Mikey 37th in 1,000th NASCAR Start by Kellyanne Lynch
26 October 2008
Radio problems and contact with the wall plagued the #55 Napa Auto Parts team in the Pep Boys Auto 500, today's Sprint Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Michael Waltrip finished eight laps down in 37th in his 1,000th NASCAR National Touring Series start. His driver David Reutimann in the #44 UPS Toyota came home two laps down in 28th.
"This day reminds me of my career. So much hope, so much promise. Shitty results," Mikey stated under caution on lap 305.
Due to rain, the field was set according to owners points. Jimmie Johnson inheritted the pole, David 26th, and Mikey 29th.
"Got a copy?" someone came on the #55 radio at 2:09pm ET.
"Hey, Bobby, have a copy?" spotter Ty Norris addressed crew chief Bobby Kennedy.
"Copy you down here. He's got his headset off still," someone replied.
The call to start engines came at 2:10pm.
"You got me, Ty?" Mikey asked.
"I heard you, Michael," someone said.
"Hey, bud, you got a copy?" Ty asked.
"Yeah," the driver responded.
"10-4."
"Cool. I've got both you loud and clear," Bobby said.
"Okay."
"Hey, Michael, I'll remind you when it's time, but when you come off pit road, the opening you've been coming in and out of all weekend, when you get to that opening, you'll be eight pit stalls away," Ty told Mikey.
"Okay."
"I'll pick him up at the 20 car, Ty. The 20 car," Bobby said.
"10-4."
"I'll get him out, and then he's yours."
"All right, once you get to pit road speed, we'll be looking at 4150, 4150. Three green," Bobby told his driver.
"Say that again, Bobby. Did you say 4150?" Ty asked.
"4150. Yes, 4150." Bobby said the pace car should be at a lower speed.
"Pace car's 4150," Mikey stated.
"All right, you'll have the 7, 28, and then us. 5 and 15 on the out," Bobby noted where the #55 stall was on pit road.
"All right, buddy. Going to pull on up. It will be one to go when you get here. One to go," Ty said.
"David said he was getting the same thing on that pace car, 4150," Bobby said. The #55 team decided to play it safe. "But we'll stick to the three green. 4150."
"Okay."
"All right, get your belts tight. Coming to the green. Let's have a good day here. Nice and patient. We have a long race."
Johnson led the field to the green flag at 2:20pm.
"All right, buddy. Pull those belts tight. Coming to the green this time," Ty said. "Pace car's off. Ready? Green green green. Everybody's rolling, everybody's rolling. Clear one back. Still outside. Clear up behind him if you want it. Clear two back. Clear two back."
Mikey was 28th one lap into the race. David was 27th.
"Still all clear, all clear. Looking low. You're clear low, you're clear low."
Mikey passed David on lap 3 for 27th.
"Still there inside. Still back inside. Still there. Clear now clear. Nice job. Half back. Crash behind you. Crash behind you. No caution's out. Caution's out."
The first caution was on lap 4. Reagan Smith cut off Bill Elliott, who let up, and Sam Hornish Jr got into Elliott's #21. Hornish and Elliott spun.
"All right, everything cool with you right there?" Bobby asked.
"Yeah. It's going to be a slippery day," Mikey stated.
"Yeah, 10-4."
"I might have been ahead of the 19, or not. Depends on where they count it at."
"Get it, Chris," Bobby requested of a crew member.
"It probably won't be a reasonable thing. Everybody back here is probably going to pit."
"We're ready for you. Get ready, guys."
"All right, pit road is open. 4150 if we come."
"Come on. Let's get us four."
"All right, we're coming. We're coming," Ty said. "4150. Come on, come on. Ten away."
"5, 4, 3, 2. Wheels straight, put on the brakes. Straight in, straight out," Bobby directed the #55 to the pit box.
"I could have stayed out, but I didn't know if you wanted to... I knew a bunch of them would come."
Bobby said he wanted to come and recognised the radio had locked out.
Ty said something about the #21.
"Well, you used to be able to do that, but they changed the rules."
"Yeah, I'm sure they'll both get busted for this." Ty said one to go and noted no lapped cars. "It cost them both a lap. They're both going to be down a lap, coming up.
"Two tires on the 15, 78, and 70 there. Coming to the green."
Hornish Jr and Elliott had pulled up to pit. They were both penalised a lap.
Lap 6 saw the restart. Mikey was 32nd, David 24th, and Johnson led.
Ty guided the #55 to the green. "Clear half back. All good. Still clear. Clear. You'll see the 78 slow on the bottom. Still there. Clear. Still clear five back. Still there inside. Still there. Still there. Clear high. Clear the 42. All clear."
Mikey was 29th on lap 10. David was 26th.
"Still clear three back. Clear the twenty... back outside, back outside. 42's with him. Outside. Clear the 22. Still clear. 22's got a run, looking low. Inside."
Mikey was 28th on lap 11, David still 26th.
"Clear, all clear."
The #55 was 27th on lap 12.
"Still there on your corner. All clear, all clear."
On lap 13, Mikey passed David for 26th.
"Clear high. Clear all clear. Half back. Nice job."
Mikey picked up 24th on lap 14, having passed Elliott Sadler and David Gilliland.
"Clear, all clear. You'll be clear the 19. All clear."
Getting around Paul Menard's #15 on lap 15 put Mikey in 23rd. David was 25th; he'd passed Gilliland.
