Pennsylvania 500 - 8/3/09
Race winner Denny Hamlin and David Ragan took out all three Michael Waltrip Racing drivers in the Pennsylvania 500, today's Sprint Cup race at Pocono Raceway. David Reutimann and Marcos Ambrose had been running in the top ten at the time when they werecked. Owner Michael Waltrip had struggled with his #55 Napa Auto Parts Camry, but the team had turned it around and he had been gaining at the time when Ragan pile-drove Bobby Labonte, collecting both Mikey and David. The #55 finished two laps down in 31st, the #00 29th, the #47 eight laps down in 34th.
Rain delayed the start of this afternoon's race, which was slated to run yesterday. Rain had also washed out qualifying. The field was set according to owners' points. Mikey rolled off 31st, David 13th, and Marcos 18th.
Drivers climbed into their cars at 12:00pm ET.
"Got a copy?" a crew member asked at 12:07pm.
The call to start engines immediately followed..
"1, 2, 3. Test. Hello?" Mikey said.
"I got you, loud and clear," someone replied.
"How 'bout you, M-Dub? You have a copy?" spotter Ty Norris asked.
"Clear," Mikey replied.
"Okay, I got me. I don't know what the hell is going on. Let's make sure. Ty, you got me?"
"You sound like you're way far away from the mic."
"I didn't hear anything you're talking about."
Crew chief Bootie Barker tried to communicate.
"That's just static to me in the car, if you're talking to Bootie, Ty," Mikey said.
"Yeah, more static than words," Ty replied. "But do you copy me okay?"
"Yeah."
"Cool."
"Okay, Ty, how 'bout this one?" Bootie asked.
"Close to the same," Ty responded. "How bout you, Michael?"
"It's just bullshit. More static than words," Mikey replied. "If he wants to talk to me, he'll have to do something different. Or else you'll have to talk to me."
Ty said Bootie needed a new set-up.
"Didn't we do this six weeks ago?" the driver asked.
Ty said the radio got wet.
Someone asked if Mikey heard him fine, and Mikey said he did and that that person's radio didn't get wet. So the person said he'd give Bootie the headset.
"There's no change, Bootie."
"If it's because it rained, we need to do a better job of storing our shit," Mikey stated. "I find that hard to believe, but it is if we do."
"I copy you well, so I'll keep trying different things.
"Okay, let's make sure we have our brake and B fan on. Brake and B," Bootie said.
"Brake and B fan, Michael. Brake and B," Ty relayed.
"Got it," Mikey replied. "You ain't going to believe what this dipshit did."
"Ty, we're good with 5100 and second, 5100 and second. 7900 and first."
Ty relayed the message. "You definitely sounded better there."
"Didn't sound any different to me," Mikey commented.
"Okay, buddy, how are you doing over there as far as radio?" Ty asked.
"Loud and clear. Perfect."
Ty said that NASCAR had done lot of work on the race track. "A lot of discolouration, but it's all good. No water patch, according to them. So you'll see some things you haven't seen out there."
"Roger," Mikey replied. "A lot to race for the rest of this year. We'll do all we can to get Napa back to Victory Lane. We have a lot of people we can catch. Every one of them matter." Mikey listed the numbers. "We got a better finish than we probably deserved six weeks ago. We overachieved. So let's do that today."
"10-4," Bootie replied.
"All right, man. One to go, one to go."
"2, 1," Bootie said, and it sounded staticky.
"Yeah, you fixed it," Mikey said.
"10-4."
"You dried off?"
"Yes, sir. Numerous things."
"All right, still going to have a competition yellow at lap 20, lap 20," Ty stated.
"Is tire wear a concern? What's that all about?" Mikey asked.
"I guess that's just because we got so little race practice on Saturday. Who knows. All the rain?
"All right, buddy. Pull it tight. We're coming to the green this time. Coming to the green," Ty said. "Pace car's off. Be ready. Ready. Green green green. Everybody's rolling. Clear if you need it, clear if you need it."
Jeff Gordon led the field to the green flag at 12:21pm ET.
"Still three-wide there. Outside, outside. Clear behind that 12, half back to the 98. One back, 98. Inside, inside. Clear there one back. Looking low, looking low. 98's to your door. Clear, clear clear. Two back."
Jimmie Johnson led the first lap. Mikey was 31st, David 14th, and Marcos 17th.
"56.15," Bootie read off the lap time.
"Going to peek inside, the 7. The 98 trying to come with him. He's there. Back to clear, clear. Back inside, 98. Three-wide, three-wide. Back to two, 98's there by himself."
"56.31."
Marcos passed David on lap 4. They were 15th and 16th respectively. Mikey was 34th.
"One back, 82."
"56.22."
"82's at your bumper, right there inside. Inside. Another one looking with him, the 87's with him. Clear clear clear."
"Real, real loose. Front end won't turn, and it's real loose. As soon as I get into the gas, it's sideways. It won't turn at all," Mikey reported. "And if I try to get to the gas early, it just skates the front out. No good front end on it at all, just loose."
"10-4," Bootie replied. "Paul."
By lap 6, David had passed Marcos again. They were 15th and 16th respectively. Mikey was 35th.
"56.28."
Marcos dropped to 19th on lap 7.
"56.47."
On lap 8, Marcos was back to 21st. Mikey and David remained 35th and 15th.
"56.57."
Lap 9 saw Marcos move up to 20th.
"56.86."
On lap 10, Marcos was 22nd.
"One back, one back. Got a run. To your door," Ty warned. "All right, that's ten laps. Ten more until the competition yellow."
"57.12."
"Just so harsh. I don't know if it's tire pressure or shocks, but it's beaten to death," Mikey commented.
"Okay, we'll go down on the right front pressure."
