Mikey 10th in Charlotte, David 29th by Kellyanne Lynch
13 October 2007
The only laps that Michael Waltrip was in the top ten of tonight's Nextel Cup race at Lowe's Motor Speedway were the last. The car owner made the call from inside his #55 Napa Camry to stay out after a late race red flag, gambling on fuel and tires to gain himself eight spots. He passed two more cars in closing laps to come home 10th in the Bank of America 500. His #00 Domino's Camry, driven by rookie David Reutimann, had an early race mishap that ultimately lost the #00 four laps. David finished 29th. Teammate Dale Jarrett did not make the race.
"It's a good thing they're not drawing a picture by our night because it wouldn't have been pretty," Mikey said after the race. "We really didn't have a good set-up, but I should have known because during the final practice yesterday we kept battling back and forth -- loose and tight -- and we never could seem to get it quite right. Tonight that was the case again -- we couldn't get the car to do anything right. But, there toward the end of the race I got to run in the top groove. I wasn't going to come to pit road because I could run solid lap times up top and get a better finish. I'm real proud of my team for the effort. They did a great job on the fuel cell to make sure we could pick up all we could. The team really deserved a top-10 tonight, which is a great way to top off what has probably been the biggest week in the small history of this race team."
"I like Carolina and I would have liked to have run better throughout the night, but we ran well there at the end and that's what's important," he continued. "Next week is a big deal for us because we haven't made a flat track race this season. Our team needs to figure out what we can take to Martinsville next weekend that is different than anything we've taken anywhere else. I'm a typical race car driver -- we got a top-10 tonight, had a great run, and I'm worried about next week."
Spotter Mark Green and crew chief Bobby Kennedy performed a radio check at 7:28pm ET.
"Hey, we're the tenth pit stall in," Mark noted, "so let me get him ten away, and then I'll let you have him."
"Look here. I've got some damn light poles or something in my way. Hang on a sec," Bobby replied.
"That Interstate box is five away from ya."
"Yeah, I can see that one there. That's about the first clear view I've got. If you can get him five away, I can get him there."
"10-4."
Bobby said all the poles in the way were blocking his vision.
"Okay, I can do ten away and then I can do five away, and then I'll let you go from there," Mark determined.
"10-4, 10-4. That'll work."
"Hello?" Mikey came onto the frequency.
"I've got you loud and clear," Mark responded.
"Yeah, I've got y'all."
"10-4, 10-4. Loud and clear." Bobby said they would put the scuffs on after the first long green flag run and would put on stickers for cautions. He said they would do that for the first few runs, until Bobby said differently.
The call to start engines came at 7:33pm. Bobby told Mikey that pit road speed would be 3900 low, 4300 high.
"Wouldn't anything less than 43 be low?" Mikey asked.
"Yeah, I guess technically, that would be correct. 39 would be suggested."
"Well, I'll tell you what I say, and you tell me what to do." When Mikey asked when they would have their first stop, Bobby said they would be conservative and go with lap 49.
"They're going to pull up and stop, Mike, get everyone double-file and start up again."
"There's a ranch on the track that somebody will be missing. Just outside of the second dogleg," Mikey commented.
"Bobby, you might want to tell one of the officials there. I can't find mine," Mark said.
Bobby said they didn't have one there either - whatever one was. "All right, make sure all your blowers are on, all your blowers are on."
"All right, pit road speed right there," Mark noted.
"All right, all blowers are on, and um...," Mikey trailed off. "I'm showing about 41... well, 4."
Bobby said they would go with 4100 and check their speeds after the first stop.
"41, gotcha."
Bobby told him, on pit road, it would be the garage opening, then the 17, 66, 55, and 22.
"Is that about tenth or twelfth pit in?" Mikey asked.
"Yes sir, that would be tenth pit in, tenth pit in." Bobby said he'd guide Mikey from five away. "Get some heat in your tires when you have a chance." He told his driver about the plan to put on stickers on cautions and scrubs after.
"Hey, did Kentucky win?"
"It was in overtime the last time I saw it. I'll get you an update."
"It was an amazing game."
"All right, they're in the second overtime now. You're going to start racing before they end. I'll give you an update."
"Maybe I'll forget about it. If I don't ask, don't tell me about it."
Bobby laughed. "10-4."
"Good job this week getting the car prepared and in practice before qualifying." Mikey said he felt confident tonight and praised his crew.
Bobby told him they'd have to be persistant with the tires.
The green flag waved, and pole-sitter Ryan Newman held onto the lead. The #55 started and finished the one-lap run in 19th.
"Caution's out, caution's out. Got a spin behind us."
The first caution was on lap 2 after David slapped the wall hard enough that the tire well sustained serious damage. He fell to last but stayed on the lead lap.
Mikey said he might have bent up the valance, because he got on the apron. "What happened, Mark?"
"Um, got down there in 3 and 4, and Reut jerked into the outside wall," Bobby replied.
"Well, judging from the wall, it can't be good."
Bobby told Mikey to stay as close to the grass as possible. "Looks all good, looks good. Chris, just keep an eye on it the first stop. But it looks good there."
"I was listening to them, and they weren't saying anything," Mikey commented.
Newman led the lap 6 restart with Mikey in 19th.
