Mikey 19th at Michigan by Kellyanne Lynch
17 August 2008
Michael Waltrip Racing picked up two top 20 finishes in the 3M Performance 400, this afternoon's Sprint cup race at Michigan International Speedway. Mikey's #55 Napa Auto Parts Camry came in 19th while David Reutimann's #44 UPS machine finished 14th. Mike Skinner, who will be in the #00 Champion Morgage Toyota for two more weeks, crossed the stripe 35th, two laps down.
Mikey qualified 42nd for today's race. David qualified 7th and Skinner 22nd.
"Got a copy on me?" somebody asked on the #55 radio at 2:08pm ET. Nobody responded.
Austin Irwin, a twelve-year-old Make A Wish child, gave the call to start engines one minute later.
"Bud, you have a copy?" spotter Ty Norris asked a minute after that.
"Clear," Mikey replied.
"Yeah," crew chief Bobby Kennedy came on the frequency next. "I got you bud, loud and clear."
"Drop back, and he's going to be behind you, on the outside line," Ty informed his driver.
"All right, get caught up there." Bobby said Mikey's pit road speed would be 4850 RPM. "That should give you one green light. You should have seven when you get to speeding there."
"I follow all that," Mikey responded.
"All right, for pit stops, Ty, get him to the line. I'll get him to the box and out of the hole. And then he's yours."
"All right," Ty acknowledged. "Michael, you're the fourth one in."
Mikey spoke in static.
"We've got the 66, a small opening that goes to the Busch garage, the 8 car, and then us," Bobby informed his driver.
"Bud, you're going to be the third pit stall, third pit stall," Ty corrected.
"Excuse me, that would be the Nationwide garage," Bobby also corrected himself.
"All right, pit road speed was what?" Ty asked. "Somebody tell us what the pit road speed was supposed to be, Bobby."
"4850, 4850."
"4850 and second."
"And then if it's a green pit road, on pit road on lap 38 first time."
"10-4."
"All right, bud, you'll be coming back around to the green this time," somebody said.
"All right, pull your belts tight. Work your tires in just a little. Coming to the green," Bobby said. "Everybody, heads up in the pits. We're due for a full one. Let's put it on today."
"230, 250," Mikey gave oil and water temperatures.
"10-4, 10-4."
"All right, bud, pace car's off," Ty noted. "Ready? Green green green. Everybody's rolling."
Brian Vickers led the field to the green flag at 2:19pm ET. He lost the lead shortly to Jimmie Johnson.
"Coming inside. Clear low, clear low. Clear up if you need it, clear up one back. Half back, half back. Outside. All clear, whatever you need. All clear."
Mikey was 40th one lap into the run. Skinner moved up to 18th while David remained 7th.
"Outside, outside. The 12. 12 still outside on your corner. Still there. Stay low, stay low. 78's backing up. Three-wide right there. Still outside. One more. Outside. Still there, still there. Clear up, now clear."
On lap 3, Sam Hornish Jr scuffed the wall.
"Clear three back," Ty observed. "Still out there, still there. Still outside, still there. Still clear behind him if you need it. Clear two back. Still down there, still there. Still there. Clear, all clear."
Lap 5 saw Mikey take 39th. Skinner was still 18th while David dropped to 8th with Kyle Busch's pass.
"Got a run to the outside. Still clear, clear. Still clear half back, still clear half back. All the way down the bottom, all the way down the bottom. All clear. Nice corner."
"41.95, 41.95. Leader 70," Bobby read off lap times.
On lap 8, Mikey picked up 38th. Dale Earnhardt Jr had taken the lead.
"Clear, all clear. Nice job! That's where the top five or six drivers are running, Michael," Ty noted. "Clear clear, now. Clear."
Mikey passed Paul Menard for 37th on lap 9.
"All clear, clear."
"Give me temps whenever you get a chance," Bobby requested.
"Uh, 220, 230," Mikey replied.
"10-4, 10-4."
"All clear," Ty stated. "All right, buddy. Nice job. Temps when get a chance."
"I just did," Mikey said.
"My bad. Clear two back."
On lap 10, Mikey was 35th. He had passed David Gilliland and Tony Raines. Skinner was up to 17th, having passed Scott Riggs.
David fell to 9th on lap 11 while Skinner fell to 18th with Carl Edwards' pass.
"Still down there. Still there. Clear, clear."
Mikey was 34th on lap 12, having passed Hornish Jr.
"Working lap 12. Tell me about your car when you get a chance."
"A little loose at the first," Mikey replied.
