Subway Fresh Fit 500 - 4/18/09
Michael Waltrip finished 37th and five laps down in the Subway Fresh Fit 500, tonight's Sprint Cup race at Phoenix International Raceway. His #55 Napa Auto Parts Camry got loose toward the middle of the race and sustained damage when getting into Robby Gordon's #7. His driver David Reutimann came home 8th in the #00 Aaron's Dream Machine.
Mikey qualified 32nd for today's race while David rolled off 8th.
"Ty, you hear me yet?" crew chief Bootie Barker came on the #55 radio at 8:34pm ET.
"Got a copy?" someone else asked two minutes later.
"How 'bout you, Ty? You got me, Ty?" Bootie asked again. "Michael, you on yet?"
"I got you, dude," Mikey replied.
"All right. I just want to make sure. I'm at the other end. I just wanted to make sure you could hear me okay."
"You sound perfect, bud."
Bootie told Mikey to keep the brake fans off until he told him to turn them on, then he'd tell him to shut them off under yellow.
"Okay, just tell me what to do, and I'll appreciate it."
"Okay. I'll try not to wear you out with crap." They discussed pit road speed.
"5200 is fine, and if I get between 52 and 54 will be safe, I guess. I usually, if I notice myself get out of whack, I adjust it."
Bootie told Mikey he'd remind him that 5400 is speeding each time.
"Awesome. Okay. What else?"
"Mmm, well, if, just let you know, if we get a caution situation early, I'll ask you if your car is close enough for two."
"Yeah, that's good. Mix it up. Do what they don't. I'm up for anything."
"All right."
Ty came on the radio next.
"Yup, all set. I hear you well. I hear Bootie well," Mikey replied.
"Good deal."
Bootie asked about the tape on the wheel.
"Feels good right now. Feels like I have a good grip on it," Mikey responded. "Do you like Bootie, Ty?"
"Traditionally," Ty replied. "Traditionally yes."
"10-4. I do too."
"Pretty smart guy, real calm, exactly what we needed."
"Thank you guys," Bootie responded. "I'll try not to screw it up and change your opinion of me tonight."
"I want a small, nice piece of Bootie tonight. You just do what you do," Mikey said.
"Mmm, deep down inside, I'm a straight barbarian, so we'll see what you think."
Mikey talked about going for a top ten tonight and how much ground they'd made last night.
"You just do what you need to do." Ty said they'd be smart and hopefully wouldn't get run over like yesterday, when Carl Edwards wrecked him in the Nationwide race.
"Well, I almost won here once, and I started 32nd. So that's a good sign. Well, it's not a good sign to be starting 32nd. Where's this guy going?
"Can y'all hear me okay?" Mikey added after a minute.
"10-4."
"Okay, I didn't hear anyone for a while. I thought I hit a button I wasn't supposed to."
Ty and Bootie discussed pit road speed - 5200 with 5400 speeding.
"Hey, Bootie." A lot of engine sound came with Mikey's words. "It appears the 20 has a lot more cambre than the 47. Just looking at them back to back here. Just FYI."
"10-4 on that. That's good feedback," Bootie replied.
"It's really obvious, because they're right here behind each other. When it's another angle, the 20 has more."
"10-4."
Mark Martin led the field to the green flag at 8:45pm ET. Ryan Newman's #39 had needed a push to get off the grid in the first place.
"You're going to be coming around to the green," Ty said. "All right, bud. Be ready. Pace car's off. Green green green. Everybody's rolling, everybody's rolling. Still inside. Still inside, the 29. Still inside on your door. He's got one with him. Behind that 29, whatever you want right there. Clear one back."
Martin led the first lap. David held 8th while Mikey dropped to 33rd.
"Clear low if you need it. Clear. Inside, the 66. Inside, inside. Still there on your corner. Still there. Still on your corner. That 66 still sneaking on the bottom. Inside inside. One more, that 36. Inside. Clear behind him if you need it."
Lap 5 saw Mikey in 37th. David was up to 7th.
