Carfax 400 - 8/16/09
After struggling with his car all day, Michael Waltrip came home 27th in the Carfax 400, this afternoon's Sprint Cup race at Michigan International Speedway. David Reutimann finished 9th, and Marcos Ambrose was one lap down in 35th.
Mikey qualified 30th for today's race. David rolled off 31st, Marcos 26th.
"Hey, Ty," crew chief Bootie Barker was the first one on the #55 radio this afternoon, addressing spotter Ty Norris. Ty didn't respond.
"Hello, 1,2. Everyone here me all right?" Mikey asked.
Bootie acknowledged.
"Cool."
"Michael, we've got some isolated thunderstorms popping up." He said, if it looked like it would rain, they may keep him on the track.
"Okay."
"Ty and Michael, as long as you're okay with it, we'll go with 4800 and second gear." Bootie also gave the speed in first gear.
"Sounds good to me."
"10-4."
The command to start engines came at 2:09pm ET.
"B fans on, please," Bootie requested.
"Roger," Mikey responded.
"How's this new headset sound?"
"Like a new headset."
"Perfect."
"Ty, I can see all the way to the wreckers pretty easy," Bootie stated. He said he could see further than that and told Ty to spot Mikey as long as he felt comfortable.
"Where did you say you want to drop him off?" Ty asked.
"Whatever you think. I can see all of pit road is what I said. I can see all the way to the wreckers."
Ty told Mikey he was five away from his pit box once he saw the Bass Pro Shop sign.
"3, 2, 1," Bootie counted as Mikey drove by the #55 pit stall.
"Just cover everything up as best you can. We're getting a little spit of rain." Ty said it wasn't on the radar, so it was really really small. He then asked, "Bootie, what do you have for pit road speed, bud?"
"4900 in second gear. 4950 is max."
"Okay, what about first?"
"7700."
"All right, bud, it's going to be one to go when you come around. One to go."
Kasey Kahne, Mike Skinner, and Dave Blaney dropped to the rear during pace laps due to engine changes.
Brian Vickers led the field to the green flag at 2:20pm.
Ty warned Mikey about a headwind.
"Okay. I got a lot of water temperature coming to the start."
"Okay, bud, be ready. Rolling. Green green green. Everybody's rolling. Still inside at the bottom. The 99's in the middle. Three-wide. Still three-wide, right there on your bumper. Back to two-wide."
Mark Martin led the first lap as Vickers dropped to 3rd.
"Still down there. Still there. Inside inside inside, 99. It will be clear there, clear clear. Clear behind him if you need it. All the way to the bottom, to the bottom. Outside, outside. Inside and out, inside and out."
"Frickin sideways, frickin' sideways. 10-4," Mikey said.
Ty warned Mikey that he was three-wide again.
"Damn, man. G--damn."
"You've got one more, that 87 up top. Clear there four back."
"The worst, worst feeling ever."
Bootie said they had plenty of time to tighten up the car.
"I just wish we'd elected to use one of them. I'm about to spin out every frickin corner. Just so, so loose."
"10-4, 10-4. Snowman."
"Gosh!"
"Still there on the bottom, still there. Still there on your bumper. Clear now one back. If you get a quick chance, a little bit of rain here. Two back. Clear low if you need it."
Mikey was 40th by lap 3 and 41st by lap 4. David was 29th, Marcos 23rd.
"Still clear one back, still clear. Still outside. Clear there, clear."
On lap 5, Mikey was back to 40th. David was 28th, Marcos 22nd.
"41.60."
The first caution was for rain on lap 7. Mikey was 37th, David 28th, and Marcos 23rd.
"I don't know what to say. I just..."
"Okay, it's okay man. I promise you. I'll tell you what we've got." Bootie said a full spring had helped in the spring. They had a half spring right now, so they'd put in another half.
"I give, I give. I'll just drive it, and you do whatever you want."
Bootie assured his driver they'd be fine.
"A month ago, I was sideways the whole race. I thought we'd learned from that." He told his crew to do what they do, and they'd go from there.
"10-4."
"Single file down pit road, single file down pit road."
"Why are we stopping? We can dry it out if we stay out. It's barely wet."
