Daytona - 2/15/09
Rain shortened the 51st running of the Daytona 500. Michael Waltrip's #55 Napa Auto Parts Camry finished 7th and David Reutimann's #00 Aaron's Dream Machine 12th, while Matt Kenseth won. Michael Waltrip Racing had the two top finishing Toyotas.
"We might have over-achieved a little bit," Mikey said after the race. "We didn’t have too good of a car. To scramble and get in the top-10, I’m happy with that. If we would have gone back to racing we might have gotten even luckier. I didn’t feel like I had a very fast car today. It handled great and maybe that’s why it wasn’t so fast because it was set up to handle good. We didn’t intend on setting it up to handle good -- we intended to set it up to go fast, but it didn’t go fast. I might ought to just take what I can get."
"All right, guys. We're not messing around today. One more minute before they give the command," spotter Ty Norris came on the radio at 3:27pm ET.
"1, 2. Hello,"
Ty acknowledged in static.
"Yeah, sounds good. Did they say anything about a competition yellow?" Mikey asked.
"They didn't say anything about it in the drivers meeting, but everybody's talking about it, so I don't know," Ty replied.
"Yeah, we were just guessing what they would do."
"Just be aware, guys, with this threat of rain, they're not going to have long extended cautions. They're going to clean up and get going."
"10-4 on that," crew chief Bootie Barker told Ty he could see the #12 car good.
"Okay," Ty replied.
"If you want to turn him loose to me there, I'll call him in, what, seven away?"
Ty said it was.
"What are they saying about the rain? Is it coming?" Mikey asked.
"It's breaking up,' Ty replied.
"Me or the rain?"
Ty said the rain was breaking up.
Bootie verified, saying it's across the bottom of the state. "We're in a hole right now. So we'll be looking."
"We could be like Dale Jr, send someone out, and when it was coming, have them tell him twelve miles away," Ty suggested.
"Go ahead and turn your B fan on, Michael," someone said.
"Okay."
"Okay, guys, it's critical when the festivities begin, and all these people get out of their pits, make sure all your equipment is on. Look at lugnuts and everything. Make sure everything is in order," Bootie said.
"If there's a caution with 30 to go, and we pit then, and there's one with 20 to go, then we pit again, just so we don't pit again. Just try to figure out what would be the opposite thing to do."
"10-4 on that, 10-4."
"Even if we run six or seven laps, it might be good to get four then," Mikey said. He told Bootie he'd leave it to him.
Bootie told Mikey, if he had an option, he'd defer to the driver. He said they'd hopefully have all those options available to them. He said he'd let Mikey know about how tire wear is doing.
"Michael, right now, I'd say we could run 42 laps, just to give you a flavour of what we can do."
"Okay," Mikey yawned.
Seven drivers would have to start at the rear of the field due to engine changes. Mikey moved up to a 25th starting position from 27th. He was supposed to start on row 14 with David but was now in row 13. David was still in 28th.
"Yeah, I got you good right there. Yeah, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1," Bootie said.
"Guys, make sure you're polite to everyone, but if someone's in your way and we're coming in soon, get them out of the way," Bootie told the team. "Just be polite."
"4650 is working, so we'll go with that," Mikey said.
"10-4, Michael. 4650."
"Just look around you, guys. Look at all the people, look at all the excitement. Just live it up, feel it, enjoy this moment. Just take a deep breath and realise how fortunate we are to do what we do. Just do what we do but know it's a priviledge to be here," Mikey said.
"10-4," Bootie replied.
"Well said, brother. Well said," Ty added. He told Mikey they were close to the start.
"For the first time we've been on the track or we've been racing here, we've got a headwind down the back straightaway," Ty informed his driver. "Not anything we can change. I'm just telling you anyway."
"How you doing up there, Bootie?" Ty asked.
"I'm good. I'm hyped up, I'm focused," Bootie replied. "All our crew are ready to go."
"You and Michael put on a show. We'll do all we can." Then Ty told Mikey, "All right, Michael, one to go. One to go."
"Michael, we're going to have a competition caution lap 25, lap 25," Bootie told his driver.
Ty said they wouldn't be able to fuel before then. "All right, buddy. Just be ready. We'll be going this time. It starts with the leader."
The green flag waved at 3:41pm with polesitter Martin Truex Jr leading the field.
"All right, pace car's off. Ready? Green green green. Everybody's rolling, everybody's straight," Ty noted. "Still two by two. Every line has help. Still outside."
Truex Jr led the first lap of the race. Mikey was 26th, David 27th.
"Still two by two. Nobody's trying the middle yet. Both sides, both sides. Clear high if you need it. Both sides, both sides. Coming outside, coming outside. Still on the bottom and outside, still on the bottom and both sides. You got the 7 there. Clear. Clear both sides. Use whatever you need. Clear the 47. Clear. Got the 7 in your mirror. Looking low. Inside, inside. 7 inside. Still clear to the middle. Got both sides, both sides. Making some moves here, making some moves. Still outside, still outside. Clear high if you need it."
Mikey was 29th on lap 3 with David in 22nd. Mark Martin now led.
"Got one all the way to the bottom, the 7. All the way to the bottom. Three wide. Back to two, the 7 in the middle lane. Inside inside. Still inside. Two by two now. Got one on the bottom. You're clear on the bottom. Clear low. Clear to the middle if you need it, if you need it. Inside, all the way to the wall. Still outside, two by two."
Mikey was 29th on lap 5.
"Backing up all the way to the top. The 41. Three wide right there, three wide. Clear to the middle. Clear to the middle if you need it. Outside outside. Two more coming outside. More coming outside outside. Clear behind the 14."
"I see very little future in that, Ty," Mikey said.
