#00 13th, #44 31st At Richmond by Kellyanne Lynch
8 September 2007
Rookie David Reutimann picked up his best career finish in the Chevy Rock & Roll 400, tonight's Nextel Cup race at Richmond International Raceway. His #00 Burger King Camry was the best finishing Toyota, coming in 13th. Teammate Dale Jarrett fell prey to a couple of accidents that dropped his #44 UPS machine six laps down; he finished 31st. Team owner Michael Waltrip did not make the race.
"The car drove good pretty much all night," David said after the race. "We messed around with the track bar and it didn't seem to make much of a difference on the car. I think we were making it worse so we put the track bar back to where we started with tonight. That really made the car come back to life and I really wish we would have done that earlier because I feel like we might have been able to get a better finish. All in all this was a good night for us and everybody did a real good job. Last week we didn't get to finish what we started and this week I really feel like we did. I would have liked to have a top-10 finish tonight and I'm disappointed because I think we had a car capable of doing that tonight. I'm real happy with the effort, but I do feel like we might have left something on the table. It was fun to be able to race with those guys tonight and we haven't had much of a chance to do that this season. It was a good feeling and whenever the car drives pretty good it doesn't seem so hard to do that."
"All right, next time by," spotter Shawn Reutimann announced the upcoming start of the race during the pace laps.
"All right, David. 400 laps, brother," crew chief Frankie Kerr addressed his driver before the start. "If it ain't good, we'll fix it up. Be strong, stay safe."
"Pace car's off, be ready. Ready? Green green green." Shawn warned David a bout the #01 being inside throughout the first lap.
Jeff Gordon led the field to the stripe at 7:47pm ET. David started 24th and was up to 21st within the first five laps. Shawn warned him that Dale Earnhardt Jr's #8 car was looking, but Earnhardt Jr fell back behind him. Again, the spotter warned that Earnhardt Jr was there at his left rear corner.
"Clear behind the 8," said Shawn as David was back to 22nd on lap 7. "Clear by one. The 25 car right there with you. Outside, still there. Still there, outside. Outside. Going to be there off the corner outside. Caution's out. Got them wrecking behind you. Caution's out."
The first caution was on lap 9. Tony Raines bumped Jeff Green, who hit the wall. Dale Jarrett and Greg Biffle were collected.
"All right, bud, what do you got with that race car, buddy? Dave?" Frankie asked.
"How 'bout you, David? Can you hear us?" Shawn added.
"Yeah, hang on," David replied. "Yeah, it's a little bit free on the exit." He said it was tight when he picked up the throttle and loose when he put wheel to it.
Frankie told him they'd likely stay out.
"Pit road's open this time. Looks like everyone in the front is staying out."
Frankie said they'd stay out if everyone else did, and when Shawn confirmed, the crew chief added, "We can go to 100 laps on fuel. That's why I'm sure nobody's going to come for a while." He told his driver to turn all the fans. "All right, make sure you get those tires cleaned up. Let's not spin them on the start."
"Next time by," Shawn noted. "All right, coming to the green. Pass right, protect the right. Ready? Ready? Green green green. Clear by two."
Gordon led the lap 15 restart with David in 21st.
"All clear, all clear," said Shawn. "25 right there with you. 25 outside, outside. All clear. Inside, left rear corner. Inside, still there. Inside, left rear corner. Still there. Looking inside again. All clear. By one."
"Make sure those fans are on, buddy," Frankie reminded his driver.
"Outside. 25 outside. Right rear corner. All clear," Shawn warned. "Slow car on the bottom. You'll catch him off 2. Outside. 25 outside. Clear behind the 25."
Casey Mears' #25 passed, moving David back to 22nd on lap 23.
Paul Menard spun, drawing the second caution on lap 25.
"It's free on centre, it's a little free on entry," David reported. "Needs to cut a little better in the centre." He said the car snaps when he puts throttle to it.
"You need to be a little better on centre," Frankie concluded.
"10-4."
Frankie called for adjustments, and David pit with the leaders under caution. "Hey, Dave, no big deal. A few guys stayed out, a few guys took a couple tires." He said they made an air pressure adjustment.
Shawn relayed an apology from Kasey Kahne, who got into David on pit road. "He said he was chasing it up the track."
"Who's that? The 9?" David asked.
"Yeah."
"Tell him I was trying to stay off of him," David laughed. "That was cool. No problem. No worries."
"Yeah, I told him. He said he's sorry for getting into you."
Casey Mears had stayed on track and led the lap 31 restart. David was 26th, and Dale was 38th.
"Clear by five, back to the 17," Shawn said.
Ryan Newman took the lead two laps into the run as Shawn warned a driver was inside the #00.
