Mikey 27th at Charlotte by Kellyanne Lynch
25 May 2008
Michael Waltrip finished 27th in the Coca Cola 600, tonight's Sprint Cup Series race at Lowe's Motor Speedway. His #55 Napa Auto Parts Toyota struggled throughout the race and finished three laps down. The #55 is now 35th in owner points standings, three points ahead of 36th. His drivers David Reutimann and Michael McDowell finished 10th and 32nd respectively.
"Hello?" Mikey came on the radio at 5:41pm ET.
"Hey there! Got you loud and clear," replied crew chief Bobby Kennedy.
"All right."
The call to start engines came seconds later.
"Hey, Bobby, you got a copy?" spotter Ty Norris asked a minute after that.
"Yeah, bud, I got you loud and clear," Bobby replied.
"All right. Cool." Once the cars had taken to pit road, Ty said, "All right, bud, they're finally up to pit road speed right there."
"Oh, we should be looking at 4150, 4150," Bobby told his driver.
"Okay," Mikey replied.
"Make sure all your switches are on."
"Got you."
"Ty, you just get him onto pit road," Bobby addressed the spotter. "Then I'll take him out and get him over, and then he's yours."
Ty acknowledged Bobby. "Michael, you're the fifth pit stall in, the fifth pit road."
"Okay, thank you," Mikey responded.
"You'll see the UPS, and you're two in front of the UPS."
"What's the track temperature?" Mikey asked.
"120," said a crew member.
"All right, buddy, they're going to one to go, one to go," Ty said. "Long night. Whatever we got, we'll work on it. The 2 car said 1 and 2 didn't look ready to race. You'll get a good look at it there."
Bobby gave Mikey words of encouragement before the start. "All right, bud. Get those belts nice and tight. Practice patience and focus. You got four hours of this." He then addressed the crew. "Same thing in the pits. Everybody focus.
"All right, make sure your tires are cleaned off. Coming to the green."
"All right, buddy, be ready. Pace truck is off. Ready? Green green green," Ty called the start.
Kyle Busch led the field to the green flag. Mikey started 29th, David was 28th, and McDowell was 40th.
"Everybody's straight. 99 still outside. Checking up. Keep rolling, keep rolling. Still outside. Still on your corner, still there. Clear now, clear. Clear all clear. Two on your corner. Still outside. Clear all clear."
By lap 2, Mikey was 25th. His drivers were 30th and 39th. Busch's #18 continued to lead.
"Clear half back to the 20. Nice job here," Ty praised. "Looking low. Inside. He's there. Inside. 99 down there with him. Still inside, still there. Got the 99 down there with him. Still there. Got another one down there with him. Still inside. Inside. Got another one looking. Clear low now, clear low."
Mikey fell to 28th on lap 4. David was 30th, and McDowell was 38th.
"Right there with you. Still clear, all clear," Ty continued. "Nice corner. Clear by two now. Clear by two. Inside, inside. Two of them. Got the 44 down there with him. Still inside. Clear now behind the 44. Clear two back to the 96. Clear all clear."
Mikey was 29th on lap 8, with David in 30th and McDowell in 39th. The next time around the track, the #55 was marked behind the #44. David was now 28th.
"31.80," Bobby read off the lap time.
Lap 10 saw David move into 27th. Mikey was 30th, and McDowell was 39th.
"Looking inside, inside. Still there. Inside. Clear, clear. Clear one back."
"Really struggling," Mikey commented on lap 12.
"What you got?" Bobby asked.
"It's just crappy," Mikey replied. "Very very loose in, sliding the front end off."
"10-4."
David was now 26th. Mikey and McDowell were still 30th and 39th.
"32 flat," Bobby said.
"Clear one back. Run up top. Run up top. Outside now. Got the 12 with him. Clear about six back."
Lap 15 saw Mikey drop to 32nd. David was 26th, and McDowell was 38th.
"Bobby, we're working the high side now. Let's see what kind of lap times we've got," Ty commented.
"10-4," Bobby replied. "32.09, about the same as the lap before, about the same time as the lap before."
"Inside by a nose. Back to clear."
Clint Bowyer pit on lap 18 with issues but went right back on track. David was now 25th, and McDowell was 37th. Mikey was still 32nd.
"Looking inside. He's down there inside. Clear."
"32.10."
"Clear half back to the 15. All the way inside. Still there, still there. Another one looking inside - the 42. Inside, inside. Clear there if you need it."
"Just, just no grip at all. I'm about to spin out getting in, and I plow off," Mikey said on lap 23. He was 34th.
"10-4," Bobby replied.
"Real skaty."
The #55 was 35th on lap 24.
"Looking inside. All by himself. You're clear about five back to the 07, who had to pit already, so fresher tires. The 07 is looking inside. Back to clear. One back. Inside. All by himself."
"It's just really bad, bad on the right front. I can't do nothing," Mikey said on lap 29.
"Okay, 10-4."
"Do the best you can, bud," Ty encouraged. "Leader at the line... now."
"32.50. Leader a 32 flat.
"32.30, 32.30. Leader 05."
On lap 34, Brian Vickers took the lead with a close crossover move that got him around Busch. Mikey was 35th, David was 25th, and McDowell was 38th.
"Do you feel like you might have too much wedge that makes it too loose and tight off, or are you just sliding getting in?" Bobby asked.
"Yeah, anything would be better than what I've got," Mikey replied.
"35, 35. Leader a 15. Stay after it, bud," Bobby encouraged on lap 41. "We'll get you a pretty big air pressure adjustment, and we'll do track bar. Stay after it. We've got a long way. We'll work on it."