"I'm so glad you did that," Ty replied. "It's getting a little slick. We're going to have a caution soon anyway. I'll start letting you know when we're closer to the competition yellow so you can get in there a little bit."
Mikey was last on lap 7.
"I'm here with my fellow car owner," Mikey commented as he rode behind Tony Stewart.
"Your temps okay, Michael?" Bootie asked.
"Twelve o'clock, eleven thirty."
"10-4."
"I know you can, but I don't see a whole lot of them who can run the bottom and make any hay," Ty said. He warned Mikey of a spin in front of him. "Track's clear, track's clear."
The first caution was on lap 9 for Aric Almirola's spin.
Bootie said they'd stay out and lead a lap if everyone else came in.
"As long as we've got plenty of tires, I don't mind getting tires, but if there's any issue, I don't need them," Mikey replied.
"You didn't slide them at all," Bootie replied. "We don't need them, so I'll leave it up to you." He said he was sure someone would stay out, but they'd try to stay out and lead a lap. "Does your car feel okay? Balance is good and stuff?"
Mikey said it was good. "When I get in the middle, I guess, mainly, I did it on purpose to see so I would know, it really gets loose, but maybe that's what everyone's does. I don't know.
"I figured I would see if it goes tight," Mikey said.
Bootie called to stay out.
Others pit under yellow. Twelve to fourteen cars stayed out, and David was the first off pit road.
"We'll get a good look at the 47's stuff, Michael, tell you what it looks like," Bootie said.
"Okay," the driver replied.
"All right, bud, you'll be coming around to the green," Ty told his driver.
"15 to go before the competition yellow. Fifteen laps to go," Bootie noted.
"All right, buddy, you're going to be coming to the green. Pace car's off. Green green green."
Busch led the lap 11 restart with Mikey in 19th. David was 23rd.
"Clear two back to the 1 and the 42. Outside outside outside. Coming hard, the 42. Inside, inside. Got a bunch of people with him. There you go. Both lanes have help now. The 00 is coming."
Mikey was 23rd and David 25th on lap 12.
"Still down there. They're coming up the middle, coming up the middle. Still coming up the middle. The 48. He's got guys with him. Still there two by two, two by two. There you go. Clear to the middle. Got them all the way to the bottom, all the way to the bottom. All right, help coming with you. Still there on the bottom. Clear low if you want it, still outside. Still there. You see it. Clear high if you want it, clear high. Still there on your corner. Clear, clear. Still clear both sides, whatever you need. Outside now, outside. Every lane has help."
Mikey was still 23rd on lap 13. David was 26th.
"Still outside, outside," Ty continued. "Still outside. Got the 29 coming with you. Outside, they're three wide now. Three-wide. Slow one all the way to the top, slow one all the way to the top. Checking up on the top. Three wide there, three wide. Back to two wide. 36 is hung up on the top. Still three wide, three wide. Still outside, outside. Two wide."
Mikey was 23rd and David 27th on lap 14.
"Still outside, outside. You got the 1 and the 42 on the bottom with you. Two to go before the caution. Still outside. Clear up if you want it, clear up if you want it. Half back, one back. Clear there, clear. Clear one back to the 66. No one's on the bottom."
Mikey was 29th on lap 17. David was 23rd.
"29's making a run on the bottom. Outside. Still two by two."
Mikey was 30th on lap 18 with David still in 23rd.
"Still all the way on the bottom. Got one coming on the bottom. You're clear there, clear. Still there, inside. Got the 29 up top with you."
On lap 19, Mikey was 27th.
"There you go. Clear low, clear low. Still outside. 20 hung up against the wall there. Three wide. Back to two, back to two, but they've got the middle lane covered. Clear up behind the 29 if you want it, if you want it. You're still two back."
Mikey was 26th on lap 20.
"Clear up one back, one back. Half back. Outside. Outside's got a big run. There you go. You're clear there, clear there. Still clear one back. 44 still on your corner, outside. Still outside. Outside, several of them. Still outside. Five more laps, Michael. Five more. Clear up behind that 00. Half back, still one back. Half back to the 66. Outside now, outside."
David was 27th and Mikey 28th on lap 21.
"Clear half back to the 66. Still there. Clear low, clear low. Clear two back. Clear. They're two by two. They've got a run. Inside's got a run. 42 on the bottom. 42's outside, outside. He's all by himself, if you want to get up there behind him."
David was 26th on lap 22. Mikey was still 28th.
"33 making some hay on the bottom, all by himself."
"I'm loose and tight. I've got both. No good right now," Mikey reported.
"10-4," Bootie acknowledged.
"33's going to sneak up top, up top. Outside. One more before the caution. Onen more."
Mikey was 29th on lap 24. David was 24th.
"41's still out there. Got the 07 with you. Outside. Clear the 41. Got the 07 with you. Still clear all clear."
"Maybe you can help me with some air in the back and some air in the front. I don't know," Mikey said.
Bootie asked if Mikey could tell him if he's loose in at all, when he gets the chance.
"Yes."
"10-4. Just checking on the first thing you feel."
Mikey was 27th on lap 25, and David was 25th.
"I guess I'm mainly tight off. I'm loose in. But I'm pretty good. I'm not all that tight. I'm a little tight, loose in."
"10-4. I'm just trying to help your first problem. It should help your exit."
"What are they doing, Bootie? Why haven't they called the caution?" Ty asked. Then they did.
Bootie said he'd work on track bar and told him to go around the #19.
The second caution was the competition yellow on lap 27.
"10-4 what you were saying. The looseness in, how severe loose? Are you chasing it in on entry? Or is it just a veer"
"Nah, it's pretty loose on entry, especially in the middle and on top. It did the same thing yesterday. Not yesterday the Nationwide car. The back's jacked in and hung out, then you add wheel, and it gets loose." He suggested track bar down and a little less left front and left rear air. "Just tweak it a little bit to help it with the feel."
