MWR 17th, 18th, and 30th in Subway 500 by Kellyanne Lynch
21 October 2007
[NASCAR.com's Track Pass did not provide the #55 or the #49 frequencies today. This report includes the #00 radio chatter but follows Mikey as well.]
Two of the three Michael Waltrip Racing drivers agreed that their cars sucked at Martinsville. Despite this assessment by David Reutimann and Michael Waltrip, the #00 Domino's Camry and the #55 Napa Auto Parts Toyota finished 17th and 18th in the Nextel Cup's Subway 500 at Martinsville Speedway. Both drivers kept themselves out of late race trouble. Dale Jarrett's #44 UPS machine finished three laps down in 30th.
The call to start engines came at 1:37pm ET. David rolled off pit road from the 19th position with Mikey 29th and Dale 33rd.
#00 crew chief Frankie Kerr pointed out to his driver where the #00 stall was on pit road. "Get plenty of heat in them tires and them brakes, bud."
"All right, should be pit road speed right here," spotter Shawn Reutimann noted.
David gauged it at 4800, but Frank decided to go with 4900. Shawn said one lap to go before the start.
"All right, make sure all those tools are out - hammers, saws out, they're all ready," Frankie told the team.
"All right, brother. 500 laps. You gotta be there at the end. I'll try to keep you out of as much trouble as I can. Pace car's off. Be ready. Ready? Ready? Green green green."
The green flag waved at 1:47pm.
"Outside," Shawn warned. "Outside. Still there. 99 outside. Still there. Right rear corner. Still there." He also warned when Clint Bowyer was looking to pass.
"Be sure to get those fans on, buddy," Frankie adviced.
David was 20th on lap 7. He lost a spot the next time around the track while Mikey rode 33rd. Shawn warned that the #42 was outside the #00.
"Outside, 42 right rear corner. Still there. Still there. Still there, right rear corner. Still out there, right rear corner. Outside, still there. Clear all around."
David was 22nd on lap 13, cleared by one car length. Mikey was still 33rd. Gordon was still leading.
"07 looking inside," said Shawn. "All clear.
"There's room behind him, David, if you want to let him go," Shawn added a minute later. "Looking inside. Clear behind the 07."
Frankie asked about the car on lap 17.
"Tight on exit, tight in the centre," David reported. "Still tight in the centre."
"Clear by five," said Shawn.
"Really tight on initial throttle."
"All right, buddy, just keep digging there," Frankie encouraged.
"Clear by five," Shawn added. "No pressure."
"20.90."
Mikey gained 32nd on lap 20 to Greg Biffle. David was still 23rd.
"21.10," Frankie read David his lap time. "21.20."
"Clear by eight, back to the 25," Shawn observed.
"21.10." Frankie said the same time the next time around the track. "21 flat."
"No pressure, brother," Shawn said.
"Are you loose anywhere?" Frankie asked.
"No," was David's response.
"21 flat," Frankie said.
"No pressure," Shawn noted. "All by yourself."
"It's mainly the centre, Frank. Tight in the centre," David reported.
Frankie assured him they would keep working on it.
Meanwhile, by lap 30, Mikey had passed AJ Almendinger for 31st. Shawn cleared David by ten back to the #88 of Ricky Rudd.
"21.10," said Frankie. "21.15."
"No pressure." A moment later, Shawn added. "Clear by ten, back to the 88. Keep digging. Good job!"
"21.20.
"21.20."
"Clear by four, back to the 88."
Lap 36 saw Mikey lose two spots to Greg Biffle and Aric Almirola. David Ragan passed the next time around the track.
"It's getting a little loose on entry," David complained.
"The 88 right there with you, one back," warned Shawn. "Clear by half a car length. Outside. Right rear corner. All clear."
Lap 43 saw Mikey lose the lead lap. He was still 34th.
"Inside, looking inside. Right rear corner. 88 inside. Gonna be there off the corner. Inside, still there. Still there, inside. Inside, still there. Got the 20 car looking inside, left rear corner. Caution's out. Got one stopped in Turn 3."
Lap 45 saw the first caution. Robby Gordon had lost a left front tire and had veered into the wall.
Frankie called for air pressure and round of wedge out of the left rear.
David said it started being tight in the centre, so do something with that.
Frankie didn't want to move the track bar due to the issue with being free in.
"It'll be four tires, fuel, a good round out of the left rear."
"Pit road's open this time," said Shawn. "4900 and second when you get there."
Frankie told David to drive through Tony Stewart's pit, because they were right behind them. He warned David about drivers lined up to the inside on the restart. "Doing a good job there, buddy. Just keep hanging with it. We'll work on this thing."
"One to go when we get back," Shawn noted. "Got some lapped cars coming to your inside."
"Frankie, did we go back down on the front bar again?" David asked.
"No sir, no sir."
"10-4."
"Next time by," said Shawn. "All right, coming to the green. Pass right, protect the right. Got the 11 car behind you. Ready? Ready? Green green green."
