Samsung 500 - 4/5/09
Michael Waltrip was not happy with the adjustments made to his #55 Napa Auto Parts Camry during the Samsung 500, this afternoon's Sprint Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway. He finished two laps down in 24th. David Reutimann finished 11th after starting on the pole but suffering a pit road penalty for pitting outside the box. Max Papis, in a Michael Waltrip Racing #13, came home 35th and eight laps down.
David won the pole for today's race, with Mikey starting 34th and Max in 39th.
"Got a copy on me?" a crew member said over the #55 frequency at 2:05pm ET.
"1, 2. Hello?" Mikey was on next.
"Hey, M Dub, you got a copy?" spotter Ty Norris asked.
"Sorry, I talked over you," crew chief Bootie Barker said. "I hear you."
"Yeah, I got y'all," Mikey replied.
"Cool," said Ty. "Hey, your pit stall is the first pit stall on the Turn 4 side of the start finish line, like two away from where you were yesterday. We'll talk you in."
Mikey acknowledged this.
Bootie said it was so windy that they couldn't use their pit road sign. "I'll make sure I call you, make sure you know where you're at."
Ty said the wind was going from Turn 3 to Turn 2 and in a different direction than it had all weekend.
"All right, pit road speed maximum is 4320, 4320 you're plus five. We should have the tack pretty straight up, so I'm thinking 4350."
"It's very staticky, for some reason," Mikey commented.
"Yeah, he was a little staticky to me as well. Bootie, you might want to check your connection and your antennae," Ty told the crew chief.
"Yeah, you sound fine," Mikey said to Ty.
"Aw, we were talking over each other," Bootie said. "4320 is what we're going to use. 4350 is speeding."
"Okay."
Bootie asked about Mikey's tachometre.
"It's about what you said." Mikey said he'd keep it at 42.
"Perfect."
"42, 42, 42."
"Copy."
"Ty, I can see that red truck back there barely, so I'll probably need four or five car lengths after that."
Ty said he'd get Mikey to the DeWalt pits and would drop him off after that.
"10-4."
Bootie said they wouldn't run any fans at first but they'd let him know what was needed.
"All right, Michael, we'll be listening to you. I'll give you lap times when you get stretched out. You and Ty have fun."
"Okay, Bootie. Thank y'all for all the hard work. Great job with the teams, setting up three cars. Four cars, five cars, however you want to look at it. But great job."
"10-4."
"Hey, Ty, I had a talk with Max this morning." Mikey said he'd told Max, "So don't be chopping nobody off, or you'll crash yourself. So if you see him do it, you might want to remind his spotter to tell him that."
"Okay. That's going to help a lot of people. Okay, one to go, one to go. We're going to take a Martinsville approach. We'll keep after it, keep digging, and keep moving forward." Ty told Bootie to keep an eye on all the trash blowing around.
"10-4."
David led the field to the green flag at 2:18pm.
"All right, bud, pace car's off. Rolling. Green green green. Everybody's rolling. Still there inside. Still down there, still there. Still clear the high side. You see the one backing up. Inside. All the way inside. 21. Still outside, still on the bottom. Clear there, clear clear. Clear two back."
Jeff Gordon led the first lap, side by side with David. He got out in front of him more for lap 3. Mikey was 33rd, and Max was last.
"Still there outside, still there. Still there, still there. Two by two. Both of you guys have one in your mirror there. Got one outside. Still there. Going to be three-wide. Two-wide, back to two-wide, outside. Clear up if you need it. Outside now, outside. Clear there. Got a slow one all the way up top, the 7. Clear if you need it."
Robby Gordon had slowed on lap 5 as Kurt Busch had gotten into him. Meanwhile, Mikey was back to 34th.
"Outside now, outside. 23's still there. Clear clear. Still clear. Clear half back. Still there on your quarter, on your quarter. Inside, inside. Still there. Still there. Clear, clear. Still clear, bud."
Mikey was racing John Andretti for 33rd before he fell back to 35th.
"Inside now, inside. Clear low. To your corner, outside. Clear there, one back."
David took the lead in Turn 3 and led his first lap of the race on lap 9. Mikey was 36th, and Max was last.
"Inside, got a run inside. All clear there, one back."
"I'm real loose in, tight off," Mikey reported.
"10-4," Bootie replied.
"Felt good for a few laps, but it's going away on me."
"All right, 49.
"34.
"42.
"42.
"58."
"Still outside, outside to your corner. Clear there. Clear two back," Ty noted. "43's got a run. All clear, half back. All the way inside, all by himself."
"Flat.
"41."
By lap 18, Max was up to 42nd.
"Still there on your corner."
"You can't tell me a flat and then a 41 and expect me to know what you're talking about," Mikey complained. "You gotta tell me 1-flat, 2-flat, 240, something."
Bootie clarified.
Ty told Bootie Mikey was trying different grooves. "He's searching around. Still there. Still on your corner. Clear up, clear clear."
"Okay, you were a 31.50. Doing fine. This one was a 31.59."
"There you go, buddy, clear clear. Clear clear."