"Yeah, I don't think it's going to take long."
"Pretty sure it won't take so long if 43 cars drove around a few laps. It's not even lap ten yet."
The red flag came out on lap 8, at about 2:30pm.
"Snowman, walk up here. Just come up here with me," Bootie said. "All right, guys, after this passes and pit road opens, we'll get four tires, left rear rubber, and take off some tape. I saw it too. Okay, yeah, if we can get the trash off, I think we'll be fine. So we'll get the trash off it, we'll talk about it."
"I don't know what to do, because the last couple laps, it felt perfect. I mean, it was still loose but a normal amount of loose. So I don't know what to say. I don't know what to do. Because it's just incredible how bad it was. But six or eight laps later, it drove like a normal man's car." Mikey said it pissed him off that he couldn't help them.
Bootie said, if he wanted, they could try a rubber or try a big adjustment.
"I just don't want to mess with the wedge or the trackbar, so I don't know. I can't understand why I was the only one spinning out. Everyone was going by me pushing, straight. And I was spinning out."
Bootie said they'd talk about it in the pits. "I'll get right back to you." He decided on a hard rubber to go with the soft one they already had in the car.
"Got a copy, Michael?" someone asked at 2:45pm, shortly after drivers were called back to their cars. Mikey didn't respond.
A couple minutes later, Mikey said, "I don't know what y'all plan on doing, but the last couple laps, it was normal loose. So just take that into consideration."
Bootie said they were putting half a hard rubber in the left rear.
"All right. Okay, b blowers on, please. When the pits are open, it will be 4900 and second gear."
"Roger."
The race returned to caution at 2:49pm.
"Guys, the 17 behind us is going to take two. Michael, I'll make sure I talk you in so we don't have any trouble," Bootie stated.
Ty asked something where Mikey replied with, "Yes sir."
"All right, guys. Be ready. I'm sure they're going to open it this time," Ty said.
"Michael, I don't feel good with this 17," Bootie said. "So stay out this time. Don't pit this time."
"I can avoid the 17, I'm pretty sure," Mikey replied.
"Okay. 4900 and second gear. I'll talk you through."
"All right, bud, 4900."
"I see you there, Michael. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5. 17's right here. There you go. 2, 1." Bootie guided the #55 to the box. "Shift into first, please. Okay, 19 outside. All the way all the way. 49."
Mikey was one of few drivers to make stops. Bobby Labonte had pitted early, and his hood went up.
"All right, buddy. One to go, one to go." Ty said he's line up behind Paul Menard's #98, and he's let him know if that's odd or even."
"They're showing us even, of course, behind the 98," Bootie noted.
Mikey was 38th. David was 26th, Marcos 25th. Labonte and David Gilliland went to the garage.
Martin led the restart along the outside on lap 12.
"All right, bud, pace car's off. Green green. 19's still on your bumper, still inside. On the bottom. Outside, outside. The 07. Outside. Clear behind him. Half back to the 34 and 19. Two back, two back. Still outside. Still all the way outside, bud. 98, 18. Outside, outside. The 88's behind the 07. You're clear there, you're clear there. You see what's in front of you. The 19's right there."
One lap into the run, Mikey was 35th.
"98's right there, still outside. The 19's up there with him. Clear up behind the 98 if you need it. Two back, two back. Both sides, both sides. Still both sides. Clear both sides. Good job."
On lap 16, Mikey was 33rd. David was 25th and Marcos 18th.
"Still down there, the 9. Still down there. Still all the way at the bottom. Clear, clear. One back to the 9, running the top side with you."
"41.75."
"Got a run on the topside. Still clear now, still clear if you need it. Still out there, the 82. Clear, clear. Anything you need. He's looking up top, he's looking up top. He's there. 2 jumped up there with him."
On lap 18, Mikey was 32nd. David was 25th, Marcos 19th.
"Clear high there two back, bud."
"42.16."
"Inside, looking low. You're clear now, clear. 2's going to have a run off this corner. Inside. He's got the 98. 98's going to look. You're clear there, clear."
"So loose," Mikey complained on lap 19.
"10-4," Bootie replied.
