Mikey 24th at Darlington by Kellyanne Lynch
10 May 2008
Michael Waltrip's #55 Napa Auto Parts Camry finished 24th in the Dodge Challenger 500, tonight's Nextel Cup race at Darlington Raceway. David Reutimann's #44 UPS machine crossed the stripe in 19th, and rookie Michael McDowell came home 28th in his #00 Brain Cancer Action Week Toyota.
Mikey qualified 37th from his 700th career start. McDowell rolled off 18th while David started 30th.
The call to start engines came at 7:28pm ET. Crew chief Bobby Kennedy and spotter Clay performed a radio check moments later.
"Have everybody got me okay?" Mikey asked.
"Yeah, 10-4. I've got you up here loud and clear. You got me?" Clay replied.
"Yes sir."
"All right, Clay, the pit stops, just let me know when he comes to pit road, the committment line," Bobby addressed the spotter. "Then I'll take him from there. I'll get him out of the box, and then he's yours."
"10-4," Clay responded. "Um, Bobby, confirm the 45 behind us and the 07 in front of us on pit road."
"That is correct. That is correct."
"10-4."
"You're the fourth stall in?" Mikey asked.
"Yes sir. That is correct. Fourth stall in," Bobby responded. "8, 15, 45, then us.
"44 looks like a heck of a good idea. 44," the driver assessed pit road speed.
"10-4. 10-4."
"All right, give it one to go, one to go,
"All right, just make sure all your belts are tight and your switches on," Bobby said. "Have a good evening. We've been giving away too many points recently. Let's get some tonight."
Mikey said they had had decent cars but not decent finishes. "We'll just race hard and stay smart and hope we clip off some on the way."
"Right on. All right, Clay. Stay tight with him. Take care of it."
"10-4."
"Be smart, be safe, get that thing to a good finish. Coming to the green. Pace car's in. Be ready. Ready. Green green green."
The green flag waved at 7:38pm.
"You're all clear. Everything's clear up ahead," Ty noted. "Clear high, clear high. Clear, all clear. Still all clear, clear by two. Got one in the fence up ahead. Back it down, back it down. There you go. Nice job."
Polesitter Greg Biffle led the first lap but lost the lead to Dale Earnhardt Jr. Mikey moved up to 36th.
The first yellow flag came on lap 3 when Elliott Sadler washed up the track into Tony Stewart in Turn 1. Both drivers went to the garage.
"Man, I think Reutimann hit the wall pretty hard too," Mikey commented.
"Got one outside of you there," warned Clay.
"Looks like everything's cool on your end. We'll just stay out," Bobby said.
"Pit road's open."
"Staying out. Staying out."
"10-4. Staying out."
"Hey, Bobby, I was wanting to say Happy Mama's day," Mikey said under caution. "Special one to my sister Connie, who's got little miss Macy with her, helping her heal through a few wounds." He said happy mother's day to the mothers of crew members too. "So therefore, we're not going to cuss tonight."
"10-4. I'm with you. Thanks for that. I'm with you. That's cool."
"We'll try not to get into a couple."
Clay said it looked like only the cars in the fence had pitted. "One to go."
Mikey was 31st when racing resumed on lap 6. David was 39th, and McDowell was 19th.
"10 car looking inside. Still clear. Clear behind by five. No pressure. Stay low there. Clear, clear," Clay guided. "Still clear by three. Inside. At your bumper. Clear, clear. You're clear by two."
On lap 10, Kyle Petty got into the wall hard and went to pit road.
"Clear by three."
"Skating the right front out," Mikey said.
"10-4."
"Outside - the 20. Clear behind him. Got one in the fence up ahead. Back it down. There you go. Up high there - 77."
The second caution was on lap 12 after Sam Hornish Jr hit the wall. He reportedly lost a tire. Mikey was 26th, David was 32nd, and McDowell was 18th.
Bobby said he wanted to take out air in the right front and asked if he were skating.
"Um. I don't know," Mikey replied. "I mean, I can stay out too. I don't know. I'm not as bad as I look, it's just a little like, through 3 and 4, I'm starting to come in, and in 1 and 2, I'm skating that right front out. I'd just as soon maybe... I don't know. Stay out." He said he was catching the #10.
"The only one coming behind you is that 99."
"The 8 must be gonna pit. He's terrible. So I don't care. You make the call."
"Let's stay out, stay out," Bobby made the call.
"Yeah, the 5 and the 10 behind us just pitted on that first caution."
Bobby again said they'd stay out.
"Bobby, the first car off pit road was the 42. So everyone behind the 42 came in," Clay informed the crew chief.
"10-4. Thanks."
"Uh, 7 car's going to come up to your bumper. He's got a little debris on the radiator. They're giving one to go, one to go."