"Looking low, the 07. Inside inside. 07 still down there, still inside. Still there. Clear. Clear half back, clear half back. Clear, all clear. Another corner there, bud. Still down there on the inside. Still there. Still there on your corner. Still there. 66 still on your quarter. Still there, still there."
On lap 10, Mikey was 36th. He'd passed Scott Riggs' #36.
"Still there inside, on your corner," Ty warned. "Clear there, half back. 66 is back in there. Back to clear, clear clear."
"Very very loose," Mikey reported.
"10-4," Bootie replied.
"Got the 96 down there with him. Still there, still there. Clear low clear low clear low. Still outside."
David was up to 6th by lap 13.
"Inside, inside. 96."
"Brake fans on when you get a chance," Bootie directed. "29.68."
"Inside inside inside."
"Right front's skating, and bad loose," Mikey added.
"10-4."
"The 96 is there on your door. 66 still there. Still down there, still there. Clear there, clear. Still down there. Still at your door. Still there. Still there, bud. There you go. Clear one back."
On lap 19, Mikey was up to 34th.
"29.50," Bootie read off lap times. "68.
"78."
"Clear four back. No pressure."
On lap 23, David got around Kyle Busch for 5th.
"78.
"75."
"Clear half back. Still outside. Still there. 96 is looking. Inside inside inside. He's on your corner. On your corner, still there. Still down there. Clear clear clear. Leader now."
"89."
"Way a lot of right side air. Really really hard to drive," Mikey said on lap 30.
"10-4," Bootie replied.
"96 right there with you now, right there. Looking inside. Clear clear, one back."
"10-4 on the right side air. We'll see what we can do.
"87."
"He's peaking inside again. He's to your quarter. Clear clear. Back in there, to your door. He's to your door, to your door. Inside, inside. Still down there by himself. Still there. Leader's at the line now. Still there. Clear clear."
"I got him, Ty. Stop driving me crazy. I have him," Mikey told his spotter.
"10-4. But I was just worried about that dogleg. You're two back to the 07. By himself, by himself. Six back."
Lap 41 saw Mikey drop to 36th.
"30 flat," Bootie read off lap times. "90, 29.90.
"96.
"97.
"90.
"30 flat.
"84, 29.84. Good lap.
"90."
"The 36, and then it's five back to the 5."
"10-4. He run an 85, you run an 85. You're doing fine," Bootie assured his driver. "95.
"95."
"One back, half back to the 36. He's looking low, looking low," Ty warned. "Still there, still there."
The first caution was on lap 54 for Sterling Marlin losing a tire and hitting the wall.
"Still outside, still outside. Got a slow one up top, the 73. Caution's out, caution's out."
"I can't tell y'all how bad it is. It feels like there's a hundred frickin' pounds of air in the right side." Mikey said the air felt like it was blown up all around.
Bootie talked about adjustments considered. "Good job there, man. You fought it hard."
"Do you want to lead one, Bootie?"
"Yeah, if we can. I'm watching as well." Bootie told Mikey to stay out.
"What about Nemechek?" Mikey asked.
"He's a lap down, he's a lap down. Stay out. Okay, we'll have to go back around. We won't pit this time. Stay out."
"I think the car's fine, but damn, those airs were just way too high from the start. I didn't feel a good heavy wheel. I felt a skaty wheel."
Bootie reminded Mikey to stay out. "We're going to make some adjustments, get it under you a lot better. Those other cars, 66 and 73, are a lap down. Okay, pit this time. 5300."
"No side grip at all. I turned sideways in Turns 1 and 2. And then it just stood up."
Bootie said he'd help with air pressure and track bar.
Ty warned Mikey to take it easy and not get a speeding penalty.
Bootie counted Mikey in his box and guided him out. "5300, 5300. Dwayne."
Ty told his driver it wasn't one to go yet. "All right, we've got our lap, we've got our adjustments. You're on one to go. Coming back around to the green."
Martin led the restart on lap 60. Mikey was 33rd, and David was 6th.
"All right, outside only when you get rolling here. Pace car's off. Green green green. Everybody's rolling, everybody's rolling. You're clear one back. Still there, still there. Clear clear. Got one looking low. Clear low."
Mikey was 35th on lap 61.
