Mikey 27th at Texas by Kellyanne Lynch
2 November 2008
Michael Waltrip's #55 Napa Auto Parts Camry struggled throughout the Dickies 500, today's Sprint Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway. He finished two laps down in 27th. David Reutimann finished 10th in the #44 UPS machine while Marcos Ambrose was 21st in the #47 Little Debbie's Toyota.
Mikey qualified 15th for the race. David started 12th and Marco Ambrose 24th.
"Got a copy?" someone asked at 3:36pm ET.
The call to start engines came one minute later.
"Check check check," spotter Ty Norris said a minute after that.
"10-4, got you," crew chief Bobby Kennedy replied.
"Got you," Mikey added.
"What are we going to be looking for, Bobby?" Ty asked, regarding pit road speed.
"4150, 4150. That will be three over. 4150."
"10-4. 4150," Ty replied.
"Got a good copy on me on the backstretch?" Bobby asked his driver.
"Yes, sir. You sound clear."
Bobby said he had an obstructed vision on pit road. Ty acknowledged this.
"Hey, Michael, you're the third stall past the entrance of the garage you've been taking all day, or all weekend," Ty informed his driver.
"Okay," Mikey replied.
Bobby told his driver there would be the opening, the #20, #2, #55, #6, then the #02 on pit road. He asked a crew member to make note of what the #2 team had on their pit box as something to do with theirs for next year.
"All right, buddy. One to go when you get here. One to go," Ty said.
"All right, if it runs green, we'll be looking at lap 55, 56 for our first stop under green here."
"Okay," Mikey replied.
"All right, pull your belts tight. Make sure all your switches are on. All right guys, everybody, heads up in the pits. Let's have a nice, solid day. Get a little heat in those brakes, just a little heat."
The green flag waved at 3:47pm. Jeff Gordon led the field.
"All right, bud. Be ready. Pace car's off," said Ty. "Ready? Green green green. Everybody's rolling. Still outside. Still there. Still outside, 99."
Mikey was 14th and David was 10th one lap into the race.
"Outside. Looking low. Three-wide. Both sides. Clear around the 99. Clear there, half back. Closing quick. Inside, inside. 16. Got the 6 right there with you."
Mikey was 17th on lap 3. David was 8th, and Marcos was 24th.
"Still there inside. The 7 still there. Inside. Stacked up on the bottom."
On lap 4, Mikey was 20th.
"42's going to be inside. Clear two back behind him. Closing up. The 9 car's looking low. He's there. It's going to be clear one back, right there."
Lap 5 saw Mikey in 22nd. Meanwhile, Brad Keselowski scraped the wall.
"Clear three back."
"31 flat, 31 flat," Bobby read off Mikey's lap time on lap 7. "Leader 70."
"Still one half back to the 18," Ty noted. "Good job. Still outside. Inside, inside. Clear behind the 9. He's in there by a nose. Clear three back, four back."
Mikey was 23rd on lap 9; Kyle Busch had passed.
"I'm just too loose to run up top right now," Mikey commented.
"All right, 10-4, 10-4," Bobby replied.
David was 6th on lap 10, having passed Jimmie Johnson and Martin Truex Jr. Marcos was 23rd.
"31.80. Leader 45.
"32.20. Leader 75."
"Still out there. 77's still there. Still on your corner. Still there. Clear up. Coming back outside, back outside. Good job."
On lap 13, Mikey was 22nd. Marcos was 23rd, and David was 6th.
"One looking low. Back to clear, back to clear. Half back."
Marcos fell to 25th on lap 15.
"All right, just keep me posted if there are any changes. I'll make a little air pressure adjustment," Bobby told his driver. He gave times.
"Real loose," Mikey replied.
"10-4."
"You're clear two back to the 2. He's made it all the way from the back of the pack, hauling ass. Clear two back," Ty said.
Clint Bowyer took the lead on lap 17.
"Still clear. Half back. 2's going to have a big run, big run up top. It will be clear behind him."
"Give me your temps when you have a chance," Bobby requested.
"Ten o'clock, twelve o'clock."
"10-4."
Lap 18 saw Mikey in 23rd. David was 5th, and Marcos was 24th.