"Still there. Nice job, bud. Clear one back."
Mikey passed Travis Kvapil for 22nd on lap 16.
"Still there, still there. Clear."
David was 26th on lap 17; Juan Pablo Montoya had passed him. One lap later, Mikey picked up 21st from Kasey Kahne.
"Still out there. Still on your corner. Still on your corner. Clear the 9, half back. Car's all the way back down there. Back to clear. Still there. Clear now, clear."
"33.90. Leader 85," Bobby read off lap times.
"Clear, clear. Got a run on the top, run on the top. 6. Clear. That 5 car has been the one backing up. Clear three back, three back. Car on the inside. Clear low now. Clear low."
Mikey was 20th on lap 21, having passed David Ragan.
"Clear the 6. Clear. Still clear," Ty said.
On lap 23, Carl Edwards took the lead. Mikey passed Tony Stewart and Brian Vickers for 18th.
"Still there. Clear, all clear. Clear to the middle. He's all the way on the bottom. Clear low. Nice job. Still there on your corner. Still there. Still there on your corners. Will be clear up behind the 26, two back."
David picked up 25th on lap 24. One lap later, Mikey picked up 17th from Jamie McMurray while David picked up 24th.
"33.60," Bobby said.
"All clear, bud. Nice job. P17," Ty praised.
"33.40, 40.
"33.30. Leader a 40. Second fastest car."
"Hey! He knew you were there. Clear. Nice job!" Ty said.
"That's unusual," Bobby commented.
Mikey passed Casey Mears for 16th on lap 27.
"315. Fastest car."
"Still there. Clear back outside. Coming back outside. To your quarter. Clear him now. Clear. Two back. Still clear one back. Still clear. Nice job. Outside. Clear there, one back."
On lap 30, he moved into 15th, having passed Ryan Newman.
"There you go. Clear two back."
"45, 45. Leader 60."
Mikey passed Mark Martin for 14th on lap 31.
"Clear the 8. Clear one back."
"Let me know about your car when you get a chance," Bobby requested. "All clear right there.
"80. Leader 87."
"Still out there. Coming back outside, outside. Clear behind him."
David was 23rd on lap 35.
"Clear."
Mikey had picked up 13th from Martin Truex Jr.
"My car's just a little bit better than everyone else's," Mikey commented.
"10-4."
"It's sliding everywhere, but..."
"Car in the wall. Caution's out, caution's out. Car in the wall over in 3 and 4."
"If anything, the front end just needs a little more right front grip."
Bobby said he'd make a little adjustment and asked about temps. Mikey said they were at 11 o'clock and 1 o'clock.
The second caution was on lap 36; Scott Riggs had hit the wall. Joe Nemechek got the free pass.
"You'll have two pits clear in," Ty told his driver. "All right, pit road will be open. Coming this time. 4150. If you have time to gauge that speed when you're coming in."
The #55 pit with the other leaders.
"Go go. Halfway, halfway, halfway. Up behind the 6."
A number of cars had passed the #55 on pit road.
"Y'all, man... I don't even..." Mikey said.
"4150," Bobby interrupted. "Watch your speed."
"It would be nice. It really would be nice. The frickin'..."
Ty praised Andy for going to get a nut that had come off the car. He said they didn't need to come back in. Bobby noted the tires looked good.
"We made one adjustment to your right front," Bobby said. "One adjustment."
Scott Speed led under yellow. He pit, and Johnson had the top spot.
"All right, bud, one to go. One to go. You're going to have two lapped cars coming. They're just now in Turn 1. All right, here they come. 21, 77. You're going to be coming around to the green."
Johnson led the lap 40 restart. Mikey was 21st, and David was 24th.
"All right, you've got the 42 in your mirror, and he loves to jump the top. Pace car's off. Rolling. Green green green. Everybody's rolling. Outside."
Mikey said something about his tires.
"Clear all clear. Clear."
Montoya passed one lap into the run; Mikey was 22nd. David was 25th.
"Still clear five back. Car right in front of you, bud."
Mikey dropped to 24th on lap 44. Around this time, Carl Edwards reclaimed the lead.
"Brushed the wall back there, guys. Got one inside, inside. Clear there. Looks good on this side, bud."
"Four tires. 10-4," Bobby said.
"Clear two back to the 9. Working the top side. 9 car working the top side. Nice corner, Mike. Clear by four. Still there. Still there. Clear."
Mikey was 22nd on lap 48. David was 26th.
"Still there. Clear the 8, clear."
"21's struggling," Bobby said.
Ty warned the #21 was slow up top. "Clear the 6. Back outside, back outside. 6. Three-wide right there. One still looking. 6 is the only one outside."
Mikey was 21st on lap 50. David was 27th.
"Still there. Still there to your corner. Two back to the 8."
"33.10, 33.10."
On lap 52, David picked up 26th.
"05, 05. Leader 85."
"Still clear two back. Three back to the 8."
On lap 55, Mikey picked up 19th. He passed Clint Bowyer and David Ragan.
"There you go. Still there. Clear the 07. Clear. There you go, bud. There you go. Clear the 6."
"33.20, 20."
Mikey passed Montoya for 18th on lap 57.
"32.98. Fastest car."
"Clear all clear."
Mikey was 17th on lap 58; he'd passed McMurray.
