Mikey 24th at Phoenix by Kellyanne Lynch
12 April 2008
Michael Waltrip's #55 Napa Auto Parts Camry finished 24th in the Subway 500, tonight's Sprint Cup race at Phoenix International Raceway. A caution in the midst of green flag pit stops trapped him a lap down early in the race. Crew chief Bobby Kennedy said he had a top fifteen car. His driver David Reutiman came across the stripe in 18th in his #44 UPS machine, which put him back in the top 35 in points. Rookie Michael McDowell's #00 Aaron's Toyota finished five laps down in 34th.
The #55 team performed a radio check at 8:38pm ET.
"All right, it should be 5200 on your pit road there," crew chief Bobby Kennedy gave pit road speeds to his driver." 5200."
"Okay, thank you," Mikey replied.
Ty asked how many laps before a green flag stop. Bobby estimated between 63 to 65.
"They keep stretching it out. They're waiting for the Red Sox / Yankees to get over," Bobby responded.
"Yeah, it's at the top of the ninth right now."
"I guess they're getting a lot of pressure with FOX not getting started."
"It's like when you board an airplane," Ty commented, "when you board a plane and they say it's going to be ten minutes delayed, and then in ten, they say it'll be fifteen more. Who's winning anyway?"
"Um, 4-3 Boston. Top of the 9th. Giambi's out."
"If Giambi strikes out, you're going to hear a big 'uhhh' from the NASCAR tower."
"Yeah, I was wondering what was going to happen if they tie it up," Bobby said. "It's going to be a while. They're showing up on the big screen the approximate time is 8:53."
Ty said a lot of NASCAR officials are big Papelbon fans.
"I can understand them holding us up if the Braves were playing, but not the Yankees and the Red Sox," Bobby commented.
Ty told Mikey where he could see him and where he couldn't.
"Yeah, thank you," Mikey replied.
"And, Bobby, you're going to have to do all the talking in and out of the pits," Ty said. "I can't see the pit box at all."
"Okay, 10-4," Bobby responded. "I got it."
The cars took to the track around 8:50pm. Bobby reminded his driver of pit road speed and asked what he was getting riding behind the pace car.
"Um, right there, about fifty, 250," Mikey estimated.
"10-4. We're going to go 5200, 5200." He said they would be the sixth pit in. "All right, showing two to go when you get here. Get heat in your breaks."
Ty noted JJ Yeley's #96 stopped in the middle of the track. He needed to go to the back for an engine change. "Not the best place in the world to stop."
"Let's have a good, clean race. Pile some points up tonight. Let's have a good clean race in the pits, guys. Let's keep nice and focused," Bobby said before the green flag. "Can you see to call the green, Ty, or would you want me to do it?"
"You'd be better off doing it."
"Okay, I'll take it."
"All right, make sure you have all your switches on. Coming to the green. Have a good one, bud."
"Switches are on. Y'all too. See you in a little while."
"All right, pace car's off. Pass to the right before the green. Come on. Green green green."
The green flag waved at 8:55pm. Ryan Newman led the field to the stripe. Mikey was 25th, David was 23rd, and McDowell was 30th.
"Everybody straight, everybody's straight," Ty noted. "Outside. Clear clear clear. 5's trying to look. Looking inside. He's there. Clear down behind him if you need it. Two back, three back."
"28.50," Bobby read off lap times. David was 24th by lap 6.
"Clear two back. Whatever you need," Ty observed. "Looking low. Inside, inside. Back inside. Clear low if you need it. Inside, inside, inside. Still there. Clear now, clear."
By lap 9, McDowell was back to 31st.
"29 flat."
"Caution. Caution is out. We got some debris somewhere."
The first caution was on lap 11 for debris.
"Okay, how's the car, bud?" Bobby asked.
"It's a little too loose to run up high, turns really good. It's just a little loose overall," Mikey reported.
"Uh, let's stay out right here. Let's stay out."
"Roger."
"We're kind of limitted on our sets of tires, so I don't want to blow them away."
"Yeah, me either. We just as soon stay out."
"How's your temps?"
"Um, 210, 250."
"Pit road's open. We're going to stay out," Ty said. "Four guys behind you stayed out, four. The first one off pit road is Dale Junior."
"240 under the caution," Mikey revised his pit road time.
"What was that caution for, Ty?"
"There was debris somewhere, but I'd never seen where. Are you loose in the centre or everywhere? Are you loose off?"
"Centre. Centre, and a little bit off."
"Okay, 10-4."
"All right, not going," Ty said. "They're calling it off. Coming to the green this time. Coming to the green. Pace car just off turn 3. Uh, they called it off again."