"200, 220," Mikey replied.
"10-4. 25."
"The 66 is closing on you. Still clear, still clear. Half back," Ty warned. "Inside, inside. Clear behind him.
"All right, bud. The 83 is the leader. He's about ten car lengths back," the spotter continued.
By lap 43, Mikey was 36th.
"It just flat skates. It's just real flat. Nothing at all," Mikey commented.
"Still clear three back. 83's going to have a big run off the top. Looking inside," Ty told his driver. The 48 down there with him. Still inside, still there. 2 car is going to be down there with the 48. Inside. Clear behind the 2 if you need it. Clear behind the 2. One back to the 88, looking low. Inside. Clear behind him when you need it."
Lap 45 saw Mikey lose the lead lap. Two laps later, Jimmie Johnson took the lead from Vickers.
"32.40," Bobby read off the time.
"One back to the 31. Looking low. Inside, inside. Clear now behind him. We're no longer the lucky dog there, Bobby."
"10-4."
Robby Gordon and one of the Haas cars pit on lap 50. Kasey Kahne came in next, as did Elliott Sadler.
"Bobby, we coming this time or next time?" Ty asked.
"Next time."
"All right. Complete this lap, Michael. Complete this lap."
"Next time by. Next time by."
"66 two back. Still clear two back. Looking outside Come around here as best you can. 4150 at the line. 4150, 4150. All right, here we go, Bobby, we're at the line now."
"Around the 44. Around the 44. 3, 2, 1. Wheels straight, put on the brake." Mikey was led to his box on lap 52. "Go go go. Halfway, halfway. All the way, all the way."
"4150, 4150."
Johnson pit at the same time, giving David Ragan the lead.
"4150 at the line. All right, bud, let's hustle. The 9 car coming off Turn 2 all by himself. Five back. Coming outside. It's going to be clear behind him."
Johnson reclaimed the lead on lap 54.
"One back to the 17. Have a run on the high side. Coming outside, outside. Clear behind him. Clear 20 back."
"This car is bad," Mikey commented on lap 55. He was 36th, one lap down. David was 23rd, and McDowell was one lap down in 37th.
"31.40.
"31.40. Leader a 90.
"30. 31.30. Leader a flat.
"25.
"31.40. Leader 35.
"45."
The first caution came on lap 61 after Robby Gordon hit the wall.
"Caution's out, caution's out," Ty said. "Car got into the wall here in Turn 4."
Bobby asked if the adjustments had helped.
"Uh, no," Mikey replied. "It didn't hurt anything. It might have been a bit more driveable, but really, it didn't change anything. Balance wise or entry wise, it just seemed to maybe help me... I don't know what it did, Bobby. It's just so far off being a normal car. I would do more of what you did. Hell, I don't even know what you did. It didn't hurt anything."
Bobby told about how he put in the air and how he didn't want to change them too much.
"It ain't going to frickin' hurt the entry. Quit thinking like an old man." He said it wouldn't hurt anything. "It needs more grip."
"All right, Dwayne. Two rounds there. Two rounds. It's going to be four tires, guys. Four tires."
Leaders pit under caution. Casey Mears led a lap during the yellow.
"I just can't, I just can't make no difference." He said he drove his ass off along the top last time. "If I try one inch too hard, I'll wreck. I just can't do nothing."
"All right. All right, man. 10-4. We'll just keep banging away at it. We'll just take a couple pounds out of the right front. We were just way up there." He led his driver to the box. "Go go go. All the way, all the way, all the way."
"All right, bud. One to go, one to go," Ty said. "All right, three of those lappers didn't pit. And I know at least three of them took fuel only. I don't know about that 70."
Johnson led the restart on lap 66.
"All right, be ready. Truck is off. Green green green. Everybody's straight. The 66 is a little slow. Still outside. Outside. Clear up there if you want it, clear up there if you want it. Outside, outside."
At the front of the field, Kurt Busch took the lead one lap into the run.
"Still outside. Still there. Clear, clear. Clear five back, buddy."
Mikey was 37th by lap 68. David was 23rd, and McDowell was 35th.
"Still clear right there. Still clear one back to the 31. Inside, inside. Clear behind the 31. Still there, still there. Still on your corner. Still there. Still got you. Still there. Still outside on your corner, still coming outside. Still there. Clear, clear."
On lap 71, Mikey was 36th.
"Clear, clear. The next one's that yellow one, bud."
He had passed McDowell, one lap later. David was 24th.
"31.30," Bobby said. "Good lap.
"70, 70."
"Still outside. Still there. Clear, clear."
On lap 76, Mikey passed Travis Kvapil for 34th. David was 22nd, and McDowell was 36th.
"31.60, 60.
"45, 45."
David was 21st on lap 78.
"80."
"The front tires are starting to blow up again, and it's getting loose in again," Mikey said on lap 80.
"31.65.
"75, 75. Leader a 35."
"Clear, all clear."
"75. It's pretty good lap times. There are only seven or eight who are quicker than you, and they're way out front. 80, 31.80.
"75, 75.
"32 flat.
"90, 31.90.
"85, 85.
"32 flat."
"The three cars in front of you are for position - the 43," Ty noted on lap 90.
"45, 45.
"85, 85. All right, it's halfway on this fuel run," Bobby noted on lap 92. "Tell me what's going on with your car. That 99 is coming up behind you. He's the fastest car on the track."
"It's about the same. It's got more grip now," Mikey replied.
"10-4." A moment later, he gave the lap time. "95."
"Got a run up top. Outside. Clear behind him."
"32.10, 32.10."