Mikey was 35th on lap 23, having passed Caser Mears' #07. Meanwhile, David led over two seconds ahead of Matt Kenseth.
"31.88."
Mikey was 34th on lap 25, having passed David Ragan.
"31.64."
"He ran the bottom in 3 and 4."
"31.66.
"79."
"Still down there. Still there. Still there, still there. There you go. You're all clear, clear."
"31.84."
"Still on your quarter. Clear, clear."
Mikey was up to 33rd by lap 30. Meanwhile, Dave Blaney was making multiple stops and was four laps down. Max was lapped in 42nd.
"63.
"Leader ran a 41. You run a 54."
Mikey was 32nd on lap 32.
"48. Good lap.
"65.
"79.
"72."
"You're doing fine. We've got a straightaway on the leader," Ty said.
"69."
By lap 38, Max was 41st. He'd passed Mike Bliss.
"Clear, all clear."
"Last lap was a 53. Very good. This one is a 77.
"58.
"71.
"75."
"Still there. Clear, clear.
"There you go, all clear, clear. Still out there. Still there. All clear, all clear. Still one back. Have a fun, still half back. Outside, outside, outside. Outside. Clear, clear."
Mikey was 31st on lap 43.
"Nice job, Michael. All right, we've got a 31.85," Bootie said. "70."
Mikey was 30th on lap 44. He had passed Martin Truex Jr and Kevin Harvick.
"58. Great lap."
Matt Kenseth took the lad going into lap 48. David was now 2nd. Mikey was 30th, and Max was 41st.
"76."
"Slow one on the bottom, coming off pit road - the 66," Ty warned in regard to Blaney. "Still there. Clear clear."
"Okay, guys, get ready. We will pit in the next ten laps," Bootie told the #55 team. "That was a 68. Good job.
"74."
Juan Pablo Montoya started green flag stops on lap 51. A few others, including Kenseth, made stops. David was back in the lead, but he pit on lap 52. Tony Stewart was in the lead.
"This time, 4200. This time, 4200," Bootie told his driver.
"All right, bud, hustle it around here. It's going to be 4200 at the line, 4200," Ty added. "At the line right there, at the line right there. You'll be ten away at the opening."
"Watch it there. 5, 4, 3, 2. Right here. 1," Bootie said. "One lane one lane one lane. 38 coming outside. One lane."
"4200, 4200," Ty said.
Kyle Busch led with Stewart's stop and pit on lap 55.
"Got the 7 going to be coming off this corner. Clear up there. 71's right there on you on pit road, half back. Looking outside. 71's outside, he's there. Okay, back to clear, clear."
Stops had cycled by lap 55. Kenseth was back in the lead. David was 2nd. Mikey was 29th, and Max was 41st.
"All right, bud, about fifteen car lengths back is the 17," Ty warned his driver.
"30.72," Bootie noted.
"Good job, bud. Clear four back.
"70.
"65.
"83."
"Great job against the leader, man," Ty praised. "Keep it rolling."
"83.
"74. Good lap!
"92.
"30.95.
"31.16.
"31.29.
"31.31.
"Great job, man. Keep digging. You've got a 31.34."
"There you go, bud. Still there. Clear. All clear."
"Nice job. 31.39. Good lap."
"The 9's back there, back to clear."
"56."
Mikey was 28th on lap 68.
"42."
"13's slow up the top side," Ty warned. "Still there. Clear."
"57."
By lap 70, Stewart had passed David. The #00 was now 3rd.
"Leader is back there fighing with the 39. Good job. You've got a 44."
"Still outside. Still outside, coming back outside. Right on your quarter. Still there. Still outside. There you go, all clear, all clear. Great. Way to work it."
"Got a 61."
By lap 74, Mikey was 27th. He had passed Robby Gordon.
"40. Leader was a 35, so you're right there, man. Good job. 50. Leader a 60. Great job!
"40.
"55.
"36. Great lap.
"The leader got by the 7, but you just keep driving your race. You got a 62."
Greg Biffle passed David by lap 81. The #00 was now 4th.
"51.
"68.
"78."
"Still there, still there. Still outside. Clear the 20, clear. Looking inside, 17. The 20's going to be down there with him. There you go, you're all clear two back, three back."
Mikey was 26th on lap 84, having passed Joey Logano.
"Still there on your corner, still there. There you go. Still there. You're clear there. One back to the 14. He'll be inside, 14 all the way to the bottom. Clear there, clear. Whatever you need."
On lap 86, Mikey got lapped.
"Still there on your corner. Still there still there still there still there. Inside, inside. Both sides. Clear up. Inside, 17. Still there, still there. Clear, clear. Inside."
By lap 90, Stewart was in the lead. Mikey was 25th.
"Still down there, still there, still there."
"Good job, man," Bootie praised.
"Way to work, buddy. Clear four back."
"31.89.
"32 flat.
"You're doing good, bud. Still pulling away from the back. Still lucky dog. 31.67.
"31.76."
"All right, I think that 44's got the lucky dog now." Ty listed a couple cars that were already a lap down. "Inside, the 8. Outside, still there. Clear, clear."