"Are they going extra innings or something?" Mikey asked.
"Um, I'm not sure what they're doing."
"Water temperature's 245 under this caution."
"Okay, 10-4."
"They penalised the 10 car for a pit road incident. They found out they were wrong, so now they gotta put him back in place," Ty explained.
Lap 16 saw the restart with Newman leading. David was 22nd, Mikey was 23rd, and McDowell was 28th. David gained a spot and McDowell lost one the first lap back to green.
"Still down there. Still there," Ty warned. "Still down there. Clear."
David and Mikey moved up to 21st and 22nd by lap 19, but then the #55 lost a spot.
"Half back to the 88. He's inside, inside. First one with fresh tires. By himself. Clear behind him if you need it."
David was 20th on lap 21. Mikey was 23rd, and McDowell was 36th.
"Clear one back to the 5. Fresh tires behind you. Still clear there, clear there. Clear one back. Nice job. Clear to the bottom, clear to the bottom, clear to the bottom. Everyone's checked up. Inside now, inside. Inside now, inside. Low, looking inside. Still down there. Inside, the 5 car with fresher tires. Clear behind him if you need it. Still there, still there. The 07. Still there. Clear all clear. Great job."
Mikey was 21st on lap 26. David was 19th, and McDowell was 40th.
"Still there, still there," Ty observed. "Clear, all clear."
"29.15."
By lap 30, David was up to 18th.
"29.05. Leader flat. Good lap right there," Bobby praised.
"5 car's inside, inside, inside. Clear."
Jimmie Johnson took the lead on lap 31.
"29.20. Leader ten. Tell me about your car when you get a chance."
"A look inside," Ty warned. "Inside, he's there. Way clear behind him if you need it."
"Halfway on the fuel run. Halfway."
"Car's still just a little loose. Not bad," Mikey said on lap 35. He was 22nd.
"Okay. I guess we'll make a small air pressure adjustment," Bobby responded.
"Feels like the right front is building up a little bit too much."
"10-4. I'll take care of you on this stop coming up here. I'll take some of that air out."
Ty warned of a car inside. "Clear three back."
Mikey was 23rd on lap 38. David was 17th, and McDowell was 39th.
"29's looking low. Inside, he's there. Inside. Clear all clear."
Lap 41 saw the second caution for Matt Kenseth, after he hit the wall.
"Caution's out," Bobby said.
"Caution's out. Trouble on the frontstretch," Ty added.
"All right, let's get caught up here." He called for four tires and an air pressure adjustment.
"220, 250."
The leaders came to pit road. Ty reminded Mikey of pit road speed when he told pits were opened.
"Chris, get a small piece up top. Chris. Right side, right side, Chris," Bobby directed. "Pit a little short. The 40 will be coming in later. Stop a little short. 5200."
"Solid right here guys, come on."
"Around the 5. 5, 4, 3, 2... Wheels straight, put on the brakes. Come on." After the stop, he guided his driver out of the box. "All the way, all the way. 5200."
"Going three wide there. Clear."
"Man, I was going 5400, and the 31 passed me," Mikey commented.
"Give me a pit road speed, Dan," Bobby requested. "Get a pit road speed reading from an official."
"One to go when you get over here. One to go. I don't think there's anybody a lap down, so nobody will be coming up through here," Ty said.
"As far as I know, we'll work on it," Mikey said.
"All right, coming to the green. Coming to the green," Bobby said. He told his driver he'd give him a reading on the tires when it was ready. "Your tires look good otherwise."
"All right, not going to go, not going to go. Couldn't get the clean-up truck off the track."
Bobby said they pulled tape too and the build-up on his right front was at three.
"It's 240 right now."
"10-4."
Newman led the restart on lap 47. Mikey was 28th, David was 19th, and McDowell was 37th. Ty warned Mikey that the #96 was "bonzaiing" along the outside.
On lap 50, Johnson reclaimed the top spot.
Ty told Mikey a car was outside. "Still outside. Still there. Still out there. Still there, still there, still there. Clear by a nose. Still there. Clear out. Clear."
Mikey lost a spot on lap 51. He was now 29th. David was up to 17th, and McDowell was 35th.
"Looking inside, inside. He's there. Inside. Still down there. Still there."
On lap 54, Johnny Sauter passed the #55.
"29.05," Bobby read off lap times.
"Clear one back," said Ty. "Looking inside now, looking inside. 7 car looking underneath you, bud. Inside. Three-wide. You got one underneath you, one underneath you. 7 car still inside. Great job, brother. Nice job. All clear."