"All right, stay after it. I'll get air out of all your tires on the next stop. You're not too bad there." Bobby commented that Mikey's times were good. "32 flat."
"You're clear two back to the 8, two back to the 8," Ty observed. "Inside. All by himself. You're clear behind him."
"32.20. Leader 95.
"25, 25. Leader a flat.
"19, 32.19."
"Two back to the 12, two back to the 12," Ty warned on lap 103. "Got a run on the high side, run on the high side. 12 on the outside. Three back to the 19. Michael, some of those guys who stayed out are about to pit in a couple laps, so... still clear five back to the 19."
On lap 105, Mikey was 33rd.
"25, 25."
Ty warned Mikey that the #19 was coming. "Coming back outside, outside. 17 will be up there with him. Run outside, run outside. Clear behind him."
"Where are the leaders?" Mikey asked on lap 109. He was 32nd.
"Uh, just now in 4, just now in 4," Ty replied. "Leader at the line... now."
"I'm losing all my front grip."
"10-4. We're making another air pressure swing at it right here," Bobby said.
David was 19th at the time while McDowell was last. The #00 appeared to have pit around lap 111.
"Is anybody going to tell me when I've got to pit?" Mikey asked.
"You're still about five away, five away," Bobby replied.
"Clear two back to the 20. Looking outside. Clear there, clear. Clear two back to the 44. Clear on the high side. Got one outside, outside. Clear there."
"35, 35."
Mikey was 29th on lap 116 as drivers made stops. McDowell was now three laps down and last.
"Three more laps to pit, three more," Bobby noted.
"Two back to the 11. Two back. Clear the 9. Clear. Fresh tires. Looking outside. Here he comes. Looking outside. Clear behind him."
"Next time, next time," Bobby said.
"Did you say pit this time?" Ty asked.
"Next time by, next time by."
"All right, Michael, pit this time. 4150, 4150," Ty replied.
"Come around the 44 car, come around the 44. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Right there. Wheels straight, put on the brakes. Get the windshield, Ron," Bobby directed on lap 119. "Go go go go go. All the way out."
"4150, 4150," Ty reminded. "All right, go hard there, go hard there. Three cars coming to your outside, three cars. Clear there."
Greg Biffle was in the lead on lap 120 when the leader pitted. Meanwhile, a fire broke out in Carl Edwards' pit box.
"All clear, all clear."
Brian Vickers led on lap 122 with Biffle's stop.
"31.15," Bobby read off the lap time. Mikey was 34th, one lap down. David was 18th, and McDowell was two laps down in 37th.
"All right, Michael. The 83 is going to be the leader. He pitted about four or five laps before we did. Leader's at the line now," Ty explained.
"31.20.
"15, 31.15. Leader a 20.
"25, 25. Leader 25.
"40. Leader a 30."
David was 19th on lap 127. Kurt Busch was now leading.
"Hey, Michael, the leader is now the 2. He's the guy in your mirror about thirty car lengths back," Ty warned.
"15, 31.15. All right, is the car any better there?" Bobby asked on lap 130.
"So far, it's just tight," Mikey replied.
"45. Leader a 25. Okay."
"I mean, I could still spin out getting in if I chose to."
"All right, 10-4. 60. Leader 40."
"Now it's getting real tight," Mikey added on lap 132.
"85."
"You're clear five back to the 2," Ty said the next time around the track. "Clear. Inside. Clear ten back."
Mikey fell a second lap down on lap 134. Meanwhile, Greg Biffle went to pit road with a suspected flat tire; he narrowly saved his car after getting incredibly loose in the corner. A wheel weight had come off the right front.
"95," Bobby said.
"Two back to the 83," Ty said. "Still clear. Run outside."
"95."
David was 18th on lap 135. Mikey was 34th, and McDowell was 37th.
"It's just chattering the front tires," Mikey commented. "Still not doing nothing right."
"All right, 10-4. 35. Leader a 65," Bobby replied.
On lap 138, Vickers reclaimed the lead. David was 17th.
"Two back to the 42," Ty warned.
"32.15, 15."
"It's gone so tight now, it's just plowing. I can't do nothing," Mikey said on lap 140.
"He's going to be right there on your bumper," Ty noted. "Inside. Clear behind him."
"Any better that lap?"
"Yes," Bobby responded. "32 flat."
"Clear one back. That 40 right there in front of you is struggling a little bit," Ty warned. "Looking inside. He's there. Inside. Clear back a half straightaway."
"35.
"05, 05."
By lap 147, David was 16th. Mikey was 34th, and McDowell was 37th.
"95, 95," said Bobby. "05, 05. Leader a 90.
"25.
"25.
"20.
"15. You're twenty laps away from pitting. Twenty away."
"All right, you're clear five back to the 28 and the 48. Coming on you pretty fast here," Ty said on lap 153. David was 14th. "Still clear. Got a big run up top. Coming up top. Got the 48 with him. Clear there."
David was 13th on lap 155. Mikey was 34th, and McDowell was 38th.
"25. Leader 10."
"I don't have any front end at all," Mikey said on lap 157.
"10-4," Bobby replied. "15. 32.15.
"20. 20. You're about fifteen laps away from pitting. Your speeds aren't too bad. Let's see if we can hit on something."
"Yeah. We're way off," Mikey replied.
"50, 32.50."
"Caution's out, caution's out. 2 car hit the wall. He hit the wall again. Look for debris in Turn 3. He's rolling now," Ty noted.
The yellow flag came out for the second time on lap 162 for Kurt Busch.
"All right, let's work on the air in the right tires again." Bobby also wanted to make a wedge adjustment.