"Clear one back to the 98. Still clear."
Mikey was 33rd on lap 20. David was 25th, Marcos 20th.
"Still clear up, two back."
"Roger. Y'all ain't done shit," Mikey said.
"10-4."
"Still outside, still outside. The 98's trying to close the gap up top. Still out there on your bumper. Clear there, clear clear. Clear two back. Okay, bud, got a little bit of room. Clear about seven back."
"42.79."
"It's like you're doing it to me on purpose, to see how sideways I can drive," Mikey said.
"No, man. You know I ain't. I'm sorry about this. We'll get it right," Bootie assured his driver. "42.54."
On lap 24, Mikey was 32nd.
"Just boiling, boiling the right rear off it."
"10-4. 42.52. Copy that."
"Just really really, really really really really bad."
"10-4. Keep digging like you are. We'll be fine. I promise you, we'll tighten you up." Bootie gave the lap time.
Jimmie Johnson took the lead on lap 26. Mikey was 32nd, David 22nd, Marcos 20th.
"42.93.
"42.85."
"15 back. Just hang in there, hang in there, buddy," someone said.
"I don't know if I can. I wouldn't think you could get one to run like this on purpose."
"42.77.
"43.06.
"43 flat."
"Still out there, that 39. Still out there on your side. Still out there on your quarter. Clear now, clear. Clear clear."
"43.20."
On lap 35, Mikey got around Ryan Newman's #39 for 31st. David was 20th, Marcos 23rd.
"42.79.
"42.78.
"43.21.
"43.15."
On lap 37, Skinner took his car to the garage.
"43.05."
"Still out there, still there. It will be clear up there, five back. Still clear up. Just be aware. Some of those guys didn't pit when we pit after the red flag. Be looking for them peeling off."
Green flag pit stops began on lap 40.
"Still clear five back, no pressure. Clear the 7 by two. Still clear. Still clear. He's going to have a big run off the corner. Back to your bumper. It will be clear up behind the 44 if you need it." He warned Mikey about a car coming off pit road with fresh tires. "44 still going to be on your corner. Clear high."
Johnson pit on lap 42, giving up the lead.
"Clear three back. Clear one back. Looking low."
"Okay, Michael, we're going to let the 17 pit, and then we'll pit. Just stay out there. I'll let you know," Bootie informed his driver. Matt Kenseth pit on lap 43 after leading a lap. Mikey was 16th, David 9th, and Marcos 12th.
"Okay, this time, this time. 4400 and second," Bootie instructed.
"Okay, buddy, you're going to be 4900 at the line, 4900 at the line," Ty reminded his driver. "Nice job, nice job. 4900."
"I gotcha. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2. Shift into first when the right side drops, please. All the way all the way."
"4900. To the yellow line, 4900, then you can gas it. Go go go. 44 is still there. Keep digging, buddy. Got one looking outside on your quarter. 43 looking outside, on your quarter. Keep digging, buddy. Outside, the 7. Outside, outside. Still there. Clear up there, all clear to the top, all clear. Awesome job getting on and off pit road, man! Awesome job!"
"I can control that!" Mikey replied. "I can't..." he faded out.
Clint Bowyer and Jeff Gordon each led a lap before pitting, as did Carl Edwards. Denny Hamlin, who had pitted short, picked up the lead.
"41.53."
"Leader's going to be the 11 at the line now."
"41.94."
By lap 48, as Hamlin led, Mikey was 32nd, David 21st, and Marcos 29th. Johnson passed Hamlin for the top spot.
"There you go, bud. Still there. Clear clear."
On lap 51, Mikey was 30th. David was 19th, Marcos 28th.
"42.03."
"I don't know if it's an engine or what. You're going to be clear high there, clear high there," Ty said.
"42.20."
"Keep rolling. You have one car in the wall behind you. Caution's out, caution's out."
The second caution was on lap 53 for Robby Gordon hitting the Turn 1 wall in his #7 after blowing a tire. Mike Bliss received the free pass back onto the lead lap.
Mikey said the car was still really loose.
Bootie said he wasn't trying to piss off Mikey, but he wanted to know, if it were a ten loose before, was it a seven or an eight now.