"Clear all around, clear all around. Looking outside. Still clear, still clear. Clear all around," Mark guided. "Slow one up top here. Clear by three behind you. Still out there. Clear behind him if you need it."
David Gilliland passed on lap 9, moving Mikey to 20th.
"Looking inside, inside. Got a follower on the bottom," Mark noted. "29 right there on your quarter. Inside. Clear, clear all around right there. Clear all around."
The #29 of Kevin Harvick got around the #55 on lap 10. One lap later, Jamie McMurray took the lead. Mikey was 22nd with Bowyer's pass.
"Inside, inside. 07 car. Clear behind him if you need it. Clear all around. Clear half back to the 20. Back inside, inside. Clear behind the 20 if you need it. Clear by two on the 40."
Mikey was 23rd on lap 12 with Tony Stewart's pass.
"Those front tires are grinding again," Mikey reported.
"10-4, 10-4. 30.50, 30.50," Bobby read off lap times.
"Pulling away from behind you," Mark observed.
"60, 30.60. Leader a flat.
"60, 60."
"Clear by four on the 31 car."
"85, 85."
Jimmie Johnson took the lead on lap 18.
"Looking inside, inside. 31 car by himself. Clear by ten behind him," Mark said. Mikey lost that spot to Jeff Burton on lap 19 and was now 24th.
"31.20, 31.20," Bobby reported. "What's your temps, please? What's your temps?"
"Got the 8 car running up top both ends, one back. Got a run up high here. Clear behind him by eight."
Lap 22 saw the second caution. David Ragan ran into David Stremme when the pair went three-wide with another car.
"210, 200," Mikey said. "I can't see these frickin' gauges. If you want me to read them at night, you've got to put a light in them. It's actually 210, 220."
Bobby called to drop both front liners down a pound. "Half out of the left front. Let's get caught up here. We'll put four tires on."
Leaders pit under caution. Mark led Mikey until five away, and Bobby took over. The #55 stopped, and the team made the adjustments Bobby had called before sending the car back out.
"One in the middle there backing up. One in the middle there backing up. 41, 41," Mark warned.
The crew chief told his driver he had taken a pound out of the right front and half out of left front. "As we get on through the night, I know you're having a hard time reading the gauges. Check them and let me know. We might be able to add the tape." Bobby said he'd show a crew member where to put the tape.
"Dale got two, so y'all let me know how that goes," Mikey requested.
"10-4, 10-4."
Kyle Petty led the lap 25 restart, and Mikey was 33rd. Robby Gordon immediately took the lead, and Mikey popped up to 27th. David was 41st.
Matt Kenseth moved into the top spot on lap 27 while Mikey took 26th. The #55 lost two spots the next time around the track.
"Clear right there, clear behind the 18," Mark observed. "Clear all around."
Jamie McMurray took the lead on lap 28. Mikey was now 26th.
"Still out there. Clear, clear all around."
"50, 30.50," Bobby read off lap times. "60."
"Got a run up high here. Outside, outside. 84 outside, the 1 car running high with him. Looking outside, 1 car," Mark noted. "Clear behind the 1. Clear by five back to the 42. That 1 car started running the high on both ends."
Kevin Harvick pit as Mikey fell to 28th on lap 33.
"60, 60. That was a pretty good lap right there," Bobby praised.
"Clear, clear," said Mark as Mikey picked up 27th from Bill Elliott on lap 35.
"80, 80.
"70, 70."
"Still clear by five on the 21."
"31.10, 31.10."
"Clear the 18."
Passing JJ Yeley on lap 39 moved Mikey into 26th. Meanwhile, David ran 38th.
"Back inside, back inside. Still there, still there," Mark warned. "Clear, clear all around. 45 stayed out that last stop, didn't take tires."
"90, 90. Leader 55.
"10, 31.10. Leader a 65."
"Still out there, still there," Mark observed. "Clear, clear."
Mikey was up to 25th on lap 44. Harvick returned to pit road with what he thought were bad tires.
"The front end isn't working right still," Mikey complained. "Pretty balanced."
"10-4, 10-4. I'll keep working on that air." Bobby said the air might be low and he'd talk to the other guys. He asked Mikey to keep him updated. "31.10, 31.10.
"09, 09. Leader 85."
By lap 47, Mikey was 24th after passing Kyle Petty. Lap 48 saw the #48 move into the top spot. Robby Gordon pit, and Mikey passed Kasey Kahne the next time around the track. The #55 was now 22nd.
"90, 90. That was a good lap there. That was a run with the top 5," Bobby noted.
"Clear by six on the 45," Mark said.
"31.10, 31.10.
"05, 05. Leader a 90. That was pretty good there. Pretty good. Only a couple cars faster than that."
"Clear by ten on the 45."
"31 flat, 31 flat. That's real good," Bobby praised. "That's the third quickest time.
"31.15, 31.15. Leader's a flat.
"31 flat, 31 flat. Third quickest car right there." He and Mark warned Mikey that the #7 of Robby Gordon was coming and on new tires.
"He scraped the wall," Mark said after Gordon passed. "Clear by five. Still clear by five."
Lap 60 saw David lose the lead lap. He was 33rd.
"35, 35. Leader an 05.
"30, 31.30."
"Clear by ten on the 7," Mark said.
"All right, about fifteen lap before the next stop," Bobby noted. He asked about the car.
"It's getting tight," Mikey reported.
