Mikey 25th in Sonoma by Kellyanne Lynch
22 June 2008
Michael Waltrip did what he could do in the Toyota/Save Mart 350, this afternoon's Sprint Cup race in Sonoma, California. Poor gas mileage affected track position throughout the race. His #55 Napa Auto Parts Camry crossed the stripe in 25th. Rookie Michael McDowell came home 21st in his #00 Napa Toyota while David Reutimann was involved in a hard wreck that relegated his #44 UPS Camry to a 40th place finish.
Mikey had qualified 35th; however, he and David (who qualified 42nd) had to drop to the rear of the field before the start of today's race. The #55 had an engine change, and the #44 on track was a back-up car. McDowell had qualified 34th.
At 5:04pm ET, a crew member addressed spotter Ty Norris, who responded right away.
"You just made me feel a whole lot better," secondary spotter Dave said. "I was worried."
"Yeah, I was saving on my batteries, so I didn't turn my radio on," Ty explained.
"10-4. I'm good. Thanks."
A couple minutes later, crew chief Bobby Kennedy came on the radio. "Hey Dave, you got a copy on it?"
"Loud and clear," Dave replied.
"You got a good view of the green flag there?"
"Yes I do."
"It'll be all yours, all yours."
"10-4. I know you're busy, but do you see that damn helicopter up there?"
"That's unreal there. The first time I looked up, I thought he was crashing. That's amazing."
"That's our ride back to the airport" A moment later, Dave added, "The wind is gusting and everything. It's crazy."
"Yeah, 1,2. Hello," Mikey came on the radio.
"Yeah, dude, I've got you loud and clear," Bobby replied.
"Got a copy on you Michael. How do you hear me?" Ty asked.
"Ty Norris, can you tell me exactly where Michael is out of your sight in 9 and 10?" Bobby asked.
Ty's words returned with static.
"10-4. Got it."
The call to start engines came at 5:09pm.
"Yeah, then Dave, on the exit of 2..." Static covered Ty's words.
"Yeah, look to your exit there, guys, on pit road," Bobby said.
"Okay. I lose him for a short stint because of the wall, but I have him," Dave noted.
"Okay, thanks."
"My coolbox isn't the same today," Mikey told his team. "That's for sure. There's something wrong with it."
"What was that, bud?" Bobby asked.
"I said the coolbox doesn't work like it normally does at all. I don't know what's going on," Mikey repeated. "Does everything look okay? It's just not blowing like it normally does." After a pause, he added, "It'll be all right.
"The 00 is leaking gas a little bit. I don't know if they care or not," Mikey said.
After a long pause on the radio, Dave asked, "What are you looking at for pit road speed, Bobby?"
"3600, 3600. First gear," Bobby replied.
"All right, brother, we'll be on your left. We're three pits past the 44." Bobby told him where he was on pit road and reminded Mikey to put on his switches and to get heat in the tires.
"Switches on," Mikey replied. "44, 99, 34."
"3600 sound right to you, Michael?" Ty asked.
"Yeah, I mean, I can't really tell, Ty," said the driver. "We'll just have to go with the math. Right now, I'm on 3000."
"Yeah, I figured as much." Ty told Mikey he could hustle to the line on pit road. "You should know where it is as well as anybody."
"Well, I've probably been on it as many times as anybody. I should know."
"All right, Dave, you've got the green flag," Bobby directed.
"10-4. I'm right on it," Dave replied.
"Hey, Dave, on the green flag, the biggest thing I look out for him is if they're all checking up. Sometimes, on these big starts, they get jammed up." Ty told Dave to watch out for that for Mikey.
"10-4."
"All right, buddy, when you get down here, you'll be coming to the green next time, coming to the green next time," Ty told his driver. "Hey, bud, no passing on either side 'til we get past the start/finish line."
"All right, make sure you get your belts," Bobby said. "Have a good day. Keep 'er on the hard top. Go get 'em."
"Got you on the hard top. Roger. Y'all have a good day here," Mikey replied. He apologised for the car starting at the rear. "I know we can get a top 20 and get out of town. Sorry I got us in the back here, but we'll fight out of it. No problem."
