Mikey And David 10th And 15th At Michigan by Kellyanne Lynch
17 June 2007
Michael Waltrip Racing picked up two top-fifteens in the Citizens Bank 400, today's Nextel Cup race at Michigan International Speedway. Michael Waltrip's #55 Napa Auto Parts Camry finished 10th after leading a lap and spending 83 laps in the top ten, while David Reutimann's #00 Burger King machine was 15th. Teammate Dale Jarrett did not make the field.
"Hey, Mark Green," someone said over the #55 frequency at 2:04pm ET. A moment later, he repeated, "Hey, Mark Green."
"Bobby, this is Mark," spotter Mark Green spoke a couple minutes later. "Do you have a copy?"
"Yes, sir, loud and clear," crew chief Bobby Kennedy replied.
Spotter and crew chief discussed how they'd spot Mikey coming on and off pit road.
"Copy, Michael?" Bobby asked.
"Hello?" Mikey spoke over the radio.
"I got you loud and clear."
"I got y'all, no problem." Mikey then addressed his spotter. "Mike, this is Mark. How's this sound?"
"Loud and clear, good sound."
"Thank you."
"Don't forget those brake fans for me, Mike, after a couple laps," someone said. "Let's keep the heat out of those tires."
"Okay."
"All right, the front of the field's rolling here," Mark informed his driver. "Will be three times by."
"All right, Mark, let me know when he's in the middle of the backstretch - make sure he has a good copy on me back there," Bobby requested.
"10-4."
"All right, Bobby, he's in Turn 2 right now," Mark noted. "That's as far away as he's going to be."
Bobby addressed Mikey to make sure his driver could hear him.
"Okay, Mike, you're at pit road speed there," Mark said.
Mikey made his assessment. "Um, I'm showing 4900, second gear."
"4900 and second. 4900," Bobby repeated.
As the #55 turned pace laps, Bobby gave Mikey his final words of encouragement before the start of the race. "All right, bud, look over to your left. You'll have to 70, the 55, and the 40," he said. "37 will be our first stop. 200 laps, let's have a good day."
"10-4," Mikey replied. "Y'all did a good job this weekend, so far. Good job. We'll just try to get a good finish there."
Bobby said they had a ton of air pressure adjustment to work on. "We'll work on it, get it right, get a good finish."
Mark reminded Mikey not to pass to the right. "It's all fun now. Let's have some fun today."
The green flag waved at 2:17pm with JJ Yeley in the lead. Mikey was 18th. Mark cleared him all around and said he could go wherever he wanted to go. The pole-sitter lost a number of spots on the first lap, relinquishing the lead to Jimmie Johnson. Meanwhile, Mikey moved into 16th by passing Jeff Burton and Mark Martin.
"Still inside, still inside. 31 inside. Still down there. Still there," Mark warned. "Clear, clear. Good job, bud. Clear all around."
By lap 4, Mikey was up to 15th.
"40.40, 40.40," Bobby read off the lap time.
"Back inside," Mark observed. "Clear behind him."
"40.45, 40.45. Leader, flat."
"That's a good line right there. Good, good line," Mark noted. David, who had started 40th, was up to 37th.
"That 12 two in front of you is kind of holding that bunch up," said the spotter. Passing Brian Vickers moved the #55 into 14th. David was up to 36th. "Clear by two, back to the 31."
Vickers got back around the Napa Camry the next time around the track; Mikey was back to 15th.
"41.35, 41.35," Bobby said.
"Clear by five on the 31, pulling away," the spotter noted. "Clear the 07."
Passing Clint Bowyer on lap 9 moved Mikey back into 14th; however, Bowyer got back around him the next time around the track.
Lap 11 saw Martin Truex Jr take the lead. Mikey was 14th, having passed Bowyer again. David was 39th. Bobby asked his driver about the #55.
"A little loose in," Mikey reported, "a little skaty on the right front off."
"10-4, 10-4."
Mark told Mikey he was clear all around. "Doing a good job on that top, clear all around."
"41.75, 75." A moment later, Bobby added, "About 7th place to 20th running the same speed, same place you're at."
"22 looking inside," Mark warned. "Clear behind him right now. Clear all around."