"10-4, Ty. The 44 is next, right in front of the 17," Bootie said. "Michael, you're doing fine."
The first caution was on lap 97 for debris. AJ Allmendinger in the #44 got the free pass.
"Caution's out, caution's out. Got debris on the back straightaway."
Bootie said they'd get Mikey a good stop and track position and asked what he needed.
"Those adjustments were good. It tightened me up a little bit." Mikey said.
Bootie talked about adjustments he wanted.
"I can't hear a word he's saying, man."
Ty told Mikey when they'd stop.
"I hear you like you're in here with me, and I can't hear him at all."
Ty said he heard Bootie pretty clear.
Bootie told Mikey he'd heard him for everything.
"Don't even talk to me, Bootie, if it don't get any better than that. I can't hear nothing."
"Bootie, put your mic a little closer," Bobby Kennedy said.
"It is on my mouth, almost in it," Bootie complained.
Mikey said it's the best he sounded all day. "So congratulations."
"Thank you."
"I mean, I don't understand why it took us all day to do that. I hear you all now."
Bootie told him he'd switched from the "new fangled antennae" to the old one.
"Now you sound like you're in here with me too, so that's great that we got it right, finally," Mikey said. "Pit stop of the year, boys. We need a pit stop here."
Ty reminded Mikey to drive 4200, and Bootie counted him into the box.
Mikey apologised to his team. "Some reason, I lost the sign. I couldn't pick it back up."
"It's all right," Bootie said. "We'll get the lap back."
"Yeah, 10-4."
Bootie encouraged Mikey to drive until the car came to him.
"Okay, one to go this time. One to go. All right, bud, just follow those guys. Come on up."
Kenseth led the restart on lap 103 with David 4th, Mikey lapped in 36th, and Max three laps down in 41st.
"Outside. He's still outside. Still outside, the 88. Clear up behind him if you want it, if you want it. Clear one back. Still clear. He's going to have a run. You're clear, you're still clear. Inside. Inside, the 11. Inside, inside. Still inside, inside. Still clear up, you're all clear, all clear." Ty warned Mikey about a struggling car. "Inside, just looking. Inside, the 18. Inside to your door. Still there, still there. Three-wide. Still down there. Clear the 8. Got the 34 all the way to the bottom. Clear all clear, one back."
"30.79."
Mikey was up to 34th on lap 107.
"That 29's really struggling, really slow on the bottom," Ty warned. "Still down there. Still there, still there. Clear, all clear. The 29."
Kyle Busch slowed with a flat left rear on lap 110. He had run into the #34 of John Andretti. Meanwhile, Mikey was up to 33rd.
"Still there, still out there. Clear up, clear clear."
"30.81."
Mikey was 31st on lap 112.
"Still clear one back to the 11."
Kyle Busch reported a bad tire rub and wanted to pit again.
"Got a run. Inside, inside. 5's trying to sneak down there with him. To your door. Clear."
"31.56."
"Clear, all clear. ___ going to have a run. He's half back. Looking low, inside, he's there. Clear there, four back."
"31.42.
"27."
"12's half back," Ty warned. "Inside, looking inside. Clear there, two back. Inside, the 77. Inside. Still outside. Still all the way up there. Still outside. Clear there two back. Still outside on your corner, still there. Clear up behind the 12 if you need it. Inside, inside."
On lap 117, Greg Biffle took the lead.
"31.88.
"31.75.
"31.66."
"Still down there. Clear, clear."
"70.
"73.
"79.
"85."
"Looking low, the 44 just looking. All clear."
Jeff Gordon passed David on lap 130, moving the #00 back to 5th.
"Still there. Clear."
"74."
"Still there. Clear the 9." Ty warned Mikey that the #20 was backing up. "Clear the 12. There you go, buddy. Got your groove right there. 20 still out there. Still there still there still there. One sneaking ontside. Clear, back to clear. Clear the 20, clear. Still clear one back. 71's still down there. Still there, still there. Still there on your quarter. Still there, still there. Clear clear."
"Good job, man," Bootie praised.
Mikey was 30th on lap 134.
"60. Good lap.
"72."
Mikey was 29th on lap 137.
"77."
"Still outside. Still there."
"08."
"Still out there. Still there. Still there. Still there on your quarter. Clear him now, clear clear."
"Nice job. Last lap was a 31.77. That was was a 72."
"Still outside. 19's still there.
"76."
"Clear, clear. Still clear one back.
"Good job, Michael. The 1 is for the next position. We're going to pit in about twelve laps.
"83.
"65."
"Leader now."
"Leader ran a 64, you ran a 65. You're doing good. You're hauling ass. You ran a 67.
"73.
"71.
"73.
"32.31."
"Still there. Clear the 9." Ty warned Mikey that the #20 was backing up. "Clear the 12. There you go, buddy. Got your groove right there. 20 still out there. Still there still there still there. One sneaking ontside. Clear, back to clear. Clear the 20, clear. Still clear one back. 71's still down there. Still there, still there. Still there on your quarter. Still there, still there. Clear clear."
"Good job, man," Bootie praised.