"Watch that 14. He's been dropping back the past couple laps," Ty warned. "Still down there. Looks like he's coming down to pit road."
Bootie said they'd drop the right side pressure."
"It's just really bad everywhere. And it just clobbers the bumpstops or something," Mikey said. "And it just frickin' pushes so bad, and then I go to the gas, and it's so loose. It's just ridiculous."
"10-4."
Tony Stewart's #14 had gone to pit road. A tire issue was suspected, but none of his four tires had a problem when they came off the car.
"It won't turn in a 100 acre feel, whether we're talking about the rough Turn 1 or the smooth Turn 3," Mikey said.
"Okay, 10-4," Bootie acknowledged.
Mikey was 34th on lap 13 due to Stewart's pit. Because the #14 pit before the competition yellow, Stewart was unable to take on fuel. David was 15th, and Marcos was 22nd.
"57.16," Bootie read off the lap time.
David was 16th on lap 14.
"It's just really bad, I mean, really really bad," Mikey complained.
"10-4. I got you, man. We're going to work on it," Bootie assured his driver.
Mikey said something about how he was able to turn the wheel if he wanted.
"10-4 on that. We're going to get the right side down as much and get some other adjustments as well." Bootie said that Mikey's times were good.
"I don't know what the hell he just said, Ty."
"We're going to work on tire pressure and some other adjustments when we come in in about six laps," Ty relayed.
"We adjusted it all day yesterday and I'm sure last night, and it's doing exactly the same thing."
"10-4," Bootie replied.
David was 15th on lap 15. Marcos and Mikey remained 22nd and 34th.
"57.62."
ESPN reported that Marcos had gotten into the wall earlier and had some right side damage. Martin Truex Jr had nudged him.
"I just, I'm just going to be quiet, because I can't think of anything good to say. There's nothing good to say," Mikey said.
"Okay, I got you, man," Bootie replied.
Mikey said something about how this is how the car would be set up if they'd tried to set it up poorly. "That's all I'm saying."
"Okay, 10-4."
"All right, two more, two more," Ty said.
"57.81."
By lap 19, Marcos was 28th. David and Mikey were still 15th and 34th.
"57.92."
Mike Wallace was black-flagged for an issue with his crew and told to go to the garage. Tony Raines had gone there on his own. Stewart was a lap down due to his earlier stop.
The yellow flag waved on lap 21 for the competition yellow. Johnson had been over two seconds ahead of Gordon in 2nd. Stewart, who was the only driver one lap down, received the free pass.
"Okay, this is lap 20 here, lap 20 here."
"57.73."
"Okay, competition yellow's out." Ty told Bootie they could spend time on pit road if they needed it as they were close to the back.
"We're going to have to go around the 47, 42 as well, so we'll have to be careful of that."
"Okay, I'll repeat when he comes around here."
Bootie warned Mikey about Juan Pablo Montoya's #42.
"Just, if you're going to do all that, make any major changes, let's see if we can stay out and get five points," Mikey suggested.
Bootie said they'd keep an eye on that and told Ty to do so as well.
"I don't think there's anyone a lap down besides Stewart." Ty said. "I don't know if it will be two laps, so we'll see."
Mikey said they'd take a chance. "But whatever you want. I'm not supposed to be talking."
Bootie told Mikey to stay out. "Okay, everybody's coming. Just stay out, stay out. Stay out. Ty, if they don't give us the one to go, we need this next lap, okay?"
"If it's not one to go, we'll stay out again, right, Ty?"
"Yup, yup."
"I've described it the best I can," Mikey said. "Whether it's flat or bumpy, it won't turn at all, and it got better a little bit on exit as the run went. But at first, I'd turn the wheel and would try to get into the gas, and it would about spin out. Initial entry, there's not an issue. You turn it, and it turns, but then it just skates its ass off until it loses enough momentum to go left. The left end is definitely up. There's no good left front feel at all, and then it just pushes its ass off. When it gets back to the gas. Initial acceleration, it would just get loose. Now it's just pushing."
Bootie told Mikey to pit this time. "Right rear, right rear. Do that too. No, half, half. That's right. 5100 and second gear." Static followed. "5, 4, 3, 2, 1."
The #55 was on pit road.
"All the way, all the way. 51."
"5100 to the cone," Ty added. "7's being penalised for speeding, so we'll go around him."
David Gilliland led a lap under yellow.
"Not going, not going this time. Not going. They didn't give Tony enough time to catch up to the rest of the pack."
Once Gilliland pit, Denny Hamlin claimed the top spot. David was 15th, Marcos 34th, and Mikey 35th.
"All right, here we go. We're coming to the green, coming to the green. Pace car's off. Green green green. Clear, all clear. Whatever you need. One back to the 14. We're going to be looking low, the 14. Inside. Clear there. Two back to the 7. One back. Inside, inside. Clear behind the 7."
Racing had resumed on lap 26. David was 15th, Marcos 33rd, Mikey 34th.
"Still outside. Clear one back. Half back. Still clear."
On lap 27, Mikey was 36th. Tony Stewart and Robby Gordon had passed. David was 19th, and Marcos was 31st.
"56.19."
Lap 28 saw Mikey move into 35th, after he'd passed John Andretti's #34. David was 19th, and Marcos was 30th.
"Still outside, still there," Ty warned. "Still outside on your corner. Still there, still there. 34's trying to look with him. Clear there, half back."
On lap 29, Mikey was 34th. He had passed Bobby Labonte. David was up to 19th, Marcos 30th.
"Still outside. Still on your quarter, still on your quarter. Not giving you a break here. Still there. Still outside. Clear clear, one back."
On lap 30, Mikey was back to 35th; Labonte had gotten back around him. David was 17th, and Marcos was 28th.
Ty said somebody had hit the wall pretty good in Turn 2. "No caution yet."