"10-4. I'll make another air pressure adjustment."
"Still out there, still there. Clear, clear," said Mark.
"The front tires are about to grind off of it, it feels like," Mikey said on lap 64.
"All right, 10-4, 10-4," Bobby responded.
"Clear, clear," Mark noted.
"31.40, 31.40."
"Caution's out, caution's out. Got one in the wall in 3 and 4. Caution's out."
Reed Sorenson's #41 hit the wall, drawing the third caution on lap 68. Bill Elliott received the free pass.
Bobby said they would make an air pressure adjustment and work on the grinding problem but would
Mikey told his crew chief about the car. "It's just too tight, so... so maybe let a quarter pound out of the left rear or something."
"We took a pound out of that rubber. Keep in mind we have some rubbers in that left rear."
"Yeah, I wouldn't mind if you jerked one of them out."
Bobby said they would take one out and see how that works.
After the stop, Mikey said what sounded like, "I could kick your butt."
"I only see you when it's four away," Bobby replied.
"I mean, I'm running 40 MPH, and he's saying ten away, five away. Kind of messed me up. How far are we in front of the 17? Two?"
"Yes sir, correct. Two," Bobby replied. "That 8 car maintained pretty good with two tires, so we'll keep that in mind later in the race."
"What was the caution for that time?"
"The 41 got in the wall in 3 and 4."
"How's Reutimann after that wreck?"
"He got down a lap there. He's still..." Mark trailed off.
"I know y'all aren't going to believe this, but this motor, it just doesn't feel like I hoped it would. It doesn't run off the bottom like I hoped it would."
Bobby reported that Mikey had "big build up" on the right front, but the tires looked really good.
Kurt Busch led the restart on lap 72 with Mikey in 23rd. Martin Truex Jr passed one lap into the run.
"Clear by three," Mark noted. "Looking outside, outside. By himself. Clear behind the 1. Clear all around.
"Got a slow one up high, slow one up high. Outside, clear low. Outside. Clear high behind the 4. Clear high."
"I got damage on my nose. I got jacked up, and I hit him," Mikey told his crew.
"10-4."
Lap 76 saw him drop to 29th as Kenseth reclaimed the lead.
"Nose looks good from here, best I can see it," Mark said. "Got a spin in front of you. Come down, come down. There ya go. Caution's out."
The fourth caution was on lap 78 for Tony Raines' spin. Scott Riggs received the free pass.
"I couldn't really tell nothing about my car," Mikey reported. "I was in that mess, and then two or three of them about spun out. About run over someone." He said he reckoned the nose was okay, and he wanted to stay out. He said the temperatures would say by now if they had an issue.
"That 00 will get up and look at it, Mike."
"Yeah, it looks good on the binoculars," Bobby commented.
Mikey said Mark needed to "up the game a little bit", because he didn't know Kasey Kahne was there and almost hit him.
"Yeah, 00 says your nose is good," relayed the crew chief.
"Clean up truck against the wall, past the start/finish line," Mark commented. "One to go, one to go."
Kenseth led the lap 81 restart. Mikey was 21st, and David was one lap down in 35th. Mark immediately warned his driver about cars outside. One lap into the run, the #55 moved back to 22nd.
"Still outside," Mark warned. "Clear high, clear high. Back inside. Still inside. Still down there. Clear, clear."
Mikey had passed Jamie McMurray on lap 84.
"Inside, back inside. Got the 26 in the corner. Clear all around. Back inside, inside."
McMurray and Truex Jr both passed, putting the #55 in 24th on lap 85.
"Still out there, still there. Clear. Clear all around. Three-wide, two-wide. Still out there. Clear, clear all around," Mark continued. "Back inside, inside. Outside. Clear low. Inside, you're in the middle, you're in the middle. Clear high, clear high. Outside, clear low. Still outside. Got one coming outside. 15 still out there. Clear behind him if you need it."
"It's so loose in, I can't drive it," Mikey complained on lap 88 when he was back to 28th.
"10-4," Mark responded. "Still clear by one on the 36. Still out there, still there. Got one in the wall here, up high. Clear clear. Clear by five."
By lap 93, Mikey was 27th. Johnson was back in the lead at this point. Bobby said his times were a little better.
"90, 90," Bobby read off times. "85, 85. Leader now.
"95, 95. Leader a 60."
"Clear by eight on the 36," Mark noted on lap 97.
"31.15, 15."
"Slow one on top up here. Clear of the 9," Mark warned. "Still there. Clear, clear."
Mikey was 26th on lap 100 when Kahne slowed on the track.
"Clear by four," said Mark.
"31.20, 20.
"31.10, 31.10."
"Still out there, still there. Clear behind him if you need it," Mark noted. "Still out there, still out there. Still out there."
Mikey said something over static that included the word people.
"Clear, clear."
On lap 105, Mikey was 25th.
"What's the matter? You still loose in?" Bobby asked.
"I have a chatter in my tires in the centre," Mikey complained.
"All right, 10-4, 10-4."
"Clear by eight on the 84," said Mark.
"25, 31.25.
"15, 31.15."
"Clear by ten behind you."
"30, 31.30."
Mikey yelled something over static. "If I try to drive in at all, it's loose in, but then it's plowing... it chatters through the centre."
"All right, 10-4, 10-4," Bobby replied. "15, 31.15.