"Inside, still there. Going to be there off the corner. Still there, inside," Shawn spotted. "Outside, still there. Clear all around. Clear by two, back to the 17. Clear by one. Clear by one, back to the 17. Inside, inside. Still there. Still there. Inside. Left rear corner. Clear. Good job."
David gained 25th on lap 38 but lost it to Kenseth the next time around the track. Shawn warned him that Scott Riggs' #10 was looking to pass next.
"Outside lane doesn't look to bad, bud," Frankie commented.
"Outside. 10 car looking outside. All clear," Shawn said. "Inside. Still there. Still there, inside. Inside, still there. Left rear corner. Clear."
David passed Kasey Kahne for 25th on lap 42. Meanwhile, Dale was 37th.
"Clear by one. Got that 10 car right there with you. He's working the middle groove there," Shawn observed.
"23.40. The leader's running 23.10," Frankie read off lap times.
"Clear by half a car length," said Shawn. "Clear by one." He warned David when the #10 was looking to pass again. "Clear by half a car length. Clear by one."
"23.50, bud. Good job! Keep digging."
"Clear by two. Outside, right rear corner. Outside. 10 car. Going to be there off the corner. Outside, still there. Going to be there off the corner. Outside, still there. Going to be there off the corner. Still there, right rear corner. Clear. Outside, right rear corner. Clear to the high side. Outside, still there. Outside, 01 outside."
David held off Riggs and passed Mark Martin's #01 for 24th on lap 53.
"Clear by one," said Shawn after the pass.
"Go get it, buddy!" Frankie encouraged. "Last lap was a 23.60. The leader run a 23.40."
"Clear by one."
"23.50. Good lap, bud! Did we help the race car anyway?" Frankie asked on lap 57.
"Still needs help in the centre and more forward bite," David replied.
"Clear by ten, back to the 18," Shawn continued. "No pressure, all by yourself. Clear by five, back to the 18. Clear by two. Caution's out. Got one in the wall on the frontstretch."
Lap 64 saw the third caution when Scott Riggs' #10 lost a tire and hit the wall.
"Is there anything you can do to keep some bite in the thing?" David asked. "It's a handful getting in."
Frankie said he was afraid to make it too loose. He said he would make an air pressure adjustment and go half down on the track bar. He asked about water temperatures.
"200, 200 on water temp."
"You're doing a good job. You're definitely faster than that group in front of you. Air pressure, half down on that track bar. Try to get it a little closer to the wall if you can, bud." Frankie guided David to the box and told him he did a good job getting into the box.
"All right, buddy. You're doing a great job," Frankie praised after the stop. "Your brakes okay and everything?"
David said they were.
Frankie repeated that he was doing a good job.
David told his crew chief he could drive the car the way it was but would be better without that. Frankie assured him his times were good and he was killing the guys in front of him. David said he felt like he was going to continue to need help in the centre.
Frankie told him others were complaining about the centre on the radio and asked if it got worse further into the run.
"Yeah, it gives up some in the centre the longer it runs, and exit gives up some too," David replied.
"Okay, bud, make sure those fans are on, and let's go get 'em," Frankie encouraged.
Racing resumed on lap 72 with Jeff Gordon leading and David in 24th and Dale in 33rd. Two laps into the run, the #00 picked up a spot. Shawn cleared David by one car length, back to the #43 of Bobby Labonte.
"Clear by three," said Shawn. "Clear by four. Outside. Still there, outside. Outside, still there. Going to be there off the corner. Still there, outside. Still there, right rear corner. Still there. Clear."
Passing Reed Sorenson on lap 79 put David in 22nd. Shawn cleared him by two car lengths, back to Labonte.
"Clear by two," Shawn continued. "43 right there with you. Got the 21 three car lengths in front, holding up the outside line. 43 outside, outside. Outside, still there. Still there, going to be there off the corner. Clear behind the 43. Outside. 31 outside. Outside, still there. 31 outside. Still there. Still there, right rear corner. Still there. Outside, still there. Still there, going to be there off the corner. All clear. 21 car holding these guys up on the outside lane. 31 outside. Going to be there off the corner. Outside, still there."
David was 23rd on lap 85 with Bobby Labonte's pass. He took back 22nd from Labonte four circuits later."
"Outside, 43 outside. Outside, still there. Outside, 43 right rear corner. Outside, still there. 21 outside. All clear. Good job."
"All right, buddy, good job. Go on up there and show them who's the man," Frankie encouraged.
"Cleared by four, back to the 21 lapped car," Shawn said. "No pressure, pulling away from the 21."
"35, same as the leader," Frankie read off the time on lap 94.