"You're an eight or nine, and you only ran six or eight laps. It was all right a few laps earlier. You're just off, the whole thing, the whole car."
"10-4. Snowman. Eric." He called for four tires "and a big adjustment". "Temps okay, Michael?"
"Yes, 12 o'clock."
"10-4, thank you. Same deal, Michael. The 17 is going to take two."
"Must be nice."
"4900, 4900," Ty said. "Walk him to it, Bootie."
"Gotcha, 8, 7, 6, 5. Right side's going down on the 17. There you go. First. That's right." Bootie told somebody to pay attention. "Okay, 49, 49."
"I might as well have stayed out for five points if I'm going to be last," Mikey complained.
"All right, man, it's going to be one to go when you get here. One to go."
Paul Menard, who had not pit, was now the leader. Mikey was 32nd, Marcos 30th, and David 6th with just right side tires.
"Odd or even, Bootie?" Ty asked.
Bootie said they were even.
Ty warned Mikey that the #21 with Bill Elliott was incredibly loose.
The green flag waved again on lap 59.
"All right, be ready man, pace car's coming off. Rolling. Green green green," said Ty. "Clear, whatever you need. Four wide going into this corner. Be ready. Outside, outside. outside, outside. You're clear up if you need it, clear up if you need it. 21 still there. There with help, outside, outside. Outside. Clear to the top, clear to the top. Down there inside, still there. Four-wide, four-wide. Clear high, clear high. Still got one on the bottom. 77's still down on the bottom. Still there."
Matt Kenseth took the lead one lap into the run. Mikey was 31st, Marcos 30th, David 6th.
"One on the bottom, 39, 39. Inside. He's still down there. Clear, clear. Clear, whatever you need."
On lap 61, Mikey was 30th.
"Inside inside inside, two of them. All right, bud, clear to the middle if you need it. Clear to the middle if you need it. Inside and out, inside and out. Clear low, clear low. Still outside, outside. 39 trying to go three-wide. Now just one outside, the 47. A push up top with the 44. The 44 and the 47 outside. Clear now. Still clear one back up top."
Mikey was 29th on lap 62. Marcos was 28th, David 9th.
"Clear the 16. Two wide behind you. One back to the 9."
Mikey was 27th on lap 63. David was 10th, Marcos 31st. One lap later, Johnson took the lead.
"9's all the way to the bottom, all the way to the bottom. Still there to your corner, inside. Clear there, two back to the 16. Inside, inside. The 16's got a run. Still there inside, still there. Right on your bumper. A push coming up top, still there inside. Keep coming, keep coming. Clear there two back."
"42.49."
"Clear two back. That 44 has been running the extreme top. Outside outside, outside. 44 going to have a run. Outside. Clear behind him if you need it. One back, two back."
On lap 66, Mikey was back to 29th.
"Inside. Clear now, all clear."
"Well we've got the front end ___?___ so both."
"10-4," Bootie replied.
"39 still there on your quarter. Clear, one back up top to the 43."
Mikey was 30th on lap 67. One lap later, he was 29th. David was 11th, Marcos 33rd.
"42.92."
"It's just... you just really screwed it up now, totally," Mikey complained. "It's really bad."
"Okay."
Ty said Mikey was clear two back.
"If y'all think of something, do the opposite for me," Mikey suggested.
"10-4," Bootie replied. He said they'd lowered the track bar and had put in rubber.
Mikey said he had two problems, because now the front end wasn't getting in well and the car was trying to spin out.
Ty warned Mikey about two cars coming.
On lap 73, Mikey was 33rd. David was 11th, Marcos 31st.
"Same thing. Still there, still there."
"It's better in is the only thing I can say positive," Mikey said.
"10-4, okay," Bootie replied.
"Clear there by one. Still clear, still clear."
"42.86."
Mikey suggested right front air and to leave everything else alone.
"10-4. We'll drop it some." Bootie gave the lap time.
On lap 77, Mikey had passed Marcos for 31st. Marcos was 32nd, and David was 9th.
"Okay, Michael, we'll drop the right front a half a pound, a half a pound." He gave the lap time. "43.17.
"43.03."