"Coming inside. Looking low. Inside, the 29. Inside. Still at your door. Still at your door. He's got one with him. Clear there, clear."
On lap 63, Mikey was 36th.
"28.87. Brake fans on," Bootie directed. "28.93.
"89.
"29 flat.
"29.28."
"Still outside on your corner. Still there. Clear clear."
"27."
"Halfback, halfback. Clear. Clear clear clear. They're a mess coming down into this corner here. Three-wide. Clear one back, clear one back. Got one on your corner. Still there, still there, still there. 29's at your corner. 29's there. Clear clear. Still outside. Still there. It's going to be clear behind him if you need it. Still outside. Still there, still there. Still on your corner, still outside. Still there. All clear. Nice job. Clear the 82. Clear clear."
On lap 79, Mikey was 33rd. David continued in 6th.
"29.59. Good job," Bootie praised his driver.
"Need less air," Mikey said.
"10-4. Copy on the air. 10-4 on that."
"It's tended to get a little tight."
"All right. We'll help you with your air like you want, and we'll help you with your trackbar. 29. Good lap."
David was back to 7th on lap 81.
"47.
"61."
David was 8th on lap 83.
"68."
"Still there. Still there. Still outside. To your quarter. Still there. Clear the 96, clear the 96."
Lap 86 saw Mikey in 32nd; he had passed Bobby Labonte.
"Still outside. Still there. 07 still out there. Clear there, clear. Half back to the 77. Looking outside, outside. Still outside, still there. Outside, the 77's on your corner. Still there, still there. Clear one back to the 96 still. Still outside. Still there, still there. Still outside. Clear up clear up clear up. Look inside, inside."
"Good job, man. 29.96," Bootie praised his driver.
Mikey was 31st on lap 93, having passed Casey Mears' #07.
"71."
"Still out there. Still on your corner, still on your corner. Coming back outside. Still out there on your quarter. He's still on your quarter. Clear now, clear."
On lap 96, Mikey was 30th. He'd passed Joey Logano.
"90.
"65. Good lap."
"Still outside. He's still going to be there. Clear up clear up clear up. Good job. Still outside. Still there, still there, still there. Clear now, clear."
Mikey was 29th on lap 100, having passed Sam Hornish Jr.
"Good job, man. Just keep rolling like that," Ty praised. "Still outside, still outside. To your corner. Still there."
The second caution was on lap 102 for debris.
"Clear up, clear up. Caution's out, caution's out for debris."
"Okay, I'm listening to you, Michael."
"Better, way way better, but if we've got any room on the right front air pressure, go for it, and left front air pressure, or left rear and leave the right front alone."
Bootie asked about a chassis adjustment and called for an air pressure adjustment. "5300, 5300." He guided his driver to the box. "8, 7... sorry, right here. 5, 4. Right here, right here. Around this 78. Good job." After the stop, he said, "53, 53. All the way. Sorry about calling you in there. I saw the 78, and then I saw somebody else. They were getting pretty close there, and I didn't want you to wreck.
"You did a super job, man. You saw what you were doing. You were speed. What you feel when you know you're right is right. You've hung in there and have kept us on the lead lap. Now you can go race. Brake fans off, please. Brake fans off."
"Not going, not going," Ty said. "Still not going. They've got a couple of trucks picking up pieces all over the place.
"Just for your notes, that was at loose as it could have possibly been at the start," Mikey told his crew chief.
"Okay, 10-4."
Ty said he'd seen Mikey was forty degrees sideways. "But you did good. You're back in the game now. Coming to the green this time."
Racing resumed on lap 109 with Kurt Busch in the lead. Mikey was 27th, and David was 10th.
"All right, pace car's off, pace car's off. Inside only. Be ready. Green green green. Clear one back. Got one outside, outside. Looking outside. He's there outside, outside. Got one looking. Outside. 77 outside on your corner. Outside, outside. Still out there. The 20's outside."
On lap 110, Mikey was 28th.
"Still up on your corner. Still out there, man. Still there, still there."
One lap later, the #55 was back to 29th.
"Still there, still there. Still outside, still out there. Still outside, the 71. Still there. The 7's trying to peak outside. Clear there, clear there. All clear."
