41st. He drove to the outside of Tony Raines' #96 for position and took to the outside of David Stremme's #40 for the next spot. He read 210 and 205 for temperatures.
Mikey was 40th on lap 5, but 41st two circuits later. He was up a spot by the end of lap 7, as Jeff Gordon took the top spot. Raines passed, moving Mikey back to 41st. He was well behind the pack, with no help. Eric McClure's #04 and Derrike Cope's #74 were the only two behind him. McClure was well off the pace, and Cope had dropped out of the race on lap 9.
On lap 11, Mikey looked to the inside of Raines' #96. He was warned the field was four-wide.
"I haven't seen it like this since they put a hatch in the roof," Baldwin Jr commented.
"I won that race," Mikey replied.
"I know," the crew chief acknowledged. "I hope you win this too."
Mikey read of temperatures of 205 and 210.
"10-4." Baldwin Jr asked about the car.
"It's a little loose," Mikey reported. "Dances around back here. I don't really know what it's all about."
"10-4."
Mikey got back into traffic on lap 17. He was 40th momentarily as he tried to pass Ken Schrader's #21. Meanwhile, McMurray's #26 had reclaimed the lead. The front runners were double-file with Jeff Gordon's #24 leading the top and the #26 leading the bottom, The bottom prevailed as present.
"That's 20 laps, Michael. 20," Baldwin Jr commented.
Mikey was looking under the #40 of David Stremme, but Stremme held him at bay. Mikey looked to the #40's high side, hanging onto the #96's draft. He moved up to 36th, and continued to advance on lap 22.
"Mike, you're about ten, twelve away from a four-tire stop," Norris informed his driver.
Mikey ran side-by-side with Dale Jarrett to keep 36th and was cleared by him on lap 23.
"Blowing up on the top side," Norris warned. "Keep going. No caution. Clear three back. Lot more smoke going in there. Still clear. He's on the bottom now. You're all clear. Still there - inside."
Kenny Wallace's #78 was the smoker. Norris later said the #78 was "dry - no oil". Wallace went to the garage and was the second person out of the race.
Mikey was 33rd by lap 25. He had clear track in front of him, and Robby Gordon's #7 was on his rear fender. Moments later, Norris said the #6, #88, and #40 were single-file behind him.
"That's lap 28. 28."
Baldwin Jr said they probably had three or four more laps before they would need to make a stop.
Mikey commented that Mark Martin's #6 and Dale Jarrett's #88 would help him in the draft. "Those cars can fly!"
"Yup. Yup."
Greg Biffle had taken the lead by lap 29, and Mikey was on Schrader's rear fender. He tried to pass inside, but Martin, Jarrett, Jimmie Johnson's #48, the #7, and Bobby Labonte's #43 blew past him. The #96 went too. Norris noted that drivers were waving, like they were going to make a stop. Baldwin Jr called for a four-tire pit with fuel.
Lap 31 saw the #55 pit.
"It will be right sides and fuel. Right sides and fuel," Baldwin Jr changed his call. Mikey was on pit road for seventeen and a half seconds. A bunch of cars pitted at the same time and on the lap just after.
The leaders were ten car lengths back, Norris informed. "They're going to be pitting this time, so they're going to want the bottom."
Race leader Biffle stopped on lap 32. Mikey was marked in 29th and was told the #40 was with him. He passed a couple cars.
"Still outside - the 07," Norris warned. "Clear now. Clear. Slow ones on the bottom, going to pit road. All clear." Norris said that Clint Bowyer's #07 and Dale Jarrett's #88 were with him.
Biffle continued to lead after his pit. Mikey was 22nd by the time green flag stops had cycled on lap 34.
"Coming back outside," Norris observed at Bowyer passed. Jarrett went with him. "The line's backing up in front of you. Clear."
Mikey went to the top line, as the field ran three-by-three on lap 36.
"Three by three," Norris warned. "Still inside - three by three."
Mikey cut down to the middle lane, behind the #24.
"Both sides," Norris said. Mikey was up to 15th on lap 37. "Still coming, both sides."
Kyle Busch was leading at this point. Mikey was warned about both sides until he was cleared low. He continued to follow Jeff Gordon, as Dale Earnhardt Jr led on lap 32. The field went back to two-by-two as Junior led the top and Kyle Busch led the bottom line. Mikey was 16th, but losing ground on Gordon.