"Just stay with it, stay with it until your next stop," Bobby encouraged. He gave times again.
David picked up 4th on lap 20.
"30, 30. Leader 05," Bobby read off times. "65, 65.
"60, 60. Leader 10."
David passed Jeff Gordon for 3rd on lap 24.
"45, 45. Leader 30.
"50."
"The 11's been the one staying up top, bud," Ty noted. "Clear the 11, clear the 11. Still clear if you need it."
Mikey was 22nd on lap 28.
"95, 95."
On lap 30, David picked up 2nd from Dale Earnhardt Jr.
"Halfway on this fuel run, halfway," Bobby said. "75, 75.
"80, 80. Leader 40. That's faster than the next six in front of you."
"Clear all clear. Still clear. Still clear."
On lap 33, Mikey picked up 21st from Kurt Busch. David was 2nd, and Ambrose was 27th.
"85, 85. Leader 60."
"Leader's at the line... now," Ty warned.
"65, 65. Same as the leader that lap.
"69, 69.
"80, 80.
"05, 05. Leader 85.
"20, 20.
"33 flat, 33 flat.
"98, 98."
"Running up top this lap, running up top," Ty said.
"Cool," Bobby responded. "25, 33.25."
"05, 05.
"33.10, 33.10. Leader 90.
"35, 35.
"25, 25. Leader 15."
"The 20 was in position to get by us, but he's fading pretty bad," Ty noted.
"Ten laps away from pitting, ten. We're going to make an air pressure adjustment and take some air out of you. Still pretty free?" Bobby asked.
"Yeah," Mikey replied.
"30, 30."
Robby Gordon pit on lap 49.
"19, 19."
David took the lead on lap 50.
"Still out there. Still there, still there, still there. You're clear the 6, clear the 6. Clear up by one."
Mikey was 20th on lap 51. Marcos was 27th, and David led.
"Still clear, still clear. Two back."
"You think an air pressure is going to be enough for you?" Bobby asked.
"Well, we'll try that," Mikey replied.
"10-4."
Green flag pit stops got underway on lap 52. Mikey was 19th. He was 15th one lap later.
Ty warned Mikey about Brian Vickers' #83 and cleared Mikey behind him. He also noted cars peeling off.
Mikey was 7th on lap 53. David pit on that lap and took on an air pressure adjustment. He reported needing forward bite.
"Pit this time, pit this time," Bobby told Mikey. Dale Earnhardt Jr led lap 54.
"Nice job, bud. Nice job. 4150, 4150."
Bobby guided Mikey into his box.
"Go go go go go. Halfway, halfway. You've got the 28 on your outside. Three green."
"Still there. Still there to your corner. 25. 4150. All four below the white, all four below the white. Got one coming outside. Hustling. Got two more coming outside. The 20. Closing, the 31. Still there. Still there. Still on your corner."
Stops cycled by lap 56, and Bowyer was leading.
"Still clear, all clear. Half back to the 28. One back to the 28. 28 dropped back. He had a penalty. Leader's just now in 2. Caution's out for oil somewhere. Caution's out."
The first caution was on lap 57. Reed Sorenson's engine blew. Keselowski received the free pass. Bobby asked Mikey if he could tell anything about the adjustment.
"Uh, no. It's just, it's bouncy. It was bouncier during those few laps than it was at the start. Whether that had to do with anything. It was real bouncy."
"10-4. I'm going to stay with that same air, same air right there. That gave us the same air as the 44, what we went to right there."
"All right, pit road will be open if you're coming, Bobby," Ty said.
"We'll be coming. We might just try to get us five here."
Ty said he thought people would stay on track. "Yeah, I think a bunch of them are staying out, brotha. Yeah, they're staying out."
Mikey pit under yellow. The first eleven cars did not.
"A bunch of those guys took two, Bobby," Ty noted.
"10-4. The first set of tires that came off there looked real good."
"Where's David been running, up high or down low?" Mikey asked.
"Just a couple laps on the bottom to pass people blocking his line."
"Both ends?"
"Excuse me."
"Both ends? Is he running high in 1 and 2 and 3 and 4?"