"Clear by ten, back to the 43," Shawn noted. "Clear by ten, no pressure. Clear by ten. Watch these three in front of you, trying to wreck each other." David Gilliland, Elliott Sadler, and JJ Yeley were those three. "Clear by ten, no pressure. Outside. Outside, still there."
Getting around JJ Yeley on lap 104 put David in 21st. Shawn warned that Yeley was looking to get back around him but then cleared the #00.
"Clear by one, back to the 18," said Shawn.
"23.60, same as the leader. Go get 'em!" Frankie praised.
"Clear by two, back to the 18," Shawn continued. "All clear, all clear. All clear. Clear by one, back to the 18. Clear by three. That 19's been doing that all night, pinching people up tight off the corners."
"What can you tell from the centre to the exit? Just keep doing what you're doing to it," David said.
"Clear by three," Shawn said. "Clear by four. Clear by five."
"Looks like we can run higher and higher on the race track. What do you think about that, Dave?" Frankie asked on lap 122.
"Clear by one," Shawn noted. "1 car right there with you. Outside, 1 car looking outside. Outside, still there. Right rear corner. Still there, outside. Clear behind the 1."
Martin Truex Jr's #1 put David back in 22nd on lap 125.
Shawn warned that Yeley's #18 was now right with him. "Clear by one."
"23.70," Frankie read off the lap time.
"Outside. Got the 16 coming off pit road down there on the bottom. Clear behind the 1. Clear to the bottom. Clear behind the 1."
Greg Biffle's #16 had suffered earlier problems and came back on track around lap 130.
"Clear all around. Clear by three, back to the 18," Shawn observed. "Outside, right rear corner. Outside, still there. Still there, outside. Clear, clear all around."
"All right, David, those guys are backing up to you. Go ahead and get them."
The fourth caution was on lap 133 when Joe Nemechek's #78 blew a right front tire and hit the wall. Kenny Wallace in the #88 got the free pass.
"It's bad on entry, bud. Don't do anything else to hurt it on entry," David informed his team. "Mainly centre off, anything you can do to give me grip."
Frankie called for "a good round down on that track bar", four tires, fuel, and an air pressure adjustment. "A good round, guys."
"Give me a bag of ice and some water if you've got it, please," David requested.
"All right, we don't have an eighth man yet."
The #00 stopped with the leaders. After the stop, Frankie asked, "All right, how's your brakes, buddy?"
"They're all fine," David replied. "Are they turning red?"
Shawn said he hadn't seen them glowing.
"Those guys became real weapons there at the end," Frankie commented on the last run. "Get rid of that 18 right away; he's a menace."
Gordon led the lap 138 restart with David in 19th and Dale 28th.
"Clear by one, back to the 41," Shawn noted. "Clear all around. Clear all around. Outside, 6 car outside. Outside. Still there. Going to be there off the corner. Outside, 25 outside. Clear all around, clear all around. Good job."
David passed David Ragan on lap 142 and was up to 17th the next time around the track. Shawn warned him that the #21 was again holding up cars.
"Outside, still there. Still there, outside. 19 car outside. Clear. Good job."
Lap 146 saw David get around Elliott Sadler for 16th.
"Outside, still there. Right rear corner, still there. Outside, still there. 49 three cars up lapped car. Still there. Outside, still there. Still there, right rear corner inside. 15 car lapped car still outside, outside. Clear high. Coming back on the outside, coming back on the outside. All clear. Clear by two. 49 is a lapped car. Two lapped cars on the bottom."
David got around Yeley for 15th on lap 151.
"Inside, still there. Clear. Trying to come back on the inside. Clear. Lapped car in front of you," said Shawn. "Inside, still there. Inside, still there. Left rear corner. Still there. All clear. Clear by two, back to the 45 lapped car."
"23.30. Good job. Way to hustle that thing," Frankie praised.
"Clear by three, back to the 45," Shawn noted.
"23.30."
"Clear by five. No pressure."
"23.30. The guys in front of you are 40's and 50's." A half minute later, Frankie added, "23.30. Good job, bud.
"23.20."
"No pressure, all by yourself," said Shawn.
"23.20."
"Pulling away from these guys. You've got nobody behind you. You've got plenty of room."
"30."
"All clear, all clear. Got the 83 lapped car working the top. Y'all catching him. Remember who you're racing right there in front of you," Shawn warned regarding Juan Pablo Montoya. "Outside, still there. Clear."
Carl Edwards took the lead on lap 168, despite complaining of a possibly loose plug wire.
"Outside, still there. All clear. Good job, dude!" Shawn praised. David had passed Juan Pablo Montoya on lap 170. "Clear by three. Whatever you figured out there is working."
"23.30 - faster than the leader," Frankie noted. "23.20."
"Clear by four. Clear by five."
"23.50."
"Clear by five."
"23.40."