Lap 114 saw Mikey in 31st. David was still 10th.
"Inside, inside, inside. Inside to your door. Clear, clear clear. Still down there. Still there. Clear clear. 20's still down there, still down there. Quarter panel. Still there, still there."
Mikey was 30th on lap 118.
"Clear four back. Whatever you need. Nice job, man. Way to work it."
"Brake fans on, when you have a chance. Still there. Still there inside. Still there. Clear high. Still there on your corner."
Mikey was up to 26th on lap 121.
"46," Bootie read off the lap time.
"A look inside. The 78. He's got one with him. Still there. Clear clear. Looking up top. You're clear, clear."
David was 9th on lap 125, having passed Brian Vickers.
"Got one inside. He's there. All clear. Nice job."
"Too loose," Mikey reported.
"10-4, too loose," Bootie acknowledged.
"Got one inside again. Inside, inside. 44's trying to sneak in there with him. 44's looking low, looking low. Inside. All clear, half back."
Mikey was 27th on lap 128. Regan Smith had passed him.
"10-4, Michael, we'll tighten it back up. 65. Brake fans off, Michael. Let your brakes build up. Brake fans off."
"Got one looking inside, inside. He's inside. Still on your corner. Clear there, two back."
"81.
"77."
AJ Allmendinger passed on lap 133, moving Mikey back to 28th.
"78," Bootie said. Before that, two people were talking on the radio at the same time. "68."
"Still outside. Still there, still there. Still on your corner. Still there. Still on your quarter, still on your corner."
David Stremme spun, bringing out the third caution on lap 139.
"Clear, clear. Nice job. Way to work it."
"Good job, man. 80."
"Still half a straightaway back to the leader. Spin in front of you. Stay up, stay up. He's in the grass. Caution's out."
Mikey said he didn't know if the wedge was what made his car loose. "But it made me too loose."
Bootie told Mikey to leave his brake fans off. "Way to hang in there. It'll be four tires, four tires. Second gear. 10-4, guys, the adjustments we talked about."
"Pull a tear-off, please."
"10-4. Okay, we're going to have to go around the 78." Bootie guided Mikey to his box. "53. 78 outside, 78 outside. There you go. 5300.
"Good job, pit crew. Good job, Michael," Bootie said. "You just keep plugging."
"Great job in the pits, y'all," Mikey praised his team.
"One to go. Watch the lappers. The lappers are coming," Ty warned. "Okay, we've got some two tire guys up there. We'll see how it works out. See if it works for us later."
Kurt Busch led the lap 143 restart. Mikey was 24th, and David was 4th after a two tire stop.
"Pace car's off. Outside only. Green green green. Everybody's rolling, clear one back. Clear two back. No pressure. Half back. Inside, inside. Inside. 33. Clear behind him if you need it, if you need it. Still all the way down there. The 33, still there. Still there, still there. Still there. Still down there, the 47. Still there. Still there, the 47's still inside."
On lap 148, Mikey was 23rd. He had passed Clint Bowyer's #33. David was 5th.
"Clear two back. Clear up there. Clear one back. Outside, outside. Still outside. Still there, still there. It will be clear, clear. All that smoke is tire smoke. The 24 and the 48 hit each other."
The fourth caution was on lap 151 for Allmendinger, who spun and hit the wall.
"Got a crash behind you, spin behind you. Caution's out."
"Feels a bit too loose. Just a little on the loose side. Don't put any air in the right front, no matter what you do."
"10-4, boss." Bootie told Mikey they may go for a different tire strategy, based on what other cars were doing. "Track bar, half half. Be ready. It could be two or four. I'm going to be talking to you, Michael. Okay, come on. We're going to get four, we're going to get four. 5, 4, 3."
The #55 was in its box.
"53, 53, 53. There you go," Bootie said after the stop."
"53, bud, 53," Ty added. "There you go."
"Okay, Michael, we can make it on one more stop right now. We lost one position overall. You got four. So this should work out nice for us," Bootie told his driver.
Kurt Busch led the restart on lap 156. Mikey was 26th, and David was 5th.
