Kobalt Tools 500 - 3/8/09
Michael Waltrip was not happy with the bumpstops in his #55 Napa Auto Parts Camry for the second week. Furthermore, he was trapped two laps down toward the beginning of the race when a crew member chased a tire through the infield during green flag stops and forced NASCAR to draw the yellow flag. Mikey finished four laps down in 25th in the Kobalt Tools 500, this afternoon's Sprint Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Michael Waltrip Racing's #00 Aaron's Dream Machine suffered an issue with a spring; driver David Reutimann finished 25 laps down in 32nd.
Spotter Ty Norris and crew chief Bootie Barker performed a radio check at 2:06pm ET.
"Ty, I have the best view I've had all year. I can see him all the way to the Target pretty well."
"10-4. I'll turn him over to you right when he pits.
"1, 2. Hello?" Mikey was on the radio a minute later. Ty and Bootie both responded to him.
The call to start engines came at 2:08pm.
"Got a little puddle of fuel from the 1 car, if you want to go around it," a crew member warned as Mikey headed off pit road with the field.
"Michael, we're going to be in real nice shape as far as our pits. We're going to have the 00, an opening, us, and then the 7 is in front of us," Bootie told his driver.
"Okay," Mikey replied.
"Go ahead and peak at yellow, please."
"Gotcha."
"And I would not use your B fans until you so choose. I would just leave those off."
"Okay."
Mikey had qualified 24th for today's race, with David starting 18th.
"All right, buddy, you're rolling here," Ty said. "You're ten away at the M&Ms."
"Okay," Mikey replied. He said he'd wanted to have a tinted windshield today.
Bootie told him they didn't have it today and counted Mikey to his pit stall as the #55 drove by the box on the track.
"It would be nice to have it for here. It would have been a big deal here."
"Yeah, they just issued it." Bootie said something after that too.
"Not sure I'd go that far."
"Rule will be eight inches down and where they deem necessary. Your side."
"What are we looking for here, Bootie?" Ty asked.
"4150, second gear. 4150."
"Okay, what's your maximum? What do you want to run?"
Bootie said 4320 was speeding.
"I get 4000 right on him," Mikey stated.
"We did well last week going by us," Bootie said. "Even if we're fast, we're still in our number, so 4150."
"You're going to be coming around to one to go, one to go. 325 laps," Ty said.
"Okay, Michael, we'll be listening. All day long, crew. All day."
"Thank you," Mikey replied. "Y'all too. Have a good day in there."
The green flag waved at 2:18pm ET with Mark Martin leading the field.
"All right, here we go. Pace car's coming off," said Ty. "Ready? Green green green. Everybody's rolling, everybody's rolling. Got one on the inside. All the way down, inside."
Martin led the first lap.
"Still down there on your quarter. Still down there, the 07. Still down there. Still there. Got a... caution's out, caution's out. Wave them off."
The first caution was on lap 2 for Reed Sorenson. Something broke in his #43. Mikey was still 24th, David 18th.
"We're going to have to end up challenging. 55 07, Bootie," Ty told the crew chief.
"10-4," Bootie responded. "Ron."
"Car feels, you know, pretty grippy for this leg," Mikey reported.
"Yeah, 10-4. It takes a smart man to race this race track." He compared Atlanta to Darlington.
"Darlington has become something else."
"It has, hasn't it. We shouldn't have this issue now anyway, but just pay attention to your radiator, coolant," Bootie warned.
"Right now, I"m just past 1 o'clock and 2 o'clock. So, in my world, that's 220, 240."
"That's right. That's the same when I'm looking at my thing. That's right. That's cool." After a pause, Bootie added, "55, 07."
"Be one to go when you come around, one to go," Ty noted. "Caution was the 43, who drove her straight in the fence on the first lap."
"Judging from the black marks, he must have had a flat," Mikey theorised.
Ty confirmed that the car never turned. "All right, bud. Be ready. You're going to be coming around back to the green."
Racing resumed on lap 6 with Martin in the lead. Kurt Busch jumped to the top spot immediately. Sorenson was in the garage.