Mikey was 30th on lap 134.
"60. Good lap.
"72."
Mikey was 29th on lap 137.
"77."
"Still outside. Still there."
"08."
"Still out there. Still there. Still there. Still there on your quarter. Clear him now, clear clear."
"Nice job. Last lap was a 31.77. That was was a 72."
"Still outside. 19's still there.
"31.81.
"All right, Michael, pit this time, pit this time."
Mikey pit on lap 153, and Biffle pit too.
"200 at the cone, at the cone."
"I've got you, I've got you. 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2. Right here, right here. Good job." Bootie guided the #55 to the box. "All the way, all the way. Outside. Good job. All you."
"4200 to the cone now, buddy. 4200. All you can get right there."
All the leaders were pitting now.
"Clear ten back now. They're going to have a run on you. Eight back. Two back, 21. Still there, still there. Clear clear, clear. Great job, man! Great job getting on pit road!"
Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch received pass-through penalties for speeding. Kurt Busch led as stops cycled before he pit.
"Clear, clear."
Mark Martin led when Busch pit, and then he stopped.
Elliott Sadler spun in the grass, drawing the second caution on lap 157.
"Caution's out, caution's out. Spin on the front stretch," Ty said. He wasn't sure if the #5 would lead.
"10-4. We're going to stay out either way, Michael."
"10-4."
"Yeah, I'm not sure, because everyone pitted but him, so I don't know."
"Generally, it's a good sign if you drive a ways before you find the leader," Mikey said.
Bootie said they were still showing one lap down. "I think we're good."
Greg Biffle was marked in the lead.
"Okay, it's going to be open this time. Bootie, we're staying out, right?" Ty asked.
Bootie was considering pitting if the other people one lap down stayed out.
Mikey wanted to stay out anyway.
Bootie said there were only about seven people on the same lap as them, and he wanted to pit if they stayed out.
"Whatever. Y'all do what you want."
Bootie told Ty to see if one lap down cars pit.
Ty asked what they were.
"33, 9, 44, 7, 25, 07, 39."
"10-4."
"33 and 9 staying out. 43 is coming."
"Come on, come on," Bootie said.
"18, 29, a bunch of them are coming."
"4200."
"I love my car right now. I just think I need to stay out."
Bootie said he had three laps on his tires. "I'm not opposed to that at all. If you want to make that kind of call, I'm all for it." He told Mikey he'd be good. The #55 stayed on track.
David was hit with a one lap penalty for pitting outside of his box.
"All right, coming back around to the green," Ty said. "00 had a one lap penalty for pitting outside the box, so he's a few cars behind you, one lap down."
Biffle led the lap 162 restart as Jamie McMurray was in the garage with transmission issues. Mikey was 25th, David was 28th, and Max was four laps down in 40th.
"Ready? Green green green. Everybody's rolling. Still outside, the 88. Still outside. Still outside. Three-wide, three-wide. Still three-wide, the 11. Inside. Two-wide, one of them all the way to the top. Inside. 77 still up top, 77 still there. Got one inside, inside the 11. Outside, bothsides. Clear low. Clear high. All clear, all clear."
Bobby Labonte got into the back of Mikey on the restart and got rear-ended by Martin Truex Jr. Labonte had a flapping rear end.
"Still all clear, all clear. 48's right there, half back. Looking low, inside. He's there, inside. The 18 trying to come with him, inside. 77's inside by two. Still down there. 77's inside."
By lap 164, David was 29th.
"Still on your quarter, still there. All the way inside, inside. Inside, 96. The 00 with him, inside. Got one up top. Clear high, you've got 'em inside. Inside, inside. You're all clear there, two to the 83 up top."
"I'm really loose for some reason," Mikey reported.
"83's got a run inside, inside. Clear there, three back."
David was 26th and Mikey 28th by lap 168.
"The 43. Looking low, he's inside. Clear all clear, one back. Still there on your corner. You're clear."
"Still there. Clear the 9." Ty warned Mikey that the #20 was backing up. "Clear the 12. There you go, buddy. Got your groove right there. 20 still out there. Still there still there still there. One sneaking ontside. Clear, back to clear. Clear the 20, clear. Still clear one back. 71's still down there. Still there, still there. Still there on your quarter. Still there, still there. Clear clear."
"Good job, man," Bootie praised.
Mikey was 30th on lap 134.
"60. Good lap.
"72."
Mikey was 29th on lap 137.
"77."
"Still outside. Still there."
"08."
"Still out there. Still there. Still there. Still there on your quarter. Clear him now, clear clear."
"Nice job. Last lap was a 31.77. That was was a 72."
"Still outside. 19's still there.
"31.81.
"All right, Michael, pit this time, pit this time."
Mikey pit on lap 153, and Biffle pit too.
"200 at the cone, at the cone."
"I've got you, I've got you. 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2. Right here, right here. Good job." Bootie guided the #55 to the box. "All the way, all the way. Outside. Good job. All you."
"4200 to the cone now, buddy. 4200. All you can get right there."
All the leaders were pitting now.