"All I know is that I'm loose in. As soon as I get in, I'm done, completely done. Just plow, so I don't know what to say, other than this car is nothing like I've ever felt before. Never, I never am. It seems to be amazed we can be this bad. It's just really really really bad. The front end of this car is a joke. It's really really hard to imagine. Remind me for sure. Last time we were here, I finished 10th, right?"
"Yes, that is correct."
"I think everybody should be as disgusted as I am. I hope you are."
"I am. Believe me, I am."
"At least we've got one car that'll run, I guess," Mikey commented, referring to David's #44.
"10-4." Bobby then told the crew, "Two rubbers out of that left rear. 4150."
"4150. Clear in," Ty added.
"Around the 8. 5, 4, 3. Right here. Wheels straight, put on the brakes. Fix the windshield, Ron."
Mikey said something about the windshield getting cleaned off.
"All right, clear out," Bobby led his driver out of the box.
"4150 to the cone," Ty reminded.
"The plan would be to tell him to get the windshield and tire before the stop," Mikey said. "They take so long on the rear, at least he had time to get it."
"Yeah, he was pulling rubbers," Bobby responded.
"I know. I'm kidding. Sorry.
"Do we have anything we can do to it?" Mikey asked a minute later. "Just keep... we've been here for two weeks. Nevermind. Just keep working on it. We'll see what we get."
"Okay, we're on one to go, one to go," Ty said. "All right, be ready. Coming to the green. You ready? Green green green."
Vickers led the restart on lap 166. David was 11th, Mikey was 33rd and two laps down, and McDowell was two laps down in 37th.
"Everybody's straight. Still outside. Still outside. Still outside. Still outside. Still outside. Clear to the bottom. Spin in front of you. You're good, you're good, you're good. Caution's out."
The third caution was for Juan Pablo Montoya on lap 168. He bounced off Robby Gordon a few times while going three-wide until he spun through the grass and through the exit of pit road. Mark Martin received the free pass.
"All right, man. One to go when you get around here," Ty said. "All right, not going to go. Not going.
"All right, one to go this time, if they get that truck off."
"All right, get your tires cleaned off. Pull your belts tight," said Bobby.
"All right."
Ty said the field would not go green this time around. His words were interrupted by static. "All right, bud. Looks like the pace car is off. You're going to be coming to the green this time. Coming to the green."
Vickers led the lap 174 restart. David was 11th, Mikey was 33rd (two laps down), and McDowell was 38th (two laps down).
"You ready? Green green green," Ty said. "Still outside, still there. Clear there, clear. Clear one back. Looking outside now - the 9. Outside. Still outside, still there. Clear up behind him. Clear two back to the 99. Inside. Got two of them with him. Inside. 17 inside. Clear there. Clear one back to the 31. Run on the inside. Clear behind him. Clear two back to the 84."
"Still tight," it sounded like Mikey said.
"Inside, 84 inside. Clear three back behind him.
"Still tight. Just backing in, plowing off."
"10-4, 10-4. 31.20," Bobby replied.
"One back to the 18. Inside," Ty warned. "Clear behind him."
Johnson reclaimed the lead for lap 182.
"31.20."
Robby Gordon began smoking heavily, and he went to the garage.
"15, 31.15."
Vickers hit the wall hard, his tire flying over the wall into a motorhome. David Gilliland also wrecked. Lap 185 saw the fourth caution.
"31.20. We've got a crash up there," Bobby noted.
"Back it down, back it down. We've got a lot of shit everywhere," Ty said. He told his driver one was against the wall, then said somebody else was crashing.
"I think I skittered my tires a little bit. I don't know what to say, Bobby, other than I'm just edgy in, but then I'm tight off. That's all I can say, and I think I slid my tires some, so we aught to get some more. I don't know."
Bobby wanted to take rebound out of the right rear and to adjust the shocks.
"Yeah, it feels like it needs rebound out of both rears." Mikey also talked about the wheel hop.
"Let's open that right rear." Bobby said they'd go ten clicks.
"We can try to raise that trackbar a little bit if we want. The front tires are still an issue, major."
"10-4. Just poking away there." Bobby said he could only work on the tires. "That's the deal. Tell you what we can do. We'll work on this back stuff, and if we get a chance, we might take a round out of that left front.
"Dwayne, one on you, one. Art, one on you, and the shock."
"Were you okay going through all that stuff, Michael?" Ty asked.
The #55 was on pit road, so Mikey didn't answer as Bobby led him to his box.
"Go go go. All the way, all the way," Bobby said after the stop.
Ty said a safety truck was blocking his view. "They're going to have to replace some foam over there in Turn 2."
"How did the wheel fall off?" Mikey asked.
"I don't know, man," Ty commented. "That's pretty big though. The tire went hopping down the track and hopped a fence and hit a camper."
"I guess they had a loose lugnut and couldn't get it tight on that last stop. That's the word on the street," Bobby added.
"I just appreciate that shock adjustment you just used," Mikey said. "You keep stabbing at it, we can get a top 20. Then we can see what we can do next."
"10-4," Bobby replied. "We'll just stay after it. Hopefully something will give us something somewhere, so we can get some ground here. It's just as frustrating as hell."
"All right, one to go, one to go," Ty said. "All right, bud. Be ready. Pace car's off. Ready? Green green green."
Earnhardt Jr led the restart on lap 192. McDowell spun off Turn 2, drawing the fifth caution immediately. David was 6th, and Mikey was 32nd. McDowell was marked in 35th.
"Everybody's straight. Still outside. Still outside. Still outside. Spin behind you. No caution yet. Caution's out, caution's out."