Gordon led the lap 50 restart. David was 28th. Mikey, who had received the free pass, was 34th. Dale was 38th and lapped. David lost a spot on lap 52 to Denny Hamlin's #11.
"Clear by one, back to the 25," said Shawn. "Clear by two."
"20.75," Frankie read the #00 lap time.
"Clear by one." A moment later, he added, "25 still there with you. 88 right there. Outside. Still there. Clear by one."
David's attempt to pass Rudd got Casey Mears' #25 right up on his rear fender.
"21.10, bud," Frankie said. "Now that you're in traffic, did we help you any?"
"Very little, very little. Same thing," David replied.
Lap 68 saw the second caution. Tony Raines had gotten into Johnny Sauter's #70, sending Sauter into the wall.
"Caution's out. Got one wrecked against the wall in Turn 1," Shawn warned.
David said the car was too tight. Frankie called for two tires and another pound in the right rear.
"You've got to get pretty fucking aggressive with it, Frank. This thing won't turn." When Frankie made a call, David said, "Just leave the track bar. Don't do the rubber."
"Come back on that track bar."
"Nobody's coming, Frank."
Frankie called for two tires and rubber in the right rear.
David pit under caution. After the stop, Frankie said David needed to come in lower into the box. He asked if David's fans had been on.
"Yeah, they've been on," the driver replied.
Gordon led the lap 72 restart. Shawn warned David that Juan Pablo Montoya's #42 was restarting behind him. David was 27th, Mikey was 33rd, and Dale was lapped in 37th.
"Clear by one," Shawn noted. "42 outside. Outside, still there. Clear behind the 42. 01 outside, right rear corner, clear."
On lap 77, David fell to 29th after Montoya's pass; however, he gained back the spot by passing Almirola's #01. Mikey was 34th after David Stremme had passed.
"Clear by half a car length to the 6. 6 car inside. Still there. Still there. Back it down, back it down. Got a crash in front of you. Got one in the wall off of 2."
The third caution was on lap 81 when Dale and David Gilliland's lapped cars got into each other and spun.
"This thing's like 260."
"Is your fan on?"
"Yeah."
"How about your water pressure?"
"About 35 pounds."
Frankie asked if the temperature was coming down any.
"It's pushing some out now."
When Frankie asked again if the temperature was coming down any, he said no. The crew chief said they would take off tape.
"Still too tight. That definitely helped it, but when I move up to the top, I can't make up any ground. Just slides the nose."
Frankie called for four tires, rubber out of left rear, and to take tape off top grill.
"Pull the top grill! The top... there you go," Frankie yelled during the stop.
"4900," Shawn said as the #00 left pit road. "4900, all the way out."
"I just want to make double sure that the committment line... I know where the committment line is, but where is the speed line?" After Shawn told him, David said, "Just asking."
"How's your gauges now, Dave, including your volts?" asked the crew chief.
"It's come down a little bit, not much so," David replied.
Gordon led the restart on lap 87. Mikey, who hadn't made a stop, was 28th while David was 33rd.
"Clear by two," said Shawn.
Jeff Burton passed the #55 on lap 89; Mikey was now 29th.
"20.80," Frankie read the lap time.
"Clear by four," Shawn added.
Jeff Green passed Mikey on lap 90, moving him to 30th. The #55 lost another spot the next time around the track. David was guided through the next wreck.
The fourth caution was on lap 91. Scott Riggs ran into teammate Elliott Sadler, collecting Reed Sorenson, David Ragan, and Mark Martin. Sorenson had stopped on the track, then got going again after the wreck ended, and Riggs ran into him. Mikey appears to have driven through the wreck clean, although it slowed him down.
David said the temperature was at 240; it was coming down a pit. He wanted his car to rotate better and to be better in the centre. When Frankie said they probably wouldn't stop, David said he was just telling him that.
"I appreciate that, bud," Frankie replied. He asked about the brakes, if there were a shudder in them.
"No," David replied.
"10-4."
Gordon led the lap 98 restart. David was 25th, Mikey was 29th, and Dale was 39th and two laps down.
Ragan passed the #55 on lap 101, moving him to 30th. Hamlin's #11 was smoking with a left front tire rub after contact with Dave Blaney.
"Clear by one," said Shawn. "Clear by two."
Lap 105 saw Mikey lose spots to Reed Sorenson and Scott Riggs; he was now 32nd. Kyle Petty passed the next time around the track.
"Clear by half a car length," Shawn noted. "Clear by one."
On lap 109, Jimmie Johnson took the lead. Meanwhile, David had passed John Andretti for 24th.
"Still there, right rear corner. Outside, still there. Clear."
David was 23rd when the fifth caution came on lap 114. Aric Almirola had sustained damage in the earlier accident, and now his car was on fire. Safety crews put out the car, and Almirola emerged under his own power immediately.
"Caution's out, caution's out. Got one on fire on the backstretch."
"It's the best it's been, Frank. It still needs help," David said. "Water temp stays at 245."