Bootie said they'd go down with the bar and work on the air too.
"The back tires have too much air, I'm guessing."
"We may go the wrong way on the air, but we'll just see. All right, 4650."
Mikey pit with everyone else, and Bootie guided him into the box. Mikey overshot a little and had to be backed up.
"We're not going to do anything stupid here. Just wait. Calm down. Okay. Push him back some. 12 coming outside," Bootie directed.
"That's my fault. I'm sorry," Mikey apologised. "I couldn't see the pit because of the traffic. It's my fault."
"Hey, no worries, man. It doesn't mean anything." He said, at the beginning, they took two pounds of air out from where they were practicing. He repeated what he did. "Let's just evaluate what that does."
"Okay."
"Good job, pit crew. Way to listen there, getting him by," Bootie praised the team. "Michael, I'll let you know if anything's weird about the tires, okay."
Mikey was 41st after his stop. David was 17th, and Kyle Busch was still in the lead.
"Okay, you're going to be coming back around to the green, to the green," Ty said.
Busch led the lap 30 restart with Mikey in 33rd and David in 20th.
"All right. Be ready. Pace car's off. Ready? Green green green. Outside only. Clear two back," Ty said. "Still out there, the 82. Trying to come back outside, outside outside."
"This thing is a... very slow, very slow. Very very slow. I just drafted all the way by him, and I couldn't even hold him off," Mikey commented.
"We'll help you some," Bootie promised.
"All right."
"Guys, next stop, look at me."
"Clear two back, clear two back to the 47 and 7."
Mikey was 33rd on lap 31.
"Looking up top. Outside, outside. Clear there one back."
Jeremy Mayfield's #41 pit on lap 32 with a possible vibration. Mikey was 34th, and David was 18th. Mikey was still 34th the next time around the track. David was 16th.
"Watch what you've got there. Still on the bottom. Still there. That was about half stupid right there. Still there. Clear clear," Ty said. "All right, bud. Three back to the 12, three back to the 12."
Mikey was 32nd on lap 35. David was 13th.
"Slow one off the bottom, slow one off the bottom off of 2. Clear."
"Michael, tire wear looked even on all sides," Bootie reported.
"12 o'clock, 11:30," Mikey told his crew chief oil and water temps.
"10-4."
"You've got the 39 and 12 in your mirror, 39 and 12 in your mirror. One back."
On lap 36, Mikey was 31st, and David was 14th.
"Still clear, still clear," Ty continued.
David was 16th on lap 38. Mikey was still 31st. Robby Gordon pit with a cut tire.
"Clear two back to the 39," Ty warned. "Still clear all clear. Clear four back. The middle. Got one all the way to the bottom. Still outside. Clear high if you need it. 26 still on your corner. Clear now, clear. Clear two back. All lanes. One back to the 34."
Mikey was 31st and David 19th on lap 39.
"Clear, clear. Clear the 98. 1 car still outside. 98 closing with him."
Mikey was 28th and David 24th on lap 40.
"34 still with you, 34 still with you. 19 still outside. Clear up behind him if you want it, clear up behind him if you want it. Clear two back. Still clear, whatever you want. Still outside on your corner, outside on your corner."
On lap 42, Mikey was 25th and David 29th.
"Clear up if you want it. Clear all the way to the bottom, clear all the way to the bottom. Outside, outside. Clear two back, clear two back. Clear one back. Still outside, still there. Clear behind him if you want it. Clear one back to the 1. Still outside, still outside. Clear up. 43 still there. Still there on your corner. There you go. Still outside, outside. Outside. Clear the middle. Outside, outside. Both sides. See what you got low. Clear low. 2 car still outside. Slow up top, slow up top. Got one slow all the way up top."
That slow car was Jeff Burton's #31, sliding back through the field.
"Two by two. Still out there. Every lane's covered right here. Clear up if you want it, clear up if you want it."
On lap 44, Mikey was 20th. David was still 29th.
"Clear all the way to the yellow line. Still there, still there on your quarter, still there on your quarter. Both sides. Both sides. Both sides, still there. Both sides. Clear low. Nice job, nice job."
Mikey was 19th on lap 45. David was 28th.
"Three-wide, three wide. Back to two, back to two. Clear half back right there, half back to the 83. Clear. 83's clear. 83's going to be outside on your corner, 83's going to be outside. 83's going to be outside. Behind him if you want it, clear behind him if you want it. Got a run outside. 31'st comign with the 5."
Mikey was 11th on lap 47. David was 28th.
"Clear there. Clear clear. Two back. Three back. Three back. That 26 and 48 are going to have a decent run. 41's going to be slow on the top. Lapped car. Slow. Still outside, still there. The 41. Outside. 26 is coming, 26 is coming. Outside outside. Clear behind the 26. Clear two back behind you, the 48. Big run right to your bumper. Outside. The 31 coming with some help. Outside. The 48 and the 2."
Mikey was 12th on lap 48.
"There you go. Clear one back to the 48 and the 22, side by side. All right, two back to the two."
"Those are good chassis adjustments. I'm better," Mikey said.
"Going to have a big run up top. All clear right behind."
"I said those are some pretty good chassis adjustments. I"m better."
Bootie acknowledged and said Mikey had 20 laps on his tires. Mikey was 14th on lap 49. David was 27th.
"All right, buddy, you've got the 2, 20, 07 on top. Slow one coming off pit road. He's going to be on the bottom, coming off of 1."
John Andretti and Terry Labonte both pit under green.
Mikey was 14th on lap 52. David was 25th.
"Still outside on your corner. Clear up. Clear up. Nice job. Going to be coming up on a lapped car. 66. All the way on the bottom."
Mikey was 13th on lap 53.