"30, 31.30. Leader 90. Ten laps away from pitting. Ten away.
"40, 40."
David was two laps down by lap 116, running 34th.
"Leader's thirty cars back," Mark warned.
Lap 118 saw the fifth caution for debris. Bobby asked his driver if he wanted the rubber put back in and said he would work on the right front.
"Try to work with air pressure. The tires just get so full of air, you can't drive it. It's ridiculous. Then we got it screaming loose trying to deal with that."
"10-4, 10-4. How's your temps, bud?"
"200, 240."
"All right, 10-4, 10-4. All right, get caught up here."
"Pace car just caught the leader off of two," Mark noted.
Bobby called for four tires and a rubber back in the left rear. He told the crew to check front and make sure tape ready if need it from earlier contact. "Nice and smooth on this stop. We're the last car on the lead lap. Let's take plenty of time and get it right. How's your windshield, bud?"
"It's all right," Mikey replied.
Bobby told Mark to guide, then told Mikey, "Just be prepared, baby. Remember that I can't see."
Mark led Mikey to the #55 stall.
"Uh, Kentucky won. Kentucky won, for your info there," Bobby told his driver. Mikey's response was one word and came in static. "Tires looked good, as they have, but have four and a half pounds of build-up on the left front." Bobby said he would work on the right front and put air in the left.
"If you want to put on some lefts, right front air pressure, it might be the time to do it," Mikey commented.
"One to go here," Bobby pointed out. "One to go."
"Coming to the one to go, Mike. That 15 is going to have to go to the back for some violation there," Mark told his driver.
Mikey said something about getting a good finish, but the beginning was in static.
Kenseth led the lap 123 restart. Mikey was 24th, and David was two laps down in 37th.
"Clear all around," said Mark. "Clear, clear all around. Clear, clear the 7. 15 car half back. Clear all around. 15 inside. He's by himself. Still down there. Clear, clear. Clear all around. Back inside, inside. Still clear, clear. Still inside. You're in the middle. Clear high, clear low, clear all around."
By lap 127, Mikey was 22nd.
"30.50, 30.50," Bobby read off lap times.
"Still out there. Clear clear clear," Mark noted. "Clear by five on the 42. Clear all around."
"I gotta have some help getting into the turn," Mikey said on lap 130.
"All right, I'll work on your track bar. I'll work on your track bar next stop. 30.60, 30.60," Bobby replied.
"Clear by three on the 15," Mark observed. "22 a little slow here on top."
"80, 30.80."
"Still clear by two. Looking inside, inside. Clear by eight behind him."
Paul Menard passed, dropping the #55 to 23rd on lap 134. Meanwhile, Kurt Busch took the lead.
"It's extremely loose right now," Mikey complained.
The sixth caution was on lap 137 when Robby Gordon hit the wall and spun.
"Fix the chatter, fix that track bar," Mikey said. Bobby cut him off and said to go back to the original air and fix the track bar. Mikey suggested a possible pound in the left rear. Bobby wanted to go up on the track bar, put a pound in the left rear and a pound in the liner.
Mikey pit with others under caution. Mark warned Mikey to go behind the #2 and to watch him.
"41," Bobby reminded after the stop. "All right, if we can get this thing a little closer, we can take two tires.
"Cody, when you're finished, come up here, okay?"
"Got a clean up truck up high, coming into 3," Mark warned. "Lapped cars will be coming to your outside."
Clint Bowyer led the lap 142 restart. Mikey was 23rd while David was two laps down in 37th.
"Looking inside, inside," Mark guided. "Still down there. Clear, clear. Still outside, still there. Clear all around."
Passing Dave Blaney moved the Napa Camry into 22nd on lap 145.
"Still outside, still out there," warned the spotter. "Clear clear."
Lap 146 saw Kurt Busch move into the top spot.
"Clear by five, plenty of room," Mark said.
"30.49, 49," Bobby read lap times.
"Still out there, still out there. Clear, clear. Coming back, outside. Clear all around, clear all around.
"Still out there. Clear, clear. Clear all around."
Blaney passed along the inside on lap 150.
"96 on the bottom there will be slow on the back," Mark warned. "Three-wide. Clear, clear all around, clear all around. Clear by four on the 22."
Mikey had passed Blaney on lap 152 for position. He was now 22nd. Meanwhile, Johnson reclaimed the lead.
"Need a little help with that left front," Mikey commented.
"70, 70. Lap before that was a 60. Competitive times right there," Bobby noted.
Mikey commented on the chattering again. He was 23rd on lap 154.
"10-4 on the chatter," Mark replied.
"31.05."
Casey Mears passed on lap 156; Mikey was now 24th.
"30, 31.20."
"Give me a little help on those right side tires. They're pushing," Mikey requested.
The seventh caution was on lap 158 for Matt Kenseth, who spun. Mikey drove low to avoid him.
"I believe that the air pressure might have fixed the left rear, might have fixed the loose in." He told his crew chief to put the track bar back up. Bobby went with his driver's plan.
"Easing up there in Turn 1," Mark warned.
"One round up on that track bar, and four tires, four tires," Bobby told the crew.
Leaders pit under caution.
"All right, keep closing down that build up in the right rear. Keep working on it," Bobby reported.
"All right, just keep doing what you're going to do and don't tell me about it. I'll try to tell you what it's doing," Mikey replied.