"240, 240," Mikey read off temperatures.
"10-4. 240, 240," Bobby acknowledged. "Clean your tires off good. Coming to the green."
"Coming to the green. Pace car's in. Be ready. Ready? Green green green."
Earnhardt Jr led the restart on lap 16. Mikey was 23rd, David was 27th, and McDowell was 17th.
Clay warned Mikey of a car looking to pass. "And you're clear. Nice job! All clear."
Lap 17 saw Mikey in 22nd. Meanwhile, Kyle Busch took the lead.
"Corner. Real good corner," Clay said. Mikey lost a spot one lap later. "Clear by three. Two back, two back. Got a hole behind him. Still all clear. Inside, inside. All clear. Inside, to his bumper. You're pulling him. You're clear."
By lap 20, Mikey was 25th.
"You're clear, all clear. Inside. By himself. Inside. Three back to the 44. All clear. Inside, inside. Big hole behind him."
David passed Mikey on lap 22. The #44 was 25th, and the #55 was 26th. McDowell was 20th.
"Clear by two," said Clay.
"Check your temps again when you get a chance," Bobby requested.
"220, 240," Mikey replied on lap 26. McDowell was 22nd at this point, and David was 24th.
"29.45, 45," Bobby read off lap times.
"Clear, clear. Clear by five."
On lap 28, Mikey moved up to 25th.
"Driving away from them. Clear by six."
MWR ran 23rd (McDowell), 24th (David), and 25th (Mikey) on lap 29.
"70. 29.70."
"That 00 has been coming back pretty quick," Clay warned after David passed McDowell for position on lap 30. "Good lap right there. Good lap."
"I'm loose in," Mikey reported on lap 34.
"All right, 10-4. 29.80," Bobby replied.
"Still there. Clear, clear."
Mikey was now 24th. McDowell was back to 27th.
"There you go. Clear by ten," said Clay.
"29.80. That's faster than the next ten cars in front of you. You and Reutimann are about the same," Bobby commented. David was 22nd on lap 36 while Mikey continued in 24th. "65, 65."
Lap 37 saw David pick up 21st. Meanwhile, Mikey lost a spot to Matt Kenseth. The #55 had scuffed the wall.
"Stay with it. Inside. That's all right. Inside," Clay assured. "Clear by three."
Busch scraped the wall and lost the lead. Biffled picked it up on lap 40. Mikey was 26th. David was 20th.
"Inside, inside. All by himself."
"Got you a little bent," Bobby commented. "How's your entry and exit?"
"Loose in, loose in. Tight off," Mikey replied. Passing Joe Nemechek on lap 43 put him in 25th.
"All clear, all clear," Clay noted. "Still there, still there. Clear clear. Good corner. Clear by two. Inside, inside. 8 inside. You're all clear, all clear."
"Stay after it," Bobby encouraged on lap 45. "We're ten laps away from pitting, ten. We'll make an air pressure adjustment, and we'll make a small wedge adjustment."
"Clear by five."
"29.85, last two laps. That's pretty good right there."
"We got a run. Inside, inside. Clear behind him," Clay warned. "Looking inside on you. You're pulling him. He's inside, all by himself."
On lap 50, Mikey was 27th. Mark Martin and JJ Yeley had passed.
"Hey, Bobby, it looks like if we fix that tight off, we'll have something."
"Three laps away from pitting. Three. Thirty flat, thirty flat," Bobby said on lap 52.
"You gotta fix the loose in too," Mikey requested.
"10-4, 10-4. All right, next time by, next time by. We'll make the track bar adjustment and air pressure. Four tires."
"Clear by ten. Pitting this time."
"4400."
"Coming to you, Bobby."
"5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Right here, right here. Wheels straight, put on the brakes," Bobby guided his driver to the box on lap 55. "Go go go. All the way, all the way. 44. All the way. 4400."
Lap 56 saw Mikey 40th and two laps down. David was 19th, and McDowell was 31st.
"All right, all you can get," Clay directed. "Three of them coming outside. Got a hole behind the 1. Outside. There you go."
McDowell pit around lap 58.
"Clear, all clear."
Biffle pit on lap 60, allowing Kurt Busch to take the lead. David was 4th.
"66 in front of you pitting this time," Clay warned. "All clear."
One lap later, Busch pit and Travis Kvapil picked up the top spot. David pit at the same time.
"29.60, 29.60," Bobby read off lap times. "30, 29.30."
Kvapil pit after leading two laps, giving Matt Kenseth the lead on lap 63.
"Clear, clear," Clay noted. Mikey was 35th, one lap down. "Still out there. Clear, clear. Nice job. All clear."
Kenseth stopped on lap 65, giving the lead to Kasey Kahne.