"Clear all clear."
Passing Kevin Harvick on lap 59 put Mikey in 16th. David was 26th.
"33.15."
"Still down there. Still there. Clear clear. Looking all the way on the bottom. Back to clear, clear."
Harvick passed on lap 61; Mikey was back to 17th.
"All the way on the inside. Inside the 29. To the middle if you need it. Inside, inside. The 26. Okay, he's back behind you now."
McMurray passed on lap 62. Mikey was now 18th.
"Clear behind him. One back. One looking low. Inside."
Mikey passed Brian Vickers for 17th on lap 63.
"Still there inside. Both sides. Can't clear you. Still both sides, both sides. He's going to give it to you, bud. Clear up, clear up. Way to work it, bud!"
Mikey got around Montoya for 16th.
"All right, bud. Nice job. Let's get back in a rhythm. Nice job, bud. It's hard getting through that traffic."
On lap 66, Mikey passed Ryan Newman for 15th.
"Clear two back."
"340."
"All clear."
Mikey passed McMurray for 14th on lap 67. David was 27th.
"33.40, same as the leader."
On lap 69, the #55 got around Jeff Burton's #31 for 13th.
"Still there. Clear, clear."
"33.50. Fastest car by over a tenth," Bobby said. "65. Leader 80."
David was 28th on lap 72.
"85. Leader 80.
"68, 68.
"94, 94."
On lap 76, Mikey got around Casey Mears for 12th.
"The right front's gone away," Mikey said.
"Okay, 10-4, 10-4," Bobby replied.
"Still clear high. Down there inside. Still there. Still there. Still there. Still there. Clear now, clear."
Mikey was 11th on lap 78. He had passed Greg Biffle. David was 27th.
"All clear now."
"All right, just stay with it. We're less than fifteen away from pitting. I'll make another small adjustment," Bobby told his driver. "33.90, 33.90.
"90."
"WHAT WAS THAT LAP?" Mikey shouted.
"33.15," Bobby replied. "93, 93."
David got lapped on lap 85. Ty asked about lap times.
"73, 73. Fastest car by a lot," Bobby replied.
Bobby Labonte pit to start green flag stops.
"99, 99."
Mikey was 10th on lap 86.
"Clear all clear. The 11 car's the first one on the lead lap who pit," Ty said.
"15, 15."
Mikey was 9th on lap 87. He had passed Kyle Busch.
"Still there. Clear all clear."
"85, 85. Fastest car."
Mikey was 7th on lap 88. Lead lap cars were pitting.
"95, 95."
Edwards pit on lap 90, giving the lead to Matt Kenseth.
Ty noted the stop and asked how many more.
"Four more, four more."
"The leader's coming to pit road. The leader's coming to pit road. I'll let you know." Ty warned Mikey about the #43.
"We'll be pitting this time, this time."
"10-4. I'll let you know. Coming this time. 4150 at the cone, 4150 at the cone."
Mikey pit on lap 91 as Dale Earnhardt Jr led. Edwards reclaimed the lead when Earnhardt pit. Stops had cycled.
"4150. Watch your speed. 4150," Ty warned. "All right, bud. Go when you can. Go as hard as you can. Keep coming." He cleared Mikey five car lengths back.
After stops, Mikey was 13th. David was 31st, one lap down.
"99's the leader, just now going into Turn 3. Good shape. Good job," Ty said.
"215.
"32.15, 32.15. Same as the leader."
"Clear all clear. Come on, buddy. P13, P13."
"30. Second fastest car.
"32.60. Leader 70."
"Still outside. Clear now, clear. Clear."
On lap 99, Mikey was 12th. He had passed Mears.
"32.80, 32.80.
"95, 95."
"Whatever you need there. Clear low. Still outside. Still there. Good job. 43's still there, still there. Clear, clear."
"Just needs the front to turn a little bit better," Mikey said on lap 104.
"10-4." Bobby gave lap times. "Second fastest car. But keep tweaking on it. Doing green.
"95, 95. Second fastest car. Only two in the 32's, you and the leader."
"Still there, still there. Clear all clear."
Mikey passed Kevin Harvick for 11th on lap 106. David was 30th.
"All clear. All clear."
One lap later, Mikey picked up 10th when he passed Kyle Busch.
"There we go. Still there, still there. Still down there. Still there, still there. Still on your corner. The 29's all the way on the bottom. Still there, still there. Clear, clear."
Busch got back around Mikey on lap 108; Mikey was back to 11th. David was 29th. One lap later, Mikey regained 10th from Busch.
"There you go. Clear two back."
"Still there, still there. There you go, all clear, all clear. It's all yours, buddy."
The third caution was on lap 110 for debris. Gilliland got the free pass.
"Caution's out," Bobby noted.
"I'm getting too tight too soon," Mikey reported.
"10-4, 10-4. I'll make another adjustment here, bud."
"The track's tightening up, so we're going to have to raise the trackbar or something."
"Okay, 10-4, 10-4 on that, bud."
"Thanks for all your work."
Bobby said he'd make a right front air adjustment and a trackbar adjustment.
"Pull on the right front fender."
"10-4, 10-4."
"Good solid one, guys," Ty encouraged the crew.
"Up half round, up half round."
"All right, the 5's going to be coming around you again, bud."
The #55 pit with the leaders under yellow.