Frankie called to keep the #00 out for track position. "Those guys up front have 75 laps on those tires, so..."
Shawn noted cars in front pitting.
"Yeah, but the 31 pitted with us, and he stayed out." After leaders made stops, Frankie said, "All right, buddy, you're doing a good job. Shawn, you did a good job of keeping us out of that wreck. If they keep crashing back there, we should do all right. All right, it looks like about twelve of us stayed out there. We should be all right."
"Water temps down to 230," David reported.
"All righty. Just don't forget to turn that fan off when we go green." He asked about water temperatures and volts.
"It's about 13, water pressure's about 22. Oil temperature's about 250."
"One to go when you get back," Shawn said.
"Get those tires cleaned off," Frankie advised. "Lap cars coming to the inside."
Lap 124 saw the restart with Jeff Burton leading. David was 5th, Mikey was 31st, and Dale was two laps down in 38th.
"Inside. 44 inside," Shawn warned. "Inside, still there. Still there. Inside, still there. Got two more lapped cars on the bottom. Still there, inside. 25 inside, left rear corner. Still there. Inside, still there. Still there, 25 inside. Inside, still there. Inside, still there. 41 inside."
David dropped to 8th by lap 129.
"40 car inside, diving inside. Still there," Shawn warned. "Clear all around."
Frankie said something about a spotter.
"Outside, still there. Good job," Shawn praised.
On lap 132, Hamlin passed Mikey and moved him to 32nd.
"Clear by one," said Shawn. "6 car right there with you. 6 car inside. Still there, inside. Clear. Still right there with you. Clear by half a car length. Centre off, Frank. We've got to work on that. Centre off. 15's a lapped car when you get to him."
David held off David Ragan's #6 to keep the 8th spot.
"6 car right there with you," Shawn said on lap 141. "He's looking inside. All clear. Clear by two, back to the 48." Ragan had fallen to 11th.
"Clear by half a car length, back to the 48. Clear behind the 48."
Jimmie Johnson's pass put David in 9th on lap 144.
"Clear by five, back to the 6 and 16 racing side-by-side here."
"20.95," said Frankie. "Some help here, Shawn."
"Clear by five," said Shawn. "Who's racing the 44 for the lucky dog?"
"21's the lucky dog, bud, by a mile," Frankie replied.
"Outside. Still there, still there. Clear. 16 right there with you. Outside, still there. There's a hole behind the 24, if you want to let him go."
Lap 153 saw David fall to 11th after Biffle and Gordon passed.
"Clear by three, back to the 29," Shawn noted.
Frankie asked if David were still free.
"Yeah. You've got to help it off," David replied.
"29 right there with you, looking inside, inside, inside. Inside, still there. Clear behind the 29," Shawn spotted. David was 12th on lap 156. "5 car inside. All clear. Still there, inside. Outside, 99 outside."
By lap 159, Mikey was 33rd. David had lost another spot and had Carl Edwards' #99 inside his #00. Mikey regained 32nd to Tony Raines the next time around the track.
"Outside, still there. 6 car outside. Still there. A hole behind the 6."
David fell to 15th on lap 162 after Edwards and Ragan's pass.
"All right, bud, you're just as good as those guys. Keep digging. 21.30," Frankie said. "25.
"25."
"Clear by eight," said Shawn.
"30."
"Caution's out, caution's out. Got one in the wall in 1 and 2."
The sixth caution was on lap 168 after Kurt Busch hit the wall; his #2 had been tight.
"All right, guys, if you get time, still the same stuff. Won't rotate in the centre," David reported. "It's hanging in the back on entry."
Frankie called for four tires and rubber out of the left rear and fuel.
"Temp stays at 220 now."
Frankie told the crew to clear the grill on the bottom. The #00 pit with the field under the yellow flag.
"Buddy, I want to see you, when you get the green here, to race on up there," Frankie said to his driver.
"It will be one to go at the line. David, whatever you did when Jimmie Johnson went by you, you picked up," Shawn noted.
Frankie said he also had noticed that. "We're not making no friends with those lapped cars. I don't care what you do to them."
Lap 173 saw the restart. Kyle Busch led after staying out. David was 23rd, Mikey was 29th, and Dale was two laps down in 38th.
"Outside. Clear," Shawn said. "Outside, still there. Car outside. Still there. Clear behind the 1. The 45 and 10 about one car length back, racing side-by-side."
Within the first few laps, Martin Truex Jr dropped David to 24th. Mikey was still 29th but fell to 30th on lap 179 after John Andretti's pass. He was 30th the next time around the track.
"Clear by one," said Shawn. "18 car outside, outside. Still there. Still there. Going to be there off the corner."
David was 25th on lap 181, and Kyle Petty looked to pass next.
"Still there, 45 outside. Clear. Clear by one, back to the 88. Outside, 88. All clear. 88 outside, right rear corner. Going to be there off the corner. Clear. Outside. Still there, outside. Caution's out. Got one spun behind you."