"All right, stay out," Bobby said.
At the same time, Ty said that pit road was open if they wanted to pit.
"Staying out."
"Staying out," Ty repeated.
"I don't know how gracious you feel, but a bunch of these guys one lap down want to know if they can pass," Ty told his driver a minute later. "I told them I'd ask. It's all up to you."
"Yeah, if they can catch me, they can go around me," Mikey replied.
"Yeah. Yeah yeah yeah."
"Who wrecked?"
"Uh, McDowell spun around and grazed the inside wall. No real major damage."
Racing resumed on lap 196 with Earnhardt Jr leading. David was 6th, Mikey was 32nd two laps down, and McDowell was 35th.
"All right, pace car's off. Ready? Green green green. Everybody's straight. Still outside," Ty said. "Still outside on your corner. Still there. Clear behind the 6, halfback. Looking outside now. Outside, outside. Clear outside if you want it. Clear one back. Still clear. Going to have them looking low. Inside the 8. Clear right there. Clear half back to the 8. Inside. Clear one back, clear one back. Still clear. Looking outside, outside and inside. Clear high. Inside. The 11 inside. All clear right there. 15 and 11 side by side. One back. Clear behind him. Clear still clear. Still clear up top. Got one looking low. Inside the 11. 15's down there with you. Clear there. Clear half back to the 15. Still inside to your door. Inside."
David picked up 5th on lap 205.
"Clear behind the 1."
"Now it's just backing into the turn," Mikey commented.
"10-4," Bobby replied.
"Clear there one back to the 41," Ty noted. "Looking low, inside. He's there. Inside. Back to clear, clear. Clear two back."
On lap 207, Kasey Kahne took the lead.
"There's one right there, looking low. He's got a run on the outside, all by himself. 17's coming. Inside. Clear, clear half back to the 17. Looking low. Clear, you're clear. Got a run inside. He's there, inside, by a nose. Clear three back to the 2 car."
"Sooo loose," Mikey said.
"You loose everywhere?" Bobby asked.
"Way loose in. Scary. Tight off. I'm free as I can stand it, and then some."
"Okay, 10-4. 55, 31.55.
"55. The 5 and the 66 back there is for position."
"Clear two back to the 66," Ty added. "Got a run on you. Back to your bumper. Looking low, he's inside, inside. Clear behind him."
Mikey was 33rd on lap 216 with Scott Riggs' pass.
"I just can't do nothing with it," he said.
"Okay, 10-4, 10-4. We're about thirty away from our next stop. 30.70.
"85.
"55, 55.
"69, 69.
"79, 7-9."
"You're clear one back to the 43," Ty noted.
"80."
The yellow flag waved on lap 223 for the sixth time.
"Got one coming outside, outside. Caution's going to be out for debris, caution for debris."
"It's just plowing the front end, plowing the front tires. I can't even explain it to y'all. Just say, 'Yeah, motherfucker, I know what you mean'," Mikey said. "I've never felt something so shitty in my life. I back into the corner. But even when I let off so I don't back into the corner, the front end's a joke. It's like somebody's playing a mean trick on me." He emphasised that work needed to be done to the front. "All you're doing is making me loose as shit, and you're not addressing the problem. You've got to work on the front, because it's just ridiculous.
After a long pause, Mikey added, "At least tell me you hear me."
Bobby acknowledged.
"It's nice to know when you speak for a lap that your shit's working."
"Yeah, leaders are going to pit this time. We're going to pit next time."
Bobby directed the crew for the stop. "Put that shock back. That's what killed it. Dwayne?"
"I wouldn't put it back. It ain't no different."
"No, I thought you were worse then."
"If it were worse, it was only worse for four or five laps. No different. Not worth changing back."
"Ten to go, Bobby."
"5, 4, 3. Wheels straight, put on the brakes." After the stop, he said, "All the way out, all the way out."
"4150 to the cone," Ty reminded. "All right, man. One to go, one to go."
"All right, we're racing the 07, 66, 28, 5, 00," Bobby said. He repeated the numbers.
"Okay, go ahead and get behind the 42, the 42. He's slowing down right there. Pace car's off. Be ready. Pace car is off. Green green. Green green green. Everybody's straight. Still outside. Still outside. Still there."
Elliott Sadler led the restart on lap 228. David was 9th, Mikey was 33rd, and McDowell was 34th. Earnhardt Jr reclaimed the lead almost immediately.
"Still outside. There you go, there you go. Three-wide right there. Three-wide. Still outside. One outside now. Still outside, still there. You're clear now. Clear three back. Clear two back to the 10. Clear two back."
"35."
"Clear one back to the 24. He's going to be looking inside, inside. Inside, still inside. Clear three back."
"45, 45."
"Still outside. Now clear, clear."
"40, 31.40."
By lap 238, David was 10th.
"All right. That any better?" Bobby asked on lap 239.
"Uh, maybe," was Mikey's response.
"31.40. Okay. Just keep me posted."
"Still there," Ty warned. "Clear, clear."
"31.40."
Mikey was 32nd on lap 241.
"The 15's losing all its water," Mikey commented one lap later.
"All right. 10-4. Tell that official that," Bobby replied.
"That's the 01 looking inside, inside. He's all by himself. Clear behind him," Ty said.
The seventh caution was on lap 243 for JJ Yeley.
"Car in the wall on the back straightaway. Caution's out, caution's out."
"That was better. Not really horrible loose in, just normal loose in, and then freer off for a long time," Mikey commented.
"All right. I took some wedge out there and took out some left front air and put a rubber in," Bobby replied. "I can give you the same kind of stuff this time."