"Okay, bud, coming to the green this time," said Ty. "Pace car's off. Be ready. Green flag, green flag. Everybody's rolling. Clear one back. 88's trying to look outside, but you're clear, clear. Trying to look outside. Low, inside, inside. Inside, still there. Still down there. 20 trying to go with him. Inside, inside. Still there, still there. Still down there on your corner. Still there."
On lap 159, Mikey was 27th, and David was 7th.
"Clear low if you want it, clear low if you want it. Still outside on your corner. Still there, still there. Clear there, clear there. The 07's inside, inside."
Mikey was 28th on lap 160.
"The 07's still down there. Clear low if you want it. Got a run. Inside, inside. Still down there, still there. Still there, man. Still there. Still there. Clear low if you want it, if you want it. You're clear one back. Clear either side, one back."
On lap 164, Mikey was 27th.
"Looking low, looking low. All clear. Still clear half back to the 24. Outside, outside. Outside. The 24's on your corner. Still out there, the 7. Just barely, outside. Inside. Hang in there if you can. Coming inside. Clear there, clear there. Caution's out. We got a piece of it. I don't know how much of it, Bootie."
"Okay, guys, we have to stop."
"Yeah, right rear, right rear. Fixable."
Bootie asked Mikey if he had a tire down.
"No, I'm good."
Bootie was going to wait, but Ty said they needed to pit now. They did.
The fifth caution was on lap 167. Mikey got loose and slid up the track. He pushed Robby Gordon into the wall.
Bootie told the crew not to change the left side tires so they could get caught up.
Ty gave updates on where the pace car was.
"It might look like you need to put a ___ in the trunk," Mikey said. "It's pushed down in the trunk, I think."
"Guys, look at me, on the right side," Bootie said. After more adjustments, he sent his driver back on track.
"All right, Bootie, do you want to catch up and then come back in?" Ty asked. He said they'd be on one to go when they go back around.
"Just get caught up," Bootie said.
"Go through easy on the bottom," Ty told his driver.
"All right, Ty, if we have time, we're going to put one more piece of barribond," Bootie said.
"Y'all are both talking. It's not one to go," Mikey informed his team.
Bootie told Mikey to pit and guided him to his box. "Ron, you nod when you're ready to rock. All right, you good, Ron? If you can't do it, we've got to go. All right, Michael, 5200."
Ty said the rest of the field was in Turns 3 and 4, on one to go to the restart. "To give you an update, M-Dub, your right rear corner is knocked in at a 45 degree angle, so that's what you're dealing with."
Dale Earnhardt Jr led the restart on lap 172. Earnhardt Jr's #88 had not pit. Mikey was 34th, and David was 15th.
"Ready? Pace car's off. Green green green. Everyone's rolling. Clear half back. Clear there. Inside, inside."
Kurt Busch hit the concrete wall on lap 175. David was 14th.
"I've got something bent," Mikey said.
"10-4." Bootie told him part of his quarter panel was missing.
David was 11th on lap 180.
"It could be the trackbar as well. Just don't crash it. We'll try to work on the quarter panel," Bootie said. Then he addressed the team. "Guys. Come in. Look at me."
"Leader now," Ty noted.
David was 10th on lap 183.
People talked on the radio at the same time. It may have been interference.
"Andy," Bootie said. Then it sounded like he laughed.
David was 9th on lap 187.
"The thing is, we can't lose any extra time. Do you think we can? Get everything ready," Bootie told someone on the team. "You just keep it in the road, Michael. You're doing fine. We'll get a caution, and we'll just keep working."
"The 88 is the leader. He stayed out. He's at the line now. The guy we'd be racing, the 82, is just now at the line," Ty noted.
David was 8th on lap 191.
"All right. One back to the 88. Inside."
On lap 195, Earnhardt Jr put Mikey a lap down. The #88 was nearly four seconds ahead of second place. David was 7th one lap later.
"You're five back to the 18. The 82 is getting passed by those guys. He's a quarter of a straightaway back. Inside, the 18. He's got the 14 with him. The 14 with him. Inside, the 5. One back, one back. Inside, inside. Still there."