"Clear ten back now. They're going to have a run on you. Eight back. Two back, 21. Still there, still there. Clear clear, clear. Great job, man! Great job getting on pit road!"
Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch received pass-through penalties for speeding. Kurt Busch led as stops cycled before he pit.
"Clear, clear."
Mark Martin led when Busch pit, and then he stopped.
Elliott Sadler spun in the grass, drawing the second caution on lap 157.
"Caution's out, caution's out. Spin on the front stretch," Ty said. He wasn't sure if the #5 would lead.
"10-4. We're going to stay out either way, Michael."
"10-4."
"Yeah, I'm not sure, because everyone pitted but him, so I don't know."
"Generally, it's a good sign if you drive a ways before you find the leader," Mikey said.
Bootie said they were still showing one lap down. "I think we're good."
Greg Biffle was marked in the lead.
"Okay, it's going to be open this time. Bootie, we're staying out, right?" Ty asked.
Bootie was considering pitting if the other people one lap down stayed out.
Mikey wanted to stay out anyway.
Bootie said there were only about seven people on the same lap as them, and he wanted to pit if they stayed out.
"Whatever. Y'all do what you want."
Bootie told Ty to see if one lap down cars pit.
Ty asked what they were.
"33, 9, 44, 7, 25, 07, 39."
"10-4."
"33 and 9 staying out. 43 is coming."
"Come on, come on," Bootie said.
"18, 29, a bunch of them are coming."
"4200."
"I love my car right now. I just think I need to stay out."
Bootie said he had three laps on his tires. "I'm not opposed to that at all. If you want to make that kind of call, I'm all for it." He told Mikey he'd be good. The #55 stayed on track.
David was hit with a one lap penalty for pitting outside of his box.
"All right, coming back around to the green," Ty said. "00 had a one lap penalty for pitting outside the box, so he's a few cars behind you, one lap down."
Biffle led the lap 162 restart as Jamie McMurray was in the garage with transmission issues. Mikey was 25th, David was 28th, and Max was four laps down in 40th.
"Ready? Green green green. Everybody's rolling. Still outside, the 88. Still outside. Still outside. Three-wide, three-wide. Still three-wide, the 11. Inside. Two-wide, one of them all the way to the top. Inside. 77 still up top, 77 still there. Got one inside, inside the 11. Outside, bothsides. Clear low. Clear high. All clear, all clear."
Bobby Labonte got into the back of Mikey on the restart and got rear-ended by Martin Truex Jr. Labonte had a flapping rear end.
"Still all clear, all clear. 48's right there, half back. Looking low, inside. He's there, inside. The 18 trying to come with him, inside. 77's inside by two. Still down there. 77's inside."
By lap 164, David was 29th.
"Still on your quarter, still there. All the way inside, inside. Inside, 96. The 00 with him, inside. Got one up top. Clear high, you've got 'em inside. Inside, inside. You're all clear there, two to the 83 up top."
"I'm really loose for some reason," Mikey reported.
"83's got a run inside, inside. Clear there, three back."
David was 26th and Mikey 28th by lap 168.
"The 43. Looking low, he's inside. Clear all clear, one back.
"31.19.
"32.
"43."
On lap 175, Mikey was 27th, and David was 25th.
"45.
"55.
"55."
"All clear, all clear."
"51.
"64.
"75.
"80."
By lap 183, David was up to 24th.
"74.
"67."
"Clear. Coming back outside, back outside. Clear, clear."
"89.
"78."
"It's gotten tight," Mikey reported.
"10-4. Turn your B blowers on if you can, your B blowers. Front."
"Still there. All clear, all clear."
"Good job. Last lap was a 64. 75.
"76.
"80.
"84.
"82."
"Slow one on the bottom. 47 blowing up," Ty warned.
"Got a bad push," Mikey said.
"10-4," Bootie replied. "Paul, come see me."
David was 23rd on lap 194.
"09, 32.09.
"31.81."
Reed Sorenson went to the garage; he had fuel pressure problems. Ty may have said or meant the #43, rather than the #47 as the #47 remained 17th.
"Still there. Still inside. Still on your quarter. Clear."
On lap 198, David was 22nd. Max was five laps down and up to 39th because of Sorenson's departure.
"31.97."
"Still outside. Still there. Clear, all clear."
"86."
Lap 200 saw David in 20th.
"Okay, we will pit in the next ten laps, guys," Bootie told the crew. "95.
"86."
David was 21st on lap 203.
"95."
Martin Truex Jr was on pit road with 130 laps to go for a scheduled stop. Kenseth came in the next time around the track.
"80."
"Leader now."
"Okay, Michael, next time. 4200 and second gear," Bootie told his driver.
"All right, come in this time. 4200, 4200."
Mikey pit with 128 laps to go.
"4200 at the cone," said Ty.
"8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1," Bootie counted Mikey into his box. "All the way all the way all the way all the way. 4200."
"4200 to the cone. 4200."
"All right, all you can get here. All you can get."
"24 coming outside. When you get around there, you're going to be clear up."
Biffle pit with 125 laps to go. Stewart picked up the lead.