"Pace car is off. Easy through. Easy, easy, easy. Green flag. Green green green," Dave led Mikey to the stripe.
"Clear five back," Ty took over.
Kasey Kahne led the field to the green flag. Mikey was 41st, David was 42nd, and David was 34th.
"Still outside. Clear there. Clear clear clear. Two back," Ty noted. "Looking outside. Still there. Still there. Keep rolling, keep rolling. Everybody's straight. You're clear."
Mikey was 39th one lap into the run. David was 41st, and McDowell was 36th.
"28's right there. Inside. Right there."
"Clear, clear," Dave added. "Getting three-wide up there. Keep rolling."
Bobby Labonte spun on lap 3 but continued.
"Right side. 84's on your right side, Michael," Dave warned. "Right side. Left side with the 28. Left side. Clear."
"Pay attention, man. I don't need you screwing me up," Mikey replied.
"Clear one back. No pressure," Ty added.
"Still there, still there, still there. Clear, clear," Dave noted.
On lap 4, Mikey was 38th. Reports arose the next time around the track that Robby Gordon was dragging equipment on the track. One lap later, Jimmie Johnson took the lead. Meanwhile, David had dropped to 42nd.
"20.60, 20.60," Bobby read off times on lap 8. "21.60. How's your car?"
"The 10's been a little bit slow right there," Dave observed. "Clear two back to the Simo."
"21.40, 21.40. All clear."
"We just need more rear grip, probably like everybody else," Mikey commented.
"10-4."
"34's right there. Now you're clear by one," Ty warned.
"21.40. I'll take a little air out of your rear tires on the next stop," Bobby told his driver. "21.10, 21.10. All clear."
"Looking left. Inside, inside. Clear now, clear," Ty noted.
"Driver's left, driver's left, driver's left," Dave added. "The 34 still there. Clear."
"Keep rolling," Ty said. "You see what the 10 car's got there. Keep rolling on your left side. Clear, clear clear."
"Driver's right, driver's right. It's the 00. 34's with him. 34's with him. Right side. Still there. Still there. Coming up the straightaway. You can beat him," Dave encouraged.
McDowell was 36th on lap 16. Mikey was 38th, and David was 41st. Brian Simo's #34 had passed the #55, but Patrick Carpentier's #10 had fallen to the rear. This allowed all Michael Waltrip Racing drivers to gain a spot.
"Clear three back. Clear three back," Ty said.
"20.90, 20.90."
"Clear one back," Ty said on lap 20. "Blowing up in front of you. I don't know if he's just smoking or what."
"Driver's right. 78's trying to follow. Driver's right. 28. Driver's right. Still there," Dave directed.
"Clear all clear. Keep rolling. They're not pulling a caution. It's clear one back. Bobby, tell them there's stuff there."
"They black flagged that car in front of you, Michael," a crew member said.
Simo was still in front of the Napa Camry.
"Bobby, tell them that's gear oil coming up on that 55 windshield. See if they'll do anything about that," Ty said to the crew chief.
"240," Bobby said.
Mikey was 37th on lap 22. McDowell was 35th, and David was 40th. Simo had gone to the garage.
"21.20. There you go. Good lap, good lap!" Bobby praised.
McDowell was 34th on lap 23, having passed Joe Nemechek.
"21.40, 21.40. All clear."
"Clear, clear. Nice job. Clear one back," Ty said.
On lap 25, Greg Biffle went to pit road. McDowell was 32nd, Mikey was 34th, and David was 39th.
"160," Bobby said.
One lap later, other drivers made stops.
"Clear five back, ten back. Got that 60 lame on the left side," Ty said.
"Left side, left side. Atta baby," Dave added.
"21.7. There you go. You've got a good pace going there, bud," Bobby praised.
Mikey was 31st on lap 27. McDowell was 29th, and David was 35th.
"Left side. There you go. Clear," Dave guided.
Stops continued, and Mikey was 29th on lap 28.
"21.70, 21.70," Bobby read off times. Mikey was 28th on lap 29. McDowell was 27th, and David was 34th.
"Left side, left side, left side," Dave noted.
"Keep rolling," Ty said.