"Just keep me posted, keep me posted."
"I guess just a little loose overall still."
"10-4, 10-4." A moment later, Bobby added, "29, 42.29. Pretty good lap times right there. Same as the 5th place car. Same as the first ten, a little better than some of them."
"41, you're clear clear clear," Ty noted. "Still outside, still outside. Clear now clear."
Skinner picked up 17th again on lap 16. He had passed Reagan Smith.
"There you go, bud. Clear four back. Still down there. All clear, bud. Whatever you need. Nice job."
Ty warned Mikey that Juan Pablo Montoya's #42 was struggling.
By lap 17, Mikey was up to 32nd. He'd passed Denny Hamlin and Reed Sorenson.
"Clear five back. Whatever you need. Still there. 45 still there. Still down there. Got one all the way down to the bottom. Inside. Car still there. Still there. Clear. Still inside. Caution's going to be out, caution's going to be out. Got one blowing up on the back straightaway."
The first caution was on lap 19 for Marcos Ambrose, who lost the engine in his #21. Mikey had moved up to 30th. Skinner was 17th, and David was 10th.
Bobby asked if the car were still free.
"Yeah, it's free, it's free... it's just skaty. Just a little bit skaty on the left front, a little skaty on the left rear. Whatever we did on that last adjustment yesterday addressed it. It tighened it up on entry," Mikey explained.
Ty told Mikey to go ahead and catch up; the leader was just now in Turn 1.
"When we get caught up here, we'll make an air pressure adjustment. It will be four tires, four tires. Temps still holding about the same?"
"Yeah, 200, 250."
"10-4, 10-4."
"55 in front of the 9, in front of the 9. Fluid on pit road where the 21 blew up," Ty warned his driver. "Still closed, still closed."
With Kasey Kahne's #9 dropping back, Mikey moved into 29th.
"Pit road's still going to be closed," Ty noted. Ambrose had dropped a significant amount of fluid, and speedy-dry was all off the corner and down much of pit road. "Still closed, bud. Still closed.
"All right, bud, they got a good bit cleared. It'll probably be open this time. Your temps still good there?"
"Yeah."
"All right, guys, let's have a good one. Michael, when you come in here, you'll go around the 8."
"Yeah, 66 and 8," Bobby added.
Ty told his driver to go around high, and Bobby warned that Travis Kvapil would be in front.
"4850," Bobby reminded.
"Stacking up there. 4850 at the line. Five away."
"3, 2, 1. Wheels straight, put on the brakes," Bobby guided. "Go go go. 4850. All the way. Ty, he's yours."
"4850. 4850 to the cone. There you go," Ty spotted. "One to go when you come around. One to go."
AJ Allmendinger spent a significant time on pit road, where his team worked on a repair to the right front fender.
"All right, buddy, you'll be coming to the green. There's still some speedy dry in Turn 4," Ty warned.
"How did our build-ups look?" Mikey asked.
"Three to the right front, three to the right front. Coming to the green."
"Green green green. Outside only. Everybody straight."
"It seemed to get looser as I went, so FYI," Mikey commented.
Ty warned Mikey of a car looking low to the inside. "Clear, clear."
Jimmie Johnson led the restart on lap 26. Mikey was 30th, David 12th, and Skinner 23rd.
Ty warned Mikey of cars looking inside. "Outside, outside, outside. He'll come right to us, bud. Clear two back. Clear up there, clear up."
By lap 28, David was 11th and Skinner was 30th. Mikey was 32nd.
"Still outside, outside. Still there, the 38, out there on the corner."
"It's just real loose from the start," Mikey said.
"10-4."
"Clear, one back to the 12, one lap to the 12," Ty noted. "One coming on the outside, one coming on the outside. Inside, clear. Got a couple with him. Inside."
Mikey was 32nd on lap 31 but 33rd one lap later. Skinner was 34th. David was 11th.
"Real real loose right now," Mikey stated.
"All right, bud, clear three back."
"41.60, 41.60," Bobby read off lap times.
"Clear one back, one back to the 00," Ty said.
"42 flat, 42 flat."
David was 12th on lap 32.
"Inside, inside," Ty warned. "Right there on your corner, got the 77 trying to come with him."
Skinner passed Mikey on lap 33. Mikey was 34th, Skinner 33rd, David 11th.
"Clear, clear. Still there, still there. Got the 84 with him. Still inside. Clear low if you need it. Clear to the middle if you need it."
Mikey was 35th on lap 34. Skinner was back to 34th. David lost a spot one lap later.
"Will be clear right there, half back to the 84."