"All clear. You're sure seeing a lot of cars out there struggling. Your guys did a good job right there, Michael."
"10-4, Ty. Let me know if you see anybody with tire trouble out there," Bootie replied.
Ty said a few cars were on pit road but not for tire trouble.
Dale Earnhardt Jr took the lead going into lap 54 with a push from Stewart. Mikey was 13th, and David 25th. Then Stewart went to the top spot. Travis Kvapil hit the wall on lap 55; the right front was locked up.
The third caution was on lap 56.
"12 o'clock, 11:30," Mikey reported.
"Thank you, 10-4."
"Caution's out, caution's out. Got one having tire trouble on the front stretch."
"Okay, Michael, I'm listening."
"Well, that made it a lot better. I'm not sure if you should do the same thing again. I was a lot better, probably better than most. I was just slow." Mikey reported.
Bootie called for half of what they did. "We're going to leave the body, everything we have, the downforce." He said they'd work on the other aspect.
"Okay."
"Okay, Michael, you're in front of the 19, and the 20 will have to go around you." Bootie sent someone to ask the 20 if they were going to watch for Mikey.
"I will," Mikey said.
Bootie said the 18 and 20 wouldn't be there when Mikey came in. "Around the 99, around the 99." He asked Ty to watch for the 20. "4650, second gear, wheels straight, put on the brake."
Mikey pit with the field under yellow.
"Michael, that was 25 laps on your tires right there, 25. Same as your first run."
"Pit road will be open. 4650."
"All right, Ty, I can see him when he comes."
Ty noted Mikey was two pit stalls in front of the 99, and Bootie led the #55 into the box.
"Good job. Wheels straight. Come on," Bootie added. "20's coming around you. One lane one lane one lane one lane one lane. All right, watch your six. One lane."
The #55 and another car made contact on pit road.
"The left front fender is barely dented, barely dented."
"Okay, Michael, the right front has some bubbles on it, and the left rear," Bootie reported. He noted what happened with the right front on Kvapil's #28. "Our wear is even. It just is what it is."
"Good job, getting on your mark right there. I know that was a little antsy getting out, but that guy was standing in your way," Bootie said. He said it looked like someone just put their hand there. "If you feel a vibration, I'll let you know the number of laps."
"Yeah, but you usually don't feel it," Mikey replied.
"Okay, yeah, Michael. The 48 and the 44 just had vibrations there, so I'll keep you up to date."
"It sucks to have the greatest race in the whole world messed up by any make of pit stop on tires."
Bootie told someone to bring over two tires that had just come off the car. "Yeah, Michael, they just... it ain't Indy, but it's the same type of flavour right now. I'll let you know."
"One to go, one to go."
"66 got the lucky dog right there."
"41's going to be the only lapper, and he's the only one coming under you here. 20 seconds or so. Yeah, Travis said he felt it for a lap and a half. I don't know if that's consistent for everyone here."
"10-4. Michael, if you feel it, you pit," Bootie told his driver.
"Okay."
Ty said Mikey couldn't outrun them, but he could outhandle them. "So good job, Bootie. Coming to the green."
Stewart led the restart on lap 60. Mikey was 15th, and David was 23rd.
"Still outside, still outside, still outside. The 1 car, and he's going to have one with him. That 42 and the 19 are jumping outside also. You'll be clear to the middle, and you'll have them up on the top. That 41's slow on the bottom. Still outside. 43 and the 12 are coming. Outside. Clear low. 1 car still outside on your corner, still outside."
Mikey was 18th on lap 61. David was 22nd.
"Clear up if you want it, clear up if you want it. Clear low. Clear high. Still down there inside, the 48. Both lanes now have help coming. Inside, inside."
Mikey was 15th on lap 62. David was 22nd.
"Still down there. Clear behind the 48, if you want it. You're clear one back to the 44. Still clear all clear. Whatever you need. Outside, the 44. Lotta help up top. Not a lot on the bottom. Still outside."
"Boy, this is really hard when it won't go," Mikey commented. He was 14th on lap 63. David was 21st.
"Okay, top line's getting the big push right now," Ty said. "Still two by two. Got the 33 in your mirror."
Mikey was 15th on lap 65.
"Lot of help up top for the 1 and the 44. Still out there, still there. Still three wide. Still three wide. Two-wide. 6 got in line. Two wide."
Mikey was 15th and David 21st on lap 66.
"Still two by two. No one in the middle."
"I can't go in the middle right now. I'm so loose. I went totally loose with whatever y'all did, or whatever these tires did," Mikey said.
"10-4," Bootie replied.
"10-4, 10-4. Two by two outside."
Mikey was 13th on lap 67 with David in 18th.
"Still two by two, two by two," Ty continued.
Mikey was 13th and David 17th on lap 68. One lap later, David was 19th.
"Same thing. Got the 33 coming. Outside. Outside outside. Clear behind the 42. Got him all the way to the top. Outside line's coming. Outside."
Mikey was back to 25th on lap 70. Clint Bowyer had booted into his rear when Mikey went down in front of him, dropping him back. David was 20th. Jeff Gordon was now in the lead.
"Still out there. Still there. 96 behind you there. Still outside, the 78. Still there. One back to the 16."
Mikey was 30th on lap 71. David was 19th.
Ty discussed what had happened with Bowyer. "He was bailing out to get to the back, because he was loose. It probably looked like blocking, but he was bailing out."
Bootie said he understood. He wanted to go down on trackbar and air pressure when the #55 would come in next.
"Clear. One back to the 78. Clear there. Clear clear." Ty warned Mikey the #19 of Elliott Sadler was overheating. "Clear high, clear low. 19 is clear."
Mikey was 26th on lap 73. David was 22nd. Newman pit.