"84 out there is a lapped car. Clear by five, back to the 42. Still there. Outside. Clear. Clear by three, back to the 84."
"23.40. Keep digging, buddy!"
Race leader Carl Edwards lost his engine on lap 182, bringing out the fifth caution.
"By far, this is the best it's been, Frank. On entry, everything."
Frankie warned David about the smoke.
David said he needed more help in the centre, and Frankie called for four tires and fuel.
"Stop short, stop short. Right after the 17. The 42 is going to block you in," Frankie warned.
The #00 pit with the leaders.
"All right, Dave. You need to keep doing what you're doing," Frankie said. "I'll call times for you. I don't like it when you're too close to traffic."
"10-4."
"Working lap 185, David. Got a long way to go," said Shawn.
"That was the best tire sheet we've had so far," Frankie added. "Really pretty darn neutral. Looks good."
Shawn warned David that Yeley's #18 was restarting behind him and a bunch of cars were coming to the inside.
Denny Hamlin led the lap 190 restart with David in 14th and Dale in 29th.
"5 car right there with you. Outside, 5 car outside. Going to be there off the corner. Outside. still there. Outside, still there. 16 car in front of you is a lapped car. Still there. Still there, outside. Clear behind the 5.
"18 outside, three-wide. Going to be three-wide off the corner. Three-wide. Got one more coming. Lapped car inside."
Lap 192 saw David lose a spot to Kyle Busch. He was back to 16th when Yeley passed him the next time around the track.
"Going to be there off the corner. Inside. Clear. Good job," said Shawn. David had reclaimed 15th by getting back around Yeley.
"Outside, 42 outside. Outside, still there," Shawn warned. "Outside, still there. Right rear corner. Clear. Those ten cars in front of you are lapped cars."
On lap 199, David was up to 14th by getting around Montoya's #42.
"Outside, 21 outside," Shawn noted the lapped car. "Outside, still there. Going to be there off the corner. Still there. Clear. Coming back on the outside. All clear. Clear by one. 84 in front of you is a lapped car."
"Just feels way tighter, Frank."
"All right, buddy."
Clint Bowyer muscled his way under Hamlin, trying to take the lead with a little bumping, and he spun his #07 on lap 201, bringing out the sixth caution.
"All right, Frank, I'm going to tell you something. I don't care if they give you the eighth man. When I come in, give me a bottle of water. I don't care how you get it to me," David told his crew chief.
"Okay." Static followed.
"What?"
"I'm yelling at the official here."
"Make sure there's a bunch of ice in the bottle, and from now on, make sure I get a bottle of water. Because this bag I have in here is empty."
"All right, get a bottle holder or something. If we don't get the eighth man, we'll be shoving it in the window or something." Frankie also told the crew to clear off the tires.
"You're pulling away from the 18, bro. You're much quicker than him," Shawn told his driver.
"P12 right now, buddy. You're doing a great job."
"All right, coming to the green. Pass right, protect the right. Pace car's off. Be ready. Ready? Ready? Green green green. Lapped car on the bottom!"
Jeff Gordon led the lap 207 restart with David in 12th and Dale 28th.
"Inside, 18 inside. Left rear corner. Clear," Shawn noted. "Still there. All clear. Still there. All clear. Clear all around. The 45 says he's not getting off the bottom. 18 right there with you, trying to wreck you. Inside, right rear corner. All clear. Clear by two. Get back in a rhythm. Clear by five. Clear by four, back to the 5."
Yeley lost spots after David was told to get back in rhythm.
"He's on fresh tires," Frankie warned.
Kyle Busch and Montoya passed, dropping David to 14th on lap 216. The #1 of Truex Jr was next, but then Shawn cleared the #00.
"Clear by one," said the spotter. "6 car right there with you. Clear by one. 6 car right there with you. All clear. A lot of these guys behind you came in and got tires. Inside, right rear corner. Inside, still there. 40 car inside. Still there."
David was 15th on lap 221 with Ragan's pass.
"Still there," Shawn warned as David lost another spot on lap 223 to David Stremme's #40. "1 car right there with you, 9 car inside. Inside, still there. Three-wide. Got the 1 car outside, right rear corner. Three-wide, still three-wide. Clear to the high side. 1 car outside. Going to be three-wide, three-wide, back to two-wide. 1 car outside, 15 car inside. Three-wide, three-wide. 31 outside, right rear corner. Going to be three-wide off the corner, back to two-wide. Outside. 31 corner. Still there. Clear to the bottom. Outside inside. 07 inside. Clear to the high side."
"We're going to get wrecked here, Frank!" David exclaimed.
"Keep digging," Frankie encouraged. David was 22nd by lap 227 with all the passing.