"56.79."
On lap 31, Marcos picked up 27th, and Mikey picked up 34th.
"Still there, still there. Clear clear. Still clear, still clear."
"56.81."
"Clear there, clear."
On lap 32, Mikey was 33rd. He had passed Paul Menard. David was 17th, and Marcos 26th.
"56.57."
"Hit your marks. Clear three back, clear three back."
On lap 33, Mikey was 32nd, having passed Tony Stewart.
"56.91."
"Still up there at the top. Half back, 14's outside, outside. Clear there three back."
"57.20."
Gilliland, Dave Blaney, Joe Nemechek, and Patrick Carpentier had gone to the garage. Carpentier then returned to the track on lap 32.
"Keep it rolling, bud," Ty encouraged.
Mikey was 33rd on lap 36, after Stewart had passed him again. David was 16th, and Marcos was 25th. Meanwhile, Nemechek was back on track.
"57.14."
"Still out there," Ty warned. "Clear there, clear there. Still clear. Trying to look outside, trying to look back outside. There you go, nice job. You're clear half back. Thank you, bud. Nice job. Clear, clear the 14."
"Good job, Michael. We'll see what we've got here. 57.11. Good lap," Bootie praised.
On lap 38, Mikey was up to 31st. He had passed Stewart and Casey Mears. David was 16th, Marcos 25th. Meanwhile, Sterling Marlin went to the garage.
"57.15."
"Clear the 7, clear one back. He's working the high side. Coming back outside. Still clear four back, five back to the 14."
"57.63."
"Still outside on your corner. Still there, still there," Ty observed. "There you go, bud. Still there. Clear, clear. Nice job. One back. Got a run. Still clear, still clear. It's actually un-Robbylike."
"57.47."
On lap 42, Mikey was up to 30th after he'd passed Robby Gordon. David was 16th, Marcos 25th. Raines had emerged from the garage, but he'd returned by lap 39.
Bootie read off Mikey's lap time, but his words were eaten by static. The next time around, his words were clear. "57.42.
"57.47.
"57.65."
Jeff Burton made slight contact with Marcos around lap 45 when the #47 passed the #31, not wanting to give up the spot. On lap 46, Marcos was 24th due to the pass on Burton.
"57.88.
"We're going to pit in seven laps, guys. Seven laps," Bootie told the team. "57.22. Great lap!"
"We basically need more of the same," Mikey requested.
"Okay. Temperatures, please."
"Twelve o'clock."
"Thank you. 57.94. Okay, guys, come look at me.
"57.88.
"Okay, we're going to pit in about three laps, Michael. Three laps. 57.94."
Meanwhile, Carpentier had returned to the garage. David was 15th by lap 53. Dale Earnhardt Jr pit and got lapped when the second yellow flag waved.
"Caution's out, caution's out. 98 blew a tire over here in Turn 3. Caution's out."
"I turn a little bit better. I'm not quite as violent. And I'm still loose, I'm still a little loose off initial gas," Mikey reported.
Bootie said they'd do a little more wedge and would go the same direction with the air pressure. "Okay, now I'm going to be talking to youa bout the 42, let you know the status of things. We're going to have to go around the 00, of course."
"The 42's way up there, so make sure you tell me what's going on. I should be able to see, but I don't know."
"10-4, yeah, I know. We'll do the best we can."
"I didn't hear a word he said, Ty."
Ty relayed the message.
"Should I stay out and get five points? It's a long way to go, with that 42?"
"No, we gained a lot of position. We need to come."
"We're going to come. 5100."
"We should be fine, Michael. We've got plenty of time. I see you now." Bootie counted the #55 into the box.
"Okay, put it in gear when we go around," Ty said.
"All the way, all the way. 51, 51."
"5100, bud. 51."
Stewart was on pit road for quite some time.
"5100, 5100," Ty repeated. "Bootie, I know you don't want to hear this, but your radio is worse than it was. I don't know what's going on. Metal touching metal or something."
Bootie said he'd work on it.
Ty said it sounded better but to have Travis look at it.
Mikey said he could hear Bootie fine on the front stretch.
"We were a lot better against the leader, certainly better than the group we've been racing all day." He noted cars like the #20 backing up. "If we keep working on it, we'll get up there."
Andretti led a lap under yellow.
Bootie spoke on the radio.
"Sounded perfect to me," Mikey said.
Bootie said he'd talk to him here, as usual. "Try not to screw you up."
"One to go, one to go. You line up behind that 82," said Ty. "Odd or even, guys?"
"Even. P24."
"10-4. Outside, behind that 82."
Hamlin claimed the lead once Andretti pit. David was 15th, Marcos 20th, Mikey 24th. Clint Bowyer, Kevin Harvick, and Earnhardt Jr chose to take the wave-around.
"All right, you're going to be coming to the green this time," Ty said on lap 57. "Pace car's coming off. Ready? Green green. Everybody's rolling. 20 still inside, 20 still inside. 20's still down there, by himself. 77's still there, still there. Still there, still there. Still there, to your door. Got the 20 in your mirror. Clear low if you want it. Got one inside. Clear high. You've got one on the bottom. Inside. Clear the 96, clear if you need it. Outside, outside. He's on your corner. Outside, outside. Still at your door, outside."
Mikey was 23rd on lap 58. Hamlin was given a warning to stay in line.
"Clear there, clear there. Half back. Got the 7 down there with him. 96 still down there. Still there. Clear now, clear. One back to the 7 up top. All clear."
Mikey was 25th on lap 60. Logano and Labonte had passed. David was 14th, and Marcos was 17th.
"Still clear, clear. Clear three back. Nice job."
"56.55."
Lap 62 saw Mikey pick up 24th. He'd passed David Stremme.
"56.42."