"Be ready. Pace car's off. Ready. Green green green. Outside only. Clear half back. Looking inside, inside. Still there, still there. Clear. Half back to the 99 up top with you. Now he's got a run outside. Outside, he's there, by himself. 12 coming up top. Big run. 12's coming outside, outside all by himself. All the way inside. Inside on your quarter, still there. Still clear half back. Still trying a run on the high side. Looking low, inside."
On lap 8, Mikey was 26th. David was 17th.
"All clear. Still outside, stillt here. Clear the 7, clear. Clear this corner right here. Clear two back."
"62," Bootie read off the last lap time.
"Still there. Clear."
The second caution was on lap 12 when Bobby Labonte got sideways.
"Spin behind you. No caution yet. Caution's out, caution's out."
"Okay, Michael, I'm listening," Bootie said.
"Um. Really not much to report, and I'm not really loose," Mikey reported. "I'm not really pushing. I'm just not as fast as some people."
"10-4. Seems like it's coming to you, so we won't do anything fancy." Bootie called for four tires and fuel.
Ty noted they would pit next time.
"I'll remind you, shift your car, Michael, when the car drops."
"All right, bud. 4150 when you get here. Start / finish will be ten away."
"10-4. You're going to follow the 07 in. He's right in front of you." Bootie told Mikey to leave some space.
The crew chief led the driver into the box under yellow. Three cars stayed on track - Joe Nemechek, Dave Blaney, and Mike Bliss.
"Okay, I'm going to fix my headset one second," Bootie announced after the stop.
Nemechek, Blaney, and Bliss pit after staying out one lap.
"Copy me," Bootie said after the switch.
"I do, Bootie," Ty replied.
"Yeah, everything sounds good," Mikey added.
"10-4. I had my buds backwards. I was all confused."
"Everybody, be ready. We're going to be coming to the green, coming to the green," Ty said. "Hard to believe, a couple guys took two. You'll be able to kick them out pretty soon. Pace car's off. Be ready. Green green green. Clear two back."
Ryan Newman led the restart on lap 15. Mikey was 27th, and David was 17th.
"Still clear up, still clear up. Got a big run now, inside. Settled in now. You're clear. Going to be looking on the bottom. Inside. Got another one looking with him."
Kurt Busch reclaimed the lead for lap 16. Mikey and David each gained a spot.
"Still down there. Still down there, inside. Clear clear."
"Real loose on new tires," Mikey reported.
"10-4. 80," Bootie replied.
On lap 18, Mikey was 28th.
"13."
"Half back to the 8. Got the 6 with him. Still clear. 6 is going to be looking low, half back. Inside. He's down there with him. Clear there, two back."
David was 14th on lap 20. Mikey was still 28th.
"74," Bootie read off lap times. "62."
Mikey was 29th on lap 21. David was 15th.
"Still there on your corner. Still there."
"12."
David was 17th on lap 23.
"Clear there. Two back to the 47. He's been running the bottom."
"09."
"Still outside on your corner. Still there. Clear clear."
"27.
"30."
"Clear there. Clear one back."
On lap 25, Mikey was 28th and David 18th.
"38. Lap times are fine. Real good."
"Still outside. Still clear two back behind him. Still on your quarter. Clear there. Nice job."
"46."
Mikey was 27th on lap 27.
"Clear."
Mikey was up another spot on lap 28; he was 26th. David was 19th.
"It's just loose," Mikey reported.
"10-4. Paul, come see me," said Bootie.
"Inside," Ty warned. "Still on your quarter. Clear half back. Inside, inside. Clear low, clear high."
Mikey was 25th on lap 29. David was now 21st.
"10-4. We'll get some air for you," Bootie said.
"Still outside. Clear up. Still clear up, one back."
Travis Kvapil went to pit road on lap 33, and his crew put the hood up. David was 22nd.
"Still outside." Ty warned of a car looking on the bottom. "Still there. Clear half back, one back."
"Lap times are fine, Michael. You're running a good pace. Just hang in there," Bootie encouraged his driver.
"Clear there. Clear two back. Inside, inside. Clear."
Mikey was 24th on lap 35.
"06."
Mikey lost a spot on lap 36; he was now 25th.
"Still outside. Clear up, clear up."