"Still there. Clear, clear."
Kahne pit one lap later. JJ Yeley led lap 66.
"60, 60."
When Yeley pit, Patrick Carpentier took over the top spot.
"45, 45.
"50."
Ryan Newman was issued a pass through penalty on pit road because of a tire violation. He missed pit road when he first shot for it to serve the penalty.
"55.
"50."
David Gilliland led lap 70. He stopped one lap later, and Kyle Busch was back in the lead. Stops had cycled. David was 19th, Mikey was 27th, and McDowell was one lap down in 37th.
"85."
"60. Leader 05. Keep an eye on the leader, Clay."
"10-4. Leader's a straightaway back," Clay replied.
"55."
Lap 74 saw Mikey in 26th. David was 18th, and McDowell was one lap down in 35th.
"65."
"Two back to the 11. That 7's having motor issues right there," Clay warned on lap 76. "Inside, all by himself. All clear."
With Hamlin's pass, Mikey moved back to 27th.
"Leader's two cars back," Clay observed one lap later.
"It's just plowing in the centre, tight off," Mikey reported.
"10-4, 10-4."
"Clear by five to the leader," Clay said.
"Right front's way off."
"10-4, 10-4. Copy the right front.
"95."
"Clear by three. Inside, inside. Got the 16 with him there. Clear behind him."
Mikey lost the lead lap on lap 81. He was 28th.
"All clear. Clear by three," Clay said.
"Tell him I'm sorry. I was trying to hold him up a little pit."
"Okay. Inside, inside. All clear. Inside, by himself. All clear. Nothing coming, nothing coming."
"15, 30.15. Leader 35."
"It just went tight up off," Mikey reported.
"10-4, 10-4.
"20, 30.20."
"Reeling them back in, reeling them back in," Clay said on lap 90.
"30 flat, about half second quicker than that 01, same as the leader that lap," Bobby commented. "30.10, 30.10. 30 out the front side, same as the leader last two laps.
"15, 15.
"15. You're 10.
"30."
"Still clear by half a straightaway," Clay said on lap 96. Two laps before that, David was running 14th and had run the fastest lap on track.
"35."
"Keep digging. You're catching that 7, that lucky dog.
"Clear, clear. All clear. Nice job. The leader's still right up there in front of you."
"All right, about twelve laps from pitting. Twelve laps. How about air out of both front tires," Bobby suggested.
"Inside, the 77. A hundred laps down, new tires," Clay warned on lap 104. "All clear. 07 got a run. All clear. Clear behind him."
Clint Bowyer passed Mikey and dropped to 28th on lap 104.
"Lucky dog's still that 7."
"That 07's on our lap also," Bobby pointed out.
"10-4. Stay with it, stay with it. Are you all right? Inside, inside. No tire smoke. You're all good."
Mikey didn't answer. He was 29th on lap 106.
"All clear."
"30.30, 30.30. Six more laps. Six more," Bobby said, indicating when the #55 would pit. "25, 25. Good lap."
On lap 109, Mikey was 28th. Biffle took the lead one lap later, David ran 13th, and McDowell was 37th. Sterling Marlin had scraped the wall in front of Busch, allowing the pass.
"20, 20.
"25, 25."
Lap 112 saw Robby Gordon pit with a battery problem. The hood went up on his #7.
"25. Leader a ten.
"All right, next time by, next time by. 4400. Next time by."
"4400. Coming to you, Bobby."
"4400. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Wheels straight, put on the brakes."
Mikey pit on lap 114.
"Go go go go. All the way, all the way. 4400," Bobby directed. "Good stop, guys!"
"One more. All clear, all clear."
On lap 115, Mikey was 38th and two laps down. McDowell was 39th, and David was 11th. Drivers continued to make stops.
"All clear," said Clay. "Still there. Clear, clear. Still out there. Clear, clear. Clear, clear. Clear, all clear."
David pit on lap 120. McDowell appeared to have already made his stop.
"29.60," Bobby read off the lap time. "30."
Biffle pit on lap 122, giving the lead to Jeff Gordon.
"No pressure," said Clay. "Clear by half a straightaway."
Gordon pit after leading a lap, relinquishing the top spot to Hamlin.
"40. 29.40."
Hamlin pit on lap 123, and Carpentier picked up the lead.
"Still clear by half a straightaway," Clay said.
"55. 29.55."
Carpentier stopped and gave the lead back to Busch. Meanwhile, Stewart had to return to pit road for a penalty. Stops had cycled, and Busch was back in the lead.
"All right, is your car any better right there?"
"Nope."
"10-4. 29.50, 29.50.
"70. 29.70."
Biffle took the lead back on lap 128. Busch reclaimed the lead. Mikey was 27th and on the lead lap. David was 12th, and McDowell was 35th.