"Yeah, he's been running high both sides. He jumped up high early, the third lap. I saw you try a couple times, and it looks like it was a handful for you for a while." He noted Juan Pablo Montoya also "made hay" by jumping up top.
"Michael, they've put a ton of speedy dry on the apron," Ty said a moment later. "The 41 had a loose oil line, dumped a bunch of oil down pit road. All right, it's going to be one to go when you get down here. One to go."
Bobby said he saw more wear on the left side tires.
"Yeah, the car is different. I'm concerned about this bouncy," Mikey said. He noted the car was different. "It felt like a shock was off of it, but we'll see what happens here."
Carl Edwards led the restart on lap 64. David was 3rd, Mikey 26th, and Marcos 27th.
"Pace car's off. Outside only. Ready? Green green green? Two back, everybody's rolling," Ty observed. "Still clear, all clear."
David dropped back to 5th one lap into the run.
"Clear high. You're checking up real bad on the bottom with that 02. Looking inside, inside, inside. There inside."
Mikey was 27th on lap 67. Marcos was 28th, and David was 5th.
"Still there. Still there on your corner. Inside. Inside, inside. One more, inside. One more. The 25. Last one."
Lap 68 saw Mikey in 29th; Marcos and Keselowski had passed. Mikey was 27th on lap 69 as Marcos was 28th.
"Still there. Clear clear. Clear one back. All right, we're clear down behind him, clear down behind him. Inside, the 25."
Mikey was 29th on lap 70. David was 6th.
"Still outside. Still there. Still there. Still there. Clear now clear, clear."
On lap 73, David picked up 5th from Montoya.
"Still outside, the 19. Clear the 19. Clear."
"I'm loose in," Mikey reported.
"10-4," Bobby replied.
"Clear four back. No pressure. Still there, still there. Still outside. Clear up behind him. All clear, clear."
"32.07."
"Leader... now," Ty noted. "Still out there. Still there, on your quarter. Still clear three back. Still there. Still outside. Still there."
"32.80.
"60, 32.60."
"Feels like you messed me up," Mikey said on lap 83.
Bobby said he'd go back on some of those changes and suggested a new one. "60, 32.60."
"You've got too much air right front."
"All right, 10-4."
"And the left front."
"Copy that. Too much air in your fronts. 55, 32.55."
"75, 75."
"Still out there. Still there," Ty noted.
"I know he's still there!" Mikey replied.
"Leader now," Bobby observed.
"Still on your corner. There you go. Clear the 28. Going to come back outside, back outside. Two back and closing, the 19."
"32.70. Leader 45."
"Clear. Clear by one. Clear by two. There you go, buddy. Keep your head. Keep on rolling, buddy."
"70, 32.70, same as the leader that lap."
On lap 92, David picked up 4th from Bowyer.
"Still out there. Still there, still there," Ty warned. "Clear now, all clear."
"Leader now. 95, 95," Bobby said.
Mikey was 28th on lap 94, having passed Jimmie Johnson.
"Still there. Clear now, clear."
"Leader's about four cars back, about four cars back now. 32.90.
"85, 85.
"05, 05."
"Got a car real slow. All right, he made it to pit road," Ty said. "It's ten back to the 99. 47 is a lead lap car. The 7 is not.
"Right in front of you, right in front of you. Clear up. No caution."
Robby Gordon had nudged the wall.
"All right, you still loose in?" Bobby asked.
"Yeah, way too much air in the front tires," Mikey replied.
"Okay, 10-4."
By lap 103, Marcos was lapped too, from 27th.
"That 47 is the lucky dog right now, 47."
"Yeah, 43's two laps down," Ty added.
"05, 05."
"Your adjustment helped me off, but it feels like you did something to the front tire," Mikey commented on lap 108.
"10-4. I'm going to adjust your front tire on the next stop," Bobby replied.
"Still out there on your corner. Still out there. Still there," Ty noted. "All clear now, all clear. Black car 01 four back. Fresh tires. Pitted about ten laps ago."
"05, 05."
Kyle Busch pit on lap 110, allowing Mikey to pick up 27th. Regularly scheduled green flag stops were beginning.
"32.90."
"Still there," Ty warned. "On your corner, just barely. All clear, all clear. All clear, still half back. Outside, outside. Clear one back to the 01, fresher tires. Still out there. 01's jumping up top, outside."