Mikey was 29th on lap 58.
"Inside, the 7. Trying to go three-wide. The white car. Inside. Inside. That one car, the 38. Inside. 7's inside, inside."
David Gilliland taking Mikey and Robby Gordon three-wide dropped the #55 to 31st by lap 60. David was 17th, and McDowell was 33rd.
"Clear there. Clear one back."
"I'm so loose, it's just undriveable."
"10-4. Clear one back," Ty responded.
By lap 16, David was 16th, and McDowell was 32nd.
"You're half back to the double not."
"35 that lap," Bobby said. "Just ride it out. We'll get you tightenened up.
"39, 39.
"30, 30. That's a pretty good lap there.
"30. That's faster than the next thirteen cars in front of you.
"54.
"58. That's the same as about the next fifteen in front of you.
"40. I'll put a little wedge into you on the next stop. A little wedge. 60 on that lap."
"Still clear three back," Ty said on lap 73.
"63."
"Clear two back. Up there. Still there."
By lap 79, David was 16th, Mikey was 31st, and McDowell was 33rd.
"Leader - 48 - just off of 4," Ty warned. "Clear four back. Clear, clear. Let's get your focus. 48's just off of 4 now."
"60, 49.60."
By lap 82, Mikey was up to 30th. He had passed Robby Gordon.
"40. Good lap right there," Bobby praised. "60.
"65, 65."
"Just now in 2," Ty noted.
"70.
"70."
On lap 83, Kenseth came out of the garage and rejoined the race. David was now 17th.
"68, 68. We'll do another air pressure adjustment the next stop and put a little wedge in you. 75 that lap. You're not bad compared to the rest of the world. You just need track position. 68, 68."
"One coming. One back, one back. Inside. Still there if you need it. Clear."
Mikey was 31st on lap 92.
"Leader's 48 at the line now," Ty observed.
"80," Bobby said. "Leader a 40.
"75, 75."
By lap 96, David was 18th. Kevin Harvick had passed.
"55 that lap. Dang good lap right there. Same as the leader."
McDowell lost the lead lap on lap 99. Mikey passed Casey Mears for 30th.
"See what you got in front of you. You're clear fifteen back to the leader right there," Ty said. "Still there, still there, still there. Still inside. All clear, all clear. One back. Still clear two back. Still clear."
Bobby said they were eight laps away from pitting. Mikey was 29th on lap 104 when Brian Vickers dropped back.
"Still out there. Still there. Still outside. Clear. Clear clear. You got the 83 between you and the 48."
"60. Leader a 67.
"65. Five laps away from pitting."
Mikey was 28th on lap 109.
"Still out there. Still there," Ty said of David Gilliland. "Still out there. Still there. Got one looking outside - the 48. He's on your quarter. He's on your quarter. You're clear. Got the 99 and 48 side-by-side behind you there."
"Pitting this time, pitting this time. Got two-wide behind you. Got them two-wide behind you. 5200. Come on in. 5200. Come on, guys, good and solid here."
Mikey pit on lap 111 just after he got lapped. Carl Edwards also came in at the same time.
"Go go go. All the way out. All the way. Go to 53. Go to 53," Bobby directed.
"53 to the line, 53 to the line. Go hard, go hard, go hard. Got one outside. It will be clear three back to the 17. Caution's out, caution's out. Get down through here. Fuck. 78 hit the wall."
The third caution was on lap 114 for Joe Nemechek running into the wall.
"That 78 must have had a loose tire. He drove it straight into the fence."
"Well. I'm two down, so I don't know what to do. Well, I know we're staying out. I guess I just have to hope for the best," Mikey said. "That was just a bad deal pitting. We should have never pitted in front of the leaders."
Bobby said they had to pit for gas.
"I know why we pitted. I'm just saying we should have taken a chance."
The leaders pit.
"220, 250," Mikey read temperatures.
"10-4," Bobby replied.
"Give me a race summary here, or is there such a thing?" Mikey asked.
"Um, let me figure it out right quick, and I'll let you know. Let the pits cycle the rest of this group, and I'll give you a report. Not good for the home team. We know that."
"Looks like you're going to have about eight cars, nine cars, maybe so, between you and the leader," Ty stated. "We're going to have to line up on the bottom, as you know, and Carl Edwards is lined up behind you. We'll get a chance to jump out to the high side."
"Roger."
"Uh, he just pitted."
Mikey and McDowell prepared to restart at the tail end of one lap down. David was at the tail end of the lead lap.