Ty warned Mikey about a car working the high side.
"42.96."
"Still clear two back. Still clear one back. Got a run on the outside. Clear four back to the 82. Still there."
Mikey was 32nd on lap 82. Bill Elliott's #21 had passed him.
"03."
"Three back."
"43.08."
"Keep rolling, man. Leader now."
"I'm rolling every lap."
"Yeah, man."
"43.05."
"One back to the 82. He's going to have a run. Looking low. Still looking low. To your bumper, to your door."
"You've really screwed this car up," Mikey complained.
Bootie said they'd fix the air and asked if Mikey wanted him to go back up on the trackbar. Mikey didn't respond.
"43.06."
Dale Earnhardt Jr pit early due to a vibration.
"43.17.
"43.37."
"Still clear there, ten back."
On lap 91, Mikey was 31st, likely due to Earnhardt Jr's stop. David was 11th, Marcos 34th.
"43.47. We will pit in five laps, guys."
Mikey was 30th on lap 92.
"43.49.
"43.25.
"43.31."
Cars started pitting on lap 95.
"People peeling off to pit. Stay up."
"This time, Michael. This time. 4900 and second gear," Bootie instructed.
"All right, man. 4900 at the line. 49. Hustle around here at the line," Ty said. "Right there, right there. Right there, right there."
"I gotcha. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2. Clean the grill, Chris. Shift into first when the right side drops. One lane one lane. 49, 49. Clear up."
"49 to the line. 49. All right, let's dig, let's dig. We'll blend you to the yellow line. Clear up. Keep digging, buddy. You're all clear, all clear."
Vickers led a lap before going to pit road. Johnson was back in the lead when stops cycled.
"Clear two back. One back to the 82, one back. Got a run on the bottom. 82. All by himself."
"41.68."
Mikey was 32nd by lap 100. David was 10th, Marcos 36th and one lap down.
"Still outside to your door. Still there. Clear, clear."
"42.31.
"42.17."
On lap 105, Mikey was 31st.
"Still down there. The 98 still there. Still right there on your bumper. Clear now, clear."
"42.50."
Mikey was 30th on lap 106. He had passed Paul Menard.
"One back. That 21's working the top side, one back."
"42.37."
"Still clear one back. He's going to have a big run on the outside. Still there. Clear behind him."
"42.71.
"42.63.
"42.83."
On lap 110, Mikey was 31st. David was 12th, Marcos 36th and lapped.
"42.67."
"Fifteen, twenty back to the 48. He's at the line now," warned Ty.
"42.80."
"Still out there all the way to the top. Clear now, clear the 77."
"42.67."
Mikey was 30th on lap 113.
"Still going to be working the bottom. Clear, nice job. Bud, focus. Just a couple more laps here."
"42.83. Good job."
On lap 114, Mikey was up to 29th, having passed Ryan Newman.
"42.89.
"43 flat."
"Caution's out, caution's out." Ty said there was debris.
The third caution was on lap 117. Bootie and Ty both praised Mikey, and Bootie asked about the car. Sam Hornish Jr got the free pass.
"It's just terrible. Worst car I've ever tried to drive. It won't turn, and then it just rolls the rear tires off of it."
"Okay, okay. All right, Snowman."
Mikey said the air pressure helped him feel his tires.
Bootie said they'd added "a shit ton of rubber" and they'd take it out.
"You need to get the left front down. Ever since you started working on it, it's been up in the air."
Bootie said they should stay out and lead a lap.
"I'm down with that. Give me two drinks this time, and that's all I know."
"Okay."
"Okay, we'll have to come around one more time, come around one more lap," Ty said.
"Okay, that's fine," Bootie replied.
"As long as it's not one to go, Ty. I know you know that," Mikey pointed out.
"10-4," Ty acknowledged. "Yeah, we're going to be fine. They just found some more debris."
Mikey said he didn't know how to describe the car. Whatever they did on the last stop, he said helped it. But whatever helped on Saturday, he hadn't seen since then. "It's been bad all day."
Bootie said they'd do an air pressure adjustment and would get out one of those rubbers. He told Mikey to pit as he'd led a lap.