As the field rode two-by-two, Mikey looked under Gordon and took the pack three-wide on lap 41. He went back behind Gordon and was 16th. Lap 41 saw him peak under the #24 again.
"9's coming to push," said Norris. "Truex Jr down the middle. Three-wide right there. Three-wide. That's the 66 coming to help you there."
Mikey commented that he was loose, as the #66 off Jeff Green dropped him. Mikey lost several spots on lap 43. He was told Jeff Gordon was saying the same thing about his car.
Mikey rode behind the #15 of Paul Menard, who was side-by-side with Gordon. He was 26th on lap 44. Kyle Busch was leading.
The #55 was outside Gordon on lap 45, and outside the #40 next. Mikey continued to follow his old Dale Earnhardt Incorporated ride as Stremme's #40 blew past him on the underside. Mikey was 27th on lap 46. He looked under Menard's #15 a few times before passing the #15, #6, and the #25. HE was up to 24th on lap 46.
"The 6 is coming down with you. The 6 is coming down with you," Norris noted. "Clear, all clear."
Robby Gordon and Paul Menard passed on lap 48. Mikey looked under Menard, hooking up with Stremme momentarily before ducking under Stremme's #40. He was cleared behind Dave Blaney's #22. A number of cars passed as Mikey went high. He was 29th on lap 49, but in the first turn, he ducked under cars for position. He was behind Blaney in 25th on lap 50.
"Got the 20 pushing - 20 and the 4," Norris said. "Back to two-wide. Middle lane clear."
The outside line was moving. Mikey was 26th on lap 51 when he looked under Blaney and went three-wide. He lost more spots, and also lost support from Tony Stewart's #20.
Meanwhile, Earnhardt Jr's #8 led. Mikey was 31st on lap 52. He was in the middle, then went high around Stremme and down the track. He tailed Stewart's #20 in the middle. Lap 53 saw him 26th. Baldwin Jr noted two more laps before another stop.
"220, 240," Mikey read tempeartures.
Baldwin Jr said the crew would clean the grill and noted they probably had not filled the fuel tank. He figured the race would go without a caution.
Lap 55 saw Mikey in 31st, as Earnhardt Jr continued to lead. He was told that Reed Sorenson's #41 had the #11 of Denny Hamlin with him, along the outside groove. He was cleared two back to Hamlin when Sorenson passed.
"Clean the windshield, if you can," Mikey requested.
Baldwin Jr said they would get him all serviced. The #55 was still 31st.
Mikey looked outside Green's #66 and Stewart's #20, among others on lap 57. At the stripe, he was 24th.
"29 still down there, in the middle," Norris noted. "All right, everybody two by two. Clear low if you need it now. All clear. A couple guys waving their hands, like the 31. A couple people pitting... Keep going! It's just the 07."
Mikey was back in 31st on lap 60 with that miscue. Norris said that Elliott Sadler was waving to pit. Baldwin Jr called for a stop, figuring others would come. Only Sadler's #19 came.
"I'm out of gas, guys," Mikey reported as he coasted onto pit road. Baldwin Jr called for gas only as the #55 crawled to the box. Mikey came out ahead of race leader Earnhardt Jr, but the field blew by him and lapped him. Mikey was 40th. Norris cleared him into traffic and told him the leaders were coming in now for stops.
Lap 62 saw Earnhardt Jr pit, giving the lead to Matt Kenseth in the #17. Mikey was well behind the pack, one lap down in 40th. Cars continued to make stops, and Mike Bliss' #49 team left a catch can in the middle of pit road.
The #55 radio was quiet. With stops, Mikey was up to 36th on lap 66. He was losing ground on the race leader.
"Well, that sucks," Mikey broke the silence on lap 67.
"Yeah, 10-4, man," Baldwin Jr empathised. "We'll be okay. Just ride it around here."
On lap 69, Mikey was marked in 37th, and was still lapped.
Lap 70 saw Kenseth pit with a few others. Greg Biffle picked up the top spot. Although Mikey was still 37th, he was back on the lead lap. His radio continued to be quiet.
"Caution's out. Caution's out. Caution's out." Norris announced the first yellow flag on lap 72. "Debris."