"Looks like we've got 19 on the lead lap, and then, uh... about six or seven... eight on the tail end. And another eight one down," Bobby said. "That's, yeah. Give me another minute here just to update. 19 on the lead lap, about eight on the lead lap. I'll give you a one down report in a second."
"Watch that truck in the middle of the track up there in front of you," Ty warned.
"I've got seven of them at the tail end of one down," Bobby added. "And seven at the tail end of two there. Keep your tires working, bud. Keep your tires working."
"All right, the leader is the.... ninth car on the top, and then you've got same number on the lap down on the inside. So lot of cars between us. Maybe we'll get the caution here. We'll let you take off when you want to take off here. You know what the deal is, so long as you don't jump it here."
Mikey started inside Johnson on the lap 122 restart.
"42 still outside. Clear behind that 42," Ty said. "Clear about five back."
On lap 123, McDowell went down a second lap again. David was 22nd and on the lead lap. Mikey was one lap down in 35th. On lap 124, Dale Earnhardt Jr took the lead. McDowell fell to 40th.
"28.45," Bobby read off the lap time. "55, 55."
By lap 127, Johnson was back in the lead. He had passed Earnhardt Jr in lapped traffic.
"Still eight cars between you and the leader. Doing a great job here," Ty praised.
"65. Leader's in traffic, running 90. Stay after it.
"65. Leader 60."
"Debris in Turn 2. They haven't called the caution yet. Debris in Turn 2."
"60. Leader 77.
"85. Leader 75."
"I'm looser than shit," Mikey reported.
Bobby acknowledged and gave lap times. "85. Leader a 90."
"Got one smoking in Turns 3 and 4 pretty bad. Caution's out, caution's out."
The fourth catuion was on lap 134. Newman lost his engine, and a number of cars spun in his oil. Jeff Burton, Reed Sorenson, Matt Kenseth, Johnny Sauter, and JJ Yeley were all affected.
"All right, did that wedge help you at all, bud?" Bobby asked.
"No, you ain't touched it," Mikey replied. "All you done..."
"All right, 10-4." Bobby called for track bar and air adjustments.
Ty warned Mikey about a truck in the track. "Lot of smoke. They're going to close pit road. Got smoke all over the place."
"Only thing you did on that stop well is you got the front turning good all the way through. Your adjustment on the front was right on. I just need to be tighter."
Bobby said he would put down the track bar a couple rounds and make an air adjustment.
"Ty, who that behind me?" Mikey asked.
"It's the 28, the 28 car's behind you," Bobby replied.
"I think they're going to stop us here for a little bit."
"All right, make sure you turn all your stuff off. They're going to stop us here."
The red flag came out at 10:15pm on lap 135. Bobby asked if Mikey wanted him to work on the front or the back of the car.
"I'd say the back."
"That's where I'm going back there. I'm going to work on the end of the car, get you tightened up."
Bobby explained the situation with their pit under green.
"I didn't hear anything you said."
"When we pitted under green that first time, we still had a lap and a half." Bobby said they couldn't have gone any further.
"What'd he say, Ty?" Mikey asked.
A long pause followed.
"I don't know what's going on, but I can't hear anybody," Mikey commented. The radio was silent again. "Testing. Anybody hear me?"
"Yeah, I got ya, loud and clear," a crew member said.
"I just said I didn't hear a word you said since you pitted."
Bobby said he was talking to another team on another channel. He explained again why they had to pit when they did.
"Okay."
"Our mileage is not very good."
"Naw, I figured that out too. What caused all that?" Mikey asked.
"I think Ty might have left us. I don't know what happened there," Bobby replied.
"McDowell stayed two down?"
"Uh, yeah, 10-4."
"Yeah, Reut got his lap back, we're back to one down, and McD is two down," Ty added. "A couple other items of note. The 70 went to the garage with an issue, and the 99 got caught up in all that crap."
"The 70 and the 96 in that points deal," Bobby said. "The 70 and the 96 were caught up. Both are in the garage."
The yellow flag returned at 10:25pm.
"All right, they're about to let us go," Ty said. "You can see speedy-dry all over the track, all over the track. They have a hard time getting it up once they put it down, so you're going to be driving around with that for a while."
"Ty, how are we position on track in relation to the 00 and 40?" Bobby asked. "Time both of them, I assume."
"I can run a pretty good pace like this," Mikey told his crew chief. "I don't know if we should pit or not. It's up to you."
"Everyone... those guys got tires," Ty said. "In a ten lap gap, they came pretty hard."
"Yeah, 10-4. 250," Mikey replied.
"10-4," Bobby acknowledged. "Okay, we're going to pit. It'll be four tires, guys. Four tires."
"It's not open for anyone right now. We'll let you know."