"You say you're real loose. You might try turning off that left front blower," Bobby suggested. "60, 60."
"Clear two back," Ty noted.
Skinner passed Bobby Labonte for 33rd on lap 37.
"Inside, the 84."
"Just not getting any better," Mikey reported.
"10-4, 10-4."
"Still clear two back to the 15."
Lap 38 saw Mikey in 36th. AJ Allmendinger had passed. By now, Earnhardt Jr was leading.
"Still out there. Still there. Clear clear."
"I'm just extremely loose, extremely loose. On exit mainly. Extremely loose," Mikey said.
Bobby told his driver they'd get him tightened up. Mikey was 35th on lap 39.
"It's not getting any better at all. I'm looser now than I've ever been my whole life."
"10-4. Did you try turning that blower off?" Bobby asked his driver.
"Yeah, I turned the blower off that had the word right under it. I guess that's it."
"10-4. That's it."
"43 flat, 43 flat," Bobby said.
"Good job, buddy, way to work it. Run them down," Ty encouraged.
"42.80. Last two laps have been a little better, a couple tenths better last two laps," Bobby noted. "43 flat, 43 flat.
"43 flat. Leader 42.55."
"Still out there," Ty warned. "Clear, clear. Back inside. Back inside. Clear now, clear."
Mikey passed Skinner for 34th on lap 47. Skinner was now 35th. David was 12th.
"Clear one back."
"Stay with it. I'll get some of that air pressure adjustment out of you and take that track bar back down," Bobby encouraged his driver. "43.20. Leader 85."
"Leader's at the line now," Ty observed.
On lap 49, Skinner fell to 36th when Paul Menard passed. One lap later, Mikey got around Allmendinger for 33rd. Vickers took the lead on the same lap. Earnhardt Jr used his rear to get a hotdog wrapper off his nose.
"Still out there. Still there. Have a run on the outside. Run on the outside. He's there. Outside. Clear one back. We'll get him."
Allmendinger got back around Mikey on lap 51; he was now 34th.
"30, 43.30. Leader 70."
"I just don't have no right rear grip," Mikey complained.
"10-4, 10-4. 15, 43.15," Bobby responded. "15, 15."
On lap 57, Mikey passed Ryan Newman for 33rd.
"Clear, all clear. Nice job!" Ty praised. "Still there. Clear."
One lap later, he got around Allmendinger for 32nd.
"Still inside. Still there. Still there. Clear, clear."
Lap 60 saw David fall to 13th when David Ragan passed. Meanwhile, Mikey picked up 31st from David Gilliland.
"All clear. Great corner, Michael. Great corner."
Mikey gained 30th from Juan Pablo Montoya one lap later.
"Five laps from our stop, five laps," Bobby noted.
"Outside. Clear, clear. Clear two back. Nice job. Clear two back. Run inside, inside."
On lap 62, Skinner picked up 35th.
"Clear all clear. How many more, Bobby?"
"On pit road on lap 65," Bobby replied. Skinner gained another spot on lap 63.
Lap 64 saw the beginning of stops with Ryan Newman. Many others pit the next time around the track, along with Skinner.
"All right, bud, complete one more, complete one more," Ty told his driver. "Clear there. That 12 right there off pit road obviously on fresh tires. Inside, inside. See that 7 stacking up down there."
"Next time, next time by," Bobby said.
Mikey was 23rd on lap 66 as stops continued.
"Coming this time," Ty said and reminded Mikey of pit road speed. Bobby warned Mikey about the #8 of Mark Martin being on pit road.
Bobby guided Mikey to his box on lap 67. Dave Blaney ran into Reed Sorenson on pit road.
"Go go go. Halfway, all the way. 4850," Bobby said.
"4850 to the cone, 4850. That 9, watch that 9. 4850 to the cone. All right, let's hustle. Four tires below the yellow line. Clear five back to the 15. Go ahead and take that spot. Clear five back."
"All right, everybody has pitted. The leader is the 88. He pit about five laps before us," Ty said on lap 68 as Earnhardt Jr had just taken over the lead.
David was 13th, Mikey was 31st, and Skinner was 34th.
"Still out there on your corner. Still there. Still out there on your corner. Still there. Clear, clear," Ty said.
"Okay, I can breathe now. Good job on the adjustments!" Mikey thanked his crew.
"10-4."
Mikey was 30th on lap 69. Skinner was 34th.
"42 flat, 42 flat. Leader 41.80," Bobby read off lap times.
"Still there on your corner. Still there, still there. Clear now, clear."