Lap 163 saw the restart. Bowyer led, Mikey was 22nd, and David was two laps down in 37th.
"Clear all around, clear all around," Mark noted. JJ Yeley passed and dropped him to 23rd during the first lap.
"Slow one on top. Keep digging. Clear. Coming inside, inside, still inside," Mark warned. "Still down there. Still inside, inside. Clear low if you need it."
Mikey was 26th on lap 165, having lost a number of spots.
"I almost wrecked!" Mikey commented.
"10-4. Good job there!" Mark replied. "9 car taking a look outside, outside. Still out there, still out there. Clear behind him if you need it. Still inside. Clear. Clear all around."
Two laps later, Mikey was 27th after Kasey Kahne's pass.
"40, 30.40," Bobby read lap times.
"Clear by six behind you. No pressure.
"Clear clear. Coming back inside. Clear clear.
"Still there, still there. Clear clear. Clear all around."
Passing Johnny Sauter on lap 172 moved Mikey into 26th.
"Clear by three," Mark continued.
"79, 79."
"Got the 29 on the bottom, holding this little group up."
"78, 78."
"Still inside, still there. You're in the middle, in the middle. Clear high, clear high."
On lap 175, Mikey was 25th after passing JJ Yeley."
"Clear, clear all around. Caution's out."
Lap 178 saw the eighth yellow flag. Elliott Sadler had hit the wall.
"How's that, bud?"
"Uh, still a little chattery. Still a little tight. Couldn't be any looser in, but when you put the track bar back up, it made me a little bit loose in, so I believe I'd put it back down and then maybe look at some more work on lowering the left air pressure a little bit. Because it goes fine at the start. It's okay, but it could be a little better."
Bobby wanted to try two tires.
"This car's not good enough. We really got nothing to gain. Let's wait until later," Mikey suggested.
Bobby called for four tires and a track bar adjustment. Mikey pit with the leaders under caution.
"Go go go go," Bobby directed after the stop. Mark reminded, "41, 41."
"I'm fine with two tires," Mikey explained. "I'd just like to let a little more air out of that left front before we can see what we've got."
Bobby said he understood and was fine with that.
"Had another crash on pit road," the driver commented.
"Yeah, 10-4. The 20 was coming out, and the 9 was coming in," Mark added.
"I believe a long run right here might get us pretty close."
"All right, 10-4. Yeah, your tires weren't too bad right there. Closing the gap," Bobby replied.
Mark warned Mikey about a clean-up truck high in Turn 2.
Bowyer led the restart on lap 181. Mikey was 22nd, and David was 35th and two laps down. Mark cleared the #55 by four car lengths.
"Still clear by four," the spotter continued.
"Well that is gonna leave a mark!" Mikey exclaimed one lap into the run.
"10-4. Clear by two on the 15. Clear low, clear high, clear all around. 15 looking inside. Still clear, still clear."
Mikey was 21st on lap 184, but he fell to 23rd the next time around the track after Paul Menard and Johnny Sauter passed.
"Clear, clear high," Mark said. "Slow one on the bottom up here. Everyone's backing up. Everyone's good." He cleared Mikey.
On lap 187, Johnson reclaimed the lead. Mikey was 22nd.
"30.50, 50," Bobby read off times.
One lap later, Mikey passed Sauter for 21st. The next time around the track, Sauter got back around him and took Bobby Labonte with him.
The ninth caution was on lap 190 when Bill Elliott hit the wall after Mears rear-ended him.
"All right, can you tell anything right there, bud?"
"Uh, just a little too tight still," Mikey stated. "Take that rubber back out of the right rear, because that's not what made us loose in. We can stay out if they do, or we can come in and do whatever you want, but I don't know. It didn't chatter throughout that run. It was just too tight."
"Adjust that air right there, Cody." Bobby told Mikey to stay out if many in front of him stop. "If we come, we will pull that rubber."
"Looks like all of them are coming," Mark observed. "41, 41. Watch this... ten to go. Five, four, three."
"Go go go go go. Halfway, halfway, behind the 01. We got that rubber back out of that left rear," Bobby said. Kurt Busch and Mark Martin collided on pit road.
"Looks like a lot of two tires that time," Mikey commented.
"Yeah, 10-4. 10-4 on that," Bobby replied.
"Got a couple clean up trucks off of four on the top," Mark warned.
Johnson led the restart on lap 195. Mikey was 24th, and David was three laps down in 36th. One lap into the run, the #55 lost a spot to Kurt Busch.
"Clear by eight," Mark said.
"30.15, 30.15. Fastest lap of the race for you," Bobby added.
"Still clear by eight.
"15, 15.
"60, 60."
"Clear by twelve."
Kurt Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr, and Mark Martin had the #55 boxed in.
"Still there. Clear, clear. Back inside. Clear, clear," Mark said.
Mikey passed Greg Biffle on lap 204, picking up 24th.
"Clear, clear."
"65, 65."
"Still out there."
"60, 60."
"Still clear by eight on the 45," Mark said. "Hold the brake, hold the brake, let go, hold the brake. Ease back real slow, ease back real slow. You're clear there. Clear."
"Any damage, Mark?" Bobby asked. "Okay."
Lap 208 was the tenth caution. John Andretti had nailed Matt Kenseth, and Mikey spun behind them.