"What we got, Ty? It's not a quicky yellow now, is it?"
"They didn't say."
Bobby asked Mikey to repeat his temperature, which was still 250. "Okay, there was a lot of stuff on your grill. We'll clean it off this time. Tell the 00 to push back in his box."
"Okay, this time. 5200, 5200."
"The 00 will be in his box. You'll have to come around him." After the stop, Bobby directed, "Go go go. All the way, all the way."
"All right, bud. 5200 when you come to the line, it'll be one to go. So when you come to the frontstretch, run up beside that 15 here."
"Okay, you're going to have a bunch of cars slow low, slow low. They're dropping to the back here," Ty warned.
Racing resumed on lap 140 with Johnson leading. Mikey was 30th and lapped, McDowell was two laps down in 36th, and David was on the lead lap in 19th.
"It'll be clear right up if you want it, clear up. Outside now, outside," Ty said. "Outside, outside. On your quarter. Clear high there. Clear high if you need it. 15 still down there."
Mikey picked up two spots within the first two laps of the run. He was up to 28th. David was 18th, and McDowell was 35th.
"21 still down there, still down there," Ty noted. "The 40 slow on the bottom here, holding things up. Clear clear clear. Clear there. Back inside, back inside. Still there inside, still there. Still there. Still there, bud. Still there, still there." Ty warned Mikey about two cars down low holding him up to the inside. Clear down there if you need it, clear down there if you need it. Clear all clear, one back. Caution's going to be out, caution's going to be out. On the bottom. Stay up on top. The 41's up against the wall somewhere. I don't know where. Over in Turn 4."
Lap 148 saw the fourth caution. Juan Pablo Montoya ran into Robby Gordon earlier, which cut down his tire. Montoya went through the grass. Reed Sorenson cut a tire from earlier contact from when Yeley hit him in the oil, and he hit the wall.
"We'll just stay out here, bud. Stay out," Bobby made the call. "Did your temp come down any?"
"215."
"Okay, 10-4."
Leaders made stops.
"So you're saying you're going to stay out, Bobby?"
"Yeah, 10-4."
"Bobby, you're saying we're going to stay out?"
"Yes. 10-4. Staying out, staying out."
Ty said something about knowing it depended what the other guys did, although he knew they were limitted on tires.
"We're staying out, man," Mikey said.
"One to go when you come around, bud. One to go," Ty noted. "Come on."
"83, 99, 38. All for position in front of us," Bobby said.
"Not going, not going."
"Keep your tires cleaned off, bud."
Dale Earnhardt Jr led the lap 153 restart. Mikey was one lap down in 25th, McDowell was two down in 34th, and David ran 17th.
"Clear one back on the bottom. Still outside," Ty observed. "Clear high if you want it. Clear high if you want it. Clear, all clear. Outside, the 11. Outside. Clear low, clear low. Still outside. Still outside. Outside 29 outside."
McDowell lost a spot by lap 157.
"Still there, still there. The 7 inside. Inside. Inside and outside. Both sides. Clear high there. Still inside. Still there. Clear there. The 18 behind you looking outside. Inside, inside. Clear behind him. Inside, inside. Got one inside."
On lap 159, Mikey was 26th after Robby Gordon's #7 passed.
"You're clear, clear."
"28.85. Good job. Get your rhythm back," Bobby praised.
"Slow car against the car, up against the wall. No caution, no caution. Caution's out, caution's out."
The fifth caution was on lap 162 for Elliott Sadler's smoking #19.
"Y'all have not touched this car, man. It's like you haven't done anything, man. It turned perfect when you put wedge in it, so you took it out instead of putting it in," Mikey said.
"That was a wedge adjustment."
"You just haven't even touched it. You hear what I'm saying? You haven't touched it. It's done the same thing since the start."
Bobby said they'd take out rubbers.
"Take forever. Hell, we can't even do a normal pit stop. Do whatever you want. I'm guessing that lead lap cars. Nobody said anything." Mikey was referring to the cars pitting.
"Yes, that was lead lap cars. Art, one down. Hey, Art. One down."
"It will be our turn this time, our turn this time," Ty said.
"It will be four tires, four tires."
"5300."
"Stop a little short there. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Right here, right here," Bobby guided his driver to the box. "Go go go go. Halfway, halfway, halfway. Clear behind the 15.
"Okay now, be careful. You're good, you're good. You got the 15 there. Okay, Bobby, when you get a chance, shout out who we're racing."
Bobby asked Ty to give him a second. "Okay, we're racing the 66, 7, 38, 28, 15, 84, 77, and 21."