Mikey was 19th on lap 113. David led as Edwards had pit.
"All right, leader's on pit road. You're all clear, one back."
David pit on lap 114. At the beginning of the run, he had said he was going south in a hurry. His crew made an air pressure adjustment.
"10 car fresh tires. Will be coming inside, inside. Clear behind the 21 right there."
"Next time, next time by," said Bobby.
Brian Vickers led lap 115. Mikey was 10th before he made his stop.
Ty and Bobby guided the #55 to the pit box.
"Trash on the right side grill, Chris. Just a little trash," Bobby noted. After the stop, Ty blended Mikey back into the field. Elliott Sadler was penalised for an uncontrolled tire.
Edwards led when stops had cycled on lap 119.
"31.70."
"Clear the 42. All clear."
"32.05, 05."
On lap 120, David was 4th. Mikey was 28th, and Marcos was 26th.
"05, 05.
"05, 05.
"05, 05.
"35, 35. Leader 10.
"43, 43. Leader flat.
"35, 35. Leader 10. Your lap times are a lot better than your previous run, a lot better."
Ty warned Mikey that the #42 would be looking to pass.
Bobby asked if the adjustments had helped.
"No. Well, the front end's fixed better."
"Well, just let me know what you've got."
"Still just loose in."
"All right, 10-4.
"75."
"Still out there. Still there, still there, still there," Ty warned. "48's going to be working the bottom. Inside. 41's going to be down there with him, working the inside. 41's there. Inside. Clear down behind him if you need it."
Johnson passed on lap 133; Mikey was now 29th.
"Clear there. Clear two back to the 18. Clear the 43. Still going to be clear up, if you want it. Clear one back."
"85, 85."
"On your quarter. Still on your quarter. Clear clear."
"89, 89."
"Coming inside. Inside, the 18. All by himself."
"33 flat, 33 flat. Leader 88.
"2, 82.
"80, 80. Leader 65.
"05, 33.05."
On lap 143, David dropped to 5th."
"On this next stop, we're going to try to put some wedge in it," Bobby said, just before the yellow flag waved. "52.80."
The second cautionw as for debris on lap 144.
"How's your car right there?" Bobby asked.
"They seemed better. They ain't perfect by any stretch, but they seem better."
"Okay, I'm going to put a little wedge in it, just to see if it helps you in the corner."
"Just do a little and put air in the front tires again."
"Half a round, half a round right rear. Half a round," Bobby told the crew. He said he'd do three-tenths of a percent on wedge. "Looks like 18 cars on the lead lap and 13 or 14 one down."
"All right, bud, the leaders will be coming this time, so we'll be coming next time."
"That run prior to this one, it was just really really nothing I could do. That's all I had. And this time, it felt like I was a lot faster but still driving bad," Mikey commented.
"10-4. We'll just keep chipping it away here."
Ty praised Mikey for doing a good job keeping the sixth place car off him."
Bobby reiterated the changes. "The windshield, Ron."
"The windshield's fine," Mikey replied.
"10-4. You'll have to come around the 2 car, come around."
"It will be clear out," Ty added. "Clear out."
"Three green. 4150. Three green."
"All right, here we go. 4150. Right there."
Bobby guided Mikey to his box. "Go go go go. All the way, all the way."
"4150, 4150. All right, one to go when you get around here. One to go. Let's see if we can work ourselves around that 78, get up to that 12."
"Yeah, we've got 19 lead lap, 13 one down," Bobby noted.
"Cool deal," Ty replied.
Edwards led the restart on lap 149. Mikey was 28th and lapped, David 6th, and Marcos 25th.
"Still outside. Clear up if you want it. Clear up. clear two back to the 24. Looking outside, the 24. He's there. Clear there, clear there. Inside, the 17. Still outside. Still there. He's going to have you off the corner. The 6 up there with him. 66 is outside, outside. Still out there. Still there. Clear behind the 66. Clear about half way to the bottom. Still clear one back."
David was 7th on lap 159.
"He's there inside. Clear there, clear. Clear one back."
"31.40.
"60."
"Clear one back to the 9. 9's outside, outside. Clear behind him. One back to the 8."