"The 7 still on your quarter. Still there. Still outside. Clear up behind the 07. Slow one on the bottom, the 39. Three wide, three wide. Back to two. The 6 is in the middle. 42's still with you. Clear the 6. You've got the 42, 00. Half back, half back."
Mikey was 19th and David 22nd on lap 75.
"Clear one back. He's looking. There you go. Still outside. Still outside. That hole is going to be closing there, closing up top. Still outside. 43's still on your corner. Back to the 12. There you go. Clear, clear."
"17 laps on your tires, Michael. 17," Bootie reported.
Mikey was 17th on lap 76. David was 21st.
"Outside, the 43's going to be with him. Outside. He's got a line now. Outside."
Mikey was 16th on lap 77.
"Still outside, the 12. Still there. The 07's closing, outside outside. Clear up behind the 07. Still out there. Still there. Still outside. 07's outside. Clear two back behind the 07. Clear two back. Clear one back to the 1. Outside."
Mikey was 18th on lap 79.
"1 car still on your corner. Still out there. Out there, and he's got help. 6 is coming outside."
"It's really good right now, I just don't know where to go," Mikey said.
"Don't worry about it. Just save your tires, man," Bootie replied.
"19's going to be coming outside. Clear up to the 00."
Mikey said something in static.
"You're getting hung there, but you're doing a good job. Clear up behind the 00," Ty replied.
Mikey was 23rd on lap 80. David was 24th.
Ty told Mikey the #39 was a lap down and was coming with tires. "Still clear. He's coming. Outside's coming, outside's coming. Still outside, still outside, the 00. Ooh, got one spinning behind you, spinning behind you. Caution's out."
The fourth caution was on lap 81 for Joey Logano, who got turned by Scott Speed after Logano got into him first. He hit the inside wall hard.
"Okay, Michael, that's going to be the 20." Bootie said the box would now be clear near him. He asked Mikey to tell him what was going on with the car.
Mikey said, "The run before was about perfect. That adjustment there was too loose for a while, but it was good at the end. So you might want to tweek it some more and see what you get."
Bootie asked if he had to protect it on entry.
"Yeah, a little bit, but not bad."
Bootie called for half down on the track bar.
"Michael, remember, I know what you have under your butt."
"Yeah, it doesn't feel like I'm doing anything. It's handling so good, I feel like I'm not pushing the tires at all."
Ty noted weather looked like it's coming in.
Bootie said it looked like the bad weather would be there in forty-five minutes. "We are about eighteen laps from half way, so I don't know what to tell you, but I'll let you know the weather and the tires." He warned his driver not to overslide the box and come in too hot on tires. "The 20 car is out, Michael."
"I need a tear-off," Mikey requested.
"10-4."
Bootie guided the #55 into the box. He talked about someone being okay and guided Mikey out of his box.
"4650, 4650," Ty reminded.
"Okay, Billy, keep be abreast of the weather. Billy, let me know so I can let him know as well," Bootie requested. "Okay, tires definitely look better, a lot better. One small spot on the left front, none on the left rear. Okay, that was four less laps than the time before that, so we still hadn't got to the last lap."
Ty told Mikey it wasn't a tire issue with Logano. He said the #20 was hit by the #82 then the #96.
"Okay, Michael, you're sitting on lap 83, and I'll let you know everything I can, keep you informed so you can make your decision on how to run it."
"Okay, I'm just in trouble. They hit me so hard, because I'm so slow on these restarts. Then they just drive around me. The reason why I can catch back up is because their cars aren't handling as well as mine, so I can catch back up," Mikey replied.
"10-4."
"I'll just tell y'all this for information purposes. Our Toyotas don't run like the Gibbs Toyotas do, or me and Reutimann wouldn't constantly be..." he faded out.
"10-4."
"All right, one to go, one to go," Ty said. He said they were sixteen from halfway. "Be looking for everyone getting antsy."
"Good. I feel like getting crazy," Mikey replied.
Bootie talked about the weather being fifty five miles out, and Mikey said weather goes at about 20 MPH.
"If you want to go crazy, we with you," Bootie said.
"Be smart crazy, if there's any such thing," Ty added.
Kyle Busch led the restart on lap 86. Mikey was 21st, and David was 34th.
"Golly, this is the best race in the whole world, and my car's slow," Mikey said.
"19 coming around, 19 coming around, and it's going to be four back, four back." Ty warned of cars having a run. "Inside, inside. Clear behind the 8."
Mikey was 26th on lap 87, David 34th.
"Still one back, one back. Four of you single file. Clear three back. Big run, big run coming to you on the outside. Outside, you've got the 78 and 47. 47 the last one, if you want to blend in. One back to the 9. Closing by himself."
Mikey was 39th on lap 89.
"Still clear, still clear. He's up top, up top. He's got one with him. Still outside on your corner, still there. Clear there, clear there. Clear there half back. Inside. He's got a bunch with him. Going to give yourself some bail out room. Got one outside. Looking low, looking low. The 16. You're clear now, clear clear. Half back. Outside, outside. Four wide going into 3 here. Four wide. Back to three wide. You've got one all the way at the top, the 77. Clear half back, clear half back."
On lap 91, Mikey was 30th and David 33rd.
"The 66 is going to be on the outside of you here. Clear there, clear."
Mikey was 34th and David 31st on lap 92.
"78's down there on the bottom. Clear low. Clear high, clear clear. Clear three back. Clear."
Mikey was 32nd and David 29th on lap 93.
"Clear three back to the 9 and 00. Clear the 8. Clear."
Mikey was 27th and David 29th on lap 94.
"36 still outside. There you go. 96. Clear half back. Both sides, both sides. Clear high. Inside, all the way at the bottom."
Mikey was 23rd on lap 95. David was 29th.