"Still outside on your quarter. Still there. Clear, clear."
"31.1."
Stewart pit with 122 laps to go. Jeff Gordon led, then pit.
"Still there. Clear up, clear up."
The #44 stalled in the middle of pit road and was pushed back.
"98, 30.98."
"Clear, all clear. Stay up, stay up. There you go."
Mark Martin led when Gordon pit.
"17."
Martin pit, and Marcos Ambrose needed to be push-started. Jimmie Johnson was now in the lead.
"All right, two back to the 39. Doing fine. Leader's at the line now."
Johnson pit with 119 laps to go. Paul Menard's #98 led.
Ty warned Mikey of a car inside. "Clear behind him."
Menard had just passed Mikey when he pit with 118 laps to go. The lead when back to Biffle.
"Looks like he's going onto pit road. He's there. Clear. One back to the 11, one back to the 11."
"31.38."
"Inside. Clear behind him."
Ignition boxes were changed in Allmendinger's #44.
"Turn your B blowers off if you're a little free. 31.49," Bootie instructed.
"Pushing," Mikey said. "I'm not free, I'm pushing."
"10-4."
Ambrose lost an engine, drawing the third caution on lap 221.
"Someone smoking off Turn 4. No caution yet. Caution's out, caution's out."
"Hell, yeah. Great job, Michael! Great job. Yeah, that was a great job. That kept us one lap down." Bootie asked Mikey to talk about the car.
"Well, like I said, it's pushing. It's pushing like I said it's been 30 or 40 laps ago. I bumped the wall, but it was fine after that, but then it was pushing, so I don't know if I hurt my fender, but I'm just too tight on exit."
Bootie called for a half out of each front. He kept calling for Chris. He noted that Mikey's left side quarter panel was knocked in a little. He called for an air pressure adjustment and to drop the trackbar by a half. He then praised his driver.
"We outrun some cars, I guess."
"Yeah, next time, not now."
"Michael, you're going to have an opening behind you. The 26 is out."
"That might have been a bad idea to stay out on those three lappers, Bootie."
"Yeah."
"Every now and then, you make the wrong call."
"Yeah, I guess. I'm sorry."
"All right. Just stay focused. You'll be fine."
"I appreciate it. 4200, second gear.
Bootie counted Mikey to his box. "88 is coming back around you. He'll be in and out. One lane, straight straight. 42. All the way up."
"Ty, you hear me?" Bootie asked.
"Yeah, sure do, man."
Bootie told Ty the order of the lap down cars - 98, 9, 00, 07, 33, 39, 7, 55. He changed the order but with the same cars later. "It's a great job, Michael. We were the last car one lap down, so that's good."
"It would be better if we were the first car one lap down."
"True. That's a true statement."
"I seem to have gotten us into this bind, so I'll try to get us out of it."
"All right, one to go when you get here. One to go," Ty noted.
Dale Earnhardt Jr drove by his pit box when going for a lug nut and had to come back around.
"Coming to the green."
Gordon led the restart with 109 laps to go. Mikey was 24th and lapped, David was 18th and lapped, and Max was six laps down in 37th.
"Okay, no lead lappers on the outside. You ready? Green green green. Three back, clear three back. Keep rolling, everybody's rolling. All clear, all clear. Clear the 19, clear. Clear four back. Still outside, still there. Clear up there if you need it. Coming back, inside inside inside. Still there, stillt here. Inside, still there. Clear. Clear half back to the 96. 96 going to have a run on the bottom, inside. Back to clear, clear. One back."
The fourth caution was with 103 laps to go when Sam Hornish Jr wrecked. Labonte hit the wall in the smoke, got heavy damage, and went to the garage.
"Spin in front of you. Middle. Stay up top. Keep digging. Nice job," Ty said.
"Those changes were too hard to drive. Totally, totally got it messed up. Really loose," Mikey said.
"Okay. I'll wait til you get around here. We're going to stop and get four. Put those changes back. Okay, 10-4, Michael. Ty, I know some of the lap down cars are going to stay out anyway, so we're going to come. 4200."
"All right, lead lap cars only. They have not come yet. Next time by."
"Maybe leave the air out of the left front. Maybe see what that does, but I'm just guessing," Mikey suggested.
"Okay. We're going to do a little inner," Bootie replied. "4200 when you get back around.
"Michael, your temperatures okay?"
"Yup, twelve o'clock."
"10-4."
"Here we come. 4200, 4200," Ty said.
"Gotcha. 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1." Bootie counted Mikey to the #55 pit box. "One lane one lane. 7 coming outside, 7 coming outside. All the way up."
"One to go when you get around here, one to go.
"All right, here we go."
"Robby Gordon should be black flagged," Mikey said.
"Yeah, they're telling him to get behind the 25, but they're going to black flag him. Be ready now. be ready now, watch it. They're going to be rolling now. Ready? Green green green. One coming outside the 11."
With 98 laps to go, Gordon led the restart. Mikey was 23rd and lapped, David was 18th and lapped, and Max was six laps down in 37th.