The spun car was Mikey's #55, which brought out the seventh caution on lap 187. He had spun on his own and hit the outside wall in front of Jeff Gordon. The contact did not appear hard.
Under yellow, David talked about the #18 of JJ Yeley locking him up along the bottom by changing lanes. He said the car felt like they hadn't worked on it. "I can get back to the throttle okay, I can rock it around. I just can't finish this deal."
Shawn said the 88 could get up with him but not by him. "One to go when you get back. Lapped cars coming to your inside."
The restart came on lap 192 with Kyle Busch leading. David was 23rd, Mikey was 33rd, and Dale was two laps down in 38th.
"Clear by one," said Shawn. "Clear by half a car length. Inside. Left rear corner. 88 inside. Still there. Still there. Clear behind the 88. Got the 24 right there with you. 24 inside. 07 going to be inside off the corner. Still there. Clear. 07 inside. Inside, still there. There's a hole behind the 07."
On lap 199, David lost a spot to Rudd. He lost two more to Jeff Gordon's #24 and Bowyer's #07 one lap later. He was now 26th. On lap 202, Mikey was 34th after Paul Menard's #15 passed.
"Tight," David reported.
"Clear by one, back to the 11," Shawn noted. "Car inside, still there. Got a follower inside, 70 car inside. Still there. Clear. Inside, diving back to the inside. Still there. 96 inside. Clear behind the 96."
On lap 207, David was 29th.
"Still won't fucking turn!" David complained.
"10-4, buddy. Keep digging," Frankie encouraged.
"Clear by one," Shawn said. "Clear by one, back to the 49. Caution's out for debris. Caution's out for debris."
The eighth caution was on lap 216 for debris.
"This thing sucks," David told his crew chief. "I mean, it's so fucking tight in the middle. And it won't frickin' turn."
"All right, buddy, calm down," Frankie responded.
"It's worse now. It ain't getting no better," David said they needed a plan B.
Frankie called for four tires, fuel, rubber in right rear, and to go up on the track bar.
"4900 when you get here," Shawn said. "4900, you'll have a clear pit in, the 20 stayed out."
Montoya stayed out and was now in the lead.
"One to go when you get here," Shawn informed his driver. "All right, pace car's off. Be ready. Got the 45 restarting behind you. Ready? Green green green."
Montoya led the restart on lap 221. David was 31st, and Mikey was 35th.
"Clear by four," said Shawn. "Clear by one, back to the 45."
Two laps into the run, Mikey picked up a spot from Bill Elliott.
"Inside, all clear. Inside, still there," Shawn warned David. "31 inside, 31 inside, inside. Still there. Inside, 31 inside. Inside, still there. There's a hole behind the 31, big hole behind the 31."
"... in the way," David said over the radio. On lap 225, he lost a spot to Petty, and he lost another to Burton the next time around the track. He was now 33rd. Meanwhile, Mikey was back to 35th with Elliott's pass, and Dale Earnhardt Jr bumped Montoya out of the way to move into the lead.
"20.85. Keep digging, bud," said Frankie. "20.85."
"Clear," Shawn noted on lap 231 when David passed Petty. "Clear by four.
"Outside, right rear corner, still there, clear."
David was 31st on lap 234 after getting around Paul Menard.
"The 19 about one back, about 100 laps down. Let him go when he gets here." Shawn again told David to let him go when Elliott Sadler's #19 approached. "Clear."
"Clear by five. Doing a good job. Nice and smooth. good job, bud!" Shawn praised. "Clear by three. Caution's out for debris, caution's out for debris."
The yellow flag waved for the ninth time on lap 249 for debris. David Gilliland received the free pass.
"All right, talk to me real fast, bud," Frankie requested.
"It's better," David replied. "You want to go up on the track bar some?"
Frankie said he would. "Up on the track bar."
"Those rubbers did help it, Frank. They did help it."
Frankie also called to go up on the track bar. "Slade, where are you at? Get up here. I've been calling you."
The team took a while in the pits and had to monitor for the pace car on the track. Mikey must have also stopped and have taken time, because he was behind him.
"You still with me?" David asked after a pause.
Frankie said they were discussing potential changes. The #00 team had decided to work on shocks next if David needed it.
David expressed that the car was still tough to rotate.
"We've got nothing to lose."
"What was that?"
"We've got nothing to lose at this point. Just keep digging."
Shawn said they had one to go until the restart.
"Do the best you can. I know you've been doing a good job," Frankie encouraged.
"If I get to a guy, and I'm trying to work him, I can't turn the nose underneath him. It's already tight on exit. It just gets that much worse."
Kyle Busch led the restart on lap 256. Edwards drifted up the track and lost a lot of ground but stayed out of the wall.
"The 41 slow on the bottom. You'll catch him on the straightaway. All clear."
"Didn't feel clear to me, bud."
"All right, gas it up. Caution's out. Got one blowing up over here in Turns 1 and 2."
Frankie called to stay out and asked about the car. "Could you tell anything there, Dave?"
"No."