Mikey was 29th on lap 72, having passed Ryan Newman. Skinner was 35th, and David was still 13th.
"Clear," said Ty.
"It already feels like it's got too much right front air," Mikey told his crew chief.
"10-4. We'll get you back in the middle there. We'll get you tweeked just right there," Bobby responded. "42.40, 42.40."
David was 14th, and Skinner was 37th on lap 73. Mikey was still 29th. Lap 75 saw Carl Edwards take the lead.
"42.60, 60. Same as the leader. He's hung in traffic there," Bobby mentioned.
"Still outside. Still there. Still outside. Still there. Still on your quarter. Still out there. 99's now the leader, just now in 2."
David was 15th on lap 77.
"20 that last lap, 43.20," Bobby said.
"... in the top of 3 and 4. I'll let you know if they get any better," it sounded like Ty said. "Still out there. Still there. Clear the 42. Clear."
Mikey had picked up 28th on lap 78, having passed Montoya.
"295, 42.95. Yeah, better lap that time.
"05, 05. Leader a 90."
"This ought to be a 75," Mikey commented.
"85, 85," Bobby replied.
Skinner lost the lead lap on lap 79.
"70, 70. Same as the leader that lap, same as the leader. Good lap."
"Still down there. Still there. Still down there. Clear two back."
On lap 82, Mikey passed Sam Hornish Jr for 27th.
"80, 80. Good lap times right there. Good times."
"All clear. Nice job."
Lap 84 saw Mikey get around Travis Kvapil for 26th.
"60. There you go! I'm pretty sure you were the fastest car that lap. That's affirmative. Fastest car that lap.
"59, 59. Still the fastest."
"Clear all clear."
The second caution was on lap 85. Paul Menard turned Ryan Newman sideways into Dave Blaney, who made hard contact with the wall. This happened right in front of leader Edwards. Bobby Labonte received the free pass.
"All right, talk to me about your car," Bobby requested. "Really good times there."
"Yeah, several things," Mikey replied. "I'm sure we're good for three or four laps." Mikey said he lost the front end when he lost the back end. "It still could be better on the pressures. Whatever you think."
"We'll do baby steps. That's pretty damn good there."
"Good job, good work. I was trying not to sound like a bitch, but man, that was big time loose. That right there was pretty good."
"10-4, 10-4. Extra man, Ron, extra man. We're just going to do tenths of a pound," Bobby made the call. "Four tires, guys."
"All right, bud, 4850 when you get around here. Pit road will be open."
"Yeah, my fault," Mikey commented. "Damn it. My fault. It snuck up on me."
"That's all right. We're fast enough. We'll be cool."
Scott Riggs led under yellow.
"All right, buddy, one to go, one to go. Lappers coming under you. I'll let you know when the lucky dog gets here," Ty said.
"All right, get a couple deep breathes. Get your belts tightened again. You'll be fine. You're better than most of these guys. No big deal," Bobby encouraged.
"All right, don't worry about the dog. He went around when you were on pit road. Coming around to the green."
Edwards led the lap 90 restart. Mikey was 28th, David 26th.
"Pace car's off. Ready? Green green green," Ty said.
"I was ready. I promise. I just spun my tires for some reason," Mikey said.
"10-4. You're all good, you're all good. Be ready. Going to be a big mess in Turn 3. Clear five back. Stay up. The 96 is slow on the bottom. Coming on straight. Keep rolling. One smoking in the middle. Just tire smoke, just tire smoke. Everybody's still rolling. Everybody's still rolling so far. He's right in the middle of the pack. He's backing up. He's going to be on the bottom. Go ahead and stay up if you can."
Jimmie Johnson went to pit raod after contact on the track with another car on the restart with teammate Jeff Gordon.
"Still clear one back. Got one slow. Got one slow on the apron. One outside, outside. Outside, outside, outside. Clear, clear. Still clear one back."
By lap 93, Mikey was 27th.
"Clear three back. Great corner."
Mikey picked up 26th on lap 94. David was 24th, and Skinner was lapped in 36th.
"Clear behind him. Clear one back. Still out there. Still there. Keep working. You've got one trying to get to the outside of you. Outside, outside. Clear all the way down. You see the 41 on the top side. Stay low, stay low. Still down there. Still there, the 45. Still there. Clear, clear. A run inside."
On lap 95, Mikey was 25th. David was 21st, and Skinner was 36th.
"Still down there. Clear, clear."
"Real loose," Mikey reported.
"10-4," Bobby replied. "41.95, 95."