"Clear by two," Clay noted. "Way to hang on, way to hang on."
"Loose in," Mikey reported.
"10-4."
"No tire rubs, no tire rubs," Clay reported.
"New tires behind you. Just got off pit road."
"Inside, all by himself."
Mikey was lapped again on lap 129. He was 26th, David was 11th, and McDowell was 34th.
"Inside, all by himself there. That's the leader. Inside, inside. Three back to the 88. All clear."
"Flat, 30 flat."
"Looking inside, inside.
Mikey was 25th on lap 132.
"Loose everywhere."
"All right, 10-4, 10-4."
"07 looking inside."
"Stay after it."
"All clear. There you go! Clear by five."
"29.90. There you go. Good lap."
"Clear from behind. All clear. Inside, inside. Another one looking inside. That idiot. Stay with it. You're all clear."
Mikey was 26th on lap 136. Carpentier had tried to pass but then didn't.
"Inside. All clear."
"Looking inside. That's your bumper. Clear behind him. Caution's out, caution's out for debris."
The third caution was on lap 139 for debris. Bowyer received the free pass.
"I'll tighten you up," Bobby assured his driver.
"It feels like you listened to the spotter and not to me. I was loose in and tight off, but he didn't need to be commented on what he sees. You just made me so loose, I just about wrecked."
"10-4. We'll get that trackbar back down," Bobby replied.
"Need to pull out on that right front fender, Bobby," Clay said.
"All right, 10-4. Make it quick, guys. Get us this lucky dog here. We'll be second by. Four tires. Get that track bar back down."
"Give me a real wet rag too. I've got something in my eye," Mikey requested.
"Get that, Ron," Bobby told a crew member.
"Pull a tear-off too."
"10-4."
"4400, coming to you."
"Stop a little short. This 07's coming around you. Ready? 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Right here," Bobby guided.
"Did he get you off pit road, the 7?" Clay asked after the stop.
"I think I got him. Check," Mikey replied.
"Ask that official."
Bobby told somebody to check if the #7 or the #55 was first.
"Actually, don't ask, don't ask. Sometimes they will... just leave it. Giving one to go, one to go."
"All right, I'll give you the cars we're racing in just a bit. I'll update. 15, 38, 10, 40, 42, 84, 20. 15 there in front of you, 42 behind you."
Clay said something about the #00, which was two laps down.
Earnhardt Jr led the restart on lap 145. Mikey was 26th and one lap down, David was 11th, and McDowell was 35th and two laps down.
"One outside to your bumpter, one outside to your bumper. Still there. Still outside, still outside. Got a hole behind him. You're clear, clear. Inside, inside. Still there, inside. All clear. Looking inside, at your door, inside. All clear. Clear by two, 00."
Kevin Harvick dropped to the apron and went to pit road on lap 147. He had hit the wall hard. The race remained under green.
"Got one in the fence up ahead. Keep coming, keep coming. No caution. Caution's out for debris, caution's out for debris."
The fourth caution was on lap 148. Paul Menard received the free pass.
"We'll stay out here. We'll be the next one in line for the lucky dog. Did that tighten you up here?"
"Lucky dog's coming outside. Two cars back. Outside. Coming to one to go."
Everybody but Harvick was on track.
"Got your teammate behind you two laps down, and the 10 car behind him," Clay said, referring to McDowell.
Earnhardt Jr led when racing resumed on lap 151. Mikey was 25th, the first driver one lap down.
"Clear behind him. There you go. Good start," Clay praised. "Good corner. Clear by three. Looking inside. He's by himself. Clear behind him. Inside, inside. All by himself. Big hole behind him. Inside, all by himself. Clear by three to the 00."
"Clear by half a straightaway to the 10 car that we're racing for the lucky dog," Bobby said on lap 156. "29.20.
"20, 29.20. Leader flat.
"25."
On lap 160, Biffle took the lead on the straightaway.
"Clear by five to the 48," said Clay.
"25," Bobby continued with lap times. "45."
David was running 15th on lap 162. Mikey was 25th, and McDowell was 34th.
"55.
"45, 45. Doing good. Pulling away from that 48 behind you. 70.
"65.
"70."
"Still clear by five to the 48. 10 car at the line now."
Bobby gave lap times and also said where the #10 was running, half a straightaway back. "How's your car?"
"A tick tight," Mikey replied on lap 169.
"10-4."
"You're running away from them, running away from them," Clay observed.
"60.
"65.
"80. Lap times pretty good, bud. Let's take a little wedge out on the next stop. We haven't touched the wedge yet. But you're doing good. Keep doing it. Be smooth. You're driving away from that 10." Bobby read off lap times again. "Third fastest car that lap.