"Caution's out. Caution's out. Got the 84 up behind you. Caution's out."
Lap 30 saw the first caution. David Ragan and Joe Nemechek had spun. Aric Almirola received the free pass.
Mikey talked about the car, but his response was hard to hear.
"All right, 10-4, 10-4," Bobby replied. "I'm going to take some air out of your rear tires. Air out of your rear tires. How are your temps?"
"Um, 200, 240."
"Yeah, I'm taking a pound out of your rears, a pound out of your rears." After a minute, Bobby said, "Let's look at your right front fender when you go around here."
Ty asked about temps.
"He just gave them to me."
"My bad. Voices in my head."
"Pit road's open this time. The leaders are just now in Turn 7," Dave told his driver.
"Four tires. We'll pit this time. Four tires," Bobby said.
"3600 when you get to pit road. Bobby, you're going to have to count him in. I can't see," Ty said.
Bobby acknowledged.
Ty warned Bobby that the #00 was coming in first; both the #00 and #55 had the same Napa paint scheme, but the #00 had red letters.
"Straight shot in and out. It will be around the 99 car." Bobby said Carl Edwards might be gone by the time they pit. "Hustle up, hustle up. All right. Watch the 99. Watch out, he's coming out. There you go. Wheels straight, put on the brakes. Top and bottom, Chris. Top and bottom. Go go go. All the way out. 3600. All the way. All the way. Chris, you get that fender good, bud?"
"Check for fuel, Ty," Mikey requested. "Can you hear me?"
"Yeah, Michael, I can hear you now."
"Check to make sure he's not losing any fuel, Ty," Bobby told the spotter.
Ty said he hadn't seen any. "You're coming around to the green."
The hood went up on Boris Said's #60 on pit road, and AJ Allmendinger's #84 stalled. When Said got off pit road, he was too fast exitting and got a penalty. The #83 and #84 Red Bull teams managed to push Allmendinger off pit road. Allmendinger was 42nd.
"All right, use this chance here to catch your breath, bud. Coming to the green. Coming to the green. Your tires look good," Bobby coached.
Dave led Mikey to the restart. "Easy, easy, easy, easy. Green green green. Leader just spun up the top of the hill. Keep coming, no caution. Keep coming, no caution. A bunch of spinners on the left side. Biffle's coming back on the left side. Everybody's straight."
Leader Greg Biffle had skid off the track and in the dirt on the lap 32 restart. He came back on track right in front of the Napa Camry. Kyle Busch took the lead.
"Clear. Good job, bud," Ty praised.
Mikey was 31st on lap 33. McDowell was 33rd, and David was 34th. McDowell picked up a spot the next time around the track.
"Clear one back to the 00. Clear one back," Ty noted.
"60 coming off pit road. Watch him. Slow left. Slow left. Watch him coming up the hill," Dave cleared Mikey one back once Said rejoined the field. "Clear the 60. Clear."
"Clear two back. Clear two back."
"That 22 in front of you. I don't know if he has a problem or something," Dave observed.
"He's on pit road," Ty added.
Due to Dave Blaney's struggles in the #22, Mikey picked up 30th. McDowell was 30th, and David was 36th on lap 38. Lap 40 saw David lose a spot to Travis Kvapil.
"20.60. There you go! Good lap, good lap," Bobby praised.
"Keep working now. Keep working him," Dave encouraged.
"Left side, left side," Ty warned. "Clear, clear. Great job, bud."
On lap 43, Mikey passed Paul Menard's #15 for 29th.
"Nice and smooth, man. We're doing good against all the people we're racing. Doing good."
"20.60. Good lap," Bobby praised. "Be smooth, bud. Be smooth."
On lap 45, McDowell picked up 30th.
"Keep working it, buddy. You don't want it to bite ya," it sounded like Dave said.
"21 flat, 21 flat," Bobby said.
"Still there, still there, still there. Clear. All right, buddy, nice job. Nice and smooth. You've got a double knock out here."
Mikey had passed for 27th on lap 48.
"20.90," Bobby noted. "21.10, 21.10."
On lap 51, Denny Hamlin spun in Turn 11. He had dove under Ryan Newman and had developped a wheel hop.