"One back to the 12, half back to the 12. Caution's out, caution's out. Caution's out for debris on the front straightaway. There you go. You should have that spot right there."
The third caution was on lap 61. A piece of the caution light had blown off and had fallen onto the track at the start/finish line. Paul Menard got the free pass.
"Come through low at the start finish line," Ty told his driver.
"Okay, Michael, we're going to stay out, we're going to stay out most likely here. How's your car?"
"It's the same, basically," Mikey replied. "It just skates a lot, both ends. Predominately getting into the tunnel, it's loose, then it's okay into the other turns. Then it still doesn't turn, but I can't unhook the back anymore, because I don't have enough forward bite."
"10-4, okay."
"I'd just as soon pit and let some air out of the lefts or rights or something, but I'll do whatever you say."
"Okay, guys, be ready. Michael, most likely we won't pit." Bootie didn't want to give up all the track position but said maybe they could convince the others to pit.
Mikey described the car as "too violent". He figured cars behind them would pit, and Ty agreed.
Bootie decided they should pit, and he counted Mikey into the box. Other cars came to pit road too.
"Go go go. All clear, all clear. 51."
"5100 to the cone, 5100," Ty added. He noted that a number of cars had pit for fuel. Sixteen lead lap driveres chose not to pit. David was the first to go to pit road from 13th. "It looked like one of those caution lights fell off the fence again. It might not have been. And then Denny Hamlin hit it square on the nose."
"Good call to pit there. We made the right decision," Mikey said.
"10-4," Bootie replied.
"Watch the outside. The 98 is going to be coming around you, getting his lucky dog. That's it. You'll be coming around to one to go," said Ty. "You should be p23. You should be lining up behind the 1 on the bottom.
"All right, buddy, one to go, one to go. On the restart so far, that 26 has been crazy sideways, and he's going to be on your outside."
Hamlin kept his lead. David was 20th, Mikey 23rd, and Marcos 30th. Racing resumed on lap 66.
"Okay, bud, pace car's off. Rolling. Checking up, checking up. Keep rolling. You're clear low. Still outside, the 33. Still outside. Still outside, the 20.
"Inside, inside. Both sides. Clear high. Still there inside, the 20."
Mikey was 24th one lap into the run. David was 20th, Marcos 31st.
"Still inside, inside. 20 still there. Still there inside. Two more coming inside. It's going to be three-wide. Clear there, clear clear. Inside, the 7. Inside. Another one inside, the 07."
On lap 68, Mikey was 27th. David was 22nd, Marcos 29th.
"I think those four tires just ate my butt up. I was going as hard as I could," Mikey said.
"Clear two back."
Lap 69 saw Mikey drop back to 32nd. David was 18th, Marcos 28th.
"The 07's still down there. You can see him in your mirror underneath. The 07's still there, still there. Still on your corner. Still on your bumper, still there. Still on your bumper, still there."
On lap 70, Mikey was 31st. He had passed Mears' #07. David was 18th, and Marcos was 29th.
"Clear the 07. One back to the 14."
Lap 71 saw David in 17th and Marcos 28th. Mikey was still 31st.
"Half back, half back. A push coming, still outside. Clear all clear. Got a run, the 14. Inside, inside. Clear behind him."
"57.13.
"57.25."
"I'm just loose into the tunnel. It's just bad," Mikey reported. "Everywhere else is pretty neutral."
"Okay, 10-4. 57.11."
"Neutral to too tight, mostly." He said it's like it's been for the past few days.
"10-4. 57.17.
"57.07.
"57.32.
"57.50.
"57.42."
"Still two back to the 07."
"57.46.
"57.67.
"57.56.
"57.74.
"58-0."
On lap 85, Jeff Gordon made an early green flag stop.
"Still outside. Still there," Ty observed. "Clear all clear. He's trying to make a run outside. He's there. Outside. We'll get him here. Still outside. Clear, clear."
Mikey was 30th on lap 86.
Bootie said guys were pitting, but they had more fuel. "We'll pit in about nine laps.
"57.59."
Mikey was 28th on lap 88 as cars made stops. David was 15th, Marcos 21st.
"57.66."
Cars continued to make stops. Mikey was 24th on lap 90. David was 14th, Marcos 19th.
"57.78.
"Pit this time, this time. 5100, 5100 and second gear."
Mikey was 20th on lap 91. David was 4th, Marcos 17th.
"15 back, the 11 just came off pit road. He's coming pretty fast with fresh tires," Bootie said.
"5100 at the line. He's three back," Ty said. "Hustle it around. 5100 at the line."
"Yup, I got you. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2," Bootie counted Mikey into the box. "Shift into first when the right side drops. 51, 51, 51."
David took over the lead on lap 92. Marcos was 4th.
"5100 to the cone."
"As hard as you can go," Ty said. "The 07 is twenty back and closing. Looking low. He'll be coming to your outside. Still two back, one back. Still clear, you're clear. One back."
David pit the next time around the track. Matt Kenseth took over the lead before making his stop. Then David Ragan was the leader.
"Good job, the 17 is the leader. He's going to be coming onto pit road. The 6 car is now the leader. He's in Turn 3."
Marcos led when Ragan pit. He went to pit road the next time around the track, and Hamlin was back out front when stops had cycled by lap 95.
"56.34. When it cycles around, the 11's going to be the leader again. He's at the start/finish now.
"56 flat.
"56.12."
"Spin off 3. No caution yet. Caution's out. A lot of smoke, he's right in the middle of the track. Okay, he straightened up. He'll be gone when you get here."
The fourth caution was on lap 98 for Labonte's spin. Menard received the free pass.
"Okay, Michael, did we help you alittle bit there, or what's the car's doing?"