"30.10, 10.
"29.90. Good lap.
"70, 70. Fastest car that lap. Fastest car on the track.
"75. Leader a flat.
"95. Leader 80.
"85, 85. Good lap times. Real good.
"90. Leader 90."
"Still got a full straightaway behind you," Clay said on lap 181."No pressure."
"90. Leader 98.
"75. Damn good lap there. Real good.
"95. We're about twenty laps away from pitting, twenty away. 90. Leader 05.
"85." Bobby said he was considering just doing an air pressure adjustment. "Your lap times are pretty dang good. Stay after it. That leader's going to start lapping some leaders again. Stay after it. You're faster than those guys. 15. Leader a 12. That 11 car in your mirror is the fastest car on the track right now. 85, 85. 11 car run a 50. You're the third quickest car that lap.
"95, same as the leader."
"Still five back to the 11, full straightaway behind him," Clay said on lap 189. "You're pulling him. Two back, by himself. All clear."
"35, 35. About twelve laps away from pitting.
"20, 20. Ten laps away from pitting, ten away."
Meanwhile, Biffle pit with a suspected transmission issue. Martin Truex Jr picked up the lead on lap 194.
"Clear, clear. Nice job! All clear," Clay praised.
Mikey was 24th on lap 196.
"Got one in the fence up ahead. Keep coming. It's the 40 car," Clay warned. "All clear."
"15.
"25, 25. About four more laps. I'm just going to give you four tires, no adjustments." Bobby emphasised that Mikey had a top five car. "30, leader 35."
Cars began pitting on lap 201. Mikey was 22nd.
"Next time by, next time by. Four tires," said Bobby.
"Give me a good water towel," Mikey requested.
"10-4."
Truex Jr pit on lap 202, giving the lead to Earnhardt Jr.
"4400, 4400, 4400."
"Coming to you."
"5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Right here, right here. Wheels straight, put on the brakes," Bobby led his driver to the box on lap 203, as Kenseth took the lead. "Halfway. Stop stop stop. Halfway. Behind the sixty..."
"Outside," Clay cut in. "All clear."
Kenseth pit on lap 204, giving the lead to David Ragan. Mikey was two laps down in 29th.
"One more to go, and you'll be clear. One more. There you go. All clear."
McMurray picked up the lead on lap 206.
"Clear, all clear. All clear."
"That 26, he's the leader right now."
"All clear."
Mikey drove around McMurray to put himself back one lap down. McMurray's #26 stopped on lap 209, giving the lead to Biffle. Mikey was 26th, David was 18th, and McDowell was two laps down in 35th.
"Clear by two," said Clay. "Inside, inside. Three back to the 48."
On lap 210, the #55 was 25th. He was 24th one lap later.
"Inside, at your door. Inside. 18 inside. Clear behind him. Clear by a straightaway, nice and smooth."
"Real loose," Mikey reported.
"10-4, 10-4. Get those tire codes for me, Paul. Okay, just be smooth. Ride it out. We'll just get this set off here. We didn't do anything to it," said Bobby. "Stay after it. You're doing good. 29.60. Leader 25.
"55, 55.
"50.
"60. Be smooth. No pressure. P24 right now, P24. All these guys we're battling for point position are way down, way down. 69, 69.
"30 flat."
"Clear, all clear."
On lap 221, Paul Menard's #15 was pushed to the garage.
"79, 79.
"That 2 car behind you is one of the fastest cars right now. 80, 80. 2 a 75."
Clay warned that Kurt Busch's #2 was coming and cleared the #55 behind him. David was 15th, and McDowell was 31st.
"05, 05," said Bobby.
"All clear."
"89, 89.
"05, 05. Leader 80.
"20."
"Sideways," Mikey said on lap 228.
"10-4, 10-4," acknowledged the crew chief.
"Clear by five. 01's coming back to you quick, couple of laps down."
"30 flat, 30 flat. It's halfway on this fuel run, halfway."
"Clear, all clear."
"75, 75. Good lap. Real good lap. Only one other car in the 29's there. Stay after it. I'll make an air pressure adjustment the next set." He said he couldn't confirm whether the track was loosening up. "Stay after it.
"85, 85. Good lap times right there, brother. Good lap times."
"Clear by half a straightaway," Clay said. "Caution's out, caution's out for debris.
The fifth caution was on lap 235 for debris. The debris had come from Biffle, and he was out of the race. Bobby Labonte received the free pass.
Bobby said they would pit. "Get in here. We'll put your four on, and I'll just take a half pound out of that right rear."
"I'm real hot," Mikey replied. "I need a couple bags of ice, a couple waters, a couple tires."
"Dan, help Ron. Help get that hooked up there. Get the windshield."
"Windshield's fine."