"Spinner in Turn 11, right in the middle. Some are coming through on the bottom. Some are coming through on the top. There you go," Ty guided.
"21.15. Good lap. About half a second quicker than the five or six cars in front of you."
Hamlin's problem allowed Mikey to pick up 26th on lap 52. McDowell was 27th, and David was 36th. Two laps later, the #44 fell to 38th.
"21.40.
"20.90, 20.90.
"21.20. All clear."
"Looking low. Inside, inside, inside. Clear behind him, clear behind him," Ty warned. "Clear about seven back to the 10."
McDowell passed on lap 58 for 26th. Mikey was now 27th.
"Be smooth. Looking like we're two laps short at the end of the race, two short." Bobby adviced his driver to go slower.
"Just stay after it, bud. Just stay up on the wheel." Ty noted that Mikey was making gains on the guys in front of him. "Just stay after it. Just stay on track.
"Clear two back to the 10."
"All right, bud. About eight laps away. Eight laps away from pitting," Bobby said on lap 62. Meanwhile, McDowell picked up 25th. Meanwhile, David lost the lead lap.
On lap 64, Mikey picked up 26th while McDowell picked up 25th.
"Clear all clear," Ty said.
"All right. Let me know how your car is. We're about six away, six away," Bobby requested.
"Car was too tight, like it had too much air at first, then... it felt like it had too much air in the front tires, but then it got... then it got okay. Now the back just won't stick," Mikey reported.
"10-4," Bobby replied.
A moment later, Mikey said, "You can say y'all could hear. Y'all can say 10-4."
"I did. I got you."
On lap 66, McDowell went to pit road. Mikey was up to 24th. Mikey was 19th the next time around the track as stops continued.
"Three more, buddy. About three more," Ty said.
Mikey was 16th on lap 68. Kyle Busch pit the next time around the track, giving Carl Edwards the lead. Tony Stewart stalled momentarily on pit road. Mikey was 13th. Meanwhile, Robby Gordon and Kurt Busch spun.
"Spin up here on the top of the hill. Everybody's rolling, everybody's rolling."
"Next time by," Bobby said.
"The 7 stalled over here. Keep coming. Caution's out, caution's out."
The second caution was on lap 70. Kurt Busch had spun Robby Gordon, and Max Papis kept driving into Busch. Denny Hamlin received the free pass. Kasey Kahne was penalised and made to sit at the end of pit road.
"Oh shit, we're in trouble here. We're about out of fuel," Bobby said. "It's going to be quick, Billy. Ty, see if you can get that 44 to push us if need be."
"Yeah, 10-4. I'm trying to find him on the track. He's going to be behind the leader."
"Yeah, he just run out of fuel. Yeah, they're coasting. He's going to save everything he can."
"Whatever you want to do."
"Come back."
"You about may have to come onto pit road and deal with it."
Static returned.
"I don't know. Maybe a mile," Mikey said. "No, I've been coasting, saving gas."
Bobby said Ty and Mikey were both talking. "Save all you can, bud. Find us some help here, Ty, in case we start to run out."
"Yeah, I'm looking around."
"The 45 may be a prime candidate right there behind us." Then, Bobby said, "Cut the motor off, coast there, and do whatever you can. You've got the whole field doing the same thing."
Ty praised Mikey for getting around and told him pit road was open.
"3600 when you get here, bud. 3600." Bobby led Mikey around the outside. He told the crew to get a lot of fuel in the car. "Pack it hard. We gotta have it all."
"I don't know why y'all don't remind me of shit like that, but I guess i can remember that," Mikey said during the stop.
"My bad. Come on up, up on the jack. Clear out, clear out. 3600."
"The 66 car's a lap down, Michael. Right now, he's in 40th, so just so you know where we're at points wise."
"I've got some bad news. I was in second gear instead of first, so I know we're going to get busted. So if we need gas, we can come on back in," Mikey told his team.
"Yup, too fast entering," Bobby confirmed.
"Wrong gear. I need a little help with reminders here. We need the whole team - the spotters and crew chief and all. We need to help each other out," Mikey said.
Bobby said something about getting more gas.