"We're going to do a round of wedge in the left rear. Inner liner, round of wedge," Bootie told the crew.
"Leader now," warned Ty.
David was 23rd on lap 37. One lap later, he was 24th.
"24."
"On your corner. Still there. Still on your quarter. Still looking outside. Still out there. All the way to the top. Still there. To your corner, still there. Clear there one back."
Lap 40 saw Mikey up to 23rd. David was 26th.
"Clear there. Clear clear."
"34.46. Good job, keep going."
"Inside. 47's going to be all the way at the bottom. Still down there, still there. 12's still down there. Clear there three back. Leader's in 2 now."
Mikey was 24th on lap 41 with David in 28th.
"Still there on your quarter, still there. There you go. All clear one back."
"40."
David was 27th on lap 42.
"Leader just ran a 34 flat. You just run a 34.40," Bootie told his driver. "So you're doing pretty good. 50."
David was 28th again on lap 43. Busch was leading by seven seconds.
"56."
David was back to 31st by lap 46.
"53."
One lap later, the #00 was 32nd. David lost the lead lap.
"31.
"55."
"Leader now."
"72."
David was 34th on lap 50.
"50.
"50."
"One right on your bumper there. Inside. Clear there. That is the leader about twenty car lengths back."
David was 35th on lap 52.
"24."
Sam Hornish Jr pit on lap 53 after losing the lead lap.
"Five back. He's been running the extreme top," Ty noted. "One back up top. Inside. You've got a third of a lap on second place, so I mean, he's just out there. P25."
Mikey went a lap down on lap 54. He was 25th, and David was 34th.
"Flat.
"77.
"87."
David was 35th on lap 56.
"I'm just extremely loose," Mikey reported.
"10-4 on that," Bootie replied. "10-4."
David was 36th on lap 57.
"Five back to the 96. Just stay with it, brother. We'll get you in there soon," Ty encouraged. "Looking inside. 96 by himself. Inside. Clear three back to the 7 up top."
"Paul, Paul," Bootie said.
Mikey was 26th on lap 60.
"Back, car looking inside. Inside. Clear behind him."
"Okay, pit crew, get ready. Everything's fine, Michael. Keep going. Just everyone, get ready."
David pit on lap 61, along with Dave Blaney. He was reporting the car was really loose and had no side bite. The hood went up on Blaney's car.
"Still out there," Ty warned.
"I'm not going to leave you hanging, Michael. As soon as we have a chance, I'm going to pull the trigger."
David was 38th and two laps down after his stop. Cars continued to pit.
"Okay, Michael, this time, this time. 4150, second gear."
"Inside, inside. Coming in this time. Clear."
Mikey pit on lap 65.
"4150 at the yellow line," Ty said. "Good job, man. Real good job. 4150 right there. Get with that 34... all right, they'll be fine."
Bootie led Mikey into the #55 box. "One lane, one lane, one lane, one lane. 4150. Good job."
Ty told Mikey to roll hard once he was past the line. "Keep rolling. You're going to be clear when you get around there."
The third caution was on lap 66. A crew member from the #47 team had walked across the infield grass to retrieve a tire that had stopped there. Denny Hamlin received the free pass. Only six cars were on the lead lap, and Mikey and David were trapped two laps down.
"Doggone mighty. Caution's out. What did they throw the caution for?"
Ty said it was because of the crew member.
"Holy! That was dumb. Okay, we're going to be fine. Cautions breed cautions, so just hang in there. We're going to be fine."
"Cautions happen to everyone. So we shouldn't take it so personal. We just need to run better," Mikey said.
"10-4."
"There are only five on the lead lap," Ty said.
"That's officially the loosest I've ever been," Mikey said.
"10-4. You were definitely doing good then, if it were that loose." Bootie said he could tell Mikey was trying to keep it off the wall. "Stay out, stay out.
"All right, Ty, they're showing the 48 is the leader right now. I know they're trying to pull it out, but whatever."
"Yeah, the 48... the 2's got some issues.
"Well, am I two down or three down?" Mikey asked.
"Two, two down," Bootie replied.
"So that means I have to go on the inside, no matter what, so that's what I was asking for."