"Clear there. Clear. Still outside, outside. Outside outside. Be clear up behind that red car if you want it. One back to the 29, half back to the 29. 48's been screaming that he's really loose. Inside. 29's down there all by himself."
Mikey was 22nd on lap 97. David was 31st.
"Ten laps on tires. Ten," Bootie noted.
"Clear clear. Still outside at the top. Still outside at the top. Outside outside. Still out there. Back to the 82. A run outside. Still outside. Going to have a big run outside. Three wide, three wide. Three wide. Got help coming with you. Two wide, two wide."
Mikey was 24th on lap 98. David was 31st.
"Three wide, 9's in the middle. Still outside, all the way at the top, all the way at the top. All right, 29's coming with a push. Outside."
Mikey was 22nd and David 29th on lap 99.
"Two by two. Everybody's got help. 78's still outside on your quarter. Clear up there if you want it. Clear."
Mikey was 24th and David 28th on lap 100.
"48's still on your corner, still on your corner. Outside, outside. 48's still out there, still there. The 77's tucked in there with him. 82's still coming, 82's outside. Clear two back. Clear behind the 78 if you want it. Those guys on the bottom just can't hold it like you can, brother."
Mikey was 23rd and David 28th on lap 101.
"Still out there. Still there. 78 going with him. Outside. Clear behind him if you want it. You're two back to the 07."
Mikey was 25th on lap 102. David was 29th.
"Still there. Clear. Still there. Clear. Nice. 77's still out there. 77's still there. Still out there."
Mikey was 24th on lap 103. David was 28th.
"Two by two, two by two. Outside outside. Nowhere to go. Still outside."
Mikey was 21st on lap 104. David was 29th.
"43's still out there. Still there. Still outside. Guys are junk on the bottom, man. Outside, outside."
"Yeah, and there's nowhere to go on the top, so I'm just hanging inside," Mikey said.
Bootie noted tires were at twenty laps and that the weather appeared to be missing them.
"The 83's all the way on the bottom. Got a push coming from the 78 here."
Mikey was 23rd on lap 106. David was 28th.
"Still down there. Clear now clear. One back to the 78. Half back to the 78, half back. Still there, still there. Clear up clear up clear up. Nice job."
Mikey was 18th on lap 108. David was 25th.
"9 car still there, still there. Clear clear. Clear up three back, two back. Clear the 42. Clear clear. Clear one back. Inside inside."
On lap 109, Mikey was 17th.
"The 9 coming to your bumper. The 39's trying to help the 14 up there. Still there inside, 42. Still down there. Still there. You can tell the 6 better than I can. Still there. Clear low. Clear. Clear up behind that yellow car if you need it. One back to the 14. He's closing in, closing up. Outside."
Mikey was 16th on lap 110. David was still 25th.
"Still outside, outside. All the help is up top. Got three of them up top. 42's clear right there. Clear one back."
Mikey was 17th on lap 111. David was 26th.
"Clear three back. There you go. Still there. Still there. Still on your corner. 42's still there. Clear clear."
Mikey was 19th on lap 113.
"Be the only way we don't get hung, because nobody else can go down there."
"27 laps on your tires. 27," Bootie noted.
"Clear two back. Closing on the bottom. Back to clear, clear."
"24's pitting, Ty. Vibration," Bootie noted.
"Clear two back to the 42. Looking outside outside outside. 24's slow on the bottom, coming off of 4. Clear there, clear there. Outside, outside. You see him. 42's outside. Clear behind the 78, one behind the 43. Still outside on your corner. Still there. 98's trying to close the gap, up with the 43. Inside. Got three of them."
Jimmie Johnson and Scott Speed also pit.
"Outside on your corner, outside. 12 went all the way to the top with the 39. Still outside. The 1, the 1's going to be outside. Clear."
Mikey was 21st on lap 116. David was 25th.
"You're doing fine, Michael. Just take your time. A lot of people are pitting because of tires," Bootie assured his driver.
Sam Hornish Jr's #77 pit on lap 117 and was spitting water.
"42 in front of you is going to be pitting this time. He's about four up. Inside. Still there. Clear up, clear up."
Juan Pablo Montoya and Brian Vickers both pit.
"Clear four back. Slow one on the bottom. That 12 car. Clear up. 98's following you. One back. Slow one on the bottom. Right front blew behind you. No caution yet. Caution's out, caution's out."
"Very nice, very nice," Bootie said. "Okay, Michael, what do you need?"
"Uh, nothing. I need the other car that I wrecked I know we sent to Charlotte, or I could use about 20 pounds less of drag or I could use about 50 more horsepower. But chassis wise, you've just done a great job. I can't complain about nothing. I've been running wide open. Very very strong. Good car."
Bootie asked if he should work on speed then.
"Hell yeah. I'll try that. I would have tried that already."
"With all this tire shit, we've been doing well. We're going to pull the trigger. You understand?"
Lap 120 saw the fifth caution, because David Stremme's tire had blown. He caught some people on pit road. Mikey was 18th at the time. David was 21st. Jeff Gordon received the free pass.
"Michael, you're tight. Anything under your ass been bottoming out bad?" Bootie immediately prepared him to pit. He said they were seven laps short on the fuel run. "Got you. 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2. There you go. Hit your sign."
Earnhardt Jr was held in his box for pitting with a tire out of his box.
Bootie guided Mikey out of his box. "You got your adjustments. Stay clean." A moment later, he noted tire wear. "Okay, right front bad, left side lamination. Left rear, all of them. But that was 33 laps on the tires."
"Right front about to blow out bad, because I didn't feel any vibration?" Mikey asked.
"Yes, close, close. Some obviously worse around you, because they did blow. I know there's nothing you can do about it." He noted they might be able to go the whole fuel distance if it rains.