"I'm screwed either way with our gas mileage."
"We're okay."
"I mean, we lost all our track position with our gas mileage, so the speeding didn't hurt diddly squat."
"That is 100% correct. Our mileage didn't go up today like I hoped it would."
"It's not one to go. I need to come to you."
"10-4, 10-4."
After the penalty, Mikey returned to pit road for fuel.
"Okay, y'all good, y'all good. 3600 and 1st, 3600 and 1st," Bobby said.
"Should I be coasting right now just for safety, or are we plumb good?" Mikey asked. "Head's up?"
"Just chill out. Let me get the numbers. Give us a second," Bobby said.
Mikey said they could get more if they needed it. "It coasts a long way when you start up top. I coasted all the way from up top the esses. I'm still coasting."
"All right, come on to me. We're going to top you here."
"3600. 3600 and first," Ty said.
"How many of them do we have a lap down?" Mikey asked.
"Uh, it looks like seven cars, seven cars a lap down," Bobby replied. "All right, you're all good there. First gear and 36."
"All right, when we come around, coming around to the green, coming around to the green."
"All right, you're good bud. When you go, you can hammer down, hammer down," Bobby told his driver.
"All right, coming to the green. Pass to the right," Bobby said. "Green green green."
"Green green. Green flag," Dave added.
Kyle Busch led the restart on lap 74. He was behind two cars at the tail end of the lead lap. Mikey was 30th, McDowell was 31st, and David was lapped in 37th.
"Still there. Still there. Clear," Ty said.
The third caution came one lap later after Juan Pablo Montoya cut across two lines into the corner and spun out off Marcos Ambrose's nose. Nemechek received the free pass.
"Spin in 11. No caution. Keep coming. Caution's out," Dave said.
"What was that caution for, Ty? That 42?" Bobby asked.
"Yeah, yeah."
"Well that's ridiculous."
"Yeah. It was pretty inconsistent on those calls. You had one oiling down the whole track, and they never called it. The 11 stopped, and everyone went around him."
"Reverse discrimination," Mikey said.
"There you go."
Mikey asked if 35 cars were on the lead lap. Bobby gave him a run-down. Kahne was again held on pit road for a penalty as was Robby Gordon.
"31 to go. You're going to be coming to the green, coming to the green," Ty noted. "All right, bud, we're 28th. 40 still on the lead lap. Looks like 30 laps to go."
Busch led the restart on lap 77. Mikey was 28th, McDowell was 32nd, and David was lapped in 37th.
"Clear four back," Ty said.
"Driver's left, driver's left. Still there, still there," Dave warned.
"Clear two back, clear two back. Clear, clear. Still clear half back. Clear. Looking low. Clear. Keep rolling, you're clear clear. Clear four back to the 11. Keep rolling, bud. Still out there. Still there. Clear, clear. Clear one back to the 11. Three back to the 6. Great job, bud."
On lap 80, Mikey picked up 27th.
"Inside." Bobby said.
"It's the 6, inside, driver's right," Dave added. "Clear all clear."
"Nice and smooth, baby. You've been outrunning him all day. Nice and smooth. One back. All right, clear two back to the 11." Ty warned Mikey about the struggling #28.
"Clear the 44," Ty said.
"Keep him clean, Ty. We're pretty safe on our points deal," Bobby adviced.
"Yeah, 10-4," Ty replied. "Inside, inside. Clear behind him if you need it. He was the fastest car at the beginning of the race, so it's all good, it's all good."
Mikey was 28th on lap 83 after Hamlin got around him.
"21.15, 21.15."
Ty warned Mikey of a spin on lap 84. It was Ambrose's #21, after Elliott Sadler turned him. "Some tire smoke from that 21, three in front of you."
Mikey picked up 27th the next time around the track once Ambrose went to pit road.
"20.90, 20.90. All clear. 29 to go," Bobby said. "20.10. Good lap!
"20.35, 20.35. All clear."
"Good job, buddy. You've got some other ones coming back to you. Nice and smooth. You've got a car dead in the wall in Turn 7, in Turn 7. Looks like the 43. All right, he's rolling now. He's rolling."
Mikey was 27th on lap 88, having passed David Ragan.