"10-4," Bobby responded. "Where's the 07 on the track in relation to us?"
"Uh, he's about the thirteenth car in line."
"Yeah, us. Is he in front of us or behind us?"
"He's behind us," Mikey replied after a long pause.
"Yeah, 10-4."
"No, negative, he's in front of us."
"10-4."
Bobby said he just wanted to know what to do with the sign. "Come in here. Back in here just a little bit so we can keep the timer right on the car. All right, we'll be four tires, guys. Give him ice bags and all that, Ron."
"Give me one full water with no ice in it, two regulars, and a bag of ice," Mikey made his order.
Bobby told Ron to get that ready. "It'll be 4400, 4400. You want the cap on or off on that bottle?"
"Just three bottles, three normals."
"Coming to you," Clay said.
"5, 4, 3... Right here, right here." Bobby said during the stop, "Watch behind you. Go go go! All the way. 44, 44."
"Giving one to go this time," Clay noted.
Bobby said Mikey was 23rd. "All right. Get you four deep breaths here, get your belts tight. 240, 240 we'll get the green. Billy, let me know about that fuel as quick as possible."
During the caution, Ryan Newman and Brian Vickers got into each other and spun while going to the pits.
Hamlin led the restart on lap 240. Mikey was one lap down in 23rd, David was 13th, and McDowell was 29th.
"Outside, outside. Got a hole behind that 48. Right there. Nice job," Clay praised. "Looking inside, inside. It's your bumper. Inside, inside. Inside, inside. All clear. Inside of your door, inside. Inside. All clear, clear. Inside inside, all clear. Clear by three. Clear from behind, all clear. Clear by three. Inside, inside. 01 looking, inside of your bumper, inside. All clear. Half back to the 44."
Lap 247 saw Mikey a spot.
"Caution's out, caution's out," Clay warned.
The sixth caution was on lap 248 for Brian Vickers. He had hit the wall. Bowyer received the free pass.
"What do you got there, bud?" Bobby asked his driver.
"It was too tight on the get go," Mikey replied. "It's like, when we take off under caution, it's tight. When we take off under green, it's loose."
"Pit, pit," Bobby instructed. "Gas only. Pit. Gas only. How much you need, Billy?"
"Give me a bunch of ice and shit," Mikey requested.
"Okay," Bobby replied and led his driver to the box. He then led him out behind the #78 of Joe Nemechek. "Okay, that will put us one out right there. One out."
"Lucky dog's coming outside two back," Clay warned.
"All right, they're saying too fast exitting. We'll be at the tail end of the longest line," Bobby broke the news.
"Well, crap."
"It's all right," Bobby assured him. "You're better than most of them. You'll be okay. Looking like we've got still the six cars we're racing." He listed them.
Jeff Gordon had stayed out under yellow, and he led the restart on lap 252. Mikey was 26th and one lap down after his penalty. David was 10th, and McDowell was 28th and two laps down.
"Clear from behind by two," Clay noted. "All by himself. All clear. Three back to the 20. That 78's coming back to you pretty quick. Clear all clear. Still at your bumper. Clear, clear, clear. Inside, inside. All clear. Inside. Inside, inside. Inside at your bumper. Inside. At your door. Inside. You're pulling him. You're clear, clear. Inside bumper, inside. All clear. Inside at your door, inside. Clear behind him. Clear. Two back, 78. Still outside. Clear, clear."
"These tires suck," Mikey complained on lap 259.
"All right, 10-4."
"Clear by three."
"29.75.
"70, 29.70. That's a little better right there. There you go!"
"Clear, all clear."
"30 flat, 30 flat. Leader at the line now."
"Still clear by three."
"29.80. There you go. 29.80. Stay with it, bud.
"We'll get you another set on there. 95, 95."
By lap 267, Mikey was 26th and lapped, David was 17th, and McDowell was two laps down in 29th.
"95.
"All the cars around you are a bunch of laps down, they're a bunch of laps down. 30.15."
"Still out there. Clear, clear."
"That dude's got a lot of oil," Mikey said of Casey Mears, who got into the wall and smoked along the track. Carpentier went to the garage.
"Get that 5 car, Clay."
"Yeah, I got him. Slow car ahead of you - the 5. All clear."
By lap 272, Kyle Busch was back in the lead.
"20, 30.20," Bobby read off lap times.
Two laps later, Mikey was 25th.
"All clear."
"25, 25."
"Still clear by two."
"20, 20. Stay after it, bud. Stay after it," Bobby encouraged. "25."
"Slow car ahead on the bottom - 84," Clay warned. "Nice save. Stay with it, stay with it. Still inside. They're talking debris. Caution's out. Wave him off. Caution's out."
The seventh caution was on lap 280 for AJ Allmendinger.