"That seemed to be a little help on the front end. The back didn't seem to give up any on the short haul," Mikey said. "Overall, that seemed to help a little bit. I'm so far back, I'd just as soon get four if I could."
Bootie agreed.
"Was that 56 flat my fastest lap of the day?"
"10-4. It sure was. Lap times are good. You've done well, you've cycled through all the crap. Now you can get up in there. But your lap times are good."
Ty asked how many laps they'd been green. Bootie said it might put them to another window.
"Yeah, I don't care what everyone else does. We need to get four." Mikey said they needed to get four and to stay on the lead lap.
Ty told Bootie to let Mikey know what the #42 was doing.
"Yeah, I know. We're going to be okay." He guided Mikey into the box.
"51, 51. 42 outside, 42 outside. Come on," Bootie warned. "Yeah, Michael, right now, we're six laps short from a two stop window."
"I could pit next time by."
"10-4. We'll top off. Guys, be ready. When they give us one to go, Ty, we'll top off."
Ty said the track was fine, so it would probably be the next time around. "All right, one to go when you get here, so come in this time."
"5100, 5100. Don't slide your tires. We're just going to top off."
"5100. Don't slide your tires, bud," Ty added.
"Okay," Mikey said.
"10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3," Bootie counted Mikey into the box. "Okay, 5100."
Kasey Kahne stayed out to take the lead. David was 2nd, Marcos 5th, and Mikey 35th.
"Pace car's just off of 1, so we're in good shape," Ty said.
Bootie told Mikey to save fuel.
"Okay, I'll work on that. 10-4."
"Be ready. Green green green."
Kahne led the lap 102 restart. Mikey was 33rd, David 2nd, Marcos 6th.
"Checking up in front of you. Everybody's there. Still good on the bottom. Still there. Clear clear, clear. Still outside, outside. 98's going to take a look outside. Got another one looking outside, the 96. Still outside, bud. Four-wide, four-wide. The 82's still on your corner. Four-wide. Nobody's giving it up. Four-wide. Clear, clear clear. Outside, outside. 82's looking, 82's looking. Hey way to take him, man. Nice job. Half back."
Mikey was still 33rd one lap into the run, but he was 30th one lap later. David was 2nd, Marcos 4th.
"Still out there. Still there. Looking low, the 82. Clear low. Still outside. Still outside, the 1. Still there, still there. Clear there, half back to the 7. Inside, inside. 7 on your corner. There you go, all clear. One back, 07. Still there, still there. Clear the 48, clear one back. Looking on the bottom."
Johnson went to pit road with a plug wire off. Mikey moved up to 29th on lap 106.
"56.84."
"Inside inside inside. Nice save. Inside inside. Got a flat, bud? Inside. One more."
Mikey said something covered in static. He said the car got away from him.
"10-4, nice save," Bootie replied. "56.94."
Ty warned Mikey that the 96 was still outside.
"56.94."
By lap 109, Mikey was 33rd. David was 2nd, Marcos 6th.
"57 flat.
"57.02."
"The thing's really loose," Mikey reported.
"10-4." He gave the lap time. "We'll definitely tighten you up then. Next stop. Art."
"It started skating the right front tire worse, and it made me looser."
"Okay, 10-4."
"10-4, bud. 10-4," Ty added.
Mikey yelled something about the right front tire.
Bootie assured him they'd fix him up. "We'll get you a little grip in the front and will give you wedge. Fix you up both ends."
"Got two-thirds of a track on the leaders. It might be a good time to save a little fuel," Ty said.
"I've been saving fuel, because this right front tire feels like it's got about a thousand pounds of air in it," Mikey said.
"Okay, 10-4."
"57.66."
Johnson was in danger of getting black flagged for not making minimum speed. On lap 114, Marcos was 7th. David was still 2nd, Mikey 33rd.
"It's just terrible. Lost every bit of front grip it had."
Bootie acknowledged and gave the lap time.
"It's plowing and loose because of it."
"57.75.
"57.78.
"57.51."
"Still there. Clear clear. 48's down at least one cyllander, right there in front of you. Slow on the bottom. Still down there. All clear."
On lap 119, Mikey was 32nd. He had passed Labonte. David was still 2nd, Marcos 7th.
"57.73.
"57.65.
"57.57."
"Just so so so so effed up right now," Mikey complained. "I hit the wall after it started pushing."
"Okay," Bootie replied.
"I was looking at that earlier," Ty said. "It looks cosmetic, man. It doesn't look too bad."
"We'll pit in twelve laps, twelve laps."
"I probably got you one of your three right there."
"10-4."
On lap 122, Hamlin passed the #00. David was now 3rd. Marcos continued in 7th, Mikey 32nd.
"57.57.
"57.75.
"58.21."
"Leader now," Ty warned.
Jamie McMurray pit on lap 126. Kasey Kahne pit shortly thereafter, as did David.
"58.26."
"Clear one back. Those guys who didn't pit earlier are peeling off and pitting now," Ty informed his driver.
David Ragan was also on pit road.
"We'll pit in seven laps, seven laps. 57.78," Bootie said.
Hamlin led lap 128. Marcos was 5th, David 23rd, Mikey 28th.
"It will cycle back to the 11. The 11's at the line now," Ty noted.
"57.88.
Mikey was 26th on lap 129. David was 29th, Marcos 5th.
"All right, three back to the 96, and then the 9, and he just pitted," Ty warned. "Coming outside. It will be clear there. Inside. It will be clear behind him."
"58.81. Pitting in four laps."
On lap 132, a number of cars came to pit road. Marcos was 7th, Mikey 28th, David 29th. The #47 had gone to pit road.
"58.10."
"96 in front of you will be pitting this time, pitting this time." Ty also warned Mikey that the #00 was coming with fresh tires. "Inside inside, inside."
More cars hit pit road on lap 133. Mikey was 23rd, Marcos 10th, David 26th.
