Mikey Power

Live: Pennsylvania 500 practice - 7/31/09

Michael Waltrip's #55 Napa Auto Parts Camry spun out toward the end of today's rain shortened Sprint Cup practice session at Pocono Raceway. Mikey will start Sunday's Pennsylvania 500 in a back-up car. He ranked 37th in practice, turning his fastest lap in 55.380 seconds at 162.514 55.380; he was 2.237 seconds behind session leader Mark Martin. Michael Waltrip Racing drivers David Reutimann and Marcos Ambrose ranked 30th (54.974 seconds at 163.714 MPH) and 32nd (55.062 seconds at 163.452 MPH) respectively.

Mikey came on the radio at 11:58am ET, asking for a half inch of padding on his headrest. After he was given this, a crew member said, “Coming to you, spotter.”

“10-4,” the spotter replied. This was not his usual spotter, Ty Norris.

Cars were on track at noon; however, practice was halted moments later.

“Yellow’s out,” said the spotter.

“Rocky or Glen, I’m going to need a different radio,” crew chief Bootie Barker said. He was having problems with his. “Michael, you have a copy on me?”

Mikey did not respond.

“Got the 44 stuck in the mud out there,” the spotter reported.

Mikey apologized for not responding earlier. He said he was off the frequency.

Bootie told him it was all right, that he was just scanning.

“Yeah, I hear everybody good.”

“Track is green, track is green,” the spotter noted.

Mikey was back on track at 12:07am.

"Clear up right there,” the spotter said. “Car behind you is Harvick about ten back.”

“55.34,” Bootie read off the lap time.

“Extremely tight,” Mikey reported.

“10-4 on the tight.

“55.31.” Bootie told Mikey, if the car were still tight, he should return to the garage.

“Oh, I know it’s tight,” Mikey replied. “The front end ain’t even remotely in the game.”

“Okay, 10-4 on that.” He asked for temperatures.

Mikey reported that the splitter didn’t touch the track anywhere. He said the car got into the corners fine but didn’t turn. “Feels like it’s the same old shit, you know. No solid left front feel.” After a moment, he added, “Not a rough ride at all. Pretty smooth. Just normal.”

Bootie said they’d try Package B to help the front end.

“Ron, go ahead and put in your notes that Package A sucks,” Mikey told a crew member. “So go onto Package B.”

“10-4.”

Mikey said the camber didn’t work in the right front. He was back in the garage at 12:16pm. “We’re switching packages. Can I get out?” he asked.

“Yeah, sure you can,” Bootie replied.

Mikey was out of the car at 12:18pm. The crew talked about changing the left front bar, the springs, and the sway bar.

“39. Remember, Todd. 39,” Bootie said.

Mikey got back in his car at 12:33pm, and Bootie reviewed the adjustments he had made. The #55 was back on track at 12:35pm.

“Clear,” said the spotter.

“55.36,” Bootie read off the lap time.

“Same exact. I wouldn’t have known you did anything. Probably drove better.” Then Mikey said the car probably drove the same. “It pushed the exact same place exactly the same way exactly the same amount.”

Mikey was back in the garage at 12:40pm.

“10-4,” Bootie replied.

“The… I guess, on the entry, it felt a little bit more compliant,” Mikey stated. He said the exit was the same. “Just a stiff, solid push.”

“10-4,” Bootie replied. “Snowman, come to me. Ron.”

They talked about pulling up the splitter. After the adjustments, Bootie said, “All right, everybody good?” He said this was their last run, and then they’d get ready for qualifying.

Mikey was out of the garage at 12:44pm.

“Brake fans on, please,” Bootie requested.

The spotter cleared him onto the track. Mikey wasn’t out for long when he spun out in the grass.

“All right, good save, Michael,” Bootie praised. He noted they had big damage.

“That sucks,” Mikey commented. “It pushed and got me in a bind.”

They talked about taking out the back-up car. The radiator was leaking, among other issues. A crew member said they’d take out all the stuff and would get the back-up car.

“Get an official,” Bootie instructed. “Make sure he understands.”

A crew member said a NASCAR official would have to be able to look at the car before they could even take out the back-up. “Okay, they just gave the thumbs up.” He talked about what they needed to take out. He asked if they were pulling out the motor.

“Yes, pull the motor out,” Bootie said. “We might as well so we don’t lose our qualifying spot.”

Thirty-seven minutes remained in practice.

“There’s supposedly rain pretty close too,” a crew member said.

“Yeah, over in Turn 4,” someone else replied.

Someone said they were done practice and would prepare for qualifying.

Bootie wanted the car under the tent.

“Yeah, it’s starting to rain out on pit road,” A crew member said. They also talked about needing the transmission off the truck.

Qualifying was rained out. Mikey will start Sunday's race 31st. David will roll off 13th, Marcos 18th.

Stay tuned for another article live from Pocono!