"1 to go, 1 to go."
"Yeah, you're the tail end of one lap down. So technically, you're one lap down," Bootie told his driver.
"It doesn't matter," Mikey replied. "I'm a lap down, so I have to start on the outside."
"10-4. All those cars in front of you are in the same situation you are."
"Yeah. Trying to figure out how many have that option to jam up the outside line."
"None in front of us," Mikey said.
"Yeah, the 48's the leader. He's about ten cars behind you. Twelve cars behind you," Ty said. "All right, just to let you know, the 48 is the leader. He is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 cars behind you."
"Maybe these pricks down know the rules. If you're a lap down, you can't be on the outside lane," Mikey said.
"Ty, you guys talked over each other," Bootie said.
"The 14 and the 26 aren't allowed to be out there."
"All they need to know is the rules," Mikey commented.
Johnson led the restart on lap 74 with a number of cars in front of him either on the tail end of the lead lap or the tail end of two down. Mikey was 25th at the tail end of two down, and David was 35th and two laps down.
"Ready? Green green. Everybody's rolling. Still outside. Outside. Still outside. The 7 is still low, inside. Still outside, still two more outside. Looking low. Three-wide, three wide. Clear now behind the 6, clear now behind the 6. Inside and out."
On lap 76, Mikey was a second lap down again. He was 26th.
"Still inside. You've got two of them on the bottom. Still there all the way on the bottom. Inside, two of them."
Mikey got loose under the #77 and slid back quite a ways.
"I don't know what's wrong with it, but it's about to crash."
"10-4. Hang in there, hang in there, man. Outside, real hard. On the bottom, inside."
Mikey was 36th on lap 77. David was 31st.
"This adjustment has really really screwed me up."
"10-4."
"Okay, buddy, let's survive out there. It's still pretty crazy out there," Ty said.
Mikey was 38th on lap 79.
"It's so loose," Mikey said.
"10-4. 10-4 on that," Bootie replied.
"It totally backs into the corner."
"Still outside, all the way to the top. Clear up clear up clear up."
Lap 82 saw Carl Edwards take the lead. David was 30th. Meanwhile, Nemechek went to the garage.
"71.
"65.
"15.
"84."
"Guys, when we get a caution, I want to go all the way down on the right side track bar and put rubber in the left rear," Bootie told the team.
Mikey yelled something.
"10-4."
"You've made it undriveable. I'm telling you."
"10-4 on that. Take two rounds back out of that left rear, guys." Then Bootie addressed a crew member. "Paul."
David was 29th on lap 87.
"Clear up there. Leader now. You've got that kind of time. No pressure yet. Still out there. Clear up. Still there. Clear clear."
"53.
"49."
"Unbelievable," Mikey said on lap 95.
"10-4, man."
"Going to have a run on the outside. Outside, outside. Clear there."
Mikey was 37th on lap 95.
"50."
"Leader now. You still have a half lap on the 99," Ty noted.
"10-4 on that," Bootie replied. "84."
Juan Pablo Montoya pit on lap 100.
"Two back to the 5. Inside."
"21."
"Unbelievable," Mikey said again.
"10-4 on that, man. I know it's terrible. Go as slow as you need to to keep it under you," Bootie responded. "87."
"Three back to the 83."
The fourth caution was on lap 103 when Bobby Labonte spun. Kurt Busch had just taken the lead.
"Outside. Going to have a spin off of 4. We've got to work on this car. Two laps down is up to the 18th spot."
"Son of a bitch. I can't even approach the turn. Everything we did just took it where it was and took it further."
Bootie called for wedge back out and tire pressure back down. He also wanted rubbers in the left rear and the right side track bar all the way down.
Mikey asked Bootie just to think through it all.
"Obviously, that sucked, so we're going back down."
"Frig me. I've never driven a car that bad."
Bootie said Mikey did well driving the car the way it was.
Leaders pit under yellow. Mark Martin, Brian Vickers, and Jeff Gordon were back on the lead lap.
"At the start of the race, I was a little loose. I was passing people, and I was hanging on. That time, I couldn't even drive it, like I had to coast. If I ran in anywhere near the corner where I was supposed to, it would spin out."