Dave Blaney's pass on lap 13 put Mikey back in 15th, but he was back to 14th one lap later by getting around Jeff Burton. Mikey lost a bunch of spots on lap 15; he slipped to 16th.
Ryan Newman pit with a flat tire on lap 15. Two laps later, Mikey got around JJ Yeley for 15th.
"42.40, 42.40," Bobby noted. He said the ground in front were about two tenths slower than him.
"It's getting tighter and tighter on that left front," Mikey reported.
"10-4," Bobby replied. He said he'd work on it when they stop. "Give me your temps."
"Uh, 220, 260."
"10-4, 10-4."
On lap 21, Kevin Harvick passed the #55. Mikey was now 16th. Mark cleared him by five car lengths after Harvick's #29.
"Clear by two on the 17, clear by ten on the next car," the spotter continued. "Inside. Clear, clear all around."
Matt Kenseth's pass on lap 23 put Mikey in 17th.
"Back inside. Clear by six, back to the 40 car."
Bobby asked if the car were loose in, or just skaty off the turn.
"It's just skating the right front off," Mikey replied.
"10-4. I'll just do an air adjustment, an air adjustment." He read off lap times a moment later. "42.80, 42.80."
David was 35th at the time.
Bobby continued to read off lap times for the #55. "About ten laps from pitting, about ten away."
"Clear by two, back to the 07," Mark noted.
"95, 95. Leader an 85. About six laps from pits." Bobby called for "one more out of the left front."
Mikey lost a spot to David Stremme on lap 33. Bowyer got around him one lap later. Mikey was now 19th, with David running 34th.
Green flag pit stops began on lap 35 with Joe Nemechek. His stop moved the #55 into 18th. David was 32nd, but was 29th and the last one on the lead lap on lap 37. Drivers continued to make stops, moving Mikey into 14th. Bobby said they'd make a four tire stop the next time around the track.
"Clear all around, clear all around. That 88 behind you knows you're coming," Mark told his driver. He said other cars behind him were on new tires. "49 at the cone here, 49. You're only about seven boxes in."
"5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Wheels straight, put on the brakes," Bobby led Mikey into the stall. "Go go go go go. All the way. 4900."
"49, 49," Mark added.
Denny Hamlin led a lap before pitting on lap 39 and giving the lead to Casey Mears.
"Got the 14 car one back outside, outside. Clear by fifteen back to the next car. Clear behind the 14," Mark directed.
Lap 40 saw David lose the lead lap with his stop. He was marked in 37th. Truex Jr was now leading, as stops had cycled. Mikey was 20th.
"All right, your tires look real good," Bobby noted. He said there was a build-up on the right front. The #55 gained a spot to Reed Sorenson when Sorenson's #41 made a stop. David was 36th and lapped.
"41.65, leader a 55, 55," Bobby reported lap times.
"It was better for about that many laps, and now it's starting to do it again," Mikey reported on lap 46.
Bobby said they would keep working on it. "42.30, 42.30. Leader a 42 flat."
"Clear by six, back to the 88," Mark noted.
"45, 45. Leader a flat," Bobby reported. "Leader at the line... now."
"Caution's out, caution's out. Got debris on the bottom down here in 3," Mark reported.
The first caution came on lap 52. Juan Pablo Montoya received the free pass.
"So that didn't help you a lot, need more?" Bobby asked if Mikey was still skating.
"Yeah."
Bobby asked about the entry.
"It's fine."
Bobby called for a trackbar adjustment. "You'll have a straight shot in and out. That 40's a lap down now."
"Give me some water and a rag."
Bobby asked a crew member if he were ready for that.
"Make sure the rag is cold and wet but rung out."
"We'll get you taken care of. We're getting one rung out right now." Bobby also called for three out of the liner in the left rear and two rounds on the trackbar.
Mikey pit with the leaders under the yellow.
"Halfway, go hard, go hard, go hard. Clear behind the 14," Bobby guided him out of the box.
"4900," Mark reminded.
"Good stop, guys."
"Bobby, you might get them to check the 31. He's got something on pit road," Mark said.
"We'll take care of that."