Bobby told Mikey to watch his RPM. "We might adjust it." He also told Mikey to stop the car short.
"Halfway, halfway. Go hard. All the way. All the way up. All the way," Bobby guided the #55 out of the box.
"4150. There you go," Ty said. "Good job, guys. I think we got us one there. That's what we need to do the rest of the day - maintain and gain."
Greg Biffle led under yellow. Mikey was 11th.
"Get a little bit there, C-haul?" Ty asked.
"Dwayne, Dwayne," Bobby called. "It's all good. You've got your fenders all clearance. Everything's all good."
"10-4. Good stop. Wish you'd have put my windshield cover off. Nobody did that. Now it's really bad," Mikey said. "Just help a brother out every chance you get."
Ty warned a lot of lapped cars would be coming under the #55 for the restart. Biffle pit, and Matt Kenseth led. Johnson was penalised a lap. Meanwhile, static came over the #55 frequency like a hung radio.
"Michael, just making sure you can hear me, okay," Ty said.
"Yeah, I can hear you."
"Good job."
More static followed.
Kenseth led the restart on lap 116. Mikey was 11th but picked up 9th by lap 117. Ty spoke, but his words were covered by static.
"I don't hear you now!" Mikey said.
"Still outside. Still outside. Coming back outside."
The radio problem had cleared up, but Mikey was 13th on lap 118.
"To your corner. Still there, still there. The 18. One back, one back. Still clear all clear. Still clear all clear. Car outside, outside. If you can hear me, you need to get on your button or something. Clear there, two back."
Mikey was 14th on lap 120. Ragan had passed. David was 36th and the last driver one lap down.
"Still out there, still there. Clear there two back. Still there, still there. Still there. Still there. Clear now, clear. Still one down there, still there. Clear clear."
On lap 122, Mikey got around David Ragan on the high side for 13th.
"Still there. Clear, clear."
Mikey passed Tony Stewart one lap later for 12th. Ty asked if Bobby could hear him.
"10-4. We got you now. 10-4. All good."
"There you go. All clear. Two back."
"32.90."
Static returned to the frequency.
"Clear five back," Ty said, and the static continued.
Mikey passed Jamie McMurray's #26 for 11th on lap 126.
"Still there. Clear clear. Bobby, is that the car radio?" Ty asked, in reference to the static.
"10-4, that's what we're trying to figure out," Bobby replied.
On lap 127, Mikey picked up 10th from Kyle Busch.
"Still there. Still there. Clear now, clear. Clear. Still inside, all the way to the bottom. Still there, still there. Clear."
The static stopped momentarily in between what Ty was saying but resumed.
"Still there. Clear at the bottom. Clear low, clear low. Clear the 7. Clear. Clear two back. G--damnit!"
The fourth caution was on lap 131. Kasey Kahne's #9 had spun. Johnson received the free pass.
"Okay, can you hear us at all, Michael, or is that your radio making the static?" Bobby asked.
Mikey didn't respond, and static followed.
"Can y'all hear me?" Mikey asked.
"Just got you now. All we're getting is a lot of static from you," Bobby said. "Check your connection."
"Can you hear me?"
"Yeah, got you now. Got you now," Bobby said.
Static followed.
"Can you hear me?" Mikey asked again.
"We hear you. Just tell us about your car so we can fix it. Go to channel 1 if you can hear me."
"Can you hear me?" Mikey asked. "1, 2, 3. Do you hear me? I can't hear me. I hope y'all have a plan to fix this. It would be frickin' embarrassing if y'all can't hand me a radio to fix this."
Bobby instructed the crew through static.
Somebody asked, "Can you hear me?"
"Let's take off right there," Bobby said.
"Do you hear me?" Mikey asked. "1, 2, 3. Does anybody hear me?"
"Yeah, we got you." Bobby said they'd change helmets. "Make sure you switch radios on that thing too. Put it in there."
"1, 2, 3. Does anybody hear me?"
"We've got you. Come to me. Come back to me."
The #55 pit again.
"Turn 3. Middle of 3 and 4, middle of 3 and 4," Bobby said. "All right, get the net back up, get the net back up. Get it up. Chris, get ready. Go now. Go go go. You're okay, you're okay. Don't speed. No speeding, no speeding. No speeding."
"Yeah, you're good. One out there. You're on one to go, man. One to go. Hustle it around."
The static had stopped with the helmet change. With the extended stop, he fell to the back of the lead lap.
"1, 2, 3. Do you hear me?"
"10-4, we've got you." Mikey said he had to hurry up and catch now. "Good job."
Mikey had to put his gloves back on as he'd taken them off to change helmets. They had a helmet change first, then a radio harness change.
"Sorry about the panic there. Coming to the green. Ready? Ready? Green green green."
Kenseth led the lap 136 restart. Mikey was 20th, and David was lapped in 34th.
"Still there. Still there. Clear clear. Still there. Still there. Still there inside. Clear low. Clear." Ty warned Mikey of a car still being there. "Clear clear. Inside, inside. Clear there, two back. Still there. Clear."
Mikey smacked the wall.
"Hang on, bud. Couple more coming outside, outside, outside. Clear there, clear there. You've got the 77 up against the wall. On the inside. Come low. Still outside, the 77.
"Clear back by one. Still there. Still on your corner. Stillt here, still there. Clear up, clear up."
"32.95, 95. There you go. Get that rhythm back, bud. Doing good."