"20.80, 20.80. 22 to go."
"Clear about eight back to the 6," Ty noted.
"Inside, inside," Bobby said.
"Driver's right," Dave jumped in.
"Dave, let me get it. You're too slow."
"Clear two back, clear two back," Ty added.
"Driver's left. Clear," said Dave.
"That's the way to do it. That's the way to do it, buddy," Ty encouraged. "You've got about 19 to go."
"20.50. Damn good lap," Bobby praised.
"Nice and smooth. You've got a little better times than those guys in front of you here."
"20.20.
"20.90. Nice and smooth, bud. Nice and smooth."
"Driver's left. Left side, left side," Dave noted.
On lap 95, Mikey picked up 26th from Travis Kvapil.
"All right, buddy. Fifteen to go. You're clear two back here. 15 to go, 15 to go," Ty said.
"All clear. 14 to go," Bobby stated. "All clear. No pressure. 13 to go."
"Good job, buddy. Just stay on it. That 45 is coming back to us."
"20.40, 20.40. 12 to go.
"20.50, 20.50. 11 to go."
"No caution yet. Keep on rolling. No caution yet. Keep going, bud. Good job. No caution," Ty guided.
Jimmie Johnson had spun and had dropped many positions on lap 100. Biffle had cut into him in the corner.
"20.60, 20.60. Ten to go," Bobby said.
"Clear four back. Nice and smooth."
"20.50, 20.50. Nine to go."
The fourth caution was for David Reutimann, who had hit the tire wall nose first. He hit hard after his tire blew.
"I had slid the front tires pretty hard the lap before and I must have flat spotted it," David explained after his wreck. "When we turned it in there it blew out the car just went straight."
"Caution's going to be out. Caution's going to be out. Come on around. Think any of those guys are going to get tires behind us?"
"I'm counting what's behind us right now," Bobby replied.
"It's going to be a while to get him out of the wall. Bobby, you see it on television. You can tell what's going on there," Ty said.
"Left front blew out. Left front blew out on that 44, Michael," Ty added.
David walked away after about a minute in the wrecked car.
"We got six guys behind us. I'm pretty sure they'll come," Bobby said.
"Yeah, I thought the same thing."
"I'm thinking we should stay out," Mikey suggested.
"Yeah, I'm with you there." Bobby said they'd only have a handful of laps when they'd restart.
"The double not and the 77 stayed out behind you, and the 2 and 28 stayed out behind you," Ty noted.
"Yeah, the 2 is a lap down," Bobby added.
"Based on how they raced when there was 30 to go on that last restart, they were pretty dicey," Ty said. "They got the car out of the wall. They'll probably spend another to get it cleaned up and then restart."
"It's one to go right now," Mikey replied.
"All right. They're saying we're coming to the green. They're saying we're coming to the green."
"With 6 to go, we get the green," Bobby said. "Keep it clean, Ty. Keep it clean."
Ty told Bobby to get the green on lap 104
"I got it, Dave. Pace truck's off. Ready? Ready? Ready? Green green green!" Bobby called the restart with 6 to go. "All clear, all clear."
"Smooth. Clear one back," Ty said. "Spin off of 7, spin off of 7. Caution's out, caution's out. Come through slow and low, slow and low. Come through slow and low. Hold your spot, buddy. Hold your spot."
Stewart had been significantly slow after passing McMurray. Harvick spun and collected Gilliland, and Reagan Smith behind him. The fifth caution was out. Mikey was 24th.
Ty commented that one car had a tire down and would probably pit.
"Yeah, that tire won't make it."
"Yeah, there's no way, but let's see what happens here."
"Hey, uh, Bobby, on the restart, you see how they're rolling here. He'll know, but let him know. He can probably get going a little bit quicker than he has."
Bobby said Mikey knows what to do.
"Yeah, yeah."
"The official up here didn't give me the one to go signal at all. He was just sitting up on the wall in his own little world."
Ty said David Hoots and a NASCAR official up in the spotter's stand hadn't told them either. "So good call, M-Dub."
"All right, Ty, just make sure our teammate's patient here," Bobby said.