"Okay, Michael, they have us scored in front of the 31," Mark told his driver.
"All right, let's give you a run-down here," Bobby said. "We're working lap 34, and it's showing 30 cars on the lead lap, and you're p18."
"That was a good stop there, fellahs," Mikey praised his crew. "How are my build-ups?"
"He's looking at them right now, Michael."
"All right, Mike, we're coming to the one to go this time, one to go."
Bobby came back with the tire report. "All right, your build-ups there are... square, right sides, square right sides." He said they're now at the minimun on the right front.
Racing resumed on lap 57 with Truex Jr leading. Mikey was 18th, and David was 34th and lapped.
"Okay, pace car is off," Mark noted. "Ready? Ready? Green green green.
"Clear low, clear high, and clear all around. Clear all around. Good job there."
Mikey moved up to 17th one lap into the run.
"Clear the 07, still outside. Clear high," Mark observed. "Clear low if you need it. You're in the middle, in the middle. Clear high, clear high."
Lap 59 saw Mikey gain 14th.
"Clear by three. Nicely done," Mark praised. "Clear by four, back to the 22 car. Looking good."
"41.15, 41.15," Bobby read off lap times. "10-4 on the push."
"Three-wide, you're on the outside. Clear, clear all around."
"41.80."
"Clear, clear."
"75, 75. Leader 40."
Johnson dropped inside Truex Jr's #1 and took the lead on lap 65.
"85, 85. Leader 65," Bobby said.
"Clear by one on the 31," Mark warned. "He's running the bottom. Inside, inside. Clear, clear all around. Clear, clear all around.
"Inside - 31 car. Got the 20 lined up behind you about two back. Inside, inside. Clear behind the 20 if you need it. Clear all around."
Jeff Burton and Tony Stewart passed, dropping Mikey to 16th on lap 67.
"14 looking. You're still clear, clear," Mark observed. "14 looking inside. Looking by himself."
Marlin's pass on lap 68 put Mikey in 17th. Mark told him the #22 of Dave Blaney was lined up behind him.
"Looking inside - 22. Clear all around. Caution's out, caution's out. Got one in the wall in Turn 2. Caution's out."
"The back's bad," Mikey reported. He said the trackbar made him really loose and didn't help.
"Put it back," Bobby said. He also called for two rounds on the trackbar.
The second caution on lap 69 was for Montoya slapping the wall. Mark Martin received the free pass.
"Pit road will be open this time," Mark informed the team. "All right, 4900 at the cone. 49."
"5, 4, 3, 2-1. Right here," Bobby guided the #55 to the box. "Go go, all the way, all the way. 49."
Mark said that some guys had taken just two tires.
"Good stop, guys. You guys are doing it. You beat out Tony Stewart... Good stop, y'all," Mikey praised.
"Bobby, I know that 14 car took two," Mark noted.
"10-4, 10-4."
Meanwhile, Carl Edwards was sent to the tail end on the restart for speeding on pit road. Paul Menard led after stops. When Menard pit, Jeff Gordon took over the top spot.
Bobby said the tires were square again when the left rear is struggling for air. He said he might put a big split on the right sides, because they had only built up four pounds left rear.
"Yeah, I would suggest trying it."
"10-4, 10-4."
Bobby gave him the run-down again. "29 cars on the lead lap. You're p16, p16."
"All right, Mike, when you get here, be one to go, one to go," Mark told his driver. "Bobby, that 24 car also took two tires."
"10-4. So that's the 24 and 14 that took two tires. Thank you." Bobby asked a crew member to monitor their times and see what happens.
Gordon led the lap 75 restart with Mikey in 16th.
"Wreck in front of you. Just hold what you got, hold what you got. Good job, old buddy."
"I don't know if I might not have flat-spotted them. I can't tell," Mikey replied.
The third caution was for a multi-car accident. Ryan Newman and Jeff Green made contact at the front of the field while going three-wide with Jeff Gordon. Matt Kenseth, Martin Truex Jr, Kevin Harvick, and Brian Vickers were also involved. Because Green was supposed to get the free pass, no one was awarded with it.
"I just can't tell," Mikey said in regard to flat-spotting his tires.