The third caution was on lap 97 for Jeff Gordon, who was smoking after hitting the wall. Ty guided Mikey low to avoid him. David was 20th, and Mikey was 24th. Skinner was lapped in 36th. Allmendinger received the free pass.
Mikey said something about how he was getting in the corners, but static covered his words. "For a lap or two, I'm killer. I just need some help."
Bobby said he'd make an adjustment.
"Pit road will be open. Pit road will be open, Bobby."
"10-4, we will pit. Four tires. I'd like to get two, but let's get closer before I put you in that deal there," Bobby decided.
Ty told Bobby to get with the #8 to make sure they didn't pop out in front of them.
"10-4. He's getting four." Bobby guided Mikey to his box. "Go go go go. 4850. Go go go."
"4850, 4850," Ty reminded.
"Ty, did you have a chance to notice if any of them got two down that way?"
"I thought I saw the 6 car get too."
"All right. I know the 77 did. I'll keep an eye on times."
"10-4. The 44 took two in front of us."
"Really? I'd like to gain more spots than that if I took two."
"Yeah, they set up camp on the rear there."
"Ah, 10-4."
"All right, one to go when you get there. One to go." Ty warned Mikey about the lapped cars coming up. "Coming back to the green. Pace car's off. Watch these lappers on the bottom. Ready? Green green green."
Edwards led the restart on lap 102. Mikey was 25th, David 20th, and Skinner one lap down in 38th. Allmendinger had received the free pass.
"Still clear three back, two back," Ty noted. "You're all clear. That 96 is going to be on the bottom. Clear. Outside. He's there. Outside, outside, outside. Clear up behind him. Clear one back. 84's looking low, inside, inside."
"It's either tires or a bad adjustment. The front tires haven't stuck from the word go," Mikey said after he fell to 26th with Kvapil's pass.
"10-4. 5 car inside. One looking low. Inside. 66."
"I've got some real problems," Mikey said.
"All right, 10-4, 10-4," Bobby acknowledged. "We didn't do anything with the front, just the left rear. It might be the tires. Just keep me posted."
Mikey was 28th on lap 105 and 30th on lap 106. David was 18th, and Skinner was 38th.
"We messed it up bad."
"10-4, 10-4. Stay after it. We'll change it back. That was a half pound out of the left rear, just so you know where the adjustment's at."
"Inside, the 43," Ty warned. "Clear one back."
David was 17th on lap 108. On the same lap, Kvapil got into Hornish Jr's rear and wiggled him back a few spots.
"Inside, inside. Clear half back. Clear there."
David was 15th on lap 110. Mikey picked up 29th from Scott Riggs on the same lap.
"Clear," said Ty. "Back inside."
One circuit later, Mikey passed Hornish Jr for 28th.
"There you go. Clear two back."
"Way too much right front air," Mikey reported.
"Okay, 10-4, 10-4. 42.60, 42.60," Bobby replied.
"Clear, clear."
On lap 113, Mikey got around Montoya for 27th.
"Clear, all clear." Then Ty warned, "12 and 15 got into it that last caution. Just be careful around them.
"Still down there. Still there. Clear."
Mikey passed Paul Menard for 26th on lap 116. One lap later, David picked up 14th, and Mikey got around Clint Bowyer for 25th.
"Still down there. Clear, clear. It'll be clear off the corner, all clear."
"43.20, 43.20."
"Still out there. Still there. Still all the way up top. Still there. Clear, clear."
Mikey had passed Newman and Carpentier for 23rd on lap 119. Around that time, Skinner picked up 37th.
"A hell of a move," Ty praised. "Nice move off that corner!"
"Stay after it. I'll try to get your a little air that next stop," Bobby said after giving times.
"Still down there. Clear. Inside, all the way to the bottom. Got a half a lap to the leader. Keep it rolling. Clear one back to the 12."
On lap 122, David gained 13th from Kurt Busch.
"43.20, 20," Bobby read off times.
"Still on your corner. Still there. Clear, clear. Clear, clear. He's right there. Nice job, man. Way to work it."
Lap 123 saw Mikey pick up 22nd from Allmendinger.
"Two back."
"Boy, it's harder to drive like this, but once I go up high, it's okay," Mikey commented.
"42.90, 42.90 that lap. 10-4," Bobby replied.
Mikey passed Casey Mears on lap 124 for 21st.
"Inside, the 5," Ty said. "41 still there. All clear. Nice job."
"42 flat, 42 flat."
"All right, that's a top 20. We've got more in us. 74 to go."
"210, 42.10."
"Water temperature's 250," Mikey reported.