"Okay, this time, this time. 5100, 5100," Bootie said.
"Pressure gauge still good, bud?" Ty asked.
Kahne led lap 134 when cars went to pit road. Mikey and David were 15th and 16th. Marcos was 24th. One lap later, Mikey was 9th, David 3rd, and Marcos 12th.
"5100 this time, 5100."
Bootie counted the Napa Camry into the stall.
"5100 to the cone, 51," Ty said. "All right, bud, as hard as you can, as hard as you can. You'll be clear when you get there. All right, you've got about half of the long pond straightaway to the 9. He pitted five or six laps ago."
"I'm just ridiculous tight. I don't know what's wrong," Mikey said.
Bootie's response broke up quite a bit over the radio.
"I don't know how much conserving we can do at this point," Ty said. "Leader at the line now."
"No, just go, just go. We're fine."
"I understand not to conserve. I'm just tight," Mikey said.
"Oh, I understand. I got you, man."
On lap 137, Mikey was 32nd. David was 3rd, Marcos 8th.
"56.43.
"56.58."
Hamlin took the lead on lap 140.
"Okay, the right rear on that set of tires was way low," Bootie reported. "So that's why it was pushing its ass off. It was way low.
"Okay, Michael, you still super tight?"
"Yes!"
Bootie told him to hang onto it. He said there hadn't been a leak in the tire.
"It was doing this before I hit the wall. That's why I hit the wall! And if ain't got a leak in it, where the freak did the air go?"
Bootie said he didn't know, but there wasn't a leak.
"Ugh! Well it ain't pushing like it did when it had a flat tire, so I don't know what the hell you're saying."
"Okay, 10-4."
"Blame it on me if nothing else fails."
The fifth caution came out for David Ragan on lap 143. He had hit the wall and had dropped debris. Menard got the free pass again.
"Caution's out, caution's out. Debris in Turn 2."
Bootie said he wasn't blaming Mikey; he was just trying to have a conversation about what they could fix.
"Frickin fix the rear end if you think I knocked if off base! Aw, hell! Do anything you want with it."
"Just calm down. I'm just trying to talk to you. Snowman, Snowman. All right. Chris, come here. Okay, we're going to drop the wedge. You got it, Snowman?"
"Just want to make sure he didn't spit a rubber while he was at it. It's up to you guys," Ty said.
Bootie said that's what they were going to do.
The #55 went to pit road. Bootie noted that the #5 stayed on track before counting Mikey into his box. "Okay, we're good. 51, 51. Snowman."
"My steering wheel hasn't moved one bit, and if I've knocked the tow off, I don't know what to do," Mikey said.
Bootie responded to this, but I missed what he said.
"Well, I never heard of a tire going low without a leak, so I understand you blaming me for hitting the wall. Anything we talked about in the last ten minutes I never heard of."
"I'm just trying to figure it out. I'm not blaming you. I'm just giving you information."
"Yeah, I got you. I hear you."
Johnson spent quite a bit of time on pit road and picked up a new carberator.
"It will be one to go when you get around here. One to go."
Mark Martin led after stops; he'd stayed on track. Mikey was 32nd, David 16th, and Marcos 17th.
"Odd or even, guys?" Ty asked.
"We are even, even," Bootie replied.
Ty told Mikey to line up behind Mears' #07. He said a few of the guys at the front had stayed out. "A couple of those guys up front have been bad all day, the 31 and the 77." He said there would be a crazy restart as some took four tires, some none.
Racing resumed on lap 147. Mikey was 30th.
"All right, bud. Be ready, be ready. Pace car's off. Green green green. Everybody's rolling." He warned Mikey about a car inside. Outside, looking outside. Stay down, stay down. Both sides, both sides, both sides. Clear high. 12 still there on your door. Still inside, inside, inside. It will be clear there, clear. Two back."
On lap 148, David was 10th. Mikey was 30th, Marcos 17th.
"Still there, still there," Ty warned. "Still there. Good job, still one inside. You can see better than me. 19's still there. You're going to get him here. Inside to your corner. Clear, clear. Clear two back. Keep digging right there."
The sixth caution was on lap 151. David Stremme had wrecked Robby Gordon. Johnson received the free pass. He had been two laps down, so now he was just one down. David had moved up to 7th.
"Spin behind you. Caution's going to be out."
Bootie asked what Mikey had.
"It was freer. Whatever. It was all right."
"Okay."
"I never hit the wall, so that's good."
The #55 team prepared to pit.
"Four tires, right, bud?" Ty asked. "You said four tires, right, Bootie?"
Bootie confirmed, then counted Mikey to the box. After the stop, the crew talked about getting a second set of tires.
"All right, man. One to go, one to go," Ty said. "Odd or even?"
"We are... hold on a second..."
"Even," Mikey answered.
"Even," Bootie said. He suggested something.
"I don't know. That's a good way to get a lap down and not get it back."
"Okay, just talking, man."
Martin stayed in the lead, having stayed on track. David was 7th, Marcos 26th, and Mikey 28th. Johnson lost the free pass for pitting a lot.
Martin led the restart on lap 152.
"Coming to the green, coming to the green. 48 to go. Pace car's off. Green green green," said Ty. "Got a run inside, the 96. He's got the 1 with him. Still there inside, still there inside. Still there inside, 96. Clear clear. Still outside, the 82. Still there. Still out there, still there. 19 still there, still there. Still outside, the 19. You're going to be clear behind him. Clear four back. Clear five back. 31's backing up pretty quick on the top side. Clear two back to the 1."
David was 8th on lap 154. Marcos was 24th, Mikey 25th.
"Still out there, still there," Ty warned. "1 car's all the way up top. Still all the way outside, outside. Outside outside. Clear there. You've got the 6 on your bumper. Clear there. The 43's going to be looking up top. Clear clear."