"Okay."
"Give me another rubber there, Andy, and some air pressure, Paul, and some wedge out," Bobby instructed. "Two rounds."
"All right, lead lap cars only this time," Ty noted.
The leaders pit, and David lost more spots on pit road. Meanwhile, Newman missed his box.
"All right, bud. 4150."
"4150. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Wheels straight, put on the brakes. Windshield looks okay, Ron," Bobby said during the stop. "All the way, all the way out. 4150."
"All right, bud. One to go, one to go," Ty said.
"All right, we're racing the 28, 07, 66, 5, and 00," Bobby told his driver.
"What's that up to?" Mikey asked.
"28th, 28th."
"All right, bud. Be ready. Pace truck is off. Ready? Green green green. Everybody's straight, still outside."
Lap 248 saw the restart with Kyle Busch leading. David was 10th, Mikey was 32nd, and McDowell was 29th.
"Still outside, still there. Still outside. Still outside."
One lap into the run, David lost a spot.
"Still outside, bud. Still outside. Still there, still there. Got one in the middle there. Back to two-wide. Clear there, clear. Clear two back."
David was 10th on lap 252.
"The 5 car closing, working the top side. Still clear two back. Outside, outside. Clear half back, right there. Clear half back. Still outside, outside. Clear. Clear three back."
On lap 255, Ragan got back around David. The #44 was now 11th.
"2 car's got a run outside, all by himself," Ty warned. "Still there. Clear now, clear."
"31.20."
"Run on the outside. He's going to be there, on the outside. Coming back to the 2. Clear. Still outside. Clear there, clear. Clear half back to the 2. 2 car's outside, outside. Clear behind him if you need it. Clear one back to the 24. Looking low, inside. Back to clear, all clear."
On lap 258, David was 10th. He had passed Carl Edwards. Earnhardt Jr took the lead.
"10 car still outside. Clear there, clear. Clear half back. Still clear, all clear. Still outside. Still there. Clear now."
McDowell was 30th by lap 260.
"Clear, clear," said Ty.
"31.30," Bobby noted. "31.30."
By lap 263, Mikey was 30th. McDowell was 32nd, and David was 10th.
"31.35, 35."
"Clear two back to the 24."
"59, 59.
"60, 60."
McDowell was 33rd by lap 266. David was 11th.
"45, 45. There you go!"
"Clear there," said Ty. "Still clear there, two back. Car's looking low. Clear, clear. Clear. 41. Got a run back on the outside, he's there. Still clear three back. Got a run on the outside, run on the outside. Clear, clear by one. Got a run, but you're clear."
"43, 43."
"Clear by five on the 24."
"45, 45."
"All right, it's a little over halfway on this fuel run. How's the car?" Bobby asked on lap 273.
"Just a little tight off," Mikey replied.
"10-4."
Ty said Mikey had no pressure from the #24. By lap 279, McDowell was 32nd.
"Now it's gone to a lot tight," Mikey said.
"All right, 10-4."
David passed Dave Blaney on lap 281 for 10th.
"58, 58."
"Three back to the 11 now."
"58, 58."
"Leader's at the line. Right there with you, looking inside. Clear two back right now. He's on the top side with a run. Looking outside. Clear behind him. Still clear behind him. Clear about three back to the 12."
"75, 75."
"Three back to the 41 and the 24."
"54, 54."
"We're about twelve laps away from pitting, twelve away." Bobby said he'd work on freeing Mikey up on the exit.
"Plowing."
"10-4."
Meanwhile, cars were pitting. David was 9th on lap 290.
"The leader's the 88. He's at the line... now."
"The last two laps have been pretty good."
"24 still there. 26 coming with fresh tires. He's outside, outside. 26 just pitted. He's outside. Clear there. Clear five back to the leader. Still clear. Leader going to be coming hard on the outside, the outside. Clear there."
On lap 294, Mikey lost a third lap when Earnhardt Jr passed him. David was 9th, and McDowell was 33rd and also three laps down.
"Coming outside, outside," Ty warned. "Get down, get down. There you go. Keep coming. Good deal, good deal. That put us back to two laps down."
"Yeah, that was crazy," Mikey commented.
The eighth caution was on lap 296. Earnhardt Jr blew a tire, and Yeley got into him. Yeley's #96 had caught on fire.
Bobby said the times were better at the beginning the last time and he'd work on it.
"Yeah, it's just a numb front end. Bad bad bad bad front end. We haven't got a prayer. We haven't got a chance," Mikey said.
"Yeah, I hear you there."
"All right, we're not going to pit this... pit road's closed anyway. Pit road's closed."
"What the hell all happened there?" Mikey asked. "I saw Dale Jr hit the wall, and after that, it was amazing."
"Yeah, Yay Yay Yeley there thought it was a good thing to run up top," Ty replied. "All right, and uh, if the 44 sputters there, we may need to push him. He may run out of gas."
"Have McDowell do it. I've got too much going on," Mikey replied. "If he's worried about gas, he ought to be running on the apron."
"Pit road will be open this time. Pit road will be open this time, so leaders will pit. Yeah, Junior got up high and slapped the wall, and Yeley checked up real bad and got into the back of him and just got into the wall."
David made it to pit road with the leaders without incident. Stewart was the first driver off pit road.
"Pitting this time. Four tires."
"All right, bud, you'll be pitting this time."
"Four tires, guys."
"It's going to be real slick getting on there. Five away. Wave it good."
"5, 4, 3. Right here. Wheels straight, put on the brakes." Bobby guided him to the box. "Go go go go go. All the way. Go hard, go hard. All the way up."