"The right front tire ain't coming up," Mikey complained.
"All right, 10-4."
"Still clear one back. Nice job, bud. Coming inside, the 8. 5's going to be down there with him. Inside the 66's trying to come with him. There you go. Clear there. Clear there one back."
"I'm just so loose in, man. I'm going to spin out," Mikey said on lap 160.
"10-4," Bobby replied.
"Half back to the 31. Working the outside. Clear one back to the 77. Coming outside now, outside. Clear up if you need it. Clear to the 38."
"I'm really really really bad right now. This is the worse we could have made it," Mikey said.
"10-4," Bobby replied.
"Still clear," Ty continued. "Working the top side, the 88. He's there. On your quarter. On your quarter. Clear there.
"32.60, 60.
"55, 55.
"25, 25."
On lap 168, David picked up 6th from Matt Kenseth.
"The air was way too low to start," Mikey complained.
"All right, 10-4. Is it coming to you?" Bobby asked. "45, 45.
"25, 25.
"65, 65.
"32.50, 50.
"32.80, 32.80."
"Good job, man. Everything has stabilised. That 20 car isn't even coming. He's about ten back," Ty praised.
"90, 32.90."
On lap 175, David moved into 5th, having passed Kyle Busch. Marcos was 26th, and Mikey was 29th.
"80.
"79, 79. Leader now.
"79, 79."
"85, 85.
"93, 93."
"Now it feels like it's blowed up with air," Mikey said on lap 181.
"90. Okay, 10-4."
"The only guy who is coming is the 41. He's four or five laps down," Ty noted.
"75 that last lap, 75."
"Two back."
"85, 85.
"80, 80. Leader 40."
"41 one back," Ty warned.
"83, 83."
"Leader now. Big run, the 41. Half back. Outside. Big run up top. Big run up top, all by himself."
"95, 95."
"This car is just so out of whack, man, I can barely survive it," Mikey said on lap 188.
Bobby said they were coming up with a plan for what to do with it.
On lap 189, David picked up 4th. He had passed Clint Bowyer.
"Just really stiff, really rigid in the front," Mikey added.
"10-4. 55 that last lap."
"75, 75. Leader 50."
"Doing fine. Leader now," Ty said. "20's looking low. Inside. All by himself."
Tony Stewart's #20 was 18th and on the lead lap.
"85, 85.
"70, 70.
"We're about ten laps away from pitting. Ten away. I'll try to make an adjustment on you so you can get into the corner," Bobby said. He said he'd made the car too low in the front at the start.
Mikey was 28th on lap 199; Sam Hornish Jr's #77 had pit.
"90, 90.
"Did that little bit of wedge help you get in the corner at all? 80, 80."
On lap 201, David took 3rd from Jamie McMurray. Ryan Newman pit, allowing Mikey to pick up 27th. Cars continued stops.
"Clear. Still clear. Still clear. Trying to look low. Still got him. Still clear."
Mikey was 23rd on lap 203 as green flag stops continued. David was 2nd, and Marcos was 28th.
"99's the leader. One back," Ty warned.
Bobby talked about an adjustment in the right rear on lap 204 as David pit. Mikey was 17th.
Ty warned Mikey about two cars inside. "Clear behind the 77."
"Next time, next time," Bobby said.
The #55 team made a chassis adjustment when Mikey made his stop.
Stops had cycled by lap 206. Edwards led, David was 3rd, Marcos was one lap down in 25th, and Mikey was 28th and two laps down. One lap later, David passed Brian Vickers, who was out of sequence due to an early stop. The #44 was back in 2nd. Mikey was 30th one lap later.
"41.50.
"40.
"50. Leader a 60.
"65. Leader a 75."
"Still there. Clear clear."
"75. Leader a 70.
"85. Leader 85.
"80. Leader the same. That's pretty good. Actually, that's real good. There's only a few cars faster than you.
"85. Leader 80.
"03, same as the leader.
"09, 09. Leader 90.
"10. Leader 20.
"15. Same as the leader. Really good right now. Top five speeds. Really good.
"30. Leader 15.
"40. Leader 30.
"45, 45.
"55."