"All right, guys. We'll get caught up here," Baldwin Jr addressed the team. "We'll just get four tires and fuel. Need water or anything, Michael?"
"No," Mikey replied. "Just some gass, I guess."
Norris warned that Earnhardt Jr's #8 would make the stop tight. The #55 team considered staying out to lead a lap, until Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards stayed on the track. Mikey headed for pit road and was told to leave room behind him so Earnhardt Jr would have a clear exit. He came in after the #8 left and was halted before hitting him.
"All right, it's going to be one to go when you get back to the stripe, Mike," Norris informed.
Baldwin Jr called for a splash of gas to help Mikey get to the front. The #55 was 33rd at the time. "All right, buddy. Come down. 3700."
Mikey pitted with one to go to the restart.
"Ten away," Norris directed. "Watch that 10."
Mikey spent just over fifteen seconds on pit road.
"Mike, was the car still a little on the loose side when you were up to the draft?" Baldwin Jr asked. "Anything we need to work on here?"
"It's fine," Mikey answered.
Baldwin Jr said they would need another stop for fuel. "We won't run you out here... this time."
"All right, buddy. Be ready. You'll be coming to the green this time," Norris said. "Be ready, ready. Green green. Outside only."
Lap 75 saw the restart with Biffle's #16 leading. Mikey was 36th and on the lead lap.
Jeff Gordon passed on the low side and took the top spot on the backstretch, during lap 76.
Mikey spoke on the radio, but his words transmitted as static.
"You're second fastest to the leader, so you'll be all right," Baldwin Jr said as Mikey fell off the draft. "Everything will be a-okay."
"Except for my car's slow," Mikey complained.
Lap 79 saw Biffle reclaim the lead. Mikey passed Jarrett on the low side on that lap, and caught back up to the pack. He looked under Bobby Labonte and Kyle Petty next. Mikey was 34th on lap 80. He passed the #19 high; the #19 had a tire issue and went to pit road.
Mikey was 31st on lap 81 and was told the #21 and #48 were now in his mirror. Lap 82 saw Mikey look under Raines' #96. Mikey set his sights on Robby Gordon's #7 next and ducked under.
"Three-wide right there," Norris warned.
Mikey was 33rd on lap 84; Johnson and Schrader had passed high when Mikey was under the #7. On lap 85, Mikey went to the high side. He passed the #7, and then looked under Sorenson's #41 for position. Next, he got around the #22 on the high side. Mikey was 20th on lap 86, while Jeff Gordon led.
On lap 87, Mikey drove to the high side of Schrader's #21. He was 29th on the next circuit. He looked to the outside of JJ Yeley's #18 a few times before passing. Mikey pushed Kevin Harvick to the low line, and then jumped to the high side before going back low. He was 26th on lap 89 and told the #18 was gaining.
Mikey took Jeff Green's #66 three-wide but was dumped out of line. He feel back and tried three-wide again. Again, he lost ground and was cleared behind the #66. The #96 made ground on him and passed. Lap 91 saw Mikey in 31st. Kyle Busch lost the lead to Earnhardt Jr at the end of the lap.
Mikey was between Raines and Gilliland, just after Gilliland's #38 had passed. He passed the #66 high next and was 27th on lap 93. He rode in the middle of the #66 and the #18 before passing the #66 and ducking under Casey Mears' #42.
Mikey gained much ground on the outside. He was 18th on lap 93. The #66 was the only one pushing him.
On lap 94, Mikey lost many of the spots he had just gained. Lap 95 saw him in 30th. After Raines passed high, he was 31st. McMurray was the current leader.
"Four-wide in that corner. You see it," warned Norris on lap 97. He then told his driver ten more laps before the next pit. On the next circuit, he added, "Coming outside, outside. There's about four of them."
The #41 passed, followed by the #04 of McClure. Mikey hung beneath the #04 until he was 32nd on lap 99. The #7 was outside him on lap 11, and he passed. Mikey was 33rd.
Getting around the #04 to the outside the next time around the track did not gain him a spot, but he did draw closer to Robby Gordon's rear fender. Mikey looked under the #7, and the pair ran side-by-side. The #7 pulled ahead again, and the #04 came with him.