"10-4," Ty replied. "Okay, it's going to be one to go here, one to go. So when you're ready, pull it up."
Mark Martin led the restart on lap 167.
"You got a couple cars at the very front who are at the tail end of the lead lap," Ty said. "Pace car's off. Ready? Green green green."
Mikey was 27th and one lap down. McDowell was two down in 34th, and David was 19th. David picked up one spot one lap itno the run.
"Still outside, still outside. The 7 car. Still outside. Still there. Left side. Looking inside. Both sides, both sides, both side. Still there both sides. Clear behind the 48 when you get there if you need it. Clear high there. Clear high. Still inside, still inside. Still down there. Still inside. Still down there."
On lap 171, Mikey was 28th. Paul Menard's #15 had passed.
"Still down there. Still there, still there. 84, down there inside. Slow one up top. Keep rolling, he's rolling. Inside the 48. 48's going three-wide on him down there. Three-wide. You're clear, all clear. He's inside. Clear behind him if you need it. Clear there. Clear two back to the 24. Clear all clear."
"29 flat, 29 flat," Bobby read lap times.
By lap 177, David was 19th. Mikey was 28th, and McDowell was 35th.
"Still clear two back to the 24. Up there on your quarter. Still there, still there. Still outside the 15. Still there. Still out there. Still there."
Mikey was 27th on lap 180 after he repassed Menard.
"Still out there, the 2. Still there. Still out there to your quarter. Nice and clear. Good job, baby. Clear. Good job. Go ahead and get back your rhythm."
"Well, you finally got it adjusted a little bit," Mikey commented.
"See what you think about the lap times, Bobby."
"10-4," Bobby replied. "29 flat. That's real fast right there. 19, 19. Be smooth with it. You're faster than all those guys in front of you there.
"43, 43."
"Still out there. Clear now, clear." Ty praised Mikey for his lap times.
"Be smooth now," Bobby advised. "Don't heat that right rear up. 29.50, 29.50.
"25, 25. Good lap!
"40. The fuel mileage leaves us short at the end. 40, 40.
"40, 29.40. Leader 27.
"45, 45. 28.66 the next three positions."
"That 66 struggling on the bottom there," Ty warned on lap 196. "Clear all clear." Mikey picked up 26th. Mikey was 17th, and McDowell was 33rd.
"40. 29.40.
"53, 53."
"About halfway on the run. How's your car?" Bobby asked.
The sixth caution was on lap 199 for David Ragan's spin. David Gilliland received the free pass.
"Spin off turn... caution's out."
"It was a lot better the whole time."
"All right, 10-4, 10-4. We'll get caught up here and get us four tires. Get us a good one, guys. If we get us a good one, we can get the free pass," Bobby told the crew. He called for a small adjustment. "Lap times pretty good there, buddy. Pretty dang good."
Ty said pit road was open for lead lap cars and that they'd pit the next time.
"Okay, guys, let's stop him a little short. Stop him short, because that 40 will be coming in around us. Four tires. Nice and smooth, guys."
Ty told Mikey to hit pit road at 5300.
"5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Right here, right here," Bobby directed. "Go go go go. All the way all the way. 53. All the way."
"5300. Watch that 83 there. 5300," Ty warned. "It'll be one to go when we get around here. One to go. Bobby, is that 66 on our lap?"
"The 66?" Bobby asked.
"He should be more than one lap down. Let's get around him."
"The 66 is on our lap."
"Must have had a five second pit stop, y'all," Bobby commented.
"All right, roll on up here."
Bobby read off all the ones they were racing.
Earnhardt Jr led the restart on lap 204. Mikey was 26th and one lap down. McDowell was two down in 33rd, and David was 15th.
"Outside, outside," Ty said. "29 still outside. No outside. Still there."
David fell to 16th on lap 207 when Carl Edwards passed.
"Clear there, clear there. Clear one back to the 29. Inside, he's there. Inside, inside. The 29's going to have the 18 with him. Inside. Back to clear, clear. 15's inside again, inside. He's there. Inside. Got a battle inside, inside. Clear there, clear. 15's inside, inside. He's all over your door. Inside. 24 inside. He's got the 31 in there. Hang in there, bro. We're fine."
By lap 212, David was back to 17th.
"It will be clear there. Two back to the 07. Inside, looking low. Inside. It'll be clear behind him right there. Clear behind him to the 48. Inside, inside. 48 inside. Clear four behind him if you need it. Slow one on the bottom when you get out of three. Slow one on the bottom, coming out of 3."
"29.15."
"One inside, inside. Inside. Got another one looking."