The tenth caution was on lap 258 for Yeley's engine. David was still 31st, and Mikey was 33rd. They would gain spots to Yeley. Kurt Busch received the free pass.
"That's real nice. Ride around here until he blows up. Now he's dumping oil everywhere. Stay high when you get on the straightaway, around turns 1 and 2," Shawn warned.
"Whose car was that?"
"It was all over the race track when it blew up, and then the 18 blew up,"
"41 was blowing up, pulled inside to let everyone go, then I think he downshifted," Shawn noted. "Had her in first gear when he came by everyone here."
"Hey, David?" Mikey came onto the #00 radio.
"Yeah, Mike?" David replied.
"My car sucks."
"What's that?"
"My car sucks."
"yeah, I'm kind of right there with ya bud. How about off the centre."
"Well, I just keep saying I'm tight, but I don't believe it would matter what I wass."
"Yeah, 10-4. When we get it rotated, centre down, we can't make any ground."
"Well, it's as bad as it ever was, but I'll just keep hanging in there, and maybe we'll be rewarded for our bad luck."
"Yeah, 10-4. Right there with ya, bud."
"Michael, you still on there?" Frankie asked after a minute. He didn't get a response.
After a long pause on the radio, Mikey returned and asked, "Hey, how's your brakes?"
"They're okay right now," David replied. "They've been okay."
"You got a lot of travel in your pedal?"
"Mine fades a little bit, maybe three-quarters of an inch every run."
"Ever sound like metal to metal on the pit, like errrrr?"
David said he did feel them chatter when he went to the pits.
"I spun out once, and every lap I could, because it feels like I don't have any front brakes. It feels like all rear."
"I have put three to the front."
"Yeah, I don't know how many I put, but I put a lot."
"Michael, they want you on your channel," Shawn told the car owner.
Lap 270 saw the restart. David was 30th, Mikey was 32nd, and Dale was two laps down in 35th.
"Clear by five," Shawn said. "Clear by ten."
"20.70. Fastest lap of the race," Frankie noted. "Of your race."
"Clear by ten, no pressure.
"Still there. Outside, still there. Right rear corner. Clear."
David gained 29th on lap 276 after passing Blaney.
"Clear by one," Shawn continued. "Inside. 22 inside. All clear. Clear by one.
"Outside. Still there. Right rear corner. Outside. Clear. Cars kind of jammed up on the outside here."
"Great hussle, buddy!" Frankie praised.
"Clear all around."
On lap 284, David got ahead of Kyle Petty. Mikey passed Petty one lap later. They were 28th and 31st.
"Clear by half a car length," Shawn said. "22 right there with you."
"It just gets tighter and tighter and tighter," David commented.
"All right, pal," Frankie replied. "Just stay with it."
Shawn told David that Blaney was coming. "Clear behind the 22."
Lap 289 saw David move back to 29th with Blaney's pass.
"Clear by one, back to the 15," Shawn continued.
"Keep hussling, buddy," Frankie encouraged.
"15 right there with you."
"Won't turn," David complained. "Anywhere."
"26 on the bottom, slowing down, coming back to you," Shawn observed. "Inside. Caution's out. Got one spinning in Turn 2."
The eleventh caution was on lap 296 when David Ragan spun in front of Ryan Newman.
"Will not turn when the tires get hot, bud," David reported.
Frankie called for left rear shock and to "close up the clicker." He also called for four tires and fuel.
Cars pit under caution, including leader Kyle Busch.
"Go go go go go. 45 outside," Frankie warned.
"4900, all the way out," added the spotter. "I think we're working 297. I think that's what the board says. 297 laps complete."
Frankie confirmed this. "We got 200 laps to go."
"It's almost like the front tires get so much air in them, they bounce and slide and don't do anything right," David reported.
"All right, pal," Frankie replied.
"One to go when you get back," Shawn said. "Lapped cars coming inside."
Johnson led the lap 301 restart. David was 27th, Mikey was 29th, and Dale was two laps down in 34th.
"66 about a half car length back," Shawn noted. "Right there with you. Still with you. Looking inside, inside. Hole behind you. Three back to the 55."
On lap 305, David was back to 28th after Jeff Green's #66 passed. Kyle Petty passed Mikey two laps later, moving the #55 to 30th.
"Clear by five to the 45," said Shawn.
"20.75," Frankie read the lap time. "20.80."
"Clear by ten, nice and smooth."
"20.90."
"No pressure. Pulling away.
"Outside. Still there. Still there. Clear."
David passed Bill Elliott on lap 313 for 27th.
"Clear by one. Get back in your rhythm. Seems like the smoother you are, the faster you are," Shawn commented.
"20.90," Frankie said.
"Clear by two.
"Clear by two.
"Clear by three, back to the 19, about 100 laps down."
David got around Menard for 26th on lap 321. Sadler's 135 lap down #19 passed him shortly thereafter.
"Buddy, you're faster than those cars in front of you there," Frankie noted. "Keep digging."