On lap 102, Mikey got by the #04 and #7, and he worked on the #96. He was 32nd as Brian Vickers led. Baldwin jr said four more laps until a pit. He was suddenly cleared around a dropping #8 on lap 104; Earnhardt Jr had a flat left front tire.
"They're saying everything's clear, so keep going," Norris said. Mikey was 28th.
"What happened to the 8 happened to his hood, so we're still good for a little bit here," Baldwin Jr said. "How are the tires?"
"We're good," Mikey replied. He was 27th on lap 105.
On lap 106, Mikey was told to pit. A couple others came in too. The crew cleaned the grill and tore off a windshield protector.
"There's the pack entering 1," Norris warned. "They're all coming. They're pitting this time, so be aware."
Mikey lost the lead lap and was cleared behind the pack. Some did peal off to pit. On lap 109, Mikey was warned about a real slow car on the bottom. Cars continued to pit. Mikey was 31st on lap 118, with Mark Martin in the lead. He rode behind Sterling Marlin, still one lap down.
Martin pit at the end of hte lap. Mikey was 30th, still off the lead lap. Vickers had the lead on lap 112.
On lap 115, Mikey looked under Sorenson and picked up 29th. He was back on the lead lap with Casey Mears marked as the leader. The #55 continued to trail Marlin's #14, with Sorenson pushing. The trio were well off the pace from the lead pack.
On lap 122, Kyle Busch moved into the lead. Mikey was over twenty seconds behind Busch's #5. Jeff Gordon took the lead on lap 124, with Mikey still running 29th. Kenseth took the lead the next time around the track, but the outside line was moving. The #07 took the lead, and the front four were single-file. Lap 129 saw Kenseth reclaim the top spot; Mikey was half a lap behind the #17.
"Caution's out for debris. Caution's out for debris," Norris said on lap 129. This was the second yellow flag.
Baldwin Jr wanted to stay out when everyone pitted and then come in for fuel. "We'll get all caught up, guys," he assured the team.
"45's a lap down, right?" Mikey asked.
Baldwin Jr confirmed and mentioned two others.
"We're going to top off anyway, right?"
Baldwin Jr said it depends. He noted something coming off the wall in Turn 2, but figured current leader Denny Hamlin would pit the next time by and that Mikey could lead. Mikey was marked in 2nd on lap 131, under yellow.
"They have not called one to go, so stay out one more lap," Baldwin Jr determined. Norris noted that Hamlin was pitting.
Mikey was directly behind the pace car, leading the field on lap 132.
"We're coming in here, Mike. Four tires and fuel," Baldwin Jr said. He commented about the importance of not losing the draft. When Mikey said he couldn't afford that, the crew chief noted how much time they lost when Earnhardt Jr had his tire problem. Mikey pitted under yellow and received a tear-off.
"We've got to get ahead of that 8 car, and that will help us," Baldwin Jr said.
"Yeah, 10-4," Norris replied. He led Mikey behind the #96 and informed the driver that Earnhardt Jr had received the free pass.
"All right, buddy. Be ready. Pace car's off," Norris said. "Be ready. Green."
Racing resumed on lap 134 with Bowyer leading and Mikey in 30th.
"All clear," Norris noted. "You've got the 8 in your mirror there. All clear."
Mikey tailed Tony Raines. The #17 tookt he lead on lap 135, and the #8 passed Mikey on the high side. The #55 was 31st. Lap 136 saw Mikey gain 30th by passing Sorenson on the high side. He was well behind other cars.
Mikey was warned of spinning cars and told to go to the top. He was cleared around the wreck that brought out the third caution on lap 137. Paul Menard had dropped under Clint Bowyer and had taken the field four-wide, causing Joe Nemechek to check up. Carl Edwards checked up behind Nemechek's #01, and Jimmie Johnson's #48 got into the back of Edwards' #99. The #48 knocked the #99 sideways into Casey Mear's #42, who tagged Tony Raines' #96. Other drivers who were collected were Martin Truex Jr, Clint Bowyer, Denny Hamlin, Sterling Marlin, Greg Biffle, Jeff Gordon, Jamie McMurray, Kevin Harvick, and Kyle Petty.
Baldwin Jr asked if Mikey needed tires after driving through the scene; he asked if Mikey had driven over debris.
"I didn't see any debris," Mikey replied.
"10-4."