On lap 225, Mikey passed Paul Menard for 29th. David was 2nd, and Marcos was 23rd.
"All clear," Ty observed. "Nice job, bud."
"The 77's the next one for position," Bobby noted.
"Back inside. Back to clear."
"60, 60.
"45, 45.
"50, 50."
"Still there. Clear up."
"80, 80.
"60, 60."
"Still there, still there. On your quarter, still there. Clear all clear. Still there. Still there. Still there. Still there. All clear."
"80.
"50, 50. Good lap! Real good!" Bobby praised. "55, 55. Leader 50.
"Okay, it's a little over halfway on this fuel run. The car any better?"
"Yeah."
"60. Leader 65."
"Clear low, clear low. All clear."
"That's close!" Bobby commented.
Mikey was 28th on lap 239, having passed Sam Hornish Jr.
"50, 50.
"There are only a couple better than you right now. 60. Leader a 55."
The third caution was on lap 241.
"Caution's out. Caution's out. Debris."
Bobby asked about the car.
"I mean, it just made the car more driveable. Balance didn't change a great deal. A lot better in, not as loose in," Mikey replied.
"Okay, 10-4. Those times were very good."
"We haven't done anything, you know, to make it drive any better. Well, I shouldn't say that. It was driveable then. Well, we didn't do anything to change the balance. Okay, I shouldn't say that."
"Okay, 10-4," Bobby replied.
The leaders pit under yellow, and David came off pit road 2nd.
"Four tires, guys," Bobby said. "We'll just do no changes right here. No changes." Bobby wanted to get a full run and see how it goes; he said he didn't want to mess up Mikey.
"Okay," Mikey replied.
"Four tires, guys. Four tires. 4150. Three green, three green."
"You're going to have to come around that 20. The 2 will not be there," Ty noted.
Bobby led Mikey to his box.
"Go go go. All the way out. All the way. All the way."
"All right, 4150, 4150," Ty added.
"82 laps to go here, 82 laps to go."
"All right, bud, they said one to go, but they just sent a clean-up truck out. They said one to go."
"Nice stop, guys," Bobby praised the team. He said they were racing the 9, 38, 12, 15, 66, 22, and 77.
"43's a ton down."
"Yeah, he's four down, four down."
"They'll work around you there. Not going this time. Not going to go."
"Are all these guys one down?"
"Yeah, only if that 12 lets them go. But come on, come on. Behind that 48 right here."
"It don't matter," Mikey replied. He said he'd get them, and Bobby agreed.
"Where would we get up to if we beat them all?" Mikey asked.
Bobby noted people having problems in front of him, like the #12 of Ryan Newman.
Edwards led the restart on lap 246. Mikey was 29th, two laps down. David was 2nd, and Marcos was one lap down in 23rd. Kyle Busch passed David shortly into that lap.
"Still outside. Still there. Clear up, clear up."
The fourth caution was on lap 247. Travis Kvapil spun through the grass. Marcos picked up a great deal of damage to his right side.
Robby Gordon had taken people four-wide just after the restart and got into Elliott Sadler, who got into Kvapil. Kasey Kahne was penalised for jumping the start. Mark Martin got the free pass.
Bobby sent Ron to go help Marcos' team. "We have way more experience than they do. Just look here on TV. Look what they've got."
"Quicky yellow, but we're staying out," Ty said. "All right, bud, one to go. One to go when you get around here."
"Ron, if you need any pieces or anything, just holler on the digital radio to me," Bobby said.
"Stick with that 15. Whatever he does here. If the 78 lets him or the 43," Bobby adviced.
"All right. Clear low. All right, not going to go. Found some debris in Turn 2.
"All right, buddy, be ready. We're going to be coming around to the green this time."
Edwards led the restart on lap 252. David was 3rd, Mikey was two laps down in 28th, and Marcos was 24th and one lap down.
"All right, pace car's off. Ready? Green green green. Inside," Ty said. "Still outside on your corner. Still there, still there. Outside. Clear now. Coming back outside, outside, outside. On your tight there. Outside."
Two laps into the run, McMurray passed David. The #44 was 4th.
"All clear, all clear. Looking outside, outside, outside. Another one looking, the 31. Clear there. Got a look, got a look. You're clear though. Coming outside, the 66. Still outside on your quarter. 41's coming with him. Outside."