On lap 202, Scott Speed's #82 passed Mikey. The #55 was 35th.
"He's going to have two with him. The 00 is going to be behind the 24. Clear about six back. Inside, inside. 47 and 16 inside. Clear there, three back. Inside. Another one looking inside. Clear there, six back."
David was 6th on lap 204.
"31's going to have a run. Clear two back. Inside. You're going to have two of them, two of them. Car's down there. Is going to be one back to a yellow one. Clear behind the 99. Clear one back. You've got three of them. Clear there, clear there. Inside, inside. 36 is down there with him. 26 is down there. Then you're going to be clear about six back."
On lap 211, Mikey was 36th.
"12 car's down there with the 07. Clear behind the 42. Inside. 33's going to be down there with him. Inside. Inside. Clear there, about ten back. Inside, inside. 6. One back to the 20. 29's inside. Clear now behind the 29, three back. Inside, inside. The 96 is going to be looking low. Inside, he's there. Inside. Behind him, it's going to be two back. Inside, 19. Will be coming inside, the leader. The 14."
Lap 222 saw Tony Stewart take the lead.
"Inside. 34 is going to be up top with him. Inside. One back, one back. Inside now, the 88. Clear ten behind him."
Bootie told Mikey to keep an eye out as they may pit.
"10-4."
Mikey was 38th on lap 224, now two laps down.
"One back to the 20."
Dale Earnhardt Jr pit with 86 to go.
"00 coming inside, two by two. The 16's there. Inside."
Mikey was 37th on lap 226.
"Inside. Clear there, one back."
David was 5th on lap 228. Scott Riggs had to serve a penalty for a missing lugnut.
"Inside, inside. Clear ten back."
David was 4th on lap 229. Mikey was 36th.
"36 on the bottom. Clear. 24's going to be there. One back, inside. 88 is coming real fast with fresh tires. Inside. Clear eight back. Inside, inside."
Mikey was 37th again. More cars were making stops.
"One with him, the 83. Inside, inside. Inside, inside. Clear three back. A pack of them inside, inside. Four of them, at least. Still coming inside, inside. Inside, inside. About three more. Inside, inside."
"Okay, okay, Michael. 5300, 5300," Bootie called his driver to pit road with 78 laps to go.
"5300 this time," Ty said. "5300 at the line."
"Yeah, I got you. 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1."
Mikey was in his box.
"53, 53. All the way, all the way. Hey, Dwayne."
"5300 to the line. All right, let's get rolling. Clear there, about ten back. Five back. Outside. Outside. Another one looking outside. Outside. The 5's going to be there with him. 5's going to be up there with him. Clear there, half straightaway."
With 74 laps to go, Mark Martin passed Tony Stewart around the outside for the lead. Stops continued under green. Two laps later, Martin made his stop. David now led.
"One back to the 88. He's going to be looking inside. He's down there. Inside. You're clear there one back to the 96. Inside, inside. Clear there, three back. Two back."
David pit with 70 to go. He said he needed to turn better in the centre of the corner, and he took on a chassis adjustment during his stop.
"Inside, inside. 77 in your mirror. Inside, inside. Two of them, inside, inside. Clear. Inside."
Jimmie Johnson led lap 242. When he pit, stops had cycled. Earnhardt Jr was back in the lead. Mikey was 38th, three laps down. David was 8th.
"Inside. You've got two of them, two of them. Inside. Inside. One back to the 17. Inside, inside. Inside. Two of them, two of them. Inside. One back. Will be coming inside, inside. The 2 car is about a quarter a straightaway, half a straightaway."
David was 7th on lap 250.
"You're clear behind the 24. Ten back. Got one inside, inside. Clear behind the 00, two back. Inside, two of them. Inside. You're going to have two of them, 82, 83. Inside, inside. Clear behind the 11."
Mark Martin reclaimed the lead going into 56 laps to go.
"One back. Clear there. He's there. It's about two back to the 42. Inside. Going to have two of them. Another one down there. Clear behind the 77. Inside. 39's down there, and two back to the 99. Inside. Inside. Two more. 12 and the 78. Clear five back. Inside. You'll be clear for a straightaway. 50 to go."