"7 trying to get a run on the inside, inside. 11 down there with him. Inside. Another one inside. It's going to be three-wide, the 88. Inside. Clear now. Half back to the 88. 88's outside on your quarter, outside on your quarter. 83's there with him, outside. Still outside, outside."
By lap 240, Mikey was 24th.
"Still outside, the 83. Still outside on your quarter. Clear up behind him, two back. Still there. Clear, clear."
"Just gone back to being real loose in," Mikey reported.
"10-4. Paul, come see me," Bootie read off the last lap time. "31.07.
"30.94."
"Half back to that 34."
"31.12.
Bootie said something about the front brake if Mikey "got a breather." "31.37."
"Half back to the 34. Half back."
"31.47."
"One back to the 77. Got a run. Inside, inside. Looking inside, inside. Clear four back."
"Now it's like it was at the start, loose in but pushing off is the main problem," Mikey said.
"10-4," Bootie replied.
"Stay low, stay low."
"We messed this car all up. We messed it up with whatever we done to it. It's now just backing into the turn, and it's totally plowing off," Mikey complained.
"10-4," Bootie replied. "Yeah, Paul, stick to what we talked about. 10-4, Michael, we'll get it back."
The fourth caution was on lap 252. Robby Gordon had lost his engine. David got the free pass.
"Okay, second time around," said Ty.
Meanwhile, on pit road, Kenseth had a long stop as he had a loose lugnut. Earnhardt Jr picked up eleven spots.
"Chris, make sure you clean the grill," Bootie directed.
"Like on the green flag pit stops, it didn't feel this way. The last couple adjustments messed up with me. The push is the problem," Mikey explained.
"Gotcha. 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1." Bootie counted Mikey into his box. "All the way all the way all the way. 4200. Still all the way."
"4200 bud, 4200," Ty added.
"Make sure your B blowers are off, Michael." A little later, Bootie added, "Ty, we're racing the 9, the 07, the 39, and the 33."
"Yeah, 10-4," Ty replied.
"80 to go, Michael. 80."
"All right, man, one to go when you get here. One to go.
"All right, man, one to go, one to go.
"All right, man. Seventy-something laps to go. 77 laps to go. Pace car's off. Be ready. Green green green. Still outside outside. Still outside outside."
Earnhardt Jr led the restart with 76 laps to go. Mikey was 23rd and lapped, David 18th, and Max 35th and six laps down.
"Outside. 42's up there with him. Still on your quarter. Still there, still there. Clear clear. Half back to the 16 on the bottom. Inside, inside. Inside and out, inside and out. Clear on the bottom behind the 16. 42's still there. Inside, the 12. Inside, inside. Coming inside, the yellow car. Clear there. Looking low. Inside, he's there. 78. Still there on your corner. Still there. 17's down there with him, and then it will be clear. Clear three back. Half back to the 11. Inside, inside. Clear there, one back."
"Feels like you blew up the right front, man!" Mikey commented.
"38.93."
"Totally chattering my tires. You've got me in a bind here."
"Inside, 00. Clear two back behind him."
"Y'all gonna answer me like you can hear me?"
"I said 10-4, man. I'm not going to talk to you when you're in traffic," Bootie replied. "10-4."
"Half back to the 98. Looking low, looking low. Inside. Clear there one back."
David was 16th by lap 268. Max had dropped to 36th while Mikey continued in 23rd. Meanwhile, Jeff Gordon had gotten back in the lead.
"It's just a wreck," Mikey said.
"10-4," Bootie replied.
"Got a run inside, inside."
Mikey said something that was hard to understand.
Ty noted a car had a big run. "Still outside on your quarter. Still there. Still there. Run inside, 26."
"10-4, Michael, 10-4. Just hang in there. I know you're doing all you can."
"There's no hanging. There's no hanging in this," Mikey responded. "It's just, I'm going to crash. I've never felt anything as bad as this."
"10-4."
By lap 275, David was 15th.
"31.93."
Ty noted an issue he could see on the car and told Bootie to lower the air there.
"10-4."
"Before I could feel my front tires. They felt good. Now they don't," Mikey said.
"10-4."
"They've just gone totally out of the game."
"No caution, keep coming," Ty said.
"31.82.
"31.89.
"31.84.
"31.98.
"31.91.
"32 flat.
"32 flat."
"50 to go."
"32.18.
"32.11."
"Car in the wall in Turn 2. Still no caution yet. Keep rolling. Riding the whole back stretch. No caution yet. One back to the 1. Car made it to pit road."
The car that had been in the wall was Earnhardt Jr's #88.
"32.06."
By lap 290, David was up to 14th.
"32.03."
David Ragan went to pit road and was overheating. David picked up 13th, and Mikey picked up 22nd.
Bootie said they'd pit in a few laps. Meanwhile, Carl Edwards gained significantly on Gordon and dropped inside for the lead.
"Just be aware, that 6 car coming off pit road, he's gushing water. We don't want to be on pit road if he blows up," Ty said.
"10-4," Bootie replied.
"Keep rolling the best you can. Leader's at the line now."
Mikey was 21st on lap 295. With 38 to go, Carl Edwards took the lead.