On lap 256, Greg Biffle passed David, who was now 5th.
"Watch what you've got in front of you. There you go. Clear. Clear one back to the 10. Looking low. Inside, the 10. Clear one back behind him. Clear."
"65."
"Car inside, inside. 8 car inside. Clear low, clear low," Ty warned. "Still there. Still on your quarter. Still there. 8's trying to jump up there with him. Outside. 9's outside, outside. Clear behind the 9."
Mikey was 29th on lap 263; Kasey Kahne's #9 had passed. Mikey got around Scott Riggs for 28th one lap later. Meanwhile, Matt Kenseth passed David, who was now 6th.
"The 9 and 15 in front of you are for position," Bobby noted and gave times.
"Crash in front of you, crash in front of you. Back it down. Come on up. Halfway through. Clear low."
"It just, it just ain't no good again. I don't know if the track changed again. I'm just too loose coming off. It's really a challenge," Mikey said.
Bobby said he'd make an adjustment.
The fifth caution was on lap 364. Montoya got slammed into the wall by David Gilliland.
"Right rear, Dwayne," Bobby said.
"All right, pit road's open for the lead lap cars. We'll come next time," Ty said.
David lost three spots on pit road.
Mikey said something under static.
"Say it again. I had two of you talking. Ty was talking over you," Bobby requested.
"Yeah, I just said it's doing the same thing equal. It backs in the corner, and it just plows off."
"Closed, bud. They can't get this 42 off pit road yet," Ty told his driver, in regard to pit road.
"Four tires, guys. Four tires," Bobby told the crew.
"All right, pit road will be open this time around," Ty said. "4150. All right, here we come. 4150. Around the 20, clear out. Ten."
"Around the 20. 5, 4, 3. Right here, right here," Bobby guided Mikey to the box. "Go go. Halfway, halfway. Up behind the 15."
"67 to go. We're not close enough on fuel right now, are we?" Ty asked.
Bobby said he was checking on that right now.
"It's going to be one to go, one to go. All right. Coming back around to the green."
"All right, we're about three or four short on fuel. Three or four."
McMurray led the lap 270 restart. David was 10th, Mikey was two laps down in 27th, and Marcos was one lap down in 22nd.
"Still outside. Still outside, still outside."
NASCAR held Gilliland on pit road for five laps for the incident on track with Montoya. Then they decided to park him.
"31's got a run up top. Still there. Still there, still there."
Two laps into the run, David was 11th.
"He's going to be coming outside, outside," Ty said. "Outside, the 66. Still on your corner. Still there. Inside. Inside and out. Clear low behind the 10. Clear up behind the 22, one back to the 19. Coming outside."
Mikey was 29th on lap 274. Scott Riggs and Dave Blaney ahd passed him.
"Clear up behind him, clear up behind him. One back. Inside, inside. 21's got a run on the bottom. You're clear low. The 21's in your mirror. Outside, outside. Outside, outside. Clear high behind the 24."
"I'm bad now," Mikey said on lap 276.
"Outside, outside. Both sides. Clear high there. One more. One more coming."
"This is ridiculous. Frickin' so loose!" Mikey complained on lap 278.
"10-4," Bobby replied.
"Still down there," Ty warned. "All clear."
"85."
"Still there. Still there still there still there. Still there. Clear up, clear clear."
"60, 60.
"70.
"60."
"Still there. Clear clear."
"90."
"Still out there. Still on your corner. Still there. Still out there. Clear the 43. All clear. Back outside, outside. 84's still there. Clear clear. Still out there. All clear."
"15, 15."
"Six cyllanders. Still there. Clear. Inside, inside. Clear."
"05, 05. You're faster than all those guys in front of you. Just stay with it. You're two-tenths quicker."
"32.10. Leader 95."
"Still outside on your corner. Clear up, clear up. Looking low. Clear clear."
"Don't..." said Mikey, but he was cut off.
"What are you talking about?" Bobby asked. "Just giving you info."
"I know," Mikey replied.
"Still on your corner. Clear. Clear high, clear high. Back outside, back outside. Nice job, bud."
"Clear half back," It sounded like Mikey said.