Ty said he had just come off the #00 frequency, and they'd discussed staying out of trouble.
"Yeah, he better not hit me. I'll tell him that," Mikey said.
"Yeah, I told him that. He said he understands," Ty replied. "All right, bud, you're going to be coming to the green."
Kyle Busch led the lap 107 restart with Mikey in 23rd. McDowell was 24th, and David was out in 40th. Bobby guided Mikey to the green. Hamlin went off track but kept going.
"Tire smoke on that 26," Ty warned. "Got a spin. Stay low, stay low, stay low. Clear one back. Clear two back. Clear one back. Still there. Clear, clear. Outside. Clear. Come on, come on. Caution's out, caution's out. Clear clear clear. Caution's out."
The sixth caution was on lap 108. A bunch of cars had collided with Hamlin's spin. Scott Pruett's #41 sustained significant damage, as did Martin Truex Jr.
"There was another points guy who just took a big hit there. He got into the wall and is leaking a lot of shit. So that's a good deal," Ty noted.
"Just keep your tires clean, bud."
"Based on the last timing scoring, NASCAR is saying 00 55."
"That's not good," Mikey said.
"It must be the top of the hill or something. It's not when the caution came out," Ty replied. "Got a ton of oil and speedy dry entering the turn of... whatever the hell turn this is. Turn 6. Turn 4." Ty asked a question about the turns.
"Probably not the right time to be asking that question."
"They're stopping them up there. They're stopping them up there. Be careful."
The red flag came out at 8:11pm on lap 108.
"It's all the way down too through the esses, so it's going to be a little bit," Ty observed.
"All right, M-Dub, you're 22nd right now. 22nd," Bobby said.
Mikey's reply returned incredibly quietly.
"All right, bud, here we go. Let me know if it doesn't crank up. I'll get someone to push you," Ty said at 8:23pm when cars started rolling again.
"It's good," Mikey replied several seconds later.
"All right, we should be coming back to the green. Just protect yourself. That 28's been dive-bombing them getting into 11."
"All right, they put a lot of speedy dry at the top of the hill, Michael," Ty warned Mikey of other trouble spots like in the esses. "The 19 is running 4th right now, but he has a flat right rear. But I don't think he wants to pit, Just be ready for anything."
Bobby adviced his driver to clean off his tires. "Coming to the green. All right, bud, we'll be on a green white checkered."
"Okay, Bobby, you get the green. You get the green," Ty said.
"Got it. Make sure your tires are cleaned off." Bobby called Mikey to the green.
Busch led the green/white/checkered restart. Mikey was 22nd, McDowell was 21st, and David was 40th in the garage.
"All clear, all clear. Three back," Bobby said.
"Easy now. All right. Right side. He's there. Right side. Clear behind him. Still out there. Still there," Ty warned. "Still down there. Still there. Still there, still there. Clear there, clear there, clear there. Clear. Right side, right side. Clear there. Clear one back. Still clear one back."
Mikey was 25th going into the white flag lap.
"All clear, all clear. Coming to the white," Bobby said.
"Keep rolling. Keep coming. Still there. Keep coming," Ty observed. "Still there. Clear, clear. Two back. Clear two back. All right, clear two back. Bring it on home now. Clear two back. Check that bottom. Clear clear now."
"Inside now, inside. Hammer down now. Go hard. Still down there," Bobby noted.
"I did all I could do," Mikey stated.
"Yeah, yeah. I know." Bobby said he was adding up the points. "You did a good job, man. Good job. You stayed on course all day. Good job."
Ty said cars were all over Mikey, and he did a good job. He said they were Mikey's two best laps.
Mikey's words were covered in static. He talked about track position and how gas mileage had affected that.
"18 got the mileage, you know, so we know it's there. We just don't have it."
Bobby said they were solid with 4.1 all day.
Mikey came in 25th. McDowell was 20th, and David was 40th. Kyle Busch went on to win.
Next weekend, mikeypower.com will have live practice and qualifying reports from Loudon. Coverage of the Sprint Cup's LENOX Industrial Tools 301 begins at 12:30pm ET on TNT. The Nationwide Series' Camping World RV Sales 200 starts at 2:30pm on ABC.