"How's your car, bud?" Bobby asked.
"Pushing." Mikey said he needed a "lightening fast stop" and they needed to pick up the fenders.
Bobby told the crew to come back for fuel and hold off this time.
Mikey pit before the pace car.
"That was weird," he commented after the stop.
Bobby said he was looking at the computer and missed what happened. "Looked like you were in the grass in front of me."
The #55 pit again for fuel.
"Get ready, guys. Found a wheel weight off," Bobby told the crew to put on four tires because of this. "Left sides here."
The field was led down pit road during clean-up.
"What happened behind him, Mark, when they started wrecking like crazy?" Bobby asked.
"The 49 crashed," Mark replied, "but I was watching Mike. I didn't see."
"That's the latest in the history of my career that I've ever spun out. I was almost going straight," Mikey stated.
"Give you a little excitement here. Working lap 211, you're working lap 211 here," Bobby replied. He told a crew man, "Take that tire, go get it balanced." He said they'd top off at the end of the yellow flag period.
Mikey pit again to top off and then was sent to the tail end of the longest line for pitting too soon at the beginning of the yellow flag period.
Lap 215 saw the restart. Jeff Gordon led, Mikey was 28th, and David was three laps down in 35th. Mark warned Mikey of the slow #36 of Jeremy Mayfield, who was riding the bottom groove. Mikey was 27th on lap 216.
"Man, my windshield's doing the same thing it did at Talladega, and now it's killing me," Mikey said.
"10-4," Mark replied. "20 car looking inside, inside. Clear behind him. Clear all around."
The #55 was back to 28th on lap 218 and cleared by fifteen car lengths.
"05, 05," Bobby read lap times. "30, 30."
Passing Kyle Petty on lap 221 put Mikey in 27th.
"Still down there," Mark warned. "Clear, clear all around."
"I'm loose off. Loose in, loose everywhere a little bit," Mikey reported.
"10-4," was Bobby's response.
"Still there, still there," Mark guided. "Clear, clear."
Petty repassed on lap 223; Mikey was back to 28th.
The eleventh caution was one lap later when Kenseth ran into the wall.
"Man, we suck!"
"10-4. That was no adjustments there."
"I mean, I just can't drive it. You gotta put the track bar back down." Mikey said the car was pretty close on the front end.
Bobby called for two tires and an air pressure and track bar adjustment.
"And take the frickin peel-offs, and get rid of whoever does it!" He said he couldn't believe they brought the same thing from Talladega to Charlotte.
Bobby said it probably came up from the spin.
"I'd like to blame it on the spin," Mikey said. He told his crew chief it was peeling up before the spin. "I didn't spin at Talladega, and I didn't do it here. It isn't the fucking spin."
"All right, calm down, dude. I'm just saying what I saw."
"It's pissing me off every time someone spins out. It's fucking up the whole world."
Bowyer led the lap 228. Mikey was 26th while David was three laps down in 34th.
"Clear by four, all around," Mark said. "Clear by five."
"15," said Bobby.
"Still clear by five. Spin in front of you, spin in front of you. Just stay straight, just stay straight. Caution's out."
The yellow flag waved for the twelfth time on lap 232; Jimmie Johnson got spun.
Bobby asked about the car.
Mikey couldn't really tell anything yet. "I don't understand why we gotta run under these conditions. This track, when it gets cold, is way different than it is when it gets hot. It doesn't tire test right."
"10-4." Bobby said he needed to top off the fuel. He asked about an adjustment.
"Let's just top it and see what happens. Let's lower the track bar a little bit more, see what that does."
"It'll be gas and an adjustment, gas and an adjustment."
The #55 pit under caution.
"96 will be coming to your outside right here," Mark warned. "Okay, you're good.
"Okay, one to go this time. One to go."
"How many more laps left?" Mikey asked.
"It'll be 100 when you get the green. 100," Bobby replied.
Lap 235 saw the restart. Bowyer led, and Mikey was 26th. David was still 34th and three laps down.
"Clear by five," Mark noted.
"30 flat, 30 flat."
"Clear by twelve, back to the 45. Still out there. Clear all around.
"Clear by five, back to the 48 car."
"45, 45."
On lap 241, Johnson passed along the inside and put Mikey back in 27th.
"Clear all around," said Mark.
"Front tires are not chattering at all, but I'm loose," Mikey reported.
"10-4 on the loose," Bobby acknowledged. "65."
"Still clear by eight to the 45.
"Clear by four.
"Looking inside, inside. Clear behind the 45. Clear by twenty."
Petty passed on lap 248, moving the #55 to 28th.
"85, 85," Bobby read off times. "85.
"31 flat."
"Clear by thirty behind you. No pressure," Mark said.
"31 flat, 31 flat."
"Still out there."
"95, 95.
"95.
"31 flat. Leader now."
"Still there, still there," Mark warned. "Still there, still there. Clear, clear. Clear all around, clear all around."
Lap 258 saw Mikey pass Biffle for 27th.
"30.70, 70. Good lap right there," praised the crew chief.
"Clear by eight on the 16."
"95, 95."
Raines' #96 was spitting water when he pit on lap 263.
"Clear by ten on the 16," Mark told Mikey.
"15, 15. Leader now.
"05, 05."
Passing Menard on lap 266 put Mikey in 26th.