"The 66 is for position," Bobby noted.
"All clear, all clear. Back outside, trying to look. Outside, outside. Outside. Clear behind him, if you need it."
Mikey was 28th on lap 298 but lost the spot one lap later.
"Still out there. Still outside, still outside. There you go. You're clear one back. Still clear one back. Still clear one back. Going to have a run. Inside. All clear. There you go."
On lap 300, Mikey was 28th after passing Riggs.
"45. Leader 25.
"25, 25. Leader 20.
"30, 30. Leader 40."
"It will be cler up, clear up."
"22 and 12 going into 1 right there are your next two spots. 33.20.
"35, 35. Leader 40.
"40, same as the leader.
"50.
"45, 45. Leader 55.
"60, 60."
On lap 309, David picked up 10th from Matt Kenseth.
"60, 60. Leader 55.
"69, 69."
Kenseth pit on lap 312 for fuel.
"23 to go," said Ty.
David picked up 9th on lap 314 when Martin Truex Jr pit.
"80, 80. About fifteen laps away, two second of fuel. Fifteen laps away, we'll take two seconds of fuel," Bobby told his drivers.
Other cars came to pit road.
"65, 65. Same as the leader."
"Twenty to go, twenty to go."
"75, 75.
"79."
Mikey was 26th on lap 318; David was 8th, and Marcos was 21st.
"Slow one on the bottom. Clear, clear. 18 to go."
"75."
Mikey was 25th on lap 319. David was 6th.
"50. Good lap right there! Real good."
Mikey was 22nd on lap 320. David went to pit road and took on two tires. He also took on a slight air pressure adjustment as he reported he still could not roll through the centre of the turns.
"A car with tires behind you, three back. 10 two back," Ty warned.
Bobby made the call to put on four tires.
"Inside, inside. Clear."
McMurray pit on lap 322. Greg Biffle had the lead.
"45, 45."
Biffle pit at the end of the lap, giving the lead to Edwards.
"59, 59."
David was 12th and lapped on lap 352 after his stop; Edwards had still not pit. Mikey was 21st, two laps down.
"35, 35."
"Ten to go, ten to go," said Ty.
"30."
"All right, next time by, next time by. Two seconds of fuel. I'll give you one thousand one, one thousand two. Go on two," Bobby instructed.
"Don't spot them," Ty warned. "4150 right there."
Bobby reminded Mikey not to slide his tires either. Mikey stayed in his box with six laps to go for two seconds of fuel and left.
Earnhardt Jr ran out of fuel and had to pit.
"Clear ten back, five back," Ty said. "Outside. Clear. Five to go. Still there. Clear clear."
Earnhardt Jr stalled on pit road.
"Four to go. Stay after it. That's twelve behind you." Bobby gave times.
"Clear three back."
David was 11th on lap 332. Mikey was 27th.
"Five back, three to go. Keep digging, brother."
"15, 32.15. There you go. Those guys got tires behind you, and you're gaining on them."
David was 10th on lap 333.
"Two more, two more."
"No pressure, no pressure. 32.15 again. Great lap! Fastest car that lap."
"One more, bud." Ty said he had twenty car lengths from the car behind him. "Stay up, stay up. You've got one real slow on the bottom."
"All right, that's it, bud. We just missed it tonight," Bobby said.
"Yeah, it was terrible. I barely could hang on there, but we hung on, so. Beat some good cars. We just have to keep on getting it. We've got two more to go. We'll do better in the next two."
"Yeah, excellent pit stops, fellows. Excellent pit stops. The adjustments, we just missed them bad. That last deal was bad, trying to hang on five or six laps. Then it was okay, but you can't race like that. I just don't understand. It just doesn't drive normal." Mikey noted he had the same problem at Charlotte but not Atlanta. "Same thing tonight. You just can't predict which way it's going to turn on you."
Carl Edwards went on to win the race on fuel mileage. Mikey finished two laps down in 27th. David was 10th, and Marcos was 21st.
Coverage of next weekend's Sprint Cup race, the Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500, begins Sunday at 3:00pm ET on ABC. The Nationwide Series' Hefty Odor Block 200 airs the day before at 4:00pm on ESPN2.