"I'm so, so loose. Way too loose," Mikey said on lap 217.
"10-4."
"Looking low," Ty warned. "Clear behind him, clear behind him. Clear one back to the 15. By himself. Nice job. One back."
"29.15."
Ty told Mikey that the #99 of Carl Edwards had a run under his #55. "Clear behind him."
"29, 29." Bobby said, if the race stayed green, they would need another stop. He said he'd put wedge in the car. 35."
By lap 224, David was 18th. Mikey was 26th, and McDowell was 34th.
"48, 48.
"Stay with it, bud. I'll get you some wedge on that last stop. 45. You're about two-tenths quicker than the guys you're racing in front of you. Stay after it," Bobby encouraged. "39. Good lap right there. Real good."
Kasey Kahne's #9 sparked heavily, drawing the eighth caution on lap 229.
"Right in front of you," Ty warned. "Right in front of you, the 9's up against the wall. No caution yet."
"Just real loose," Mikey reported.
"All right, 10-4. I'll put some wedge in you. I didn't do anything that last stop. Billy, how many laps is it on tires?"
"All right, pit road will be open for those lead lap cars. We're coming next time," Ty said.
"What do you think about just two tires if we put some wedge into you."
"I don't care. If anybody has seen it work, it's fine with me. If anybody hasn't, it's still fine with me," Mikey replied. He said he was "too loose to suggest it."
"That's what worries me," Bobby replied. "Do four, guys. Two rounds, Art. Four tires, two rounds. Is that 40 behind us, Ty?"
"Yes," Mikey replied. "I believe he's behind us."
"Okay, stop short," Bobby said. "5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Wheels straight, put on the brakes. Stop short. Good job. Go go go go go. Halfway, halfway."
"How many laps do I go on gas?" Mikey asked.
"68," Bobby replied. "You're another lap short right now. Another lap short."
"Okay, come on up there. One to go, one to go," Ty said. "Be ready for anything, man. They put two tires on that 00, and he's up there. Let's see what happens there. Pace car's off. Ready? Green green."
Earnhardt Jr led the lap 233 restart. Mikey was 26th and lapped, David was 17th, and McDowell was 31st and twice lapped.
"Still outside," Ty observed. "Still outside, still outside. Clear, all clear. Still there. Still down there. Still down there, still there. Low if you want it. Clear the 66. One back to the 24."
Mikey was 25th on lap 237, having passed Scott Riggs. He picked up another spot one lap later by getting around Menard.
"Still down there. The 15 still down there. Clear all clear. Inside. Still there. Clear now, clear. Clear three back to the 24. Whatever you need. You're clear three back."
By lap 242, David was 19th, and McDowell was 31st. Mikey continued to run 24th. Kasey Kahne went to the garage. Sadler, Sorenson, and Newman were already there.
"The next two guys are for position - 28, 83," Bobby said.
On lap 246, Mikey picked up 23rd from Brian Vickers.
"Under by a nose. Still there, still there, still there. Clear, clear clear. Nice job. Clear two back to the 24."
"28.99. That was a good lap right there.
"07. A 10 in front of you. 07, a 10 in front.
"03, 03. Car any better?"
"Yeah, it's a lot better," Mikey commented. "It feels like it did that run before."
"10-4." Bobby gave times. "You're chipping away at them. Keep after them."
"Clear two back to the 99," Ty said.
Bobby noted his lap times were two-tenths faster than the cars in front of him. "Be smooth. You're going to catch them cats. 7 is the lucky dog right now. 7."
"Clear by half. Inside. He's on the inside, all by himself. That's good, you're clear right there. Nobody else is coming."
"30. 29.30. That was a little bit quicker that time there."
"The 01 and the 07 are going to be slow up top again," Ty warned. "Clear. 55 laps to go. 55."
On lap 258, Mikey picked up 22nd from Travis Kvapil. David was 18th, and McDowell was 31st.
"Still there. Clear, clear."
"39."
"Just take care of your car. The 2 car has been sucking all night. He just went a lap down. He's two in front of us. He's the lucky dog. You're running p23. Keep going, bud."
"P22," Bobby corrected. "44, 44. P22."
"Still clear all clear. Clear by two. Clear all clear. Doing a good job, bud. 45 to go. That 2 car's stinking pretty bad."
"39, 39. Same out the front on that 7 car. You're about a second and a half faster than that two car, but he's still quite a ways in front of us. 40, 40.
"45, 45."
"That 7's right there and the 2. You're catching them a second a lap," said Ty.
"29.50."
By lap 272, Mark Martin took the lead.
"All right, 40 laps to go, bud. 40," Ty said.