"We just need to collect as many points for Martin and them," Mikey said. He told Bootie he'd scared himself, but at least they'd stayed on the lead lap. Bootie praised him for the moves he did on the 39.
"One to go when you get here. One to go. 4800. You're by yourself," Ty said, after Bootie told Mikey to go 4800 on pit road.
"Yeah, I got you. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3."
The #55 was in the box.
"Okay, shift into first when the right side drops please. Now. There you go. All the way, all the way. All clear, all clear."
"4800 to the line. The rest of the field just now getting off Turn 2," Ty said.
Tony Stewart led the restart on lap 121. Mikey was 30th, Marcos 35th and lapped, and David 14th.
"Everybody's rolling. Clear if you want it, clear if you want it. Trying to get a run. Still outside, outside. Right in front of you, right in front of you. Keep going. No caution. Caution's out."
The fourth caution was on lap 122 for two cars running in the top ten. Kurt Busch had gotten into David Ragan. When Ragan spun, he collected Busch, and they both wrecked. Busch hit the inside wall. Menard received the free pass.
"All right, just run your radiator fan. We'll just stay out, if you want to."
Mikey said he was just wondering if there was an advantage to pitting.
Bootie said no, they would pit one more time in 35 laps.
"Not real sure what Marcos is doing there," Ty said after the field got the one to go. "Not going to go, not going to go."
Hornish Jr was black flagged for fueling twice under the caution.
"You'll be coming around to the green, coming to the green," Ty said.
Johnson led the restart on lap 127. Mikey was 27th, David 11th, and Marcos one lap down in 33rd.
"Pace car's off. Ready? Green green green. Everybody's rolling. Outside outside, all the way at the top. Clear to the middle. Clear to the bottom. Two of them at the top. Still outside, all the way at the top. Still the top. Still outside outside. Clear there. Outside, clear behind the 47, clear behind the 47, one back. He's trying to take a look inside, inside. Still clear high, still clear high. Still got them both sides. A push coming from the 19. You're clear there, clear. Still clear. 6 is going to have a run. Looking up top, looking up top. Got two of them with him, 98 77. Looking outside, outside."
Mikey was 29th on lap 128. He was 30th one lap later. David was 10th, Marcos 34th. Lap 30 saw Mikey in 32nd and Marcos 35th.
"41.94.
"41.72."
David Ragan spun, bringing out the fifth caution on lap 133.
"Spin in front of you. The 6 car. You see it. No caution. Caution's out."
Mikey said it was as screwed up as ever and backing into the corner. "Bounces off the left front, the splitter. I can't go on the start, because if I go down there and it hits the splitter, it spins out. It's just ridiculous. Bad bad bad. Every adjustment has made it worse except the one where we did a little air. So do whatever you want. It's undriveable."
"Paul, put the pressure back. Michael, when pits are open, 4900 and second gear.
"4900, 4900. I see you. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2. Clean the grill, Chris. Okay, shift into first place. Okay, hold on, we're going to put a rubber in there. Okay, all the way, 49.
"Ty, when we get one to go, I'd like to top off, please."
Mikey wanted a spacer in.
"Come on then." Bootie asked if the splitter had been hitting the whole time or just the last time.
Mikey said the whole time. "Just look at the splitter. It's been hitting the whole time, but last time it was a wreck."
Bootie said they'd put the splitter down some more the last time. Static returned. "Okay, you can go."
"I'm not smart enough to explain to you how messed up..." Mikey cut out.
Bootie said they'd see what this does. He didn't want Mikey to be so loose in that he couldn't drive it.
"I already am so loose in, I can't drive it. So I don't know. I love you all to death, but we've got to do something. I'm going crazy."
"10-4."
"Okay, Ty, when they say one to go, we'll top off."
Ty said they were worried about weather, then said it was one to go. "Come down, Michael."
"Okay," Mikey replied.
"4900, 4900," Bootie said. "I got you. 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2. Okay, 49."
"All right, not going to go, not going to go," Ty noted. "One to go again. Bootie, you want to come on back?"
Bootie said no.
"We're last anyway, so it doesn't matter," Mikey commented.
Bootie decided to pit for two tires. "Yeah, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4. Okay, okay. 4900. It'll be 60 laps to go, Michael."