"Clear, clear," Mark confirmed. "Clear by five on the 15."
"31.10, 31.10," Bobby read lap times. "05, 05.
"15, 15.
"25."
"Clear by six on the 00."
On lap 272, Mikey picked up 25th. Jeff Gordon continued to lead.
"Still clear by three," said Mark.
"Are you still loose? We're about ten laps away from pitting," Bobby asked.
"I'm pushing and loose," Mikey replied. "Both."
"Okay, 10-4."
"Looking inside. Still clear, still clear."
Jamie McMurray pit on lap 277 for a scheduled stop, putting Mikey in 24th.
"The front tires are vibrating so bad I can't see, and then I'm sideways off," Mikey reported.
Bobby acknowledged what his driver said and warned Mikey that drivers were peeling off for pit road.
"Got the leader about five back. Three back to the 00," said Mark.
"31.05."
"Clear by four, back to the 24. He's the leader. Looking outside, outside by himself. Clear behind him."
Mikey had just been lapped when the thirteenth caution came on lap 280. Juan Pablo Montoya blew a tire, and he and Riggs hit the wall in the debris.
"Uh, we got that rubber in the right rear." Bobby thought the car might have springs that are too stiff.
Mikey told Bobby to do whatever on the front. "It's just a really really ill handling car. I don't know if it's a spring. Something's not right."
Bobby said they had the free pass. "Get the rubbers out."
"Pull them out on the left too, if you think that would give more traction. Maybe lower that trackbar more on the right and do whatever on the front."
"Take me a round out on that right rear, and take those rubbers out along with the air pressure adjustment," Bobby ordered. "Pack it full, pack it full."
"Mark, if you were saying anything important, I didn't hear it," Mikey said.
"I wasn't saying anything," Mark replied. "41 here. 41."
Bobby told Mikey to be safe and get around the 66 on pit road when he came in for his stop. He also told his driver to save some fuel under caution. "Hey remember though, we have half a gallon buffer, so there's a bluff in that."
Bobby asked Derrick to get a reading immediately so they'd know if they needed to conserve. Derrick said they'd be in trouble if they had to do a green / white / checkered.
"We don't care about that, because then we just need to get some gas," Mikey replied.
Bobby said 23 cars were on the lead lap, and they had 58 laps to go.
"That 2 is having some motor issues, Mike. I don't know if they got 'er fixed or not," Mark warned.
Kyle Busch led the lap 284 restart. Mikey was 22nd, and David was four laps down in 31st. Gordon's #24 took the lead on lap 286.
"Clear all around," Mark said.
"30.30. 30," Bobby read lap times.
Five laps into the run, Mikey got around Kyle Petty for 21st.
"50. 30.50.
"65, 65.
"75, 75.
"80, 80.
"80, 80. Leader 95."
"Clear by six, back to the 45," Mark said. "Clear high, clear high."
"70, 70."
"Clear by eight, back to the 45."
"75, 75.
"85, 85."
"17 be slow on the bottom," Mark warned. "Still there, still there. Clear. Clear all around."
"95."
On lap 300, the #55 got around Earnhardt Jr's #8 for 20th.
"95.
"75, 75. All right, you're quicker than those guys in front of you. Go get 'em!" Bobby encouraged. "85. 85.
"90, 90."
"Clear by twelve, back to the eight car."
"95, 95.
"All right, 30 laps to go, 30 laps to go," Bobby said. "31 flat, 31 flat.
"15, 31.15."
"Clear by twelve, back to the 8 car," Mark noted.
"05, 05.
"15, 15."
"Clear by six on the 8 car. He's running up top on both ends."
"20, 20. Leader... now."
"8 car got a big run here. Clear by two. Clear by one. Outside, still out there. Still there. Clear behind him. Clear by two, back to the 00. Clear, clear. Looking inside. Clear, clear. 00, clear by two. Clear by four."
"20 to go, 20 laps to go. 05."
"Clear all around," Mark noted, after Mikey had held off Earnhardt Jr.
"Flat, flat.
"85. Good lap there. Good lap.
"90."
"Clear the 00. Car there in front of you is slow. Clear, clear all around.
"Clear high."
"15 to go, 15 to go," Bobby told his driver.
"Got the 16 two back running the bottom," Mark warned. "He just got tires. Coming inside, inside. By himself. Clear 16. Spin in front of you, spin in front of you. You just hold your line. He's down on the bottom. Caution's out."
On lap 323, Johnny Sauter spun and brought out the fourteenth caution. Bobby asked about the car.
"Well, I can stay out," Mikey replied.
"Take a chance on her. We're p19 right now. About 20 cars on the lead lap."
"I can run around the top now, because I'm not loose anymore on these old tires, so I'll just stay out. The heck with it."
"10-4. They'll be gunning for you. They'll run quick for a couple laps, but we'll see what happened. But if the whole field stays out, we'll come in and get tires."
Mikey said the car was just pushing now.
"Okay, 10-4."
"I think there's oil on the bottom of the track," Mikey observed.
"All right, tell that official."
Mark said they knew about it already and it would take a while to clean the track.
"All right, be ready, guys, in case he comes here," Bobby told the crew.
"Still closed there, Bobby," Mark relayed the information.
"10-4."