Bobby said they were trying to get a good view on TV to see if he smoked at all.
"I think they're fine," Mikey reported.
Bobby said they never got a clear view of the #55 on TV.
"All right, Mike, coming to the one to go this time, one to go," Mark said.
"Clean them off real good," Bobby advised. "P11, p11."
Gordon led the lap 80 restart with Mikey in 11th and David in 30th.
"Clear all around," Mark said. "20 car outside, clear behind the 20. 31 outside. Still out there, still out there. Clear, clear all around."
Tony Stewart passed, moving Mikey back to 12th on lap 82.
"40.77," Bobby read off the lap time.
"Still out there, still out there. Just barely there. Coming back outside. Clear behind him if you need it," Mark said. "Clear high, clear high. Good job, good job."
Mikey regained 11th by passing Joe Nemechek on lap 83.
"40.90, 90."
"Clear by five. Got a little bit of room to work if you need it."
"Inside, inside. Clear behind the 25. Clear low. 7 inside."
Mikey went four-wide on lap 85 and got ahead of the pack of cars.
"Clear, clear all around."
Mikey was up to 8th.
"Clear behind that 5, back to the 07."
Kyle Busch passed, moving Mikey to 9th on lap 86. David was 29th and lapped.
"41.80," Bobby read off the lap time.
"Clear by three, back to the 07," Mark noted.
"The front sticks, but the back is very, very loose," Mikey reported on lap 88.
"Clear by four, back to the 11 car," Mark observed. "Clear high, clear high. Run up on the inside here, inside. Got the 11 following you. Clear all around. Got the 11 half a car back, lined up with you. Looking inside. Inside, by himself. Clear by four back to the 9 car."
Lap 90 saw Mikey move to 10th with Hamlin's pass. Around that time, Johnson passed for the lead. Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle looked to pass, and both did on lap 92. Yeley dropped a few spots, allowing the #55 to move into 11th one lap later.
"Still out there, still there. Clear, clear. Still clear, still clear," Mark spotted. "Looking inside, inside - 18 car. Clear all around, clear all around. Clear by half on the 1. Looking on the inside. Quarter panel, lined up behind you. Clear all around you."
"42.50, 50," Bobby read off the lap time.
"Clear by three. Looking inside. Quarter panel. Still down there. Clear all around, clear all around. Clear by two, back to the 7 car. Looking inside, inside."
Mikey was 13th by lap 97 with Robby Gordon and Truex Jr's pass.
"22 inside. Clear by ten, back to the 18."
"Now it's pushing the front end again," Mikey reported.
"Okay, 10-4, 10-4."
The #55 was 14th on lap 98. Mark let him know he had room now.
"All right, give me a temp read when you get a chance," Bobby requested.
"It's a little tight end and a little loose off, but the front end is starting to skate with me," Mikey reported.
"Okay, 10-4 - tight in, loose off," Bobby acknowledged.
"Staying the same behind you, clear by ten," Mark noted.
"All right, keep digging bud. We're about fifteen laps away from pitting - fifteen away."
"Clear by six, back to the 8 car. He's running the top."
"80, 80. Leader a ten."
"He's by himself, back by half. Clear behind him," Mark warned as Earnhardt Jr passed on lap 105. Mikey was now 15th.
"All right, keep digging. We're about ten away. We're hearing some reports of debris in Turn 3," Bobby said.
"Good corner there," Mark praised. "Clear by five on the 29."
"45. That's a good lap. Good lap right there," Bobby added. "I don't know what you did, but it put you in the upper echelon of the field.
"39. 39. That's working, what you've got going."
"Ease away from the 29. Good job."
"Second fastest on that lap. Second fastest."
Jeff Gordon started green flag stops on lap 110, allowing Kurt Busch to take the lead. Bobby said they'd go five more laps. "Great lap times right there, bud."
Mikey was 12th as drivers made stops on lap 111.
"All right, we're still going with that same plan with air in left rear," Bobby stated. "You good with that?"
"Yeah," Mikey replied.
Busch pit, giving the lead to Stewart on lap 112. Mikey was 10th.
"60, 60. That's a good pace you got going there - real good," Bobby praised.