Ty told him to go all the way up and said the #77 of Sam Hornish Jr had stopped in the middle of pit road.
"What's the report on who I'm racing?" Mikey asked.
"Um, 28, 07, 5, 66, 00, 42," Bobby said.
"I don't see how I'm racing the 00, because he got lapped, and I didn't."
"I'll get an update here."
"I think that's just bad information."
"All right, I'm just saying what they're saying."
"Michael, what I have here is that you're racing Bowyer and the 28. Everyone else is three laps down," Ty said. "There are four of them one lap down now. 97 laps to go."
"Yeah, that's what I've got here now. 28, 07, and you," Bobby relayed. "28, 07, and you."
"They took Junior, a lap away from Junior, and for some reason, gave it back to him," Ty noted. "All right, bud. One to go when you get to the line. One to go."
Stewart led the lap 305 restart. David was 9th, Mikey was 29th and two laps down, and McDowell was 33rd and three laps down.
"All right, bud, be ready. Pace car is off. Pace car is off. Be ready. Green green green. Everybody's checking up on the bottom. Stay down, stay down, stay down. No caution yet. Caution's got to be out. Caution's out, caution's out. That Stewart, man. He does it all the time. He lunges and stops and jams them all up. Reutimann got into the back of somebody." Static followed.
Mikey said the #41 was jammed up beside him. "I thought y'all need to calm down, but that we'll just see. These cars are pretty tough, but I don't see how the 41 can not be broken."
"Yeah, there were a couple of pretty hard shots there. Looks like a number of them survived."
"The 41 and the 11 had a crash. I'd be pretty amazed if they weren't messed up."
The ninth caution was on lap 306. Stewart had checked up the field leading the restart, collecting many cars. Damage appeared minimal overall but involved a number of people.
"Staying out, staying out," Bobby said.
"All right, one to go when we get there. One to go. That leaves only three cars one lap down. A couple more of those, and they might get us. All right, you'll see that 07 a couple in front of you. The 28 is four or five up there.
"Pace car's off. Be ready. Green green green. Everybody's straight."
Stewart led the restart on lap 309. David was 9th, Mikey was 29th, and McDowell was 33rd.
"Still outside. Still outside. Still outside. You've got a slow one up against the wall there. Clear to the middle, clear to the middle. Still got them outside. Clear high if you need it. Clear high behind the 19 if you need it. Clear one back. Outside the 24. Still outside, 24 still outside. Still outside. Got the 29 up there with him. Clear behind the 29, one back to the 84. Run up top. Outside, the 84. Clear there behind the 84, if you need it."
On lap 312, David was 8th. Meanwhile, Kasey Kahne had taken the lead.
"Clear up there if you need it. Closing up now. Outside, outside. Coming outside. The 41's going to be looking. Outside, outside. The 17 with him. Another one looking. Outside, the 77. Outside. Outside, the 99. You've got another one outside. 42 up there now. Outside, still there. Clear up there if you need it, clear up there behind that 10. Still there. Still there inside. Still there. 70's still inside."
Mikey was 28th by lap 315.
"Good corner, good corner. All clear. Three back."
"31.20, 31.20.
"31.04, 04."
On lap 317, David fell to 9th when Elliott Sadler passed him. He lost another spot two laps later.
"Four back to the 11, four back to the 11."
"31.09."
"Plowing," Mikey said.
"10-4," Bobby replied. "25, 25."
"Still clear four back," Ty noted. "Two back to the 11. Closing fast. Outside. To your bumper. Coming outside, outside - 11. Outside. Clear ten back behind him. Three back to the 88. Two back. Looking low, looking inside. Back to clear, two back. 11 car's going to be slow on the bottom, coming off of 2."
"49, 49."
"Clear."
"38, 38.
"40, 40.
"34, 34."
Kyle Busch passed David on lap 326, moving him back to 11th. Mikey was 28th, and McDowell was 32nd.
"It's pushing, worse than it has ever," Mikey commented.
"10-4 on the push. 31.44."
"Car in the wall, Turn 2. Caution's out, caution's out."
The tenth caution was on lap 330. The car in the wall was Patrick Carpentier's #10. Ryan Newman received the free pass.
"I'm just real tight," Mikey said. "I think we've got it fixed on the way in. I'm not really noticing that. Just real tight off."
Bobby said he wanted to put a rubber in the right rear and take more wedge out.
Mikey agreed.
"Okay, let's do that. Push me one in."
"What's taking all that wedge out doing to that swaybar?" Mikey asked. "Unloading it?"
"That would be correct."
Ty told Mikey pit road would be open and that nobody could make it from here.
Leaders made stops. David gained spots on pit road.
"All right, rubber in the right rear, wedge out," Bobby reiterated before the #55's stop. "4150."
"All right, here we go. On pit road, Bobby."
"5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Wheels straight, put on the brakes."
The #55 was in the box under caution.
"Go go go. All the way, all the way. 4150," Bobby guided Mikey out of the box.
"4150," Ty added. He said, once everything cycled around, he'd let him know what was going on.
"Looks like the same ones - 28 and 07. I'll be sure to find an update here. 28, 07. 26th, 27th, 28th," Bobby said.
"All right, buddy, coming around to 66 laps to go."
Johnson led the lap 334. David was 8th, Mikey was 28th, and McDowell was 32nd. Ty guided him to the restart.
"Still outside. Still there," Ty said. "Caution's out, caution's out, caution's out. It's debris. A piece of debris on the front straightaway. I don't see it. Oh yeah. Come on down to the bottom lane, Michael. Bottom lane. All right, there's only going to be two guys a lap down now."