"10-4," Bobby acknowledged.
"Have I got any trash on my front?"
"I just grabbed my binoculars. I haven't seen any," Ty replied. "I don't see any. I'll get another look at it next time around. Still there, inside. Clear, all clear."
"Oil temperature's 310. No it's not. 300."
Mikey had just passed Tony Stewart for 20th on lap 129.
"Tell me what we need to do so I don't just sit out there and guess," Mikey said.
Bobby told Ty to get Tony Stewart to pass him again and help him get the trash off.
"He's still right there two back, and then it's five back to the next car."
"Tell Skinner to slow down," Mikey directed. Skinner was 36th and lapped.
"Get that 00, Ty," Bobby said. He said something about getting with the #00 again. "How's your temps now, bud?"
"Just keep rolling," Ty said. He added something about the #9 car of Kasey Kahne.
"Michael switched over to their channel. He's talking to them. It'll be four tires. Temps."
"The 9 just dropped off," Ty noted.
With Kahne's stop, Mikey picked up 19th on lap 134.
"All right, Michael, work with that 78 when you get to him, the 78."
"Looks like it blew off," Bobby replied. He prepared the team for a stop.
"All clear."
"Temps coming down?"
"Is it off?" Mikey asked.
"Bobby said it was off, Bobby said it's off," Ty replied.
"Some of it came off," Bobby ammended. "Keep your eye on your temps."
"Bobby, he talked to Skinner again."
"They're coming down."
"Stay after it. We'll be on pit road..." he faded out.
"Clear, all clear."
"It's back down to 230."
"10-4. Just get your rhythme back here. Seven laps away."
"I'm just pushing so bad. That front end's a joke right now," Mikey reported. Meanwhile, Kasey Kahne went to the garage.
"Still there. Clear, clear," Ty said.
By lap 138, David was 11th. Mikey was still 19th, and Skinner was 35th and lapped.
"Clear five back, clear five back."
"43.70, 43.70."
"Clear three back. 43's closing, 43's closing. How many more, Bobby?"
"Two more, two more."
Cars were hitting pit road around lap 139, and Mikey moved up to 17th.
"Leader's on pit road," Ty noted. "Inside. It will be clear behind him."
"Next time, next time by," Bobby told his driver.
"Hustle on around. It will be 4850 at the line. All right, it's three back to the 78."
"This time, this time."
"4850, coming this time. At the line, 4850 at the line."
"Past the 66. 5, 4, 3. Wheels straight, wheels straight. Make sure that grill's good and clean, Chris, after you put that tire on. Go go go go! 4850, all the way."
"4850. Don't bump it up. 4850 to the cone," Ty reminded. "To the cone, all the way to the cone. All right, stay four below the yellow line. Leader's going to be the 99. He's at the line now. You're going to be clear when you get around there, clear when you get there. Nice job. You've got a straightaway on the 99."
Everyone had pit around the same time. Edwards kept his lead, but then Kyle Busch took the lead on lap 143. David was 15th, Mikey 20th, and Skinner 34th.
"41.20, 41.20," Bobby read off times.
"New leader's the 18. He's in the third turn now," Ty noted.
By lap 145, Skinner was 35th. He was two laps down at this point.
"Still out there on your corner. Still there. Clear, clear."
"150, 41.50, same as the leader that lap," Bobby told his driver. "42 flat, 42 flat."
"Clear five back. Leader's in 2, right in the middle of the track. Still all clear by three. Clear by two. Clear by one. 22's going to be lame on the bottom."
On lap 149, Mikey picked up 19th from Kurt Busch.
"Clear, all clear."
"42.25, 25."
"Clear, all clear. Way to drive it, buddy! You just got them five car lengths!"
Lap 151 saw Mikey take 18th from David Gilliland.
"30, 42.30. Leader 15."
"Talking about some debris out there, so just keep it rolling, buddy. Leader's about five car lengths back," Ty said. "Great job, man. You're leaving that crowd."
"42.30."
"Debris on the front stretch!" Mikey announced.
"There you go," Bobby replied.
"Too tight."
"All right, 10-4, 10-4 on the tight."
"Just stay in that nice rhythme, buddy. Stay in that nice rhythme," Ty encouraged.
"42.15. Leader a flat."
"There's some debris on the frontstretch," Mikey said.
Ty told Bobby to let NASCAR know.
"10-4," Bobby replied. "20, 42.20.
"20, 42.20. Just stay after it, buddy. Just stay after it. We'll do another adjustment on this next stop."