"Still down there. Still there. Clear all clear."
"33.05, 05.
"50, 50."
"Still there. Clear the 70."
Mikey passed Gilliland for 19th on lap 150. David was 35th.
"Still there, still there. Clear one back. All clear."
"33.80, 33.80. Leader a flat."
"There you go. Clear all clear the 01."
"60, 33.60.
"60."
"Still there. Clear all clear."
"70, 70. Leader a 40. 20 car up there is for the next position. Lappers in front of you."
"All right, we brushed the wall pretty hard guys," Ty said on lap 158.
"Yeah, I see it."
"Inside, inside. It's not smoking, Michael. It's not smoking. There you go. Clear three back."
"Tell me about your car, when you get a chance."
"Hear that, Bobby?"
"Come back, Ty."
"Watch him this time, watch him this time."
"10-4. 33.50. Same as the leader that lap."
"Clear all clear. There you go. Still there, still there. Clear the 15. Still there."
"85, 85. Leader 60."
"Just to confirm for me, Bobby. You see what he's saying."
"All right, give me the door when you come by if you're loose, the roof if you're tight," Bobby said.
Mikey could no longer be heard over the radio.
"10-4. We've got you there. 33.65, 65. Leader a 70.
"85, 85. Same as the leader."
"Leader now, leader now," Ty added.
"85, 85. Leader 95. Leader now.
"80, 80. Leader 90."
"Right here, guys. Four tires. Get ready."
"Stay down, stay down."
Mikey had scraped the wall, tried to get to pit road and couldn't. He pit the next time around with a right rear flat.
"Get ready, guys," Bobby said. He called for four tires. "Make sure you get the damage cleared off, okay?"
Mikey was now two laps down, as was David. Mikey was 36th, and David was 35th.
"All right, bud. Let's go get it," Ty said. He guided the #55 back on track. "Four back. Looking outside. Clear clear. Still there. Clear. Clear the 6. Clear. Clear. Clear."
"32.40."
"Clear. Still there. Clear. Clear."
On lap 177, Mikey passed David for 35th.
"All right, Ty, make sure you take a look at our fender walls. Make sure they're not shining up," Bobby requested.
"Looked good that time by."
"32.90, 32.90."
"Clear."
David had dropped to 37th by lap 179.
"33.10."
"You've got two slow ones now. Still there low. Clear low, clear low. Clear high."
David was 40th on lap 180. He was now three laps down, having pit.
"32.90."
"Still out there, still out there. Clear. Clear. Still out there, still out there. Got one more. Clear."
Mikey was 34th on lap 181, having passed Sam Hornish Jr.
"Clear the 78. Clear all clear. Clear all clear."
David was 37th on lap 138. Meanwhile, Mikey moved up to 32nd. Green flag pit stops had begun.
"Guys are starting to peel off," Ty warned.
"33.15.
"33.05, 05."
"24's got fresh tires. He's two back."
Mikey was 31st on lap 185. David was 34th. Stops continued. They were 27th and 33rd on lap 186.
"44's down there by himself, fresher tires," Ty said. "Still there, still there. Clear the 84. All clear. Still down there, inside. Three-wide. Clear one back to the 44 and the 15 has real fresh tires. Two back. Coming inside, the 15. Still there. Clear behind him if you need it.
"Pedal it hard, buddy. These guys are going to cycle around. Slow one on the bottom. Slow all the way on the bottom. Inside the 31. Clear there. Inside the 8. Inside, fresh tires. Clear one back to the 8. Inside, got the 43 with him. Just came off pit road."
Mikey was 19th on lap 189. Stops had cycled, Kenseth led, and Mikey was now one lap down.
"Inside. 9's going to be coming inside. Coming inside. He's one back. You're in the lucky dog position. Inside the 6."
"You are in the lucky dog position," Bobby added.
Mikey was 18th on lap 191.
"Two cars down there, fresh tires," Ty warned. "Clear."
Stewart passed on lap 192; Mikey was now 19th and not in the free pass spot.
"Coming inside. New tires, two of them. 7's inside of you. Clear half a straightaway behind you."
"Ty, that 6 is the lucky dog. That 20 in front of us is for the next position," Bobby said.
"10-4. Give me the hand signal again. Put your hand on the door if you're loose. 10-4, 10-4.
"33.80."
"11 car is inside with fresh tires. Still ten back, eight back to the 77."
Bobby said he'd tighten up the car. They were halfway on their fuel run. He also said he'd work on the aero as they had lost some of that.
"Inside, inside. Do the best you can, brother. Do the best you can. Halfway on this run." Ty said something about the right rear as well.
"10-4."
"Clear two back to the 38. Looking inside. Inside. Also the 41. Three-wide, three-wide. Clear three back to the 29 on the bottom. 29's inside. Half back. 29 by himself. Clear three back."
"Dwayne," Bobby said.
"Two back to the 24. 9 just came off pit road with tires. Inside 24. All by himself. 42's inside, got a run inside. Clear two back behind him. Inside."
"34.15, 34.15. About twenty away from pitting, about twenty. We'll get you tightened up."
"Clear one back to the 7, one back to the 7. Still p19. Inside, inside. Two of them. Gonna go flat again. All right. We're coming guys, we're coming. Caution's out."
"Caution's out. Stay out if you can. Caution's out."