"How many can we go?"
"About 44."
Ty asked if he wanted to have a gas and go instead of a two tire stop. Bootie said that was an option now.
Johnson led the restart on lap 141. Mikey was 33rd, David 9th, and Marcos one lap down in 35th.
"Ready? Green green green. Everybody's rolling, clear whatever you want. 31 slow on the bottom, slow on the bottom. Clear there. Outside, outside. The 31. Slow all the way to the top. Clear."
Juan Pablo Montoya developped a left rear flat and dropped through the ranks. The flat was due to contact with Kasey Kahne.
"Come on back up. Outside, outside. No caution yet, no caution yet," Ty warned. "Clear one back."
On lap 142, Mikey was 32nd. Montoya went to pit road.
"Clear clear. 31's out there with him. Outside outside."
Mikey was 31st on lap 143.
"41.56."
"Everything is cool. Clear out the back, clear out the back."
Mikey was 32nd on lap 144. Jeff Burton had passed him.
"41.73."
The sixth caution was for rain on lap 145.
"Still clear. Caution's out, caution's out. Looking low."
Bootie asked if the car were any better.
"Um, it was a little better. Just bouncy and loose. But it was all right for the long run, it would have been better."
Bootie said they'd do whatever the leaders don't do.
"55, 98," Ty said.
Bootie told Mikey they'd get four tires if they pit and asked if Mikey wanted the car tightened up.
Mikey said he wanted it tightened a little.
"Okay, okay, 10-4." He asked if pit road were opened. He wanted to know as soon as it was.
Ty said it would shower first.
Mikey said, if anyone in front of him pit, he would stay out. "I'm tired of being last."
Bootie said that was the plan, to pit if the leaders stayed out and vise versa.
"I'm not talking about the leaders. I'm talking about the ones I've been racing all day."
"10-4."
"Unless we wait for one to go and get the gas. And gas and go them at the end."
Bootie said they were ten laps short right now but could do that if they kept running under yellow. No matter what, they'd have to gas and go.
"All right, be ready, guys. Pit road is going to be open," Ty stated.
"Like we said, Michael, if some come, just stay."
"All right, looks like we're staying out," Ty observed.
"Stay, stay."
David also stayed out, and he picked up the lead.
"All right, bud, you're going to restart 8th." Ty said the #48 and the #5 were four back. "They took four tires. All right, man, one to go, one to go. 50 laps to go."
"I'm sorry. 17 to go," Bootie responded.
David led the lap 153 restart. Mikey was 8th, and Marcos was one lap down in 35th.
"Everybody's rolling. Three-wide, inside. Got the 83 all the way to the bottom. Three-wide. It'll be clear up behind him. Clear there, all clear. Clear one back, both sides. Inside. Inside, inside. Inside, inside. Clear there one back to the 14. All the way down the bottom. Inside, inside. 18 with him. Clear two back to the 12, two back."
Dale Earnhardt Jr led lap 154. Mikey was 15th, David 2nd.
"Outside. He'll be coming outside, outside. Two back. One back, 43's got a run. Coming inside, inside."
"It's backing into the turns," Mikey complained.
"10-4. Inside, inside. Still there, inside, another one. Inside."
David was 3rd on lap 155. Mikey was 25th.
"Inside, inside. Two more."
"It's just so fucking ridiculous. Golly!" Mikey commented.
"Inside, inside. 98's looking inside with him."
The seventh caution was on lap 158 when David Stremme spun out. Montoya received the free pass. Mikey was 32nd, David 5th, and Marcos 36th and lapped.
"Right in front of you, right in front of you. Stay up, stay up. He's right in the middle of the track, right in the middle. Come on up, come on up."
Mikey said he couldn't get to the corner, and the adjustments had all screwed it up. "So do whatever you want."
Bootie called for four tires and adjustments.
"Pit road's going to be open, pit road's going to be open. 4900."
Drivers made stops under yellow.
"Get Art, get Art. Make sure we're all on the same page here. I got you. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, there you go," Bootie guided Mikey to the box. "One lane one lane one lane one lane. 19 coming outside, 19 coming outside. 49."