"The 88's eight back. He's been on pit road recently. Two back. Outside, outside. All by himself."
"Can we get two and gas?" Mikey asked.
"No, we've got 38 to go. 38," Bootie replied.
Mikey was 22nd on lap 298.
"10-4, Michael. Could be an option. We're looking at it now. All right, it will be one can, one can. 10-4. Michael, we're going to go as long as we can and get two and fuel, most likely.
"31.87. Good lap."
On lap 300, David picked up 12th after Sam Hornish Jr got into the wall.
"Outside, outside. Got one closing, closing outside. Got one closing. 14 inside. Inside."
Mikey was 23rd on lap 302.
"24's right there with you, outside. Coming outside."
David Stremme spun, drawing the sixth caution with 21 to go.
"Car half back. Outside."
Bootie called for a pit stop just as Stremme spun.
"Okay," Bootie said.
"I just drove twenty laps of my frickin' life right there. We just got it all messed up," Mikey said. "It's just sad, sad sad."
"10-4. Front tires just no front grip at all?"
"Yes, that would be correct. Yes, that's right. Before, they were the star of the game."
"10-4."
"So we just ruined it, totally." He said it felt like ten pounds of air. "I had a good, flat feeling in the front. A great feeling. Now it's really really really bad."
Bootie called for four and for the adjustment they'd talked about.
"If your tires won't turn, then you're just fucked, would describe me the whole time. I would slide through there, slide through the middle."
Bootie asked Ty if they had sufficient quarter panel damage.
"It's separated. It's maybe a third of the way up the bumper. I would say it's significant. It's not like it's hanging out there like a wall, catching it. It's not gaped open. There's obviously some damage in there. There's a gap, maybe four or five inches."
Bootie called for barribond on that quarter after they made the other adjustments. He counted his driver into the box. "Stay right here, Michael. Stay here. Go on and get it, guys. Go on! Go and get that quarter panel. You're fine, man. I'm looking. It's good. Okay. Y'all good, boys. Okay, go ahead, Michael. 4200, 4200."
Ty told Mikey that he'd have one to go when he came back around.
"Fellahs, come here. Okay, we're racing the 25, the 1, and the 34, Ty."
"All right, bud. Coming around to the green. 26 laps to go. Cars off. Be ready. Rolling. Green green green."
Gordon led the restart with 26 laps to go. Mikey was 26th and two laps down. David was 10th, and Max was 35th and seven laps down.
"Three wide going into the corner. Be ready. Outside, outside. 25's coming outside. Will be clear there, clear there. Still there on your quarter, still there. Still there inside. Still there, still there."
Mikey was 24th by lap 310.
"Back inside at your quarter. Clear, whatever you need. One back. Clear up the middle. That 19's a mess. Clear there. Clear, clear clear. Clear."
Mikey was 25th one lap later.
"30.96.
"30.86."
"Inside, the 78. One back to the 21. 18 to go, 18."
"31.07."
On lap 317, David fell to 11th. Meanwhile, Kasey Kahne drifted up and almost hit the wall.
"Inside. It will be clear, clear."
"31.53."
"Still clear one back. Still out there on your quarter. Clear up, clear up. Looking inside. Looking low. He's there inside. All clear, man. All clear. Clear clear. 13 to go. 13. Still down there. Clear."
"14. The 1 car is next for position, just in front of the 77. 10."
"Clear all clear."
"10-4, Michael. Both of those cars are for position. You're doing good. Ten to go.
"27."
"Still there. Still on your quarter, still on your quarter. Still there. Still at your door. Still there, still there. Still on your quarter, still on your quarter. 7 to go. 7. There you go. Still there. Clear."
"You've totally screwed this car up that bad," Mikey said.
"Still there. 4 to go. Still there. Clear."
Mikey was 24th on lap 331; he'd passed Martin Truex Jr. Gordon was leading.
"10-4. 25 is next, so just take your time. 3 to go," Bootie replied.
"Two more, two more. White flag, white flag. Clear, clear. All right, that's it right there. That's it."
"Way to battle. Michael, good job. That's 24th," Bootie praised.
"We just gotta get better than 24th," Mikey replied. "I've got so much in my mind right now that I'm going to be quiet. We just waited a good day."
Bootie said they could sit down and look at the adjustments made during the race.
"Well, I'll just be glad for you to look at the lap times and see what you did. I just got lapped in fifty laps," Mikey said.
"I'm with you, man. I'm with you. I gotcha."
"Well, it's just a shame. A shame. It's a shame. I'll sign off. Thank you all."
"10-4."
Jeff Gordon went on to win for his first time in Texas. Mikey finished two laps down in 24th. David was 11th and Max 35th and eight laps down.
NASCAR is off next weekend for Easter. Coverage of the Sprint Cup's Subway Fresh Fit 500 will take place Saturday April 18th at 8:00pm ET on FOX. The Nationwide series' Bashas' Supermarkets 200 will air the day before at 9:00pm on ESPN2.
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© 2009 Kellyanne Lynch, in association with Cyber Speed Design. All rights reserved.
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