"Clear behind the 25," said Shawn. "Outside, still there. Still there, outside. Clear high. Got the 43 outside, right rear corner. Outside, still there. Still there, outside. Still there. 45 a lapped car on the bottom. Clear high behind the 43."
Labonte's #43 moved David back to 23rd on lap 230.
"Clear all around. Clear by two," Shawn noted.
"All right, bud. Settle down. Get back in a rhythm. We'll be all right," Frankie encouraged.
"Clear by five, no pressure. One spinning off of two. Back it down, back it down."
The seventh caution was on lap 234. David Stremme had spun out Kenny Wallace.
"I mean, I know the guys in front of me didn't take tires. But I'm getting run over. It's too tight to pass any body, especially when they have tires."
Frankie called for four tires, track bar, and wedge. "You gotta stop closer to the wall, bud, so we can get water to you." He said they still didn't have the eighth man.
David pit under caution. He was warned about the #44 on the outside when he was coming out of his box. He was three, then two-wide coming back not the track.
"All right, bud. Still got quite a bit of the race left," Frankie said. "Just follow the 11 car on up there. Everything will be fine."
"All right, coming to the green. Pass right, protect the right. You've got DJ restarting behind you. Ready? Ready? Green green green."
Racing resumed on lap 240 with Jeff Gordon leading, David in 24th, and Dale in 25th. Shawn cleared David by one before David was warned to go down low around a wreck.
The eighth caution was on lap 242 for a multi-car wreck at the start/finish line. Ryan Newman got rear-ended and spun. Others were collected behind him, and when Montoya was punted, his #42 had flames coming from the hood.
Frankie warned David there was a lot of fluid on the track, and Shawn said NASCAR was bringing everyone to pit road. The spotter told David to go behind the #18 for now, but they'd sort out the order later.
"You didn't flat-spot them or nothing, did you, Dave?" Frankie asked.
"No," David replied.
"All right, they're going to red-flag you in just a minute," Shawn informed his driver. "They're going to stop you on pit road, right against the wall. Going to stop you right here on the outside edge here. Going to pull you down here until you stop."
NASCAR red-flagged the race at 9:44pm ET on lap 245.
"One crewman per car can take a bottle of water out to him. That's it," Shawn relayed.
"All right, guys. Let's get an icy water and bring it out to him. Sorry about that stop there, bud. It's hard to tell who's going to come and who won't.
"Dwayne, grab a towel and wet it down. I got Gatorade all over my shield, and I can't get it off," David requested. He said the #45 was stopping the bottom. He said Kyle Petty was giving him room on the top, and he just couldn't get by.
"What about a bag of ice? Want to give him a bag of ice? Dwayne?" Frankie asked.
"Bobby Kennedy's passing out over on the other side of pit wall," David commented.
"Response there, Bob?" Frankie asked.
"Bobby!" David called. "Kennedy!"
"Earth to Bobby!"
"Okay, go ahead," Bobby came over the radio. "I was over on NASCAR's channel."
"Pay attention!" David told Bobby. "It's free!"
"What do you got?"
"I was wondering if you wanted to come over the other side of the wall to carry or fuel or something," David said."What do you got?"
"He can't even get his mitt on," Frankie replied.
"I can't say what I was getting ready to," Bobby commented. "It'll probably get me fined."
"I'll be ready for you when this race is through," said David. "You'd better have some strength left."
Frankie asked about the brakes, and Bobby said they looked fine. "It's that driver management," Frankie added.
"It's hard to believe the 42's the only one who got majorly tore up, and everyone else got away." Frankie also commented David would have been in the middle of that had they pitted.
"All right, sounds good, sounds good," David replied.
"All right, honey, thanks a lot," Frankie replied. "Once again, we're through. Done."
"Sounds exactly like something Bobby Kennedy would do to me in the truck series - leave me out on old tires to save them," David commented.
Frankie asked if Bobby had fallen out of the seat or not.
"That's real nice," David said. "I'm surprised that old man can get up on the pit box."
"Yeah, he's done for the night. He's stuck up there. He's getting some rest."
David asked if Bobby was in what sounded like Karma Creek.
"Hey, David, just tell Bobby he might have stamina at the end of the race, but h e doesn't have any fight." The voice sounded like Dale Jarrett's.
"Oooh! Now we're digging deep!" Frankie replied.
Shawn told David he'd have to go around the #01 when cars restarted, because Martin would need a push. Frankie asked if David could fire up his car again when yellow returned at 9:54pm.
"Yeah. I gave the NASCAR official my water bottle, if you want to get it back."
"Hey's walking down pit road the other way with it," Shawn replied.
Frankie asked about the fans, and David said he'd shut it off and would put it back on. The crew chief asked about water temperature.