"But if it rains, you won't have to."
"Exactly."
"Hey Mike?" David came onto the #55 radio. He was 22nd, right behind Mikey in 21st.
"Yeah, bro?" Mikey replied.
"Can you make pretty good ground on the bottom there?"
"Yeah," Mikey said he was fine on the bottom. "I can make ground up high, but there's no way to go. I'm so slow, David, that I just let them go for a while. But yeah, the bottom's good for me."
"All right, 10-4. I think we're going to be wet here before long, so I'm trying to figure out what to do now."
"What's the story with the weather, Bootie?" He said he wasn't a meteorologist, but he saw a big blob coming in twenty mintues.
"I ain't no vet."
"True that." Bootie said Mikey basically had one more run.
Ty explained the #19 and #43 were leading, because they were on pit road when the tire blew. "The 88 served a one lap penalty for pitting outside the box, and who else up there is fast? 77's dropping back, because he toasted his engine there. Who else do we got there? Coming to the green."
Elliott Sadler led the restart with 77 laps to go. He was running behind the race leader. Mikey was 21st and David 22nd.
"Ready? Green green green. Still half back to the 00 and 16. Got the 00 and 16 up top with you. Got trouble in front of you, trouble in front of you. Back it down as best you can. Come through on the low line, come through on the low line. Clear to the middle, clear to the middle."
"Okay, come on. He didn't clip you there, did he?"
"Yes, he did."
"Pit if you need to. Ty, I can't see what happened."
Ty said the car was stopped, and Kyle Busch hit him.
"I went off the road, I went off the road and hit something, so I'll be to you in a minute."
Bootie asked for a piece to block any hole that might be in the car for going through the gras.
The sixth caution was on lap 125. Dale Earnhardt Jr had tried to pass low on the restart. Brian Vickers blocked, and Earnhardt Jr turned him. Many cars, including Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Scott Speed, Carl Edwards, and Jamie McMurray were wrecked in this.
"He hit my left rear corner a little bit, and I hit the left splitter a little bit, so whatever y'all want to do," Mikey said.
Bootie said everything looked fine. "We're good. Let's get four tires on him and get him out. Okay. All the way, all the way. 4650, 4650."
"What happened?"
"The 83 threw a block on the 88. Junior had to come back up, and he clipped the 83." He noted all the cars that got wrecked in the deal.
Bootie noted the tires looked great.
"Yeah, it felt really balanced," Mikey said.
"Yeah, man, awesome!" Bootie replied.
"That ought to piss a few of them off."
"Yeah, that was pretty big. Junior was all the way down. He had four tires under the line, then he shot back up. He's had a rough day."
"Hey, Mike, I'm sorry about that." David came on the #55 radio again. He said he hoped he didn't crowd Mikey.
"That was wild, wasn't it," Mikey laughed.
"I thought he was going to keep going to the bottom. I thought we were going to be cool. I hope I didn't crowd you there."
"No, it was good. Let's get a good finish with our two little hot rods there. And the 47 too, wherever he went. Oh there he is, all the way in front of me."
"Yeah, 10-4."
Bootie said the rain was coming.
"Well, I hope they get us restarted here."
Later, Mikey said. "Raining in Turn 1. Over."
"Come back. Did you say it's raining in Turn 1?" Ty asked.
"Then I said over."
"Okay."
"Is this a brief shower?"
"I don't think this is the big stuff yet."
"Bootie, we should have stayed out. We should have pit at the end of the caution. Damn it!"
Bootie said he was glad Mikey had missed the wreck.
"One to go, one to go."
"Okay, nevermind the damn it part, because I would have had to pit right now." Mikey laughed. "It would be nice to get four or five laps now, see if we get anywhere."
Mikey was 20th, and David was 14th. Sadler was still in the lead. Ty noted the #48 was in the wreck, but his car looked fine. He said Jimmie Johnson was seven or eight cars behind the #55.
"It's raining in Turn 2," Mikey said. "It's raining on the backstretch."
"Yeah, it's that one little lead shower. It's not the big heavy stuff. It doesn't look like it," Ty replied.
"Well, it didn't rain but a little bit that time," the driver commented.
"I think, Brett thinks you'll be all right in another lap. What do you think?"
"I agree. I think they ought to go one to go right here."
Ty said they'd probably let him go the next time around the track.
"Okay, it didn't rain that time."
"Might have moved over to 3 and 4 now. Just going to let them know. One to go this time. All right, they're going to give you one to go, one to go."
"All right, Michael, just letting you know, when we get going here, it's a very small window. Big weather coming," Bootie told his driver.
"Here comes the 12 underneath you," Ty noted. He said Terry Labonte had his brother Bobby behind him, so maybe they'd push each other. Terry was just behind Mikey.
Racing resumed with 68 laps to go. Sadler led, Mikey was 20th, and David was 14th.
"Clear two back, clear two back. Clear two back to the 96, who's got a run. Still clear, whatever you need, whatever you need. Three-wide. Still there, still there. Big push coming. Clear to the middle if you want it. Good job there. Still outside. Still outside. Still three wide, three wide. Still three wide. Clear. Clear whatever you want, whatever you want. Half back to the 00 up top."
Mikey was 18th on lap 133. David was 15th.
"Still outside. You've got the 9 with you. Still outside. Still outside. You've got some lappers on the bottom led by Junior, so you're all right. Still outside, outside. Two by two, two by two."
Mikey was 14th on lap 135. David was 18th.
"Outside outside. You see what you got. Clear to the bottom. Three wide. Got the 9 tucked in on the bottom. Give that 36 some room there. Three wide, three wide. Still three wide. Two wide, all the way to the top. Good horse right there. 9's coming with you."
Mikey was 13th on lap 136. David was 20th.