"I can't see where I'm going. Man, it's very very tight."
"10-4. I'll make an air pressure adjustment here."
"You might want to spend some time working on the right side. I hit it pretty hard that time."
Clay said they'd have to pull it out, but it wasn't too much different than before.
Bobby told Chris to "roll that right front if need be".
"It doesn't look bad, Bobby. It looks more in the rear than in the front."
"All right, 10-4."
"Pit road will be open."
"It'll be the second time by."
"10-4. Second by."
Bobby told Chris when to take care of the sheet metal damage. "Make sure they wait a lap or that they wait further back.
"45 in front of us on the track?"
"No," Mikey replied.
"Okay, 10-4. We'll stop here. We'll stop on the sign."
"45's five cars behind us," Clay added.
"It'll be four tires here, four tires. Damage, if you can."
"Coming to you."
"5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Right here, right here, right here. Wheels straight, put on the brake," Bobby guided.
"Actually, I'm good over there," Mikey said during the stop.
"Okay guys, let's go let's go let's go!" Bobby told the crew. "You all right there, Andy? Okay.
"Okay, we're racing the 38, 42, 83. 38, 42, 83 for the lucky dog."
"10-4. One to go this time by," said Clay.
"We're going to need a little help there, Clay. A bunch of these guys are a lot of laps down," Bobby prompted the spotter to talk to lapped traffic.
"Yeah, 10-4."
"Yeah, it would be good to get to that 83 car. That would be cool."
Clay was off the radio for a bit to talk to spotters. "All right, the 01 will let us go there, and our teammate will let us go as well. All right, there we are."
Mikey restarted behind Vickers' #83 on lap 284. Gordon led, Mikey was 24th and lapped, David was 18th, and McDowell was 27th and two laps down.
"Outside to your bumper, outside. Outside, outside. Clear, clear," said Clay. "Outside, outside. Got a run on you outside, outside. Got a big hole behind him there. All clear."
On lap 287, Busch reclaimed the lead in his #18.
"Still outside. Still there. Clear all clear. Slow car ahead on the top there - the 96. Inside. 31 inside. You're clear, all clear. Nice job. There you go. Nice job. Clear by three. Inside to your bumper. All by himself. Big hole behind him. No pressure. Clear by five."
"Inside, inside. Looking inside, he's inside. All clear. Clear, clear."
On lap 294, Mikey picked up 23rd by getting around Juan Pablo Montoya's #42.
"Clear by five," Clay said. "Inside. Hole behind him. All clear. Clear from behind by two. That 8's been coming back to you pretty quick."
"29.60. That was your best lap in a while right there," Bobby said on lap 299.
"That's a real good run off that corner. You're pulling two car lengths off of 4. Inside, inside. All clear."
"I go from tight to loose every set," Mikey complained.
"How's your car this run?"
"LOOSE!"
"Okay, 10-4."
"Clear by four," Clay noted. "Caution's out. Got one spinning off of four here. Race track's clear."
Lap 301 saw the eighth caution. Truex Jr and Hamlin collided in Turn 4, spinning Hamlin's #11.
"I go from one side to the other, Bobby," Mikey complained.
"Yeah, 10-4. I'm beating my head against the box up here," Bobby said. He expressed how adjustments or not making adjustments made the car go either way. "I'm just going to tighten you up right here, take some air out of that left rear."
"Well, I would take some air out of the left front. Maybe it needs another adjustment."
Bobby said they would try something different. "Put that half back in there. How many laps on these, Billy? All right, next time by, we'll get you four tires. Next time by. We'll work on that left rear. Billy, how close does this put us?"
"Got a broom truck up there on the top," warned Clay.
"Four tires, guys. Four tires."
"Coming to you. 4400."
"5, 4, 3. Right here, right here. Wheels straight, put on the brakes."
The #55 pit.
"Go go go. All the way, all the way, all the way. 4400," Bobby said after the stop. "Good stop, guys!"
"Nice stop, guys," Clay added.
"Great job, everybody! Great job!" Mikey praised.
"How much longer on this caution here, Clay?"
"Um, we should get the one to go next time by."
"All right, looking at the fuel here, you should run out when you take the checkered flag," Bobby told his driver.
"Okay," Mikey replied.
"Giving one to go, one to go," Clay noted.
"Get you a nice deep breath right here. Tighten those belts up. It'll be 60 to go when you get the green here. You're P23 here, P23, Racing the 83, 20, 42, 84. 83, 20, 42, 84. Both Red Bull cars, Juan Pablo, Tony Stewart."
Kyle Busch led the restart with sixty laps to go. Mikey was 23rd, one lap down. David was 16th, and McDowell was two laps down in 27th.