The fifth caution was on lap 210 for Mikey. He had hit the wall, then blew his right rear tire.
"Blown right rear, blown right rear," Ty said. "The right rear quarter is gone. Come down on the apron if you can. You're going to have to get right sides for sure. You may have time with this caution car just now getting into 1." Ty noted they needed pretty heavy repair on the right rear. "The right rear quarter panel is about gone. Come on, M-Dub. Come this time."
"Get the right sides. Get the right sides and work on the repairs." Bobby said to make it quick. The #55 pit under yellow.
Ty said not to speed as they'd only let them do that so many times. A crew member said they'd need to pit again to work on the door.
"Two up," Bobby said. "Come back to me. Come back to me."
"Here he comes."
"All right, do left sides. Art, go over there and get the right sides. Don't worry about gas yet. Get your tools ready, go over there and fix that right side. Right here. All right, go help Art." Bobby then told Art to come back for gas. "Come on, Shawn. Okay, Turn 4, Turn 4. All right, going to have to hustle it up, Ron. Gotta roll, gotta roll. 4150. Talk to me, Ron."
"Everything's clear, but there's nothing. It's open clear to the interiour," Ron replied.
Bobby asked if they got the wedge.
Ty said they still had to blow Turn 3, so they had a couple more laps of caution. Bobby told Mikey to come back in.
"Two in the left rear, two in the left rear. Pull a tear-off too. 5, 4, 3. Right here. All right. Ron, hey. Go see what he says. Art, go to the window, go to the window. All right, middle of 3 and 4. All right, Turn 4, Turn 4. Gotta go, gotta go, gotta go. 4150. All good. 4150. You're all good."
"Y'all got anything radio-wise you can help him out with? Watch that truck on that apron. Right line," Ty said. "All right, come on back, come on back. Good job right there."
"Go ahead and catch up, catch up. Work on that radio, Ron. Work on that radio."
"On pit road, guys. Ten away, ten away."
Bobby told Ron to work on the radio and then to put the net back up. "All right, need to start buttoning him up, Ron. Start buttoning him up. Go go. Go go. All right, Ron."
"You've got about twenty car lengths. You're all good, you're all good."
"Get ready."
"It's not one to go, Bobby. You want to come back?"
"Yes, yes."
Ty told Mikey to go through the low groove around a truck.
Bobby instructed the crew to work on a radio fix first. "Just put that piece back there. We're going to need more time to do that. Right here, right here. All right, Turn 3. 3 and 4. All right, Ron, if you're good, you and Shawn come back and talk." He told Ron to put up the window net. "Go go go. You're good."
Ty told Mikey to hustle it around. "One to go. Buttoned up, guys?"
"How about it, Ron?" Bobby asked.
"All right. Field is just now in Turn 2."
Kurt Busch led the restart on lap 215. Mikey was 25th, the last driver on the lead lap. David was 34th, two laps down.
"Okay, still just one down," Bobby said.
"Yeah, just one down. Green green green. Clear high, clear high. Inside, inside. Outside."
"32.90.
"32.30."
"66 right there with you."
"340, 340."
On lap 223, Matt Kenseth took the lead.
"85."
Busch was back in the top spot one lap later.
"34.15."
Kenseth led lap 225.
"34 flat.
"33.85. 85."
"Leader now."
"33.85.
"70, 33.70.
"75.
"34.15.
"34.40."
"All right, leader's ten..."
"49."
"Coming outside. Clear eight back."
On lap 223, Mikey went a second lap down.
"Clear behind the 11. Clear by ten. Three back, looking outside."
"34.90.
"75."
"Three back to the 24. Coming outside. Three back to the 42. Outside. Clear eight back. Coming outside."
"35.20."
"Two back to the 31."
"34.90."
"Clear four back. Got two of them behind you. Clear two back. Coming inside. 20's coming outside. Clear. Outside, outside. The 1 coming, the 1 and the 5. Clear behind the 5. Closing outside. Take a look at him this time, Bobby."
"10-4," Bobby replied. "Copy, copy." He likely read a signal from Mikey.
"Still out there. Still there."
On lap 244, Mikey was 27th. Travis Kvapil and Mark Martin had passed.
"Three back. 2 will be coming outside. Outside. You're clear. Half a straightaway behind him. Coming on pit road, guys. Coming on pit road."
"Go around there. Go around. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1."
Mikey pit on lap 247, dropping to 36th.
"All good, all good. 4150," Bobby said after the stop.
Mikey was three laps down in 37th on lap 248.
"2 coming outside," Ty said. "Pass through, Michael. You've got to come down and make a pass-through. Too fast entering. 4150. Just come all the way through, all the way through. All right, buddy. Come on out."
Mikey was now four laps down in 37th. David was 33rd.
"Five back to the 44. Outside, outside. Clear all clear. Inside. Clear five back. 75 to go. 75."
"34.40, 34.40.
"34.30."
Lap 254 saw the sixth caution for debris on the back straightaway.
"Caution's out, caution's out," Ty said. "It's debris."
"Pit road's open, pit road's open. We're going to work on that side, get some sheet metal on you there."
Ty said to take their time. He also relayed the #15 claimed they were leaking oil.
"Nah, we weren't leaking. They were just looking for a caution."
"All right, going to be pitting this time, Michael. Going to be pitting this time." He warned Bobby to guide Mikey around lead lap cars leading.