"Clear, all clear. Clear two back," Ty said. "All the way down there. At the line. Clear, clear. Back inside. Clear clear."
On lap 158, David picked up 14th.
"All the way down at the bottom," Ty warned. "Still there, still there. Back inside, inside in the middle. You've got a half straightaway back to anyone else, so just hang with him."
Mikey lost the lead lap on lap 160.
"42.60, 42.60. That leader's two to three tenths faster than anyone else on the track. He run a 20, and there's a bunch of 60s around where you're at."
"Awesome job, man. Awesome corner! Keep it up," Ty praised.
"45 that last lap, 45. Good lap. You and Stewart were the two fastest cars that lap.
"40, 40. Leader 45. There you go!
"80, 80. Leader 70."
On lap 165, Martin Truex Jr got lapped.
"Go hard as you can, go hard as you can. No caution yet. Hard as you can! No!! Fudge!"
The fourth caution was for debris on lap 166, and Martin Truex Jr took the free pass.
"Bobby, it's just plowing. We shouldn't have taken air out of the left rear."
Bobby said they'd make an adjustment. "Even plowing, your times were really good there. You stacked up really good there, except to the 18."
Mikey wanted to go back to where he was to the front and said he needed it on the short haul.
Bobby told him he was on no-change mode.
"Still P18, bud, P18."
"Yeah, it's just part of it. There's no sense crying about it. We'll just try to get our lap back in a minute," Mikey replied.
Bobby said they'd put on four tires and Mikey could beat a lot of those cats. "We didn't have the track position, but that's just part of the deal."
"Roger. Roger roger. That's just the way it goes. We'll work on getting it back."
"You did a great job getting on pit road that stop," Bobby praised. He said Mikey made gains on the #66 of Scott Riggs.
"Yeah, I took about half a straightaway on him. that was pretty cool."
"It should be straight in and straight out."
"4850. See it right there. Three away," Ty said.
"3, 2, 1. Wheels straight, put on the brakes. Chris, get the grill," Bobby directed. He told Mikey to go hard after the stop.
Ty said one to go when the #55 would get to the stripe.
"All right, if it stays green, we'll be finished pitting for today. I'll be quiet," Bobby said.
Vickers led the restart on lap 170. Mikey was 19th; Riggs was the first driver one lap down in 18th. Skinner was 35th, two laps down. David was 14th.
"All right, bud, be ready," Ty said. "Green green green. Clear all clear, if you want to come up. Inside. Coming outside. It will be clear up behind the 99 if you want it, two back. Clear two back. Looking low, inside, inside. The 6 down there with him."
Busch took the lead one lap into the run.
"Still down there with him. Inside, inside. Got the 88 down there with him. 17's coming inside. Keep rolling, keep rolling, keep rolling. Clear all clear."
Kurt Busch had spun but went to pit road with no caution.
"Good job, bud. You're clear three back, four back to the 5 car, next lapped car."
"40.90, 40.90. That's your fastest lap of the race."
"Clear three back. Nice corner."
"41.15, 15."
Meanwhile, David fell to 15th.
"Three back to the 17. They got around the side."
"41.40."
"One back to the 17, one back," Ty warned. "Clear behind, clear. Great corner, buddy, great corner. Five back."
On lap 177, David was 14th.
"41.90, 41.90."
Two laps later, David was 13th.
"41.95, 95. 22 laps to go. Stay after it, bud. P19."
The fifth caution was again for debris on lap 180. Riggs got the free pass.
"Caution's out, caution's out," Ty announced.
"What do you got there, Billy?" Bobby asked a crew member. He then asked his driver.
"Uh, it's all right. I mean, it's just a little, it's just a little too tight, a very tiny bit," Mikey reported.
Ty said it was a quickie yellow, if they wanted to pit.
"Want to get two or stay out?" Mikey asked.
"Stay out, let's stay out," Bobby said.
"Okay. If all the leaders come, I'm coming for two."
"They're all coming. Coming for two."
Bobby warned Mikey of the #28 as Mikey went to pit road. "Good job. Good job with that 28. That screwed us up a little bit."
"When you come back around, you'll be coming to one to go. You'll be able to pull up," Ty said. "Come on, pull up, pull up. Go around that 2. In the middle, and you can go around him. There you go, nice job. All right, the 48 and the 43 are also one down."
Bobby said it would be 18 to go when they'd get the green. "You're P21 right now."
"48, Michael, had to pit when he got a fender knocked in. The 43 has been lapped three times on the track," Ty noted.
Bobby told Ty to keep the car clean. "We'll get all the points we can here today."