"Inside, inside. New tires, new tires," Mark warned. The #55 was 7th on lap 113.
"70, 70."
Stewart pit, giving Edwards the lead on lap 114. Mikey was 5th.
"All right, next time by, next time by. Four tires. Keep your eyes open, Mark. They're saying something about debris."
"They're not saying they see any." "You're clean behind you. You can come right in. I got the guy behind us; he knows we're coming. 4900 when you get here to the cone."
"5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Wheels straight, put on the brakes."
"Caution's out..."
"Go go go go go!"
"Keep your speed, Mike. We're fine," Mark advised. "All right, dig hard now."
"Yeah, I think we're still okay now - still on the lead lap."
"Yeah, we're okay."
Sterling Marlin spun Tony Raines, drawing the fourth caution on lap 116.
"Come back in here, and we'll get you your lefts," Bobby said. He commented on Mikey moving his line around and having one of the fastest laps.
"Yeah, it was just me. I moved up the wall a little bit more with Dale Jr." He said he was too loose to do that at first.
Bobby praised him and told him to get ready to pit again.
Mikey pit again for the left side tires.
"All right, that worked out for us good, guys," Mark commented.
Bobby praised Mark for his good eye. "What was the caution for?"
Mark said he didn't know who it was, but somebody was spun getting on pit road.
"All right, looks like we've got nineteen on the lead lap," Bobby noted. He said he'd figure out the position in a minute. "And we are one stop out from here. One stop, if it stays green.
"Okay. It's all cycled back out there. P11, p11. All right, that time our builds came in one pound with that split." He said to keep him posted.
Mikey wanted to lower the track bar to make the car rotate more. "We'll see what happens."
"That's just a guess on the left front airs," Bobby said. "You might run a few laps and tell me I'm crazy."
Meanwhile, David was 18th, having not pit yet before the caution.
"16's smoking, Mark, a little bit," Mikey commented.
"16 you say?" asked the spotter.
"Yeah."
"I'll tell him. One to go here. One to go." A moment later, Mark told the car owner the good news about Mikey's rookie David. "On another good note there, the 00 got back on the lead lap there, I think."
"That is a good note."
"The 48's leading, but he's like fifth in line. All right, pace car's off. Ready? Ready? Green green green."
Johnson led the lap 121 restart with Mikey in 11th and David in 18th.
"25 inside. Clear all around, clear all around," Mark noted. "Clear low if you need it. Clear high. Still inside, still inside."
One lap into the run, David was up to 17th.
"Outside, outside. Still in the middle. You're still in the middle. Still in the middle. Still in the middle. Clear low if you need it."
Lap 123 saw Mikey move into 10th.
"Clear high, all the way," Mark continued. "Looking inside, inside. Clear all the way. Clear low, clear low. Three wide, four wide. Still three-wide. Still three-wide. You're in the middle. Still in the middle, still in the middle. Clear low. Still outside. Clear high. Looking inside, inside."
Jamie McMurray passed, moving Mikey back to 11th on lap 124.
"Still inside," warned the spotter. "Clear, clear all around. Still out there, still out there - the 10 car. Got everyone lined up behind you. Inside. You're in the middle, in the middle. Clear behind the 29. Clear low. Still inside. Clear high, clear high. Clear all around."
Mikey was back in 10th on lap 125, having repassed McMurray; however, Harvick got around him one lap later.
"26 car right with you, running high," Mark said. "Clear by four. Good corner there."
"A lot louder, Mark!" Mikey requested.
"10-4, 10-4. Clear all around. Clear by six on the 26. Got the 8 car still outside, still there. Clear behind him if you need it. Clear high, clear high."
Passing Earnhardt Jr moved Mikey into 10th on lap 128.
"75, 75," Bobby gave the lap time.
"84 there backing up," Mark warned. "Clear, clear. Clear all around."
"42 flat. Leader an 80," Bobby noted.
"Clear all around. 41 lined up with you."
"15, 15. Leader a 70." Bobby continued with the times. "41.90. Leader a 69. Not bad. You have a couple of them quicker than you. P10, p10. 70 laps to go."
Lap 130 saw Edwards take the lead.