"10-4 on that," Bootie replied.
Ty told the crew to get everything right.
Mikey pit with the lapped cars. A crew member of the #07 team went after a gas tank that the car had taken out of the box.
"All right, one to go when you get around here," Ty said. "Everything you need, Bootie?"
"We're good to go. Put the adjustments back, of course. Rubber in the rear, track bar all the way down."
"All right, the 83 is dropping to the back for a penalty."
Kurt Busch led the restart on lap 108. Mikey was 34th, and David was 27th. Both were two laps down.
"All right, bud. Be ready. Ready? Green green. Keep rolling. Outside, outside. Clear up behind him. One back to the 88. Inside, 88. More out there, outside. 18. Clear behind the 18. Down there inside, 34. Still there. Clear clear."
Mikey was 35th one lap into the run.
"Still out there, still there. Still outside. Still there on your quarter. Still there."
David was 26th on lap 110.
"I know I say this every week, but these shocks feel different already," Mikey stated.
"10-4," Bootie replied.
David was 27th on lap 112.
"Still out there. Still there."
"It just gets to bouncing so bad in the front, I don't know which way to chase it."
"Still coming on your corner. Still there. Still outside on your quarter. Still there. Clear up. Clear clear."
"I mean, I can't even race, because I bounce everywhere."
"49."
Mikey was 34th and David 28th on lap 114.
"28.
"56.
"59.
"87."
"Still out there. Still out there. Going to be clear behind him. Clear four back. Still outside, still up top. Still on your corner. Got him clear now by one. Still clear by one. Coming back outside, back outside. Half back to the 7. He's going to have a run on the topside. Clear there. Clear by one. All clear, all clear."
Mikey was 33rd on lap 120. David was 30th.
"7 car's one back," Ty warned. "Looking low. Clear there two back."
"Just so loose. I can't do my job," Mikey said.
"10-4," Bootie responded.
"77."
David gained a spot and Mikey lost one on lap 124. They were 34th and 29th. David picked up 28th one lap later.
"It's just, it's just so on the right rear. You've got to put some air in it or something," Mikey said.
"10-4," Bootie replied.
"It's nowhere near like it was yesterday. The front end's all... I keep complaining."
"Copy that. 10-4.
"43."
"Two back to the 19. Still clear half back. Outside outside outside."
Mikey was 35th on lap 132. David was 30th. David reported the motor was slow, and the car was running down one cyllander.
"99.
"84."
"Clear all clear."
"Flat."
Mikey was 34th on lap 136, having passed Sam Hornish Jr. Hornish's #77 had slid sideways and back.
"That's going to be the leader, one back. Looking on the bottom. Inside. Clear behind him."
Mikey went a third lap down on lap 137.
"83.
"90.
"97.
"84."
"Still outside. Still there. Two back to the 9 on the bottom. 9 car's going to be outside, outside. 42 going to be on the bottom."
Montoya pit again on lap 143.
"75.
"77.
"68.
"69."
Mikey was 33rd on lap 145. This was due to Montoya's issue.
"Flat."
"All right, man. You're ten back to the 99, second place. Two back. He's all by himself. 42's coming. Fresh tires. Clear behind him."
"I'm just so loose in," Mikey reported.
"10-4," Bootie replied.
"All right, man. Four back to the 33. Third place. Inside. 48's got a run on the bottom. Inside. Clear there."
Hornish made a stop on lap 151.
"Okay, everybody just be prepared. Pit crew, just be prepared," Bootie told the team.
"Four back to the 5, four back to the 5. He's been running the bottom. Inside, inside."
"94.
"75.
"84."
The fifth caution was with 169 laps to go for debris in Turn 2.
"Caution's out, caution's out."
"Okay, guys, what I talked about, let's not do that." Bootie called for a right front shock adjustment. "Good job, Michael. You hung in there again, bud. There's still a ton of positions to have."
"It's just unbelievable. I can't even complain enough, I guess. I guess I'm not smart enough. I don't understand how we can be effed up. I know our other two cars must suck too. They're right in front of us."
"10-4."