Lap 155 saw Kurt Busch take the lead. Mikey was 26th, David 8th, Marcos 23rd.
"57.02."
"Still outside, clear to the bottom. Three-wide." Ty warned about one car pushing another, then cleared Mikey behind a car. "Still right there on your door. Still there. Still right there, still there. Still right there on your bumper, still there."
"FUCK!" Mikey exclaimed.
After a pause on the radio, Ty said, "Still outside on your corner. Clear clear. All right, you're clear, all clear. Caution's going to be out, caution's going to be out. The 12 and the 7 crashed behind you."
The seventh caution was on lap 159. Gordon had bumped Stremme to let him know he was displeased. Then Stremme flat out wrecked him through the wall and into the inside wall. NASCAR issued them both a five lap penalty.
Bootie said they'd pit if the leaders stayed out and vise versa.
"Can't we just get four here and gas and go at the end?"
"I'm looking right now."
"Remember, the 5 and the 83 stayed out the longest, so they might be in a position where they have to pit," Ty said.
Bootie agreed with Mikey.
Mikey said he didn't want to make all the decisions.
Bootie said, either way, they had to pit one more time.
"I don't care. Fucking whatever." The rest of what Mikey said was covered in static. "The only thing is, it started to push again on that last lap."
"We're going to get tires. 10-4." He guided the car to the box.
"How many laps can we go on gas?" Mikey asked.
"About 34," Bootie replied. He said they were about seven laps short of making it.
"It may be wise to top off. Oh no, it's one to go. Nevermind."
He said they would have tried if they could. Then he decided they'd pit after five laps of green to top off.
"10-4. That makes a lot of sense there. I'll pit when you say."
"10-4, boss. Just run like hell."
Kurt Busch led the lap 160 restart. Mikey was 28th, David 7th, and Marcos 31st.
"Still inside, the 31. Still there. Clear the 31. Clear. The 88's lame. Still outside, outside. Still all the way outside. Still there."
On lap 161, David was 8th, Marcos 28th, and Mikey 29th.
"Three-wide right there, three-wide. Going to be two-side. 43's outside. 6's still there, just barely still there. to your quarter. 1 jumped up there with him. Looking low, 31."
Mikey was 26th on lap 162. Marcos was 25th. David was 11th.
"Still there on your corner, still there. There you go, all clear. Clear clear." He warned that cars were checking up and that the #39 was lame up top. "#42 hasn't gotten up to speed yet. Looking low, looking low, clear high. 31's got a fender to you."
On lap 164, Marcos was up to 21st. David was 11th, Mikey 26th.
"31's still down there. Still there on your corner, still there. The 33's down with him. Inside, inside. Still there, inside. Three-wide. Still there, still inside. Still inside, the 26. Clear to the middle, clear to the middle. Got him to your door. Outside, outside. Still got 'em both sides. Still outside. Clear high, clear high."
Lap 165 saw Mikey in 25th.
Ty said someone almost wrecked in front of them. "Cost us a few positions. We're fine."
"I got a vibration. I don't know if we got a wheel or what."
Bootie asked if there was any way of knowing which one.
"No."
"Pit this time, pit this time. 5100."
"Talking about debris. Outside, outside. Caution's out. Caution's out. Caution's out. Debris in Turn 3."
The eighth caution was on lap 167. Mikey was 27th, David 11th, Marcos 16th. Johnson received the free pass.
"Okay," Bootie said.
"You gotta put four on it. It's shaking," Mikey said.
Bootie said they'd change four tires and to prepare to look at the splitter.
"It ain't the splitter, man. It ain't the splitter. It's a tire or the wheel."
"Okay."
"Or the brakes, maybe. I don't know. Something's shaking."
Bootie asked about the balance.
Mikey said he kept getting screwed. He'd pass people, then people would pile up, and everyone would pass him back.
"10-4. Just be smart."
"5100, 5100. The whole field's coming in," Ty said.
"I got you. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1," Bootie counted Mikey to the box. "Stay right here, stay right here. No use of going now. The splitter brace is broken on the left front. Go ahead and get your brace, get that replaced now."
"Make sure Chris got that right front fender good enough," Mikey said.
"Yeah, he got it." Bootie told Ron to make sure he got on the piece tight.
"Entering the tunnel, entering the tunnel. We've got one to go when they come around."
"We've got time. We're going to fix it."
"Yeah, I might back up, y'all," Mikey said.
"In the short shoot."
"Chris, make sure there's no screws."
"10-4," Chris replied.
"Okay, you're all good, Michael. All good." Bootie sent Mikey back out.
Ty warned Mikey about the #48 going around to accept the free pass. He told Mikey to hustle it up, but there was a great deal of static. "Bootie, do you need to look at anything? We don't have a lot of time, but do you need to look at anything?"
"What do you want me to do?" Mikey asked.
"We're good. Stay out, stay out," Bootie said.
"All right, bud, go around the 48, go around the 7. And you're going to line up behind the 31."
Clint Bowyer was now in the lead. Mikey was 31st, David 9th, and Marcos 11th.
"All right, looking low." Ty noted people up front who hadn't pit and who had been running poorly all day. He also said there were cars that only took two. Then cars like the #11 that had been running well were back there with four tires. "So it's going to be a fun start again." He asked where they'd restart.
"Even, even," Bootie replied. "Behind the 31."
Ty warned Mikey that the #20 was pitting at the restart on lap 171.
"43's inside. All clear. You're all clear, all clear behind you. Still outside, outside. The 88's been lame. He's on the high side. Three-wide right there, still outside. Three-wide up top. That 98's lame up top. Outside, outside. Clear there, clear there."
On lap 172, Mikey was 30th. David was 8th, Marcos 9th.