"230. I don't know if the fan's working at all, Frank," David replied.
"All right." Frankie asked if the heat was coming down, said it probably only rose with the stop, and that it was all right.
"Pit road will be open. Will we stay out?" Shawn asked.
Frankie said they would as they only had two laps on the tires. He reminded his driver to clean off the tires well before the restart.
Racing resumed on lap 251 with Jeff Gordon leading. David was 17th, and Dale was 18th.
"Clear by four, back to the 44," said Shawn. "Clear by four."
David Stremme passed Dale two laps into the run.
"Clear by five, back to the 40," Shawn continued. "Clear by one. 40 car right there with you. Got the 21 stuck on top. 40 coming to the outside. Still there, outside. Still there. Clear behind the 40."
David lost a spot to Stremme on lap 257, just before the ninth caution. Reed Sorenson spun behind David Gilliland when Gilliland slowed dramatically.
"What'd you got there, bud?" Frankie asked.
"Seems like it's back to being okay," David replied. "Just trying to keep out of the 1 here."
"Want to pit? Four tires or what?"
"Your radio frickin' sucks, Frank."
"Pit road's open," Shawn noted.
"If anyone in front of you pits, come," Frankie told his driver. "Screw it. Four tires and fuel. Come."
"Man,I'm so sick of racing with this 18," David complained.
"All right, buddy. You've got four new tires here. This guy who run over you, let's show him what you're made of," Frankie said. "All right, buddy. You've got four fresh tires. You'll be able to sling by all this traffic. Let's do it."
NASCAR called off the restart a couple of times before Gordon finally led the lap 264 restart. David was 28th, and Dale was 26th.
"Outside. Outside, still there. 18 outside," Shawn warned. "Clear high. 7 car right with you, looking inside. Just run over you completely. Still there. Still there. All clear. All clear, clear by one."
Both spotter and crew chief commented the car still looked good.
"Is he lapped, Frank? The 7?" David asked.
"No."
By lap 269, David was 28th. He got around AJ Allmendinger for position the next time around the track, when Tony Stewart took the lead. David got around Yeley on lap 272 for another spot.
"Inside, 18 back inside," Shawn observed.
David went three-wide around Dale and Brian Vickers for 24th on lap 274.
"This thing's way, way, way too tight in the centre now," David commented. Frankie said they'd work on it.
"44 outside, looking outside. All clear," said Shawn. "Outside, 44 outside. All clear. Clear by one. Clear by one, back to the 44. Looking outside. All clear. Got the 49 lapped car in front of these two in front of you."
"... lapped car," Frankie said.
David exclaimed something that was unclear.
"Outside, outside. 26 outside, still there. Clear," Shawn noted. David picked up 23rd from Jamie McMurray's #26 on lap 281 and was cleared by two car lengths. He was 22nd the next time around the track.
"All right, buddy, you're doing a great job," Frankie praised. "23.30."
"Just really tight in the centre now on this set," David complained.
"All right, pal. We'll fix it on the next stop."
"Clear by two," Shawn continued. "Outside, 19 outside. Still there. Still there, outside. Going to be there off the corner. Outside. Still there, outside. Outside, still there. Three-wide, three-wide. Still three-wide. Two-wide. 40 car outside. Still there. Right rear corner. All clear. Got the 88 in front of the 25, a couple laps down."
Lap 288 saw David pass Sadler and 290 saw him get around David Stremme. He was now 20th.
"Outside, 88 outside," Shawn warned. "Outside, still there. Still there. Clear all around."
"All right, buddy, go get 'em!" Frankie exclaimed.
"Clear behind the 25. Clear by five, back to the 88. Outside, still there. Still there, outside. Caution's out. They're wrecking behind you."
The tenth caution was on lap 294 for another Kenny Wallace in the #88 slowed, and Jamie McMurray hit David Stremme as Stremme's #40 was three-wide with Elliott Sadler and JJ Yeley. Dave Blaney, John Andretti, and Dale were also collected. The #44 did not appear to pick up much damage.
David reported being way tighter in the centre. "I don't know if it's the air pressure."
"They're going to throw the red again," said Shawn. NASCAR brought it out on lap 295 at 10:20pm.
"How long, Shawn?" Frankie asked twice.
"It's going to be a little bit."
"Who all was in that, Shawn?" Frankie asked.
"22, 26, DJ was in it," Shawn replied. "David, Robby's spotter came over and said he's sorry. He shouldn't have bonzaied it in there."
"Okay," David replied.
"Tell Dick to stay after the race," said Frankie. He began talking fuel mileage.
"We're going to send you a bottle of water. I want you to know it came from me," Bobby said.
"I don't know if I wanted to know that," David mumbled.
"I don't think the 44 got it too bad. I don't think he can fire it back up."