"Just be careful, Ty, I don't have a good view." He said they needed to make sure they didn't lose any laps here.
The #55 pit under yellow.
"Come on. Go around and help him, Chris," said Bobby. "Turn 1. Make sure it's secure. We need to come back in to work on it. Middle of the backstretch. When I say in the middle of 3 and 4, y'all need to get it where it's screwed in so we can just go. Go go go go. We're going to have to come back."
"All right, bud. Hustle it around. Coming back."
Someone said something about a sheet of aluminum. "Get that lower brace attached first, then we'll get that quarter panel on and screw it on."
"All right, come to me, come to me," Bobby said. He told the crew to make it quick, because the pace car was close.
Ty warned Mikey to watch Ragan's #6.
"Back it up, back it up, back it up! That's a good. Whoa whoa whoa! Ron, come around here and help him! Turn 3. Middle of 3 and 4. Get it pinned down there, Chris. Got to start buttoning up that window net, Ron. Turn 4, Turn 4. All right, gotta go. Go go go. All right, what do we got? What do we got?"
"All right, bud, hustle it around. You're going to come on back," Ty said.
"We gonna change tires?" Mikey asked.
"This time. Come to us. No fuel, no fuel. Art, Shawn, to the other side. Make sure we're secure on that piece here."
"Bobby, I don't have a quarter window? Why don't they put a huge piece of metal there? I don't even have a quarter window?" Mikey asked. "I mean, we don't have a quarter window! I mean, there's no way I can't spin out. Can y'all hear me?"
Bobby said they could and told the crew to hustle. "Don't speed, don't speed," he told Mikey as he was leaving the box.
"I don't understand why we didn't put a quarter window on there, why we didn't put a piece over there."
Denny Hamlin led the lap 259 restart. Mikey was 37th and four laps down. David was 30th, two laps down.
"What'd he say, Ty?" Bobby asked.
"The quarter panel is starting to collapse in by the fuel cell," Ty replied.
"32.50. Keep an eye on it, Ty. Let me know what we've got there."
"I will. From the top of the quarter to the corner, it's about a 45 degree angle to the fuel cell."
"As long as it's not flapping."
"10-4, it's not flapping."
"We ran the same time as our teammate that last lap. 32.70," Bobby said. "Take a look at your temps there. It looks like you've got trash on. When you get a chance, tuck up on somebody so you can get that piece off."
"Leader's five back."
"How do I catch up to somebody?" Mikey asked.
"Just pull up behind him."
"Two back. Coming to the outside, the 17. Clear two back behind him. Outside, all by himself."
On lap 266, Mikey went a fifth lap down.
"Three back to the 2, all by himself. Ten back to the 88."
"33.50."
"Three back to the 31. Outside. Clear five back behind him. Clear there. Three back. 42 07, about five of them on top. All coming outside."
"Grill's all good. Grill's good," Bobby noted on lap 271.
"You've got two more coming. 48, 24. Clear about ten back to the 24."
"34.20."
"Outside, the 5. Clear four back."
"34.20, 34.20."
"Now three of them outside. Still outside. Coming outside, the 1. Clear four back there."
"34.60."
"Two back. One more outside."
"35."
"Three cars coming outside. Going to be clear six back."
"34.50."
"Coming outside, outside. The 19. Clear up right there, three back. Coming outside, outside."
"75, 75. All right, we've got the 9, 96, 45 on our lap. 9, 96, 45 on our lap, just so you know."
"Coming outside, outside. Two of them."
"44.80."
"44's going to be up there with him."
"34.70."
"35 to go. 45 to go. Clear three back."
"Clear there, three back to the 22."
Mikey was 38th on lap 284. Kasey Kahne had passed. David was 28th.
"Clear there, five back."
"85."
"Outside. 43 outside."
"35 flat."
"Coming outside, the 15."
"35 flat."
"All right, bud, he's going to have the 70 up there with him."
"35 flat."
"Two more outside. The leader coming in your mirror. The mirror coming in your mirror outside. Three-wide."
The seventh caution was with 37 laps to go for Mikey. He spun under the #01. Jeff Burton got the free pass.
"Coming outside, the 01. All right, guys, we spun back there. We didn't hit anything. Caution's out."
"Let's get the right front tires changed on it," Bobby instructed. "Right here, right here. Four tires, four tires." Bobby said the left front was down. "All good. Everything's clear. You're good. All right, go ahead. 4150. Go go go. All right, Chris. Art! Come back to us. Come to us, come to us."
"4150."
Bobby told the crew no more gas and just to work on the side of the car during Mikey's next stop. Middle of the backstretch. Make it quick, Ron."
"We ought to just lose a lap and fix it," Mikey commented.
"Middle of 3 and 4. All right, Chris. What do you got there? Okay, go go go." Bobby asked Ron about the car. He said they were coming back in.
Ty said they'd have to get out of the pit box earlier, because they were coming to the green.
Hamlin led the restart on lap 294. Mikey was seven laps down in 41st. David was 31st, two laps down.
"We're not racing anyone. No one on our lap. And we're about two laps ahead of the 21."
"All right, five back, most of them single-file. Two-by-two behind you, most of them two-by-two. Still coming outside, single-file. Still coming outside. Two wide behind you, two wide behind you. Back to single-file."
On lap 299, the eighth caution came out for debris. Ryan Newman received the free pass.