"Clear the 18. Clear all around," Mark said. "Clear by five. Pulling away."
"20, 20.
"35, 35.
"25, 25. Leader an 05. Pretty good lap there. Pretty good lap."
"Clear, clear," said Mark.
"35, 35." Bobby asked about the car.
"The air helped it," Mikey replied. "I'd like to go a little more left rear and put the trackbar up a little bit."
Bobby acknowledged. "That's the third quickest car right there - pretty good.
"55, 55.
"53, 53."
"Clear by three on the 16," Mark noted.
Bobby gave times. "Fifth fastest car on that lap. Fifth fastest.
"65, 65.
"90, 90. About halfway on this fuel run - halfway."
"84 looking inside. He is a lapped car," Mark warned. "Clear, clear."
"I thought he was going too fast to make that turn," Mikey commented.
"Yeah, he overdrove 'er, didn't he."
Bobby talked about dropping the track bar.
"I'm just too tight," Mikey reported. "The air helped tighten me up on the get-go."
"All right, 10-4. 10-4." He gave more times. "42.85, 85."
"Clear by eight, back to the 26. Staying about the same," said Bobby. "43 flat, 43 flat.
"85. 42.85."
"Clear high, clear high," Mark noted.
"All right, we're about fifteen away, fifteen away from our final stop. p10," Bobby told his driver.
"Clear by six, back to the 8 car. He's been running on the top also."
"42.90, 90."
"Running about the same, the same distance as the 8. Good job."
On lap 150, some drivers chose to make their last green flag stops.
"75, 75," said Bobby.
"Looking inside. Clear behind him. Clear by six back to the 26."
"95, 95. All right, about ten laps away, ten laps away."
"Still clear by four."
"How bad do you think you need that track bar?" Bobby asked his driver on lap 152.
"Pushing," was Mikey's response.
"Okay."
"You don't have to do it with track bar. You can do it with right rear, if you like."
Bobby said the guys pitting right now are the ones who can make it but there are some who can't. He wanted to go with the air pressure adjustment instead.
"Still clear by five on that 26," Mark noted.
Mikey moved up to 8th and David to 14th as drivers continued to make stops.
"65. That's good laps," Bobby said.
Kyle Busch's stop on lap 155 put Mikey in 7th.
"How's your windshield?" Bobby asked his driver.
"It's fine."
"10-4. 65, 65. Good lap."
"Clear by eight on the 26, easing away from him," said Mark. David was 12th.
"80, 80," Bobby observed. "All right, about five away, five away from a pit stop. Keep digging."
"Clear of the 6, clear all around."
"80, 80.
"95, 95."
Edwards pit on lap 159, giving Truex Jr the lead. Mikey was now 4th. Mark warned Mikey of the 40 losing a motor.
"Next time, Michael. Next time by," said Bobby.
"Clear, clear."
"Give me one more, one more. The 40's going to be in the way."
"I'm ahead of the 40."
"But he's going to come in around you."
"Inside," warned Mark.
"Couldn't get down, man," Mikey said as he led lap 160.
"You were the leader on that lap, so you got us five points anyway," Bobby said. He told his driver to pit now. The #55 and #00 pit on the same lap.
"All right, 4900 when you get to the cone. 4900," Mark said.
Bobby guided his driver into the box. He praised his guys for the good stop after.
On lap 162, Johnson led. Mikey was 11th while David was 18th and lapped after their stops.
"41.30, 41,30," said Bobby. Mark told his driver he was pulling away.
"Clear by seven," said the spotter. David drove his way back on the lead lap on lap 165. "Clear, clear."
"75. 41.75," Bobby noted.
Driving along the outside, Edwards moved back into the lead on lap 166. Meanwhile, Kurt Busch pit with a vibration. Busch's pit moved the #55 into 10th and the #00 into 17th.
"Good lap times right there, brother. Real good," Bobby praised.
"Clear, clear," said Mark. "Those three in front of you are for position."
"42.30, 42.30." Bobby encouraged Mikey to keep digging and said the 22 was in front of him for position and coming back to him. "40. 42.40."
Mark said Mikey was pulling away from everyone.
"45. 42.45."