"Outside to your bumper. Outside, outside, outside. Outside. One more outside. 20 looking outside, he's outside. One more outside. Big hole behind that 22. All clear right there. Looking outside, outside, outside. Got a hole behind him. Clear behind him. Inside, inside. 42 looking inside, he's inside. Inside. Inside, inside. Stay with it. All clear."
Mikey was 25th on lap 310.
"You're pulling them two car lengths. Clear by two. Inside of your door, inside. 31 inside. 96 inside of your bumper. All clear. Clear by half. Clear by three. Inside, inside. Clear from behind, all clear. Clear by three. 8 car looking inside, inside. Inside, inside. All clear. Inside bumper, inside. All clear. Clear by a car length. Inside bumper, inside. Clear all clear. Two back, they're two back. Inside, inside. Good corner. Clear by five."
"Fifty laps to go. Fifty to go. 68. Good lap," Bobby told his driver. "65, 65."
"Clear by two. Catching that 42 car in front of you," Clay said.
"65."
"Inside. All by himself. All clear. Looking inside. You're clear, you're clear. Clear by two. Inside. Clear behind him, all clear. Inside. All clear."
"Stay after it, bud. That 42 in front of us is the only guy we're racing, and he's coming back to us," Bobby encouraged. "30 flat.
"30 flat."
"Clear by three."
"30 flat."
"Clear from behind. Still all clear. Inside. Clear all clear. Good corner, good corner. Clear by five."
"How's your car?" Bobby asked on lap 330.
"Loose in, tight off," Mikey replied.
"10-4.
"05, 05.
"05."
"Clear by two."
"We're not racing anybody around us. That 43's on the lead lap," Bobby told his driver.
"Inside, inside. All clear. Five back to the 44."
"44 is racing that 43," Bobby said.
"Still three back."
"30.10, 30.10. Leader 80.
"30.10."
"Still two back, two back."
"05."
"Inside, inside. Clear behind him. All clear. Clear by two. Inside, inside. All clear behind him."
"30.60."
"Good corner. Clear by three."
"30.15."
"Inside. Clear behind him. Clear from behind. Clear by one. Clear from behind. Inside at your bumper. Inside, inside. Clear behind him. Leader's two cars back. Leader in your mirror. Inside, inside. All clear."
"Second place car in your mirror - the 99. Inside. All clear."
"The next car we're racing is crossing the start/finish line now. The next car we're racing is crossing the start/finish line now," Bobby told his driver. "Be smooth. Bring 'er home."
"Clear, clear."
"Twelve laps to go, twelve to go. 96's the only car we're racing, Clay.
"30.70, 30.70. The 96 is just getting off 4 now. Plenty of cushion, plenty of cushion."
"Ten to go. Clear by five."
"All right, Clay, be on your toes. Some of these guys are not going to make it of fuel. Be on your toes."
"Yeah, 10-4," the spotter replied.
"Eight laps to go. Eight laps to go."
"Still clear by five."
"Six to go, six to go."
"No pressure. Five back to the 21. It's five to go."
"Last couple laps have been pretty good. Five laps to go.
"05.
"Two to go, two to go."
"All clear. You're pulling him. Clear by two. Third place car, all by himself. Coming inside. Clear behind him."
"Stay after it. The 83 about five back is for position. He just pitted. One to go, one to go."
Mikey did pick up 24th from Vickers' stop going into the white flag lap.
"No pressure, no pressure," said Bobby.
"Coming to the checkers," Clay told him.
"30.40." After the checkered flag, Bobby told his driver, "All right, bud, we finished 24th, we finished 24th. A lot of hard work for that. Your car was pretty dang good. We just couldn't
"Yeah, it just popped around too much," Mikey replied. "It was one thing or the other. It was real tight when I ran so good, but enough to where I could say it was okay. It was always tight or loose."
"Well, good job. You drove your butt off tonight. Great pit stops, guys. That was the best we've had all year. Great jobs."
"I let y'all down a little bit. We're going to have to work on that. I look at these other guys cars, and they've got way more shit going on," Mikey said. "I got hot tonight, so we'll work on it tonight."
"Yeah, we were talking about that in the middle of the race. He got hot also. You drove your butt off. Thanks for staying with us."
"I feel like I let you down a couple spots, but I did all I could do once I got hot. It's my fault. But one thing we need to do is do a vent off the That thing's just pissing in the wind the way it's blowing now." He wanted a "neat" carbon fiber vent. "If you're still watching, Macy and Connie, I love y'all!"
Kyle Busch won. Mikey finished two laps down in 24th. David was 19th, and McDowell was 28th.
Next weekend is the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, which airs Saturday on SPEED at 7pm. Be sure to vote Mikey into the race! Click on the link before to vote for him!