Baldwin Jr did not want to pit and to lose the draft.
Mikey disagreed. He said that he needed fuel. "I won't lose it," he promised.
"That's what you said last time."
Mikey commented on how he had picked up the draft again with this wreck.
"So you had that all planned," Baldwin Jr laughed.
Mikey pitted for fuel. Norris asked if he thought anyone would pit again for fuel. Mikey said he wanted to, but Baldwin Jr was afraid Mikey would get stuck behind wounded cars. Baldwin jr said, if five or six cars pit, they would two. Although all the cars behind him were wounded, and may be tough to pass later, Mikey wanted to pit so that he would have a shorter fuel window later, if he had to pit under green.
The leaders pit again, so Mikey did too. He was warned to watch for the #8.
Racing resumed on lap 145, with Kenseth leading. Mikey was 16th, directly behind Earnhardt Jr. He was cleared one back to Green's #66 and was warned about the #22 split in the middle. Mikey went high with Kurt Busch, and a couple cars pushed in under him. The #55 went three-wide. Vickers tookt he lead on lap 147, with Mikey in 18th. He was in heavy traffic.
"Caution's out, caution's out," Norris announced. "Wave them all down."
Mikey was 17th when the fourth caution came for Reed Sorenson's blown engine. Baldwin Jr confirmed the order, and Dale Jarrett received the free pass. Mikey took a drink under yellow.
Norris asked if Baldwin Jr wanted to pit.
"No, not if it's not one to go, Ty," Baldwin Jr replied.
"10-4."
"Everybody's pitting now, but we can't make it, right?" Mikey asked. "So we're not pitting?"
Baldwin Jr agreed. "I have 38 to go on my tac," he added.
"What was all that smoke over there for, Ty?" Mikey asked.
"I think the 41 blew up there," Norris answered. "The 41 was half a lap behind everyone. At least I think he blew up."
Mikey was 4th under yellow, when he made his stop.
"Can we make it from here?" Mikey asked.
"We're going to be close, so we're going to be pushing it here," Baldwin Jr replied. The #55 was 14th after the pit. Meanwhile, Kyle Busch and Mike Bliss made contact on pit road.
"You should run out at the beginning of the tri-oval, if everything works out, if you drive it like you've been driving it," Baldwin Jr commented.
"All right, be ready," said Norris. "Green green green."
Martin Truex Jr's #1 led the lap 152 restart. Mikey lost ground to several cars that first lap back to green. Jimmie Johnson took the lead going into the next circuit. Mikey was 23rd, and he was looking under Scott Riggs' #10.
"#88's with you," Norris observed. "Slow one on the bottom. Still got good help. The 10 and the 5 on the bottom with you. The 10 jumped up, so all you have is the 5."
Lap 154 saw Paul Menard's #15 take the lead. Mikey was 26th, having lost the draft. Johnson retook the lead on lap 155.
The #22 was outside on the next circuit. Mikey hung low, looking to pass JJ Yeley and Tony Raines. Raines' #96 rallied back, holding Mikey in 27th.
On lap 157, Norris warned about a car on the bottom. Kasey Kahne took the lead the next circuit, but Tony Stewart took it from him, Kahne reclaimed the top spot before Stewart was creditted.
Lap 161 saw Mikey pass Kyle Busch on the outside, allowing him to pick up 26th. He was warned that he would come upon Marlin's limping #14. Mikey went to the high side and cleared Scott Riggs. He was 24th by lap 162, and he passed Stewart for 23rd. Lap 163 saw him in 22nd, after the #55 got around the #11 of Hamlin.
Mikey rode the low line, with the #20 on his outside. He was 20th on lap 164, tailing Mike Wallace. He tried to pass Wallace and lost a spot to another. The #11 and #10 passed on lap 165, but Mikey rallied back along the inside groove. He was warned again of the slow #14. Mikey pushed Menard by Riggs on the inside. Norris cleared him low on lap 166. The #55 hooked up with the #66 and was riding 21st. The #10 and the #99 passed outside with the #40. Mikey was 24th on lap 167.
The #55 went to the high side of the #66. Earnhardt Jr's #8 held the lead at this point - lap 167.
"Two by two. Everybody has help," Norris noted. "The 8 and 9 are leaning on each other pretty hard. Be ready. Everything's cool."