"Clear clear," Mark said as Mikey passed Dave Blaney for 9th on lap 172. "Clear, clear all around."
"42.15. That was an excellent lap there. Excellent lap. Third fastest car there," praised the crew chief.
"29 car in front of you is for position."
Lap 173 saw David lose the lead lap. He was 17th.
"42.10. 42.10. That's a good pace there, brother. Keep moving."
"Got the 12 four back," Mark noted. "He's a lap down, just riding with you here."
"20. 42.20. That's three-tenths quicker than the 29 in front of you." Bobby continued reading off lap times. "55."
"25 to go this time. Doing good. Keep digging," Mark encouraged.
"45, 45.
"45, 45. Still about three-tenths faster than that 29." Bobby encouraged his driver. "Take it easy there, bud. You'll catch him."
"Clear, clear all around."
"Be smooth here, and you'll catch that 29. You're killing them on the end of the run." After reading off times, he added. "Just be smooth - don't overdrive it.
"40, 40. There you go. Good lap. Just keep doing that same deal. You'll catch a bunch of them."
"20 to go this time," said Mark. "20."
"80. 42.80. Still about a tenth better than that 29. Keep that pace there. You'll get 'em."
The #55 was now 0.5 seconds behind the #29 of Kevin Harvick.
"85, 85," Bobby read off the lap time.
"Wide open behind that 12 there. You're clear by fifteen, back to the next car," Mark observed.
"Get that draft on the 12. 17 to go, 17 to go," Bobby advised. "42.85.
"70, 70. Stay with that 29."
"Still clear by twenty on the 26," said Mark. "15 to go this time, 15."
"60, 60. Same as the 29," Bobby added. The next time around the track, he said Mikey had gained a tenth of a second speed.
"There you go. He's giving up some now, Mike. Keep digging," Mark encouraged. "Clear of the 12. Clear all around."
Bobby read off the lap time. "Good lap."
"Clear high, clear high. 29 still out there, still out there. Still there. Clear behind him, clear behind him," Mark guided. "12 lined up with you. It's not going to hurt us any. All right, get that rhythm going. We'll get back to him. That 40 car has a motor problem, remember. 12 inside."
"Calm down now," Bobby said. He reminded Mikey some people would peel off to pit.
"Keep digging there, Mike," Mark encouraged.
On lap 194, Johnson had to pit for fuel from the 3rd spot. Although Mikey gained a spot from Johnson, he lost one to McMurray. David was 15th.
"Looking inside, just looking. Clear all around," said Mark.
Bobby again told Mikey that some guys couldn't make it. "You the man now. Okay, p9 now."
Mark encouraged Mikey to keep his rhythm going. "We'll make it."
"43.70, 43.70. Six to go," Bobby noted. He said the 24 back there was next for position, and Mark said that car was still ten car lengths back.
"Five to go, clear by five, back to the 24."
"85, 85." Bobby told him to get all he could. "Five to go."
"There you go. Good corner. Still clear by two," Mark praised. "Looking inside, inside. Clear behind him, clear behind him. Just drive in behind him."
"There you go! P10. Bring 'er home now, bud."
Jeff Gordon had passed, moving Mikey to 10th. He was the last driver on the lead lap.
"Three to go, three to go. 44.15, 44.15," Bobby said.
Mark warned that Nemechek was coming hard, who was not on the same lap. Mikey got lapped on the last lap of the race.
"Bring 'er home top ten. One more time, baby."
"Just nice and smooth through here," Mark encouraged. "Nice and smooth. Still got him behind him. Bring 'er to the checker."
Bobby told Mikey he'd finished 10th. "Good job in the pits, guys, all day, buddy."
"Good job, y'all," Mikey said to his team. "Sorry that I hit the wall there late. It just got to pushing real bad."
"You did a damn good job. They knew you were here today. You got back up there. I knew you could. Awesome fucking job here," Bobby praised.
Carl Edwards went on to win. David was 15th.
"Sounds like we're going to the chassis dyno, boys," said Bobby.
Next weekend's Nextel Cup race is at Infineon Raceway. Terry Labonte will be behind the wheel of the #55, and PJ Jones will drive the #00.