"Yeah, 10-4, it didn't look too bad when I went around there."
"Bobby, just to give you a heads-up. They say Florida's beating your boy Arvin there for your $400."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Bobby replied. "Flash, we need those sheets off the 44 to see what the spring rates are."
"They're sitting on pit road, Bob. They can't work on it."
Bobby said the #44 were far enough back, they could take tires from them if they needed them.
"Let's have 'em."
When Shawn asked Frankie if they were pitting, the crew chief said. "We're coming. I know they're coming. We're coming." He said they'd run thirty laps since they changed tires.
"All right, David, when we do pit, there will be nobody in front of your box," Frankie told his driver a few minutes later. "So come in, hit your marks, come on out of there. You'll be good to go. And you'll be clear in - the 40's behind you."
"Hey, Shawn, how much longer?"
Shawn estimated four or five more minutes as they were brushing up the speedy-dry just now. "They're blowing it right now," he said a minute later.
Frankie told David they'd pit and put on four tires.
"How many we got left?" asked the driver.
"By the time we get fired up, there will be 105," Frankie said. "All right, when you come in here, do you want some water and ice, and how's your windshield."
David said the windshield was good and he could use a water bottle but no ice.
"Fire it back up there, bro," Shawn instructed. "Pit road will be closed this first time by here."
The yellow flag returned at 10:40pm.
"Okay, Dave, you're free in and free out. Kids, let's have a good stop here," Frankie told the team.
"Pit road's closed," Shawn stated. "All right, pit road will be open this time."
David pit with the leaders under caution. He was guided around the #17 and clear in and out of his box. Frankie told him to go all the way to the wall when he left pit road, and Shawn warned him Casey Mears' #25 was coming to his inside.
"I can't keep this thing running, Frank," David said.
"Sitting there in the pits?"
"Yeah."
"It'll be one to go when you get back," Shawn noted.
"All right, buddy. You're going to race on up there. Don't let that old man hold you up. Be the man."
Lap 300 saw the restart with Jimmie Johnson leading. David was 19th, and Dale was two laps down in 31st. Kevin Harvick passed one lap into the run, dropping the #00 to 20th.
"Got the 5 car high off the corner, 25 right there with you," said Shawn. "Clear by one."
David was back in 19th on lap 303 and cleared by three car lengths.
"Clear by one, back to the 25," Shawn said on lap 306. "Clear by one. Clear by four."
"23 flat," Frankie read off lap times.
"Clear by one, back to the 25. All clear. 25 right there with you. All clear, right there with you. Looking inside, inside. Left rear corner. Inside. Still there. Still there, inside. Still there, left rear corner. Inside, still there. Still there, inside. Still there, left rear corner. Inside, still there, left rear corner. 15 car. 15's a lapped car. 15. Clear all around. Clear all around. 25 inside, left rear corner, inside. Clear."
"23.40," Frankie said on lap 322.
"Clear by one."
"23.40. Car in front of you a 50."
"Inside, left rear corner. Inside, clear. Inside, 25 inside. Still there. Still there. Inside, still there. Clear all around. Clear by one. Moved up, running the same line you are. Inside, inside. Still there. Still there, inside. Still there. 25, 18 car left rear corner. That Californian can't hear now that he's run over you. 18 right there with you. Getting run over in the centre, Frank. Getting run over in the centre of the corner."
"All right," Frankie acknowledged.
"Clear all around. 18 car looking outside. All clear. Coming back inside, inside. All clear."
Mears' pass moved David to 20th by lap 330.
"Inside, left rear corner. Inside, still there. Going to be there off the corner. Clear all around. Inside, still there. Still there, left rear corner. Inside, going to be there off the corner. Inside, still there. Inside, coming right up to you. Clear all around. Inside, left rear corner. Inside, still there. Clear. Inside, still there. Inside, going to be there off the corner. Still there. Clear behind the 18."
David was 21st after Yeley's pass when the eleventh caution. Robby Gordon's #7 lost a tire and hit the wall.
David reported that the car wouldn't turn. "Yeah, I'm freaking busting my ass every lap with it."
"Put that track bar down one round," Frankie told the crew. "Four tires."
The #00 pit with the leaders under the caution.
"Got me okay?" David asked after silence.
"Got you fine," Frankie replied. "What happened?"
"Nothing, why?"
"We got you fine. Okay, let's go, bud." Frankie said there were more build-ups on the tires on one side. When David complained about the car being loose, the crew chief said they'd put down the track bar for him.
Racing resumed on lap 342 but immediately halted. The twelfth caution was on lap 343 when John Andretti's #49 lost its engine.
"Stay high," Shawn warned. "Lot of oil on the race track." He also warned David about the speedy-dry along the bottom groove. He guided the driver low around the mess and told him to follow Kyle Busch's #5.