By lap 324, Mikey had also passed Menard, but Kurt Busch passed him. He was 31st as Gilliland had also gotten around him. Around the same time, Johnny Sauter passed Dale.
"Clear by two," Shawn said. He warned that the #26 of Jamie McMurray was bunching up cars. "Clear by three. Outside, going to be there off the corner. Outside. Clear.
"21 right there with you."
"You got the track bar so high, now I can't get in there with it again," David complained.
"All right, 10-4," Frankie replied. He told his driver he was doing a good job.
"Clear by three," Shawn noted.
"21.20."
"Slides up through the nose, the front end's so loose," David reported. "The front end's so fucked up."
"21 looking inside, all clear. Inside, left rear corner. Still there. Clear," Shawn spotted. "Inside, clear. All clear. Inside. Clear. Inside, going to be there off the corner. All clear. Clear by one, back to the 2."
On lap 339, Mikey lost the lead lap. He was still running 31st. David lost a spot to Kurt Busch on the same lap.
"Inside, off the corner. Still there. 2 car inside," Shawn warned. "Still there. Hole behind the 2."
Jeff Green slowed on the front straightaway. The yellow flag waved for the twelfth time on lap 243. Kyle Petty got the free pass; he was right in front of the #55.
David said he was free everywhere.
"All right, buddy. Let's... Dwayne, get one of those rubbers out of the left rear."
David asked to have the track bar lowered.
"I don't know what to do at this point in time. What about the shock? Did it help it all?"
"Yeah, I think the shock made it worse."
Frankie called for the track bar adjustment and warned David to go around Stewart's #20 on pit road. The #00 pit with others. He also told the tire carrier to pull out the left front fender.
David said the shock made him too free on entry once the tires had more on them.
"All right, bud, I got all that. Come back," Frankie said.
"One to go when you get back," Shawn told his driver. "Lapped cars coming to your inside. All right, next time by."
"All right, guys, thanks for hanging with us today. Just keep hanging in there. We'll get it right," Frankie addressed the crew.
Kyle Busch led the restart on lap 349. David was 27th, Mikey was 30th and lapped, and Dale was two laps down in 33rd.
"Clear by three," said Shawn.
"20.70, bud," Frankie noted. "Keep digging.
"20.70."
"Clear by four, nice and smooth."
"20.80."
"Clear by five, pulling away from the 2."
On lap 354, Johnson pulled inside teammate Kyle Busch's #5 and took the lead the next time around the track.
"20.85," Frankie read the lap time.
"Clear by one, back to the 2," Shawn observed. "Outside, still there. Outside. Still there. Inside. Right rear corner. Still there. Clear."
David picked up 26th when he got around Gilliland on lap 360.
"Clear by half a car length back to the 2," Shawn continued. "Clear by one.
"Clear by one.
"Outside. Still there. Still there. Still there, right rear corner. Clear."
On lap 370, David was 25th after passing Bill Elliott.
"Clear by two, back to the 19," Shawn noted.
"21 flat," Frankie read the lap time.
"19 right there with you. He's a bunch of laps down. Inside. 19's inside. Let him go, follow behind him.
"Clear by four, back to the 2."
"21.20. Keep digging, buddy.
"21.20."
"Outside. Still there. Still there. Clear. Clear by two, back to the 44."
"21.25.
"21.30."
"Clear by four."
"21.20.
"21.35."
"Clear by four to the 44."
"Hey, you're doing all you can, but the leader is right now," Frankie warned.
"Clear by four to the 44, and the leader is right behind him," Shawn added. "Clear by one, back to the 48."
Frankie said they needed to stay in front of him.
"48's inside. Inside, still there. 24 right here on your back bumper. Inside. Still there. Clear behind the 24."
David lost the lead lap on lap 389. Dale was now three laps down.
"Clear by three to the 44," Shawn noted.
"This thing sucks," David complained.
"All right, pal, hang in there. One hundred laps to go," Frankie replied. "Now that 40's the lucky dog."
"Building up in front of you. Go low, go low. All right, you're all right," Shawn warned.
Lap 395 saw the thirteenth caution after Stremme's #40 spun. Because he caused the caution, Stremme did not get the free pass.
"Tell him I never touched him. I don't know what happened, but it's not my fault."
"Hey just lost it."
"All right. did we get the race car any better?"
David said it was better in the corner. "It just push push push, and then it just snaps loose."
Frankie called for four tires and fuel.
"He just lost it, Frank. I think he did it on purpose. He was the benefitiary until they saw he caused it."
"I don't care," David replied. "I just don't want him raising cane because he thinks I turned him around."
Frankie told him the order was the 45, 38, 2, them, and Michael behind them. David had lost two spots after Stremme's spin. "All right, buddy. We'll try to get up through this line, try to race the heck out of this 45, 38, and 2."
Jeff Gordon led the restart on lap 402. David was 27th and lapped, Mikey was 28th and lapped, and Dale was three laps down in 33rd.