"Number 11 just ran out of gas, so number 18 just gave him a push," Mikey announced. "I'd say this is getting ready to be a red flagged situation. Hey, I don't mind if the 18 gave the 11 car a push, but he can't get his spot back. He slowed down and got pushed by the 18 and then went and got his spot back."
Bobby said they would complain to an official. "Red flag."
The red flag was at 11:28pm on lap 325.
"What kind of odds do you want to lay on the starter?"
"I wouldn't test it. We might need that 18."
Mikey said he needed someone to give him a push and asked them to go find somebody.
"Just tell the official there that we're going to need a push, we're going to need a push." Bobby said most drivers looked like they were staying out, judging by what the crews were doing.
"Okay, blow them up."
"10-4."
"Looks like the steering box has come loose from the chassis," Mikey commented.
"That can't look pretty."
"Who's this behind me, because he could push me."
"Uh, that's the 43. I don't know if he would or not. NASCAR said they would just push us," Mark replied.
"How far was Gordon ahead of the 5?"
"He had a pretty sizeable lead, but the 5 was closing it up pretty quick," Bobby commented.
"How about the 48?" Mikey asked. "He just wrecks and gets back up to 6th. I need them to push me pretty soon so I don't lose all my... so I can keep up here."
Bobby said a truck was sitting six or seven cars back from him. "Most of the chatter on the scanner is is staying out."
Mikey said he wanted to stay out anyway. "Because I ain't gonna be able to beat nobody. I'm screwed either way, so y'all do whatever you want. If they start pitting at tenth, we should definitely stay out and see if we've got something."
Bobby told his driver they were ready either way. "They're probably going to tear up a bunch of them anyway in this final ten."
"I didn't think that was the 43 behind me, and it wasn't," Mikey said after a pause.
"That would be correct, looking down there," Bobby replied.
After a pause, Mikey commented, "I'm glad the starter worked that one time when I spun out. I would have been up the creek if it didn't work."
"Where's Kevin at?" Bobby asked. "He run off when we started talking about the starter."
"Well, just make it work, and we won't talk about it." A minute later, Mikey asked, "What time is it?"
"11:40, 11:40."
The field returned to the yellow flag a minute later.
"Hey, Mike, once they get all strung out, that 18 up there is where we need to line up," Mark said.
"I don't understand why they let the 18 get his spot back," complained the driver.
Bobby said the call to pit was on Mikey. "Four tires if we come, guys. Four tires."
"What do you think about that?" Mikey asked when he stayed on the track.
"It's going to be exciting!" Bobby laughed.
"Aw, man! Now they're pitting! They're going where I was planning on going."
"Tell that official we need to clean that up up there." Bobby said that might delay the restart. He said they should be good on fuel.
"Got the 45 coming to your outside," Mark observed. "He'll be the lucky dog. One back from you now."
"All right, be on your toes up there," Bobby advised his driver. "These cats are close on fuel, as we hear on the scanner. You're p12 right here. p12."
Mark told Mikey they had one lap to go before the restart, and they would be behind the #88 and the #84.
"What's wrong with the 15?" Mikey asked.
"He'd be a lap down. Single-file here." Mark said the vacuum must have blown up in Turns 1 and 2, because they hadn't vacuumed up the quickie-dry.
"All right, dude, it'll be 5 to go when you get that gree. 5 to go. Tighten those belts up. Be safe. Get us a good finish," Bobby encouraged.
Jeff Gordon led the restart on lap 330. Mikey was 12th, and David was four laps down in 30th. Ryan Newman charged right by Gordon and Busch as the teammates battled for position. Mikey was 10th one lap into the run.
"Looking inside, inside. Still down there," Mark warned. "Got another one inside. Still inside, still there."
"Three to go, three to go," said Bobby.
"Got a spin in front of you. Come down low, come down low. Stay where you're at. Caution's out," Mark directed.
Race leader Newman spun, bringing out the fifteenth caution with three laps to go. The #12 jerked into the wall off Turn 2 after losing a tire. Meanwhile, Gordon said he was running out of gas.
"All right, save me a little fuel. Save me a little fuel." Bobby asked Derrick if they were up to 338 now, and that was confirmed. "All right, Mark, be on your toes. We got a lot of chatter from guys in front of us, worried about fuel. Just like we are."
"Mark, you tell Tim up there that AJ's going to have a career finish if he doesn't do anything crazy," somebody said.
"10-4," Mark replied.
"These guys, if they don't get their tires warmed up are going to spin them," Mikey commented.
Gordon led the green / white / checkered restart. Mikey was 11th.
"Still inside, still inside," Mark warned. "Clear, clear all around, clear all around."
Mikey was 10th on lap 337. He held onto the spot while Jeff Gordon went on to win. David was 29th, four laps down.
"Still clear, clear by five to the 88. One more. Clear by one, good corner. Looking inside, not there. Inside. Checkered flag, checkered flag."
"Good job!" Bobby said. "P10. Good call on staying out."
"Good job with the fuel cell and trusting me enough to know I could make the right call. Thank you," Mikey replied.
"I think they call that chicken salad. Good job! That was a hell of a rally back to the top ten. Good job," Mark praised.
Be sure to watch Michael Waltrip Racing next week at Martinsville! Coverage of the Nextel Cup's Subway 500 begins Sunday at 1:00pm ET on ABC. The Busch Series is off next weekend.