Kyle Busch hit the wall a couple laps later but kept going. Mikey was 31st.
"Still out there. Slow one up top. Everybody's still going. Clear there, clear. 43's still there. Clear there, four back."
On lap 174, Mikey was 30th again.
The ninth caution was on lap 175. Denny Hamlin had turned David into Marcos. Both MWR cars sustained heavy damage. Johnson was now back on the lead lap.
"Spin right in front of you. Stay down if you can."
"Pushing. It's pushing!"
"Okay, we're going to stop for four, guys," Bootie said.
"That's unfortunate."
"Yeah, the 11 car got into the back of David, and he couldn't save it," Ty said.
Bootie said they'd get four tires and would make a track bar adjustment and would take a half pound out of the left front. They'd also look at the splitter.
"It could be doing it again," Mikey said the last lap or so, the car shook.
"Okay, it's holding pretty good." Bootie told them to wait after jacking up the car. He said they'd work on packer.
"Why are you doing that?" Mikey asked.
A crew member talked about putting in a couple extra screws. Then someone talked about putting on another brace.
The #55 would pit again for more repairs. Bootie talked about putting in rivets before counting Mikey to the box. "Don't slide your tires."
"Just now entering the tunnel," Ty said. Once Mikey was back out, he warned him about clean-up trucks. He then told him to line up behind the #20. "22 to go."
Under yellow, Bowyer continued to lead as he had stayed on track. Mikey was 31st, David 33rd, Marcos 34th.
"21 to go when we get the green. Coming to the green now," Ty said. "Pace car's off. Green green green. Everybody's rolling. Clear there, clear. One looking on the bottom, 98. Still there, 00 still there. Clear clear. Clear the 1, clear."
On lap 180, Mikey was 33rd. David had passed.
"Still outside, 31. 48's with him, 48's with him. Right in front of you. Stay down, stay down, stay down. All right, come on down. 43 just about ran over him."
Bootie said they got heavy left side damage.
"There's a guy in front of me," Mikey said. "I couldn't stay down."
"Yeah, man, I saw it." Bootie asked if Mikey could get back.
Mikey talked about people jumping on the trunk and clearing the left front fender.
Bootie said the left front had the main damage, but they could clear the right front. He said they'd get a brace, and they'd be okay.
The tenth caution was on lap 182. David Ragan had wrecked Bobby Labonte, collecting Mikey, David, Reed Sorenson, Joey Logano, and Jeff Burton.
"The left rear quarter panel is basically clear on top, so no matter what you do, don't put it in the tire." He also said they needed at least a quarter inch of packer on the left front. As Ty warned them where the pace car was, Bootie instructed the crew on clearing the tire.
A crew member said to clear the grill.
"Y'all hurry! Don't do anything else!" Mikey said.
Bootie told Mikey to go.
"Clear the grill! Clear the grill!" a crew member said.
Mikey lost the lead lap, so Bootie said to keep working. He said to spray water at the grill.
Mikey said the motor needed to be cooled down. "Plenty of time."
Bootie told them to take off barribond. "Brian, you can't hear me a lick, can you."
"It doesn't matter now."
They continued to work on clearing.
"No barribond! No barribond! That shit blows off," Bootie said. He told Mikey to run a lap and to see if anything is rubbing.
Once Mikey was back on track, Ty told Mikey not to carry too much speed through the tunnel turn as there were trucks there.
When asked, Mikey said nothing felt like it was rubbing. Bootie warned him the #00 and the #20 were coming around him.
"Yeah, we should have never lost a lap. We have to get it done better than that."
"10-4." Bootie said they'd get a caution and would get the wave-around. "But right now, we're the lucky dog, so we'll just take that."
Mikey was 31st and lapped. David was 30th, Marcos eight laps down in 36th. Bowyer led.
"Not gonna go, not gonna go," Ty said.
"Am I the only car one lap down?" Mikey asked.
"10-4. The 12 is behind us, three laps down. It will be 13 to go when you get there. 13 to go."
Racing resumed on lap 188.
"Pace car's off. Green green green. Coming outside, outside. Outside, 12 outside."
By lap 190, David was 29th. Mikey remained 31st, and Marcos was up to 35th.
"Ten to go, Michael. Ten to go," Bootie said.
"47's right there. He's about half back behind you." Marcos was now 34th.
Lap 192 saw Hamlin take the lead.
"7 to go," Bootie said. "7."
"7 more, 7," Ty added. "5 more, bud. 5 more. Do the best you can here."
Bootie said the leader was coming around.
"Two more for him, two more," Ty said. "Come on around here to the start finish line. Move on out of the way. Lay over whichever way you want to. Let the 11 by. 42 eight back."
"Okay, come on right here. 5100."
"White flag, white flag."
"10-4. That's good."
"All right, three back. 77 and 9 are next. Two more, two more."
"Okay, come on right now. They want me to come. Keep going, you're at the start finish line. Okay, just go."
Hamlin won.
"Okay, we're done. I know you're doing all you can, Michael. You did good. Yeah, Ty, I tried to prolong it as long as I could with the official."
Mikey said he knew he was going too slow. "I was going as fast as I could."
Bootie said, once he saw the video, he'd see how well he'd done. "Okay, I'm getting down."
"Y'all made some good improvements all day long. Sorry I got wrecked there."
Mikey finished two laps down in 31st due to his last lap pit. David was 29th, and Marcos was eight laps down in 34th.
Next week, the Sprint Cup series will be at Watkins Glen. Coverage of the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at The Glen begins next Sunday at 1:00pm ET on ESPN. The Nationwide's Zippo 200 airs the day before at 2:30pm on ESPN2.
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© 2009 Kellyanne Lynch, in association with Cyber Speed Design. All rights reserved.
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