"Be smooth, bud," Bobby coached. "Be smooth. If this thing stays green, we'll have to go to pit road for about three seconds of fuel, if this thing stays green.
"29.55, 55."
"Still there on your quarter. Clear now, clear." Ty said as Mikey picked up 21st from Kurt Busch on lap 276. "Bud, nice and smooth, nice and smooth. That's p21. Everybody's got to stop for fuel."
"52 that lap. 52. Leader 60."
"The only guy inching up on you is that 07. Lead lap car. He's running 10th," Ty said on lap 281. "Half back, 07 half back. Still down there. Inside. To your door. Clear down right there, all clear. See that 01 struggling on that right side in front of you. Slow on the right side. Clear. We're going to be pitting in about fifteen. The whole field has to."
"Be smooth there, cat. Be smooth," Bobby said. "29.60."
"Still down there. Still down there. Clear. 25 to go, bud. 25 to go. We're going to be pitting in about ten."
"We'll need three seconds of fuel. I'll count 2,001, 2,002. When I say 2,003, you book it out of there," Bobby said. "65. Leader 55."
"You're clear two back to that 28. Keep it rolling. You're doing a good job here. Clear one back, one back. Clear all clear, one back. Clear all clear."
"29.80."
"Looking like three more laps, bud," Ty said.
On lap 296, David lost the lead lap. He was 18th.
"Inside now, he's there. Inside. Back to clear now, back to clear. All right, let me know when, because we don't want to be hollering to the outside."
"Next time, next time," Bobby said.
"Next car's inside. Inside, inside. Don't slide those tires, man. Don't slide those tires. We're going to need those. 5300 when you get there."
"On the sign, and close to the wall. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. 1,001. 1,002. 1,003. Go go go."
"5300 to the line. We're going to do what we can do to get there. 15 to go, 14 to go. A couple guys getting tires. Roll at the line." Ty helped Mikey blend back into traffic. Nice job. Clear back."
Cars had begun stops on lap 297 with Denny Hamlin, and Mikey came in around the same time.
"Going to be clear. Clear, clear. Inside, inside. He's all the way to your door there. You're going to be three back to the 7."
Martin pit on lap 302, giving the lead to Jimmie Johnson. Mikey was marked two laps down in 29th. David was 16th and lapped, and McDowell was two laps down in 30th.
"All right, be smooth, bud. Be smooth," Bobby adviced.
"Clear three back."
David pit around lap 303. He was 24th and two laps down by lap 304. Mikey was 27th, and McDowell was 30th. David was 23rd one lap later, and Mikey was 26th.
"Clear, clear."
"84, 84."
On lap 306, McDowell dropped four laps down. Harvick stalled on pit road.
"We're racing the 28 in front of us, 83 out the back. 83 out the back, Ty. 28 in front, 83 out the back," Bobby noted.
"Clear by one. Clear by half. He's on fresh tires. No problem, let him go. Clear there, clear there."
McDowell was five laps down by lap 308. David was two laps down in 20th, and Mikey was 25th and two laps down.
"A couple of guys are trying to stretch it," Ty said.
"No pressure there. 83 out the back way back. 28 in front. That's who we're racing, Ty."
"You're clear, all clear. Three to go."
"Two seconds with that 83 out the back. Three to go."
"24 coming hard. Inside, inside. All by himself."
"Slow one on the bottom. 01 ran out. Get that 22 down there. Still there, still there. You're coming to the checker, you're coming to the checker, you're coming to the checker. There you go, bud. There you go."
"You finished 24th there, dude," Bobby relayed to his driver. "You lost three spots there with guys who stayed out on fuel." Bobby said Mikey had a top 15 car. "We screwed you here in the pits. You drove your ass off."
"Yeah, thank you, man. So we'll just work on it, I guess," Mikey replied. "Now I'm too tight. When we got it tight, we got it too tight, so figure it out."
Bobby said he went too far. "But hell, at least you got to get out there and race."
"Yeah, 10-4."
"Yeah, you finished 24th is right where you're showing, but you're better than that. You got decent points. You can beat their ass at Talladega."
"I think Reut got back in the top 35 there, so couple of positive things there."
"10-4. Good job, Ty."
"Thanks. That was fun."
Jimmie Johnson gambled on fuel and won. David's 18th place finish put him back in the top 35 in points; he was two laps down. Mikey finished three laps down in 24th, and McDowell was five laps down in 34th.
Be sure to watch the Busch series race at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez next weekend! Coverage of the Mexico 200 begins Sunday at 1:30pm ET on ESPN2. The Cup Series will return in two weeks.