"All right, pace car's off," Ty said. "Ready? Green green green. Outside, outside. Clear up, clear up, clear up."
David Ragan stayed out and led the restart with 18 to go. Mikey was 21st. Edwards took the lead almost immediately.
"Still there, still there. Clear low. Clear one back to the 99. Clear the 6. Got the 99 coming outside. Still there. Clear, clear."
Earnhardt Jr hit the wall and went to pit road.
"Going to have a run. Up top. Inside. Clear there, clear."
Mikey was 20th within the first two laps back to green. He was the first driver one lap down as Johnson was in front of the leader.
"Clear threre. Clear two back to the 18. Clear there, five back."
Mikey was 19th on lap 186 due to Earnhardt's misfortunes. Johnson was lapped again.
"P19, p19," Bobby noted.
"Awesome corner, buddy, awesome corner. 15 to go," Ty said.
"41.40, 41.40."
"Clear one back to the 16. Looking on the bottom. Caution's out for debris, caution's out for debris. 48 got it that time."
"All right, stay out," Bobby said.
The sixth caution was on lap 188, again for debris.
"Quickie yellow. Everyone will be pitting. We're going to stay out," Ty noted. "One to go when you come around. Be eleven to go. You'll be pulling up to the leader."
"Make sure your tires are cleaned off. Make sure your tires are cleaned off," Bobby told his driver. "Bring us home a good one."
"All right, bud, cannot beat him to the finish line, start line. No lucky dog inside ten to go, so we'll just be racing our asses off to get that 5 and that 77," Ty added.
Edwards led the restart on lap 191. Mikey was 19th, one lap down. David was 16th, and Skinner was 35th and two laps down.
"Green green green," Ty said. "Still outside, still there. Going to be more coming outside. Coming outside, outside. Going to be clear behind the 6, three back. Five back, no pressure. Ten to go, nine to go."
Skinner was 33rd by lap 192.
"16 is one back, one back. By himself. Clear behind him. Three back to the 5," Ty warned.
"Two cars behind you are position, are position. Eight to go," Bobby noted.
On lap 194, David was 15th. Skinner was now 36th.
"Nice job. Still three back. Seven to go. Seven."
"41.15, 41.15. A 20 behind you," Bobby said.
The seventh caution was on lap 196 for Denny Hamlin, who lost his engine. Although the #55 was the first car one lap down, there was no free pass.
Ty warned Mikey warned Mikey that the 96 had blown up. "The 11, I mean. Denny Hamlin. Michael, he was on the apron pretty quick, I don't know if..." the rest was in static.
"Staying out, staying out," Bobby announced.
"I see a little bit getting into 1 there." Ty said one to go and that the #48 and #66 would be coming around him. "Slow down a little bit and let the 48 come in. Here comes the 66, coming in on the top side. He's going to tuck in there. All right, looks like we'll be coming around to the green. It will be two to go. This is not green white checkered yet, so if something happens after this lap, you'll get another one."
Edwards led the restart with two laps to go. Mikey was 18th, one lap down.
"Checking in front of you. Keep going though. Clear half back," Ty said. "Outside and inside, outside and inside. Still there. Still there. Clear, clear. Got a run looking outside, outside, outside. Keep rolling. Outside."
Mikey was 20th coming into the last lap.
"12 out there with you. Three-wide, three-wide, two-wide, still got one on your corner. Still there, still there, still there. Clear. Nice corner! Clear one back."
"Coming to checker."
"Coming to the checker, baby. Clear one back. Three back. You see one spinning there in front of you. You're good. Way to drive that lap, man! Nice job!"
Bobby told Mikey he finished 19th. "I'm proud of you. You didn't have the best car."
"I'm in a hurry, because I'm riding home with Mark Martin, but y'all did good. I wish we could have gotten more."
Ty said everyone would be stopped on pit road.
"I hope they take us," Mikey said.
"Keep pulling up, just keep pulling up. I don't know why they're going to the garage. They said no. All right, I guess we're going to the garage."
Bobby said they were pulling people. "I don't know. I don't think anyone knows what's going on. Did you say Skinner is going home with Mark Martin?"
"No, I am."
"Oh, 10-4, 10-4."
Carl Edwards won. Mikey was 19th, David 14th, and Skinner two laps down in 35th.
Next weekend, NASCAR goes to Bristol Motor Speedway. Coverage of the Sprint Cup's Sharpie 500 begins Saturday at 7:00pm ET on ESPN. The Nationwide Series' Food City 250 airs the night before at 7:30pm, also on ESPN.