David was 6th on lap 267; Earnhardt Jr was dropping back. Mikey continued in 38th, three laps down.
"Five back to the 5. Inside, all by himself."
With 42 laps to go, Mikey went a fourth lap down.
"Two back, two back. Just to let you know, the 14 and the 2 are going to be running the bottom. Inside, the 2. Inside. Clear four back. Clear four behind him. Inside, inside. The 00's going to be inside, off this corner. Here comes the 20, inside. Inside. One more looking, one more looking low. Clear behind him. About 32 to go. Three back. Inside. One more. Clear four back, behind that one."
Mikey was 37th on lap 284, having passed John Andretti's #34. David had passed Greg Biffle for 5th.
"Got a whole pack of them, a whole pack of them looking inside. Inside. Four more, four more on the bottom. All right, clear four back. Going to have three of them looking there, three of them. The first ones the 41. Clear one back there. Clear behind him, three back. 99 car inside. Going to have three more with him. Right behind you. Clear behind the 78. Leader's one back, the 5. Inside. Inside. Another one coming. Inside."
On lap 291, Mikey went a fifth lap down.
"Clear behind the 71. 22 to go, man, 22. 19's down there. Behind the 19. Inside, inside. One back behind him to the 34. Inside. Clear behind him. Got one looking low, the 18. You've got two more behind him, the 6 and the 7, the 6 and the 7. In there. Clear. Five back to the 00. Inside, inside. Inside. Okay, inside. Inside, the 48. 15 more, 15."
"10-4," Mikey said.
"16 all by himself."
The sixth caution came with 12 laps to go. Earnhardt Jr had spun out.
"Turn 4, caution's out, caution's out."
"All right, Michael. It's only about ten to go. We could have made it on fuel there, so I was wanting that to play out."
"Okay. My fault. I don't know what happened. Just got loose underneath him, I guess."
"It's all right. It's just a bump in the road." Bootie started talking about the stop.
Drivers made stops under yellow. David lost five spots.
"What happened to the 88, Ty?" Mikey asked.
"I don't know if he blew a tire or if he just spun out."
Bootie said it looked like a left rear.
"Well, his left rear ain't flat, so it must have been something else." Mikey said it could be something else broken.
"Well maybe his arms got tired," Bootie suggested. He prepared Mikey for the stop. "Just stay here one second. We'll let the 78 go around you. All right, 5300."
"All right, man, 5300."
"88's teammate had it made if that caution hadn't come out," Mikey commented.
Ty talked about different tire strategies. "Hell, Reut was running 5th, and now he's 9th."
"Yeah, I was afraid that wouldn't work out very well for us."
Ryan Newman was supposed to pit. He could hear his crew, but they couldn't hear him. He stayed on track when his crew had called him in for a stop. He now led.
Newman led the restart with six laps to go. Mikey was five laps down in 38th, and David was 10th. Martin almost immediately took the lead.
"All right, we're going to be coming to the green. Going to be six laps to go. I'm sure it will be crazy. Green green green."
With three laps to go, David was 8th.
"Three to go, three to go."
Mikey asked who was on their lap.
"No, the 34's on our lap, but he's way in front of us. Just bring it on home. You'll be okay," Bootie replied.
Mark Martin went on to win. David finished 8th, and Mikey was five laps down in 37th.
"All right, come around to the checkered," Ty said.
"All right, Michael, this is just a bump in the road, like I said. Let's not lose our focus."
"Yeah, it's my fault, like I said. I just got to get my brain worked on. I just don't understand what's wrong. I just get so nervous, like this is overwhelming. I just love to race. I just love to drive. You're a good man. You deserve it. I just need to figure out what the hell."
Next weekend, NASCAR goes to Talladega. Mikey won at this track in 2003. Coverage of the Sprint Cup's Aaron's 499 begins next Sunday at 1:00pm ET on FOX. The Nationwide's Aaron's 312 airs the day before, starting at 2:30pm ET on ABC.
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© 2009 Kellyanne Lynch, in association with Cyber Speed Design. All rights reserved.
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