The eleventh caution was on lap 335. AJ Allmendinger received the free pass.
"Give the 84 some room," Ty told his driver. "You're going to be on one to go."
Johnson led the restart on lap 338. David was 7th, Mikey was 28th and two laps down, and McDowell was three laps down in 33rd.
"All right, bud, be ready. Pace car's off. Ready? Green green. Green green. Everybody's straight, everybody's straight. Still outside, still there. Clear one back to the 31, closing hard on the outside. Still outside. The 31's coming outside. 8 is coming with you. Outside. Another one outside - the 18. The 29 jumping up there with him. That 29 will be clear there, clear two back. Still outside now, still outside, outside. Still there, outside, outside."
"I crashed," it sounded like Mikey said on lap 340.
"Half back to the 11. Hang on the best you can. Outside. Clear there. Slow one up top. He's coming. Everybody's straighting out. Everybody's straight. Clear two back to the 41. Clear four back."
"31.15," Bobby read off the lap time. "31.10."
On lap 345, David fell to 8th when Jeff Burton passed.
"31 flat," said Bobby.
Lap 347 saw Kyle Busch take the lead from Johnson.
"31.25. There you go. Got a couple laps to get a breath."
"50 to go, buddy. 50 to go."
"31.40."
"I'm going to wreck," Mikey said as Jimmie Johnson went to the garage with a lot of smoke.
"All right, just hold onto it there. Don't do that. Get yourself a pace. 31.65."
"Keep hanging in there, buddy. The 48's blowing up there. Maybe there will be some oil and a caution. Got one right up on you. The 01's right there. Inside, inside. Clear about fifteen back."
"31.65, 65."
"Clear three back to the 33. Got a look inside, inside. Clear one back."
By lap 255, Mikey was 27th with Johnson's departure. David was 7th, and McDowell was 32nd.
"Coming inside. Clear behind him."
McDowell was 31st the next time around the track.
"65, 65.
"50, 50."
"Forty more, buddy, forty more," Ty noted.
"Y'all really messed me up," Mikey said.
"60. 10-4, 10-4," Bobby replied. "80. 31.80."
Lap 362 saw Kahne take the lead. David was now 8th.
"55, 55.
"60, 60."
"Thirty-five more, man. Thirty-five."
"45.
"55, 55.
"45, 45."
"The 9 is the leader, and he's at the line now."
"50, 50. 31.10 on the leader.
"75, 75. Thirty to go, thirty to go.
"65."
"All clear."
Carpentier slowed and went to pit road.
"Got a run on the inside here. Inside. Hard as you can, hard as you can." Ty mentioned debris.
On lap 372, Mikey went a third lap down. McDowell was four laps down at this point.
"Not going to call it. They're not going to call it."
"31.60.
"30, 30. Good lap."
Ty cleared Mikey behind Stewart's #20.
"80."
"How long before we have to pit, Bobby?" Ty asked.
"11 to go, we'll be on pit road. 11 to go," Bobby replied.
"About thirteen, fourteen more."
"55, 55.
"49, 49.
"55. Twenty to go.
"75.
"75."
Kahne went to pit road on lap 383, giving Stewart the lead.
"60, 60."
Other cars were making stops.
"15 to go. 15. 15 to go. How much longer, Bobby?"
"Three more. Three more on track. Four on pit road," Bobby replied.
"Do something to me," Mikey requested.
David was 6th by lap 386 as cars continued to go to pit road.
"10-4. I'll put the wedge back in you. It'll only be ten seconds. Go on my command. Dwayne, just put some rounds in that left rear. Let's make it fast, bud."
Stewart stopped with 13 laps to go. A number of others came in too. Kyle Busch was now leading.
"Next time by, next time by. Just go on my command."
"Don't slide the tires if you can help it," Ty added. David pit with 12 to go.
"This time by. 4150, 4150."
"Right here," Bobby said, and the #15 was in the box. "Go go go go, go go go go."
"4150. 4150," Ty added.
Hamlin took the lead on lap 290 as stops continued.
"Roll hard. Stay below the line, stay below the line." Ty helped him blend back on track.
Hamlin led one lap and stopped. Dave Blaney picked up the lead.
"Nine to go, nine," said Ty.
"31.80."
"Inside, inside. That car, underneath you, I believe is going to pit. 31 coming hard underneath you here. Inside. Inside."
Blaney pit with seven laps to go, and Stewart was back out front by six seconds. David was 13th, Mikey was 27th, and McDowell was 31st.
"Clear four back to the 17. 7 to go. Clear three back. Inside. Going to be clear behind him, clear behind him."
"75, 75."
"Five to go, five."
Stewart picked up a flat and lost the lead to Kahne.
"Three to go. Three."
"32 flat."
Hamlin hit the wall and smoked heavily to pit road.
"Two more, bud. Two."
"One more, one more."
The #99 ran out of gas on the white flag lap. Kahne went on to win.
"One running out of gas on the bottom there. One running out of gas on the bottom. All right, that's it, that's it."
"You finished 27th," Bobby said.
"Okay," Mikey replied.
"About three guys made it on fuel. D-Reut was running 7th, finished 10th," Ty told the car owner.
Mikey finished 27th, three laps down. He is just three points inside the top 35 in owners points. David finished 10th, and McDowell was 32nd and five laps down.
Be sure to watch the Cup Series' Best Buy 400 next weekend! Coverage starts Sunday at 1:30pm ET on FOX. The Nationwide Series' Heluva Good! 200 airs the day before at 2:30pm on ESPN2.