"All right, man. One to go, one to go," Ty said.
"Okay, Michael, we're good to go to the end on fuel," Bootie said. He told Mikey to "have at it."
"All right, you should be lining up behind that 98," Ty added. "Showing odd or even, Bootie?"
"It's showing us odd behind the 34, but it may not have been updated."
Vickers led the restart on lap 161. Mikey was 31st, David 20th, and Marcos one lap down in 35th.
"Still clear high. 19's trying to look. Still clear. Outside, outside. Outside. Two of them. Outside. Clear up, two back. Clear up. Still inside, inside. Clear high. Clear low, all clear."
On lap 162, Mikey was 29th. David was 19th, Marcos 35th.
"Clear, whatever you need. Clear two back. Three-wide. Clear, clear. Run on the bottom, run on the bottom. Inside, inside. Two-wide, three-wide. Got a push coming from the 19. Still down there. Car still there. He's looking outside. Outside, he's there. Both sides. Clear high, clear high. Another one on the bottom."
"It's about to spin out, man. I'm going to wreck if I try to race. I mean, I can't even get near the corner," Mikey complained. "I'm not able to race. It's no good."
On lap 164, Mikey was 30th.
"Still out there, the 2. On your quarter. Clear now, clear."
Lap 165 saw Mikey in 34th, the last one on the lead lap. David was 17th, Marcos 35th. David picked up a spot one lap later.
Mikey asked for something but was cut off. Bootie said, "That's what we're going to do, next time."
"Great! That's when I come to the garage."
"Still out there now. Still there. Clear the 6 now, one back. Clear clear, still clear."
On lap 166, Johnson reclaimed the lead.
"42.16.
"42.75."
"Still out there. Still on your corner. Still out there."
On lap 169, Mikey picked up 33rd from David Ragan's #6. David was 17th, Marcos 35th.
"He's going to be there off the corner, he's going to be outside off the corner."
"42.71.
"42.66."
"I've never been this loose. Ever. EVER!" Mikey yelled on lap 174. David was 15th.
"I got you, man," Bootie replied. "42.51."
"25 to go, 25."
"42.43.
"42.78."
On lap 176, David was 14th.
"42.32.
"42.61.
"42.90.
"43.25."
"All right, 19 laps to go, 19." Ty said some of the guys in front of them would need to pit for fuel. "So maybe we'll pick up some spots that way."
"42.93.
"42.81."
"Still out there. Still out there, man. Clear up."
"42.98.
"43.08."
"Still out there. Going to be there off the corner. Clear two back to the 47. Still out there. Still there. You're clear now, clear one back. Working the top side. Still clear. All right, 13 to go. All spots in front of you. 13 to go."
"42.83."
Mikey was 32nd on lap 188, having passed Jamie McMurray. David was 13th, Marcos 35th.
"42.95."
"Ten to go, bud. Ten."
"43.10.
"43.12."
"8 to go. 8. Still out there. Still there. Going to be there off the corner."
On lap 193, David was up to 12th.
"6 more, 6."
On lap 195, David was 11th.
"Still going to be clear up, three back." Guys were running out of gas, and Ty told him this. "Still there. Going to be off the corner, going to be there."
Vickers led lap 198 after Johnson ran out of fuel. He went on to win.
"One more, bud. Finish it up. Still out there. Clear up there. There you go. Keep digging, keep digging. You've got a slow one on the apron out of gas. You got both of them. Nice job."
"Way to stay after it, Michael. Way to stay after it, crew," Bootie said.
"I appreciate the hard work, guys. I appreciate the hard work. I think that's the most I've ever accomplished in my whole life," Mikey stated. "That's hard. That's real hard, and it ain't a lot of fun."
"I know, man. I know. You put in a lot of hard work and focus."
Mikey came home 27th. David was 9th, Marcos 35th.
Bristol is next week. Coverage of the Sprint Cup's Sharpie 500 begins Saturday at 6:30pm ET on ESPN. The Nationwide Series' Food City 250 airs at 7:30pm on ESPN2.
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© 2009 Kellyanne Lynch, in association with Cyber Speed Design. All rights reserved.
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