"Coming outside, outside. Caution's out, caution's out for debris in Turn 1."
The debris was from the #55.
"All right, as soon as it opens."
"We'll have to come on pit road," Ty said. "That quarter panel's in worse shape than it was before."
"Get that shit off there, guys," somebody said.
"Come on to us," Bobby said. "The 38's... you're going to have to come around him. We're good. Go ahead and get tires on. Get that cut away, and we'll get tires on it. Just get that cut away. Middle of the back. All right, just get that off, Ron. All clear? Okay, go go go."
"All right, anything you did have is gone again, Michael," Ty told the driver. "25 laps to go."
"Do I have time to get four or not?" Mikey asked.
Bobby said they'd try.
Meanwhile, on pit road, Bowyer ran into Montoya as Montoya was leaving his box.
Ty said they probably wouldn't go this time.
Hamlin led the restart on lap 303. Mikey was 41st, eight laps down. David was two laps down in 31st.
"Pace car's off," Ty said. "Green green green. Clear there."
"All right, we're not racing anyone. No one on our lap. The 21 car is one lap behind us, one lap behind us."
"Spin in front of us. Spin in front. Big crash in front of us. Back it down, back it down, all the way up, all the way up," Ty guided Mikey through a wreck.
"Slide your tires at all, bud?" Bobby asked.
Mikey said he had oil on his windshield and ran over debris.
A crew member said to look at the front side.
The ninth caution was on lap 305. Dave Blaney had been dropping like a rock when he cut off Jeff Burton. Reed Sorenson and Juan Pablo Montoya was collected.
"This day reminds me of my career. So much hope, so much promise. Shitty results," Mikey stated.
"I feel your pain, brother," Bobby replied.
"How many laps down am I?"
"Eight."
"Michael, you're eight down, eight down. 21 to go. 22 and a couple of those won't be able to make it back out," Ty said.
Mikey was 40th on lap 306 under yellow. Joe Nemechek had dropped back; he had been involved in the wreck too and had sustained front end damage.
"Quicky yellow?" Bobby asked. "All right, pit road is open, pit road is open. We'll put four on."
"On pit road, Bobby."
"All right, 10-4. Watch out. That 12 is backing up. Right here."
The #55 pit under yellow.
"Okay. Clear out."
"What happened to the 44's bumper?" Mikey asked.
"About the fifth lap, the 38 hit him," Ty replied. "47 just came off pit road. He was running 4150. He just happened to be in third gear. He was running about 90 miles an hour. All right, one to go when we get here."
"Just FYI, that adjustment that y'all put on me there made me spin out. I went from plowing to loose, so it's too much."
"10-4," Bobby replied. "That was a track bar up, half round."
"Yeah, I don't really care what it was. I'll just tell you what it is."
"All right. Usually, you holler at me if I don't tell you what we did. I was just looking back at my notes."
"It went from being way too tight to way too loose. I got sideways, and evidentally rubbed a tire off the wall. I don't know how that happened. I just heard it pop."
"Yeah, it actually had pushed that fender in just enough."
"It sucks. We had a really good car. The front end was really good under it. Radio problems and shit. Just a lot of stuff went wrong."
Ty said they were coming back to the green.
"We're on a lap by ourselves. Just keep it clean," Bobby added.
Hamlin led the restart with sixteen laps to go. Edwards took the lead after getting into Hamlin's rear.
"66 coming to your outside. Clear one back to the 45. It will be clear behind the 45."
By lap 312, Mikey was 37th. David was 28th.
"Fourteen to go, fourteen to go. Just ease it home. 23.20."
The tenth caution was with 13 laps to go for debris. Tony Stewart received the free pass.
"Caution's out, caution's out for debris," Ty said.
"All right. Everything's cool. We'll just stay out."
"I'll take four if you got 'em. If you don't got 'em, we don't got 'em."
Bobby said he could give Mikey scuff tires. "All right, we're ready for you whenever it opens. Is it a quicky yellow, Ty?"
"I never heard them say."
"All right, it's a quicky yellow. I couldn't see that official, Chris, with you rubbing on her. 4150. Around the 84 here. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Right here."
The #55 pit under yellow.
"Okay, all good. All clear. All the way out," Bobby said after the stop. "Ten to go this time by. Ten to go."
"It will be one to go when you get around. When you take the green, it will be eight to go. The 41 and the 21 behind you just about wrecked. They're going to be chilling here."
Edwards led the lap 318 restart. Mikey was eight laps down in 37th. David was 29th, two laps down.
"Pace car's off. Restart line. Rolling. Green green green. 66 is outside. He'll be the only one."
"33.40.
"32.60."
"Still out there. All clear. Five to go."
"Five to go. We're not racing anyone."
David was up to 28th, having passed Marcos Ambrose.
"Hey, Ty, you think Reutimann will give Marcos that spot?" Bobby asked. "We'll need those three points coming to Homestead.
"Two to go, bud. Two to go.
"All right, one more, bud. One more."
"All right, that's it. Outside. That's it," said Ty.
Carl Edwards won. Mikey came home 37th, eight laps down. David did not give Marcos the spot; he finished 28th.
Next Sunday is the Sprint Cup's Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. Coverage begins at 3:00pm ET on ABC. The Nationwide Series' O'Reilly Challenge airs the day before at 3:00pm on ESPN2.