"Still outside, outside. Two by two. Clear up behind the 6 if you want it. Clear one back. Clear one back if you want it."
Mikey was 12th on lap 137, David 16th.
"Still outside. Two by two. Still outside. Three wide. Shooting up the middle. Three wide three wide. You've got help on the bottom. Still three wide. 9's still with you. Every lane's got help. Clear to the middle, clear to the high side. Whatever you need. Clear one back to the one up top. Caution's out, caution's out, caution's out."
Bootie asked about the rain. When Ty said he didn't think they could afford to pit, Bootie said they'd stay out.
"It's raining in 3."
The seventh caution was on lap 139. Jeff Burton had gotten loose and had gotten into someone. Then the field slowed, and Paul Menard got into Burton and into the wall. Earnhardt Jr received the free pass. Mikey was 11th, and David was 21st.
"Good job, Michael. Way to drive, man," Ty praised. "They're going to take a little time and blow the back straightaway."
"Ty, them cats must be a lot smarter than I am. I don't know why those cats are pitting," Bootie said.
Ty noted tire problems by teammates, so people were probably pitting for that reason. "They were behind a lot of people."
Mikey was 9th and David 16th after some drivers made stops. All four Hendrick cars pit.
"Okay, one to go when you get around here. One to go," Ty noted.
Jeff Burton was black flagged.
"Where's the 00?" Mikey asked.
"He's in 16th. The 47's in 19th," Bootie replied.
"The 00 got hung up behind a bunch of guys who check up there, including the guy who finally wrecked," Ty said. "All right, here comes the lappers."
Sadler led the restart with 58 laps to go. Mikey was 9th, and David 16th.
"Pace car's off. Be ready. Green green green," Ty said. "Everybody's rolling. Clear one back. You're all clear. The 1's going to have a run, coming to your bumper. There you go. He's got no place to go. Clear all clear. That 12's going to be a wreck on the bottom. Still there, still there. Clear high, clear high. There you go. Still inside, all the way at the bottom. Still there on the bottom. 48 said they've got a big run coming from the 1, big shove coming from the 1. He's still down there, still down there. Clear the 49. Got the 14 coming on the bottom. Still there. Push coming. Look good. Push coming. Cars up there with you, up there with you. There you go. Nice job. Still there on the outside. Still there. To the middle, to the middle. Clear on the bottom. Still there inside. Inside. All the way at the bottom. Inside. Inside inside. Spin behind you, spin behind you. Keep coming. Keep coming. Caution's out. Watch them running over you there."
The eighth caution was on lap 146. Almirola had been turned by Kahne. Mikey was 8th, and David was 14th. Matt Kenseth was now in the lead.
"Okay, we're going to
"Okay, Michael. Don't let them bullshit you out of a position."
"I'm not. Just calm down, man. I'm doing what I'm supposed to do. I'm running beside them."
Bootie told Mikey to go in front of Stewart.
"We're going to stay out, Michael. We're going to stay out."
Mikey said he thought he would win the race, then said it didn't have the feel.
"Sure you can. You're driving it, ain't ya?" Bootie asked.
"You had a run going there. We got, we got caught up on a car that was so much slower. He had to jump in the middle." Ty said. "If it keeps coming like this, we're going to lose this track. It's coming pretty good."
"We just need more speed, man. That other car might have helped us. Y'all did an excellent job on this chassis. It's hard to drive here, and you made it a little easier. It's just really really a challenge."
"10-4. I bet all the guys appreciate you saying that," Bootie replied. "You've done well too. I mean, of course you have. You put us in this position." Bootie said maybe the rain would blow through. "Then we could get some tires and go back to it."
Somebody adviced everyone to keep radios dry.
Mikey was 7th and David 12th under yellow.
"Getting pretty bad. It's real heavy off of 1 and 2. The flag's not moving, the wind's not blowing, so it's coming pretty slowly. But it's going to be here," Ty observed. He said they might need to fuel if they were turned loose again.
"We can go about twenty six, twenty six more on, before we need to stop or have to, and then we need about seven to be in the window," Bootie said.
"So you're thinking go ahead and stay out?"
"Right now, that's what I'm thinking."
"What we'll do, Ty, is we will stay out there until they say one to go, then we'll make a decision if we should dive on and get tires and fuel then. But it's hard to tell. You'll have to judge using your eyeballs."
Mikey said it was raining in Turn 3.
Bootie said he saw sprinkled on the frontstretch. He then talked about how it showed the green over them on the radar.
"I don't care what it says on the radar. What's it doing on your head, Ty?"
Ty told him it was raining a little.
"Update from Turn 2: It started raining again," Mikey said.
"10-4. It's starting to pick up a little bit over here. It's coming down harder on my head."
"Do you have an Armani raincoat by chance, Ty?" Bootie asked.
"I understand why you'd ask that question. I do not. I believe it is a, uh a Glad Cinch Strip," Ty replied.
"Just to let you know, I ain't hating. I'm just checking."
Ty said, "I know, the bottom was about to fall out of this thing. They're going to red flag it, Michael. They're going to bring you down pit road."
"Michael, if you get out, can you please come over here and talk to me so we can talk about some things?"
"Yup."
"I need somebody, if you would, whoever can get to the most accurate weather forecast, call our pilots, tell them anything about what's expected," Bootie told the team.
The race was red flagged on lap 153 at 6:33pm ET. NASCAR called the race fifteen minutes later. Matt Kenseth won, Mikey was 7th, and David was 12th.
Coverage of the Sprint Cup Series' Auto Club 500 at Fontana begins Sunday at 5:00pm ET on FOX. The Nationwide Series' Stater Bros 300 takes place the day before, airing at 7:00pm on ESPN2.
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© 2009 Kellyanne Lynch, in association with Cyber Speed Design. All rights reserved.
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