"Outside. 29 outside. A hole behind the 29," Shawn warned. "Clear all around. Outside, 11 car outside. Clear all around. 11 car coming back outside. Outside, still there. Still there. 5 car coming outside. Outside, still there. Outside, 20 car outside. Still there. 16 outside. Still there, right rear corner. Outside, still there. 31 outside. Still there. Outside, still there. Still there, outside. Still there. 42 outside. Still there. Still there. Clear behind the 42. 9 car outside. All clear. Outside, 9 car outside. Still there. Outside. Caution's out. Got one wrecking behind you."
The fourteenth caution was on lap 412. David Stremme had gotten pushed out of the way, and he tried to get back in across Martin Truex Jr's nose and spun himself out.
"That 45 got jumped to the outside and got that thing," Frankie told his driver after he said they would stay out to try to get the free pass and how Kyle Petty had it this time.
"Yeah, well, you know. That's really great for him, Frank," David replied. "That's kind of hard to do when they're stacked up to the outside. I don't know what to tell you."
"I know you are," Frank replied. He told him he was racing the 38, 2, 55, 21, and 15.
"80 laps to go, as of right now," Shawn noted after a long pause on the radio.
"All right, let's get those tires cleaned off. It'll be one to go when you get back here."
Jeff Gordon led the restart on lap 423. David was 27th, Mikey was 28th, and they were both lapped. Dale was three laps down in 33rd.
"Outside, outside. Still there. Outside," Shawn said immediately. "Still there, outside. 11 car outside, right rear corner. Outside. Still there. Outside, still there."
"Spotter are you there?" David asked.
"He's talking to you, buddy," Frankie replied.
"Right rear corner," Shawn continued.
"You guys hear me?" David asked.
"We can hear you, David. You must not be able to hear us. Outside. 5 car outside. 20 car outside. Outside, still there. Still there. Clear behind the 20."
"Can you hear us now, Dave?" Frankie asked.
"I can't hear anybody," David replied.
Frankie said something must have been unplugged. He told David to push in his ear plugs after giving a lap time. He asked again if David could hear him and got no response.
"Clear by one, back to the 16. Inside, inside," Shawn spotted. "Still there. 29 coming inside, lead lap car. Clear behind the 29. Inside. Still there. Clear all around. Clear by two."
"20.90. Keep digging, buddy."
"Clear by three. Caution's out. Back it down."
Lap 441 saw the fifteenth caution. Casey Mears and Martin Truex Jr had bumped into each other several times before they spun each other out.
Frankie said they would stop for four tires and fuel. "I hope you can hear me."
"I can hear you now," David replied.
Frankie asked about the ear piece.
"I thought we taped it, but it came out of the helmet."
Frankie asked if other drivers looked like they were coming in. "Can you tell, Shawn?"
"You can't tell from up here, Frank. Everyone's up on the wall."
Frank said they would come in.
"4900 and second. 4900, all the way around."
After the stop, Frankie said he hoped David would be third in line for the lapped cars. Mikey was now in front of the #00.
"Go ahead and start doubling up," Shawn said. "Come on, double up on the back. Come on!"
"You got better tires than they do at the beginning, buddy," Frankie told his driver.
Gordon led the restart on lap 447. Mikey was 27th, David was 28th, and both were lapped. Dale was three laps down in 33rd.
Shawn immediately warned that the #17 was outside. "Clear high. 11 car right there with you. Outside, 11 car outside. Still there."
Mikey was all over Gilliland, battling for the free pass.
"Clear all around," said Shawn. "Outside, 11 car outside. 11 car looking inside. All clear. Clear all around, clear by two."
On lap 453, David passed Mikey and picked up 27th.
"Outside," Shawn noted. "Outside, still there. Outside, still there. Still there, right rear corner. Clear."
One lap later, David was around Gilliland for 26th and was now in line for the free pass.
"All right, buddy, the next few laps, be smooth," Frankie encouraged.
"Clear by three, back to the 11. We'll make some laps here and then let him go, because he's on the lead lap."
"20.70. Good lap, buddy. Keep digging."
"Clear by four. All right, keep digging. They got one spun. Caution's out."
The sixteenth caution was for Ricky Rudd on lap 459 after Kasey Kahne cut down Ricky Rudd's tire and Rudd's #88 spun. Johnson had just taken the lead. David was now back on the lead lap.
"All right, guys. How was the car right there, Dave?" Frankie asked.
"Pretty good at that point," was the driver's response.
Frankie said they would come in for four tires.
"Just ride right there until I tell ya," Shawn stated. "I told Hamlin's spotter we were racing for the lucky dog, and they understood."
"Good job hussling up there." Frankie called for four tires and fuel. David pit with lapped traffic.
"All right, going to get the one to go when you get back around here," Shawn said. "You're going to be the tail end of the longest line. Come around this 26 and 19 and 7. Need to go around that 4 and that 19, line up behind that 25."
Johnson led the restart on lap 464. David was 25th. Mikey was 26th, one lap down and first in line for the free pass.