Lap 168 saw Mikey in 24th, as he lost spots on the inside groove. He was 26th on lap 169. Twenty-seven cars were on the lead lap; Kyle Busch's #5 was the only lead lap car behind the #55.
"Eighteen laps to go. Eighteen," said Norris. Earnhardt Jr continued to lead.
Lap 171 saw Mikey pick up 24th. He drove to the outside of Menard and Riggs, who shot ahead. Mikey dropped behind them. Ryan Newman's #12 repassed. Mikey was back to 26th.
"15 to go. 15," Norris noted. "Get down, get down. No one's pushing you from behind. Get down. Nice job."
Mikey got around the fifth caution on lap 173. David Stremme's #40 had turned Yeley's #18 down the track. The cluster of cars slowed, and Denny Hamlin bumped his teammate Tony Stewart into his other teammate Yeley's on-coming car. Stewart tagged Menard's #15. Mikey drove through the scene along the track's apron. He was 21st, as Kyle Petty received the free pass.
Baldwin Jr called for four tires and fuel, and he said they would be good to go to the end. The crew chief asked for patch tape to cover a hole in the grill of the #55.
"We're going to line up behind the 96, Ty," Baldwin Jr added. "Okay?
"Probably be ten to go when we go, Mike," the crew chief continued. "We're sitting in 21st. I know we can get into the top 15."
"All right, one to go when we get around here," Norris said.
"Your right rear was flat also, by the way," Baldwin Jr told his driver. Meanwhile, NASCAR black-flagged Clint Bowyer's #07 for flapping sheet metal.
"All right, buddy. Coming to the gree this time," Norris observed. "All right, pace car's off. Be ready. Ready. Green green green."
Lap 178 saw the restart. Earnhardt Jr's #8 led, with Mikey in 21st. The #5 and the #43 pushed the #55 up through the ranks. Norris warned his driver about Jeff Burton's slowing #31. Mikey was 17th on lap 178, and the #31 got him hung out. He was 19th on the next circuit, as Burton went to pit road with a flat tire.
Another slow car came along the bottom. Mikey passed, and he followed Bobby Labonte's #43.
"Good push here. 8 to go," Norris noted.
Mikey was 17th on lap 180, running three-wide with the #96 on the bottom. He trailed Mike Wallace's #09.
"Still clear. 7 to go."
Mikey was 16th, still following the #09. The #99 shot inside all by himself and got around a bunch of cars with no help. The #5 pushed Mikey, who was 18th on lap 181. Going into lap 182, he was cleared Ryan Newman and Mike Wallace. Mikey was 15th with the #5 still pushing. He got around Robby Gordon's #7 next.
Lap 182 saw Newman shoot along the inside with no help. With five to go, Mikey was 14th. Earnhardt Jr continued to lead, and the #55 followed Jarrett's #88.
"4 to go. 4 to go."
The front-runners rode single-file. Mikey stayed in line the full lap.
"All right, 3 to go. 3 to go," said Norris. "DJ wanted to know what you want to do," the spotter added, just before Kyle Busch passed with Newman. Mikey was 16th with two laps left in the race. He passed the pair with a push from behind, but Busch and Newman rallied back. The #17 took them three-wide. Mikey held with Jarrett, riding two-by-two. Gilliland's #38 was outside him. Lap 187 saw Mikey in 16th.
The yellow flag waved with the checkered for a last lap collision involving Brian Vickers, Jimmie Johnson, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Mikey slowed and waited for NASCAR's ruling on the race results.
"Looks like Vickers hooked his own teammate and took out the 48 and 8," Norris relayed. Both Johnson's #48 and Earnhardt Jr's #8 had gone through the grass.
Mikey went to pit road as he waited for NASCAR to name the winner and to let him know where he had finished. Vickers went to victory lane and was named the winner shortly after that. Mikey went to the garage at 5:55pm. NASCAR sorted out the finishing order several minutes later and determined that the #55 had crossed the stripe in 14th.
NASCAR is returning to North Carolina next weekend. Be sure to watch Mikey in the Bank of America 500 next Saturday night at 7pm ET on NBC! He may compete in the Busch Series race the day before. Coverage of the Dollar General 300 begins next Friday at 8:00pm ET on TNT.