"Good job, Shawn," Frankie praised.
Shawn told David to try going to the outside of the speedy-dry this time. "Follow the 5 through there. 15 coming by on the outside. All clear."
"Keep them bad boys cleaned off there," Bobby said of the tires.
"Put your shield down, Dave," Frankie adviced. "They'll be blowing shit in your eyes."
"To the inside here. Jet dryers are blowing it off," Shawn added. "All right, move up to the middle around that stuff. There you go. One to go when you get back around here."
"Okay, David, when you get the green, brother, it will be 50 laps to go here. 50 to go shoot-out," Shawn said a minute later. "All right, coming to the green. Pass right, protect the right. 16 car to the inside a bunch of laps down. Pace car's off. Ready? Ready? Ready? Green green green. Clear by three."
Jimmie Johnson led the lap 351 restart. David was 20th, and Dale was three laps down in 30th.
"Clear by one," Shawn noted. "Outside. 40 car outside, still there. Outside. Outside. Clear behind the 40. Slow car on the bottom getting into 1. 44 car slow on the bottom."
David was 21st by lap 254 with Stremme's pass. Kenseth passed the next time around the track.
"Outside, 40 car outside. Still there," Shawn continued. David passed the #40 on lap 357. "Still there. Outside. Going to be there off the corner. Still there, outside. Outside, still there. Clear all around. Clear by three. Clear by three."
Getting around Mark Martin's #01 on lap 361 moved David into 20th.
"Clear by two, back to the 01. Clear by two. Clear by four. Outside, still there. Still there, outside. 43 outside. Still there. Outside. 5 car outside. That 21 up there is a lapped car. Outside, still there. Three-wide. Back to two-wide. 21 outside. Good job, buddy."
"All right, buddy, great job! Jump up there and get that next pack!" Frankie praised.
David had gained one spot on lap 365 and another two circuits later.
"Clear by ten, no pressure. 33 laps to go," Shawn said. "No pressure. All by yourself."
"23.10," Frankie read off lap times.
"Outside, still there. Still there, outside. 17 outside. Still there, outside. Clear behind the 17. Clear by ten. Got that 25 up there coming back pretty quick. Clear by ten."
On lap 376, David picked up 17th from Mears as Mears' #25 dropped back. Meanwhile, Dale hit the wall and went to the garage.
"Behind the 1," said Shawn. "Clear by four. Outside, still there. All clear. Clear by five. Outside, still there. Still there. Right rear corner. Still there, outside. Got the 22 five cars up running the bottom real slow. Inside, still there. Clear to the bottom. Clear by one to the 31. Keep digging, brother. 18 laps to go."
David passed Jeff Burton on lap 382. David was now 16th.
"23.20, bud. You're the man. Faster than the leader. Keep digging, bud," Frankie praised.
Shawn told David he had no pressure.
Getting around Martin Truex Jr on lap 385 put David in 15th.
"Good job, buddy! That's the way to race them! Let's go!" Frankie praised.
"1 car right there with you," Shawn warned. "Clear by one. Outside, still there. Still there. Going to be there off the corner. Outside. Still there. Still there, outside. Still there, right rear corner. Going to be there off the corner. Still there, right rear corner. Clear. Clear all around. 10 to go, 10 to go. 41's a lapped car. Outside. Clear."
David was 14th on lap 392, having passed Matt Kenseth.
"Got the 17 one back."
"Good job, buddy. Let's get that 07 up there," said Frankie.
"Clear by seven, pulling away. Seven laps to go. Clear by three. Clear by four. Seven laps to go."
With six laps to go, Dale Earnhardt Jr was smoking and went to pit road. David was now 13th.
"Five laps to go, five laps to go," Shawn said. "Keep digging, bud. No pressure, all by yourself. Three laps to go. Outside, still there. Clear. Two to go. Clear by five. No pressure. All by yourself. Clear by five."
Jimmie Johnson went on to win while David picked up his best career finish of 13th. Dale was six laps down in 31st.
"No pressure," Shawn stated. "Good job, David. Good job, buddy."
"Great job, buddy. You finished 13th, buddy. 13th. Good job in the pits."
"Where did we finish, buddy?"
"You're 13th, buddy. 1-3. Way to hustle it at the end."
David said it was a lot better with the track bar down.
"00, you're random. 00, you're random. Down pit road," Shawn directed David to a random post-race inspection.
"Shawn, where's the car?" somebody asked.
"You've got to be on the frontstretch, bud," Frankie said.
Mikeypower.com will be reporting live from Loudon, New Hampshire, next weekend, following Nextel Cup action while the Busch Series takes a break. Stay tuned!