A multi-car wreck drew the seventeenth yellow flag. Truex Jr had spun Petty. Edwards ran into Stewart's #20, who had stopped when Stewart halted to avoid Petty's #45, and then Edwards hit Stewart again. Mikey received the free pass.
"55 coming by on the outside," Shawn told David.
Frankie said that would not be the last caution. "Keep your eyes open, Shawn. You're doing a good job."
"All right, it'll be the one to go right here at the line," Shawn said. "45 restarting behind you. All right, coming to the green."
Johnson led the restart on lap 470. David was 24th, and Mikey was 26th; both were on the lead lap. Dale was three laps down in 32nd.
"Outside, 70 car outside. Still there. Clear," Shawn noted. "Clear by one to the 45. Clear by one."
"20.59. Good lap, bud. Fastest lap of the race for you," Frankie praised.
David passed Mears and Riggs for 22nd. Mears was trying to re-pass, but the yellow flag waved.
The eighteenth caution was on lap 477 after David Ragan had spun Truex Jr. Edwards bumped Stewart in the smoke and almost hit Truex Jr too. David and Mikey both drove through smoke and came out clean. The free pass went to Paul Menard.
Shawn told David that NASCAR was lining him up behind Mears' #25. "All right, gotta let the 10 go by now."
Frankie asked why.
"One to go when you get back. Twenty laps to go when you get the one to go," Shawn continued. "Next time by, got the 55 restarting behind you. You have the 45 restarting behind you."
Racing resumed on lap 482 with Johnson leading. David was 22nd, Mikey was 24th, and Dale was three laps down in 33rd. Kurt Busch was slow on the track.
"9 car up high on the straightaway," Shawn warned. "Clear by half a car length to the 45. 45 right there with you, looking inside, all clear. Clear by half a car length. All clear. 9 car outside. Caution's out for oil."
Bill Elliott's #21 blew up, drawing the ninteenth caution on lap 485.
"45, just to give you a head's up. He tries to dive in a car length deeper and drive off," Shawn warned.
"All right, buddy. Be all you can be here. Probably be about ten laps to go when we go to green, so I don't know, repeat like you did when you got the lucky dog. That was pretty good," Frankie told his driver.
"One to go when you get back."
"All right, buddy. Clean those tires off, pal."
Johnson led the restart with ten laps to go. David was 21st, Mikey was 23rd, and Dale was three laps down in 32nd.
"Clear by two," said Shawn. "Clear by one, back to the 45."
Mikey lost a spot one lap into the run to Truex Jr.
"Clear by half a car length," Shawn continued. "49 slow on the bottom. Inside, still there, clear. Clear by three."
As the #49 dumped out, David gained 20th. Mikey picked up 23rd but lost it again to Riggs.
"45 still right there with you," Shawn warned. "Five to go. Spinning. Go high, go high. Keep going high. All right, you're good."
Bobby Labonte spun off Raines' front fender to bring out the twentieth caution on lap 497. Mikey and David drove through smoke.
"Did you hit anything?" Frankie asked.
"No," David replied. "Good job, bro."
"Good job, guys," Frankie praised driver and spotter. "Flat spotted or anything, Dave?"
"No."
"What's that 19 doing anyway. He's 20 laps down, for cripes sakes!" Frankie complained.
"He's looking at his teammate's car," Shawn replied.
"That 6 car in front of you has a fair amount of damage, so watch him."
"So does the 9." Shawn said there would be a green / white / checkered finish in the end. "I told Riggs' spotter he needs to finish, and so don't we, so don't do nothing stupid."
"Did you talk to him?" Frankie asked.
"Yeah, yeah I did," Shawn replied. "All right, one to go. They're not going, waving it off. Not going. Follow that 6 up there. Come around the 66. I don't know what he's doing." Jeff Green's #66 was lapped. "Not going. Got people throwing something over the fence. One to go when you get back around. All right, get your tires cleaned off now." Shawn warned that the #9 and the #6 had a lot of damage. "All right, next time by."
Johnson led the green / white / checkered finish. David was 18th, Mikey was 21st, and Dale was three laps down in 30th.
"8 car's not running down on the bottom! Clear. Keep going. Come on come on come on. No caution. Keep digging."
The #6 had spun.
"Caution's out, caution's out. Got the 6 car spun down here," Shawn warned. "Hold your position there behind the 10, they said."
"That was screwed up. Frickin' 6 car got down there and spun in front of us."
Shawn said, "He just bombed in there in front of the 9 and just lost it there." He then praised the driver. "Way to keep digging, Dave."
Frankie praised the team.
"Where'd we finish?" Shawn asked.
"17th, guys. 17th."
Johnson won the race. David was 17th, Mikey was right behind him in 18th, and Dale was 30th.
NASCAR goes to Atlanta and Memphis next weekend. Coverage of the Nextel Cup's Pep Boys Auto 500 start Sunday at 1:00pm ET on ABC. The Busch Series' Sam's Town 250 airs the day before at 3:00pm on ESPN2.