"So that might be the only way I can keep my brain straight, because the other ones are right in front of us." Mikey said he thought he had bad bumpstops.
"10-4 on that. We're going to adjust that gap, we're going to do compressions, we're going to do air pressure."
"Yeah, can't you see by the lap times? That's why I need you to be a little more helpful, by saying your lap times are better or your lap times suck." Mikey said he was barely surviving.
"You were doing better. I just didn't say you were doing better, or you'd lose your mind."
Mikey promised he'd never lose his mind again. He wanted to know if the #00 was blowing up as they pit early.
Ty said they thought they'd lost a spring. "Both of them lost power 30 laps, 40 laps ago."
Bootie asked about temps.
"One o'clock, twelve o'clock."
Bootie also called for a quarter of tape off to take out some downforce.
"I hate saying bumpstops during the course of the race, because you can't do nothing about it. The same thing happened last week. I'm getting tired of this. We need to find out what other people are running and change to them. It's a rough stop, and if bumpstops are bad, it's going to be worse here than anywhere else. So it's bad."
"All right, here we come. 4150," Ty said.
"10-4. 4150," Bootie replied. "Wheels straight, put on the brake. Shift when the car drops. We're going to do a left front adjustment. Got you. 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2."
The #55 pit under yellow.
"Ty, just keep me abreast of the pace car, okay?" Bootie requested.
"On the backstretch. One to go when you get here. Entering 3, entering 3."
Bootie told the crew what to do to finish. "You're fine, Michael. You're fine. 4150."
"4150."
"You got them both in as well. You're fine."
"All right, come on around into the line. You'll be entering 1. It will be coming back around to the green."
"Okay, Michael, all the way up to 23rd is on our lap," Bootie noted.
"Well, we'll try to go get us some, boys. Try to get us some of that action. We ain't gonna give up. We just gotta work for it more," Mikey said.
"10-4, 10-4."
The green flag waved again with 163 laps to go. Kurt Busch led, Mikey was 34th, and David was 35th. Mikey was three laps down. David was in the garage.
One lap into the run, Mikey picked up 33rd while David fell to 37th as he was off the track.
"Still outside. Still outside. Clear there," Ty noted.
"34."
Mikey was 32nd on lap 169.
"Inside, the 82. All clear."
"Just so loose," Mikey said.
"53. 10-4.
"68."
"These changes definitely hurt it," Mikey reported.
"10-4."
"The 82's right there. Looking low. Inside, inside."
"Ah!" Mikey exclaimed. "You just hurt me worse!"
"10-4," Bootie replied.
"It's like we have no idea how to do anything I need right now."
Mikey was 33rd on lap 172. Scott Speed's #82 had passed.
"06.
"52."
Jeff Gordon led lap 176, but Kurt Busch reclaimed the top spot within the next lap.
"12.
"12.
"34.
"43.
"58."
"43's looking on the bottom."
"46.
"28.
"78."
Marcos Ambrose slowed and was smoking on the track with 141 laps to go. Meanwhile, Busch's #2 scuffed the wall.
"Flat."
"Caution's out, caution's out. 47 finally blew up."
The sixth caution was on lap 186 for Ambrose's #47.
"Yeah, it feels like you shut off the right front. That ain't even close to what the problem is. You know, it ain't load. Hell, it ain't even got a load on it when it spins out. Now I've got to cut so much sliding that it's undriveable. Doesn't feel like it has a right front shock on it."
Bootie called for an air pressure adjustment, right front shock, and A packer out of the left front.
"Pit road's going to be closed this time," Ty said. The #47 had dropped a lot of oil there on the way to the garage.
"This just really, really bad," Mikey stated under yellow. "The front end jumps around and carries on, and then that time, you just took the right front away from me, so I turn it even more before I spin out. No grip in the front at all, no grip in the back, but mainly just not the same car I had yesterday."
"10-4. That hurt us obviously, so we'll try right front shock."
"That ain't nowhere near I started the race with. The first 30 or 40 laps, I could run good. Now it's so incredibly loose. Incredible. Unbelieveable, I believe is my word of the day."
Bootie said they could put it back to the beginning - "the least screwed up it was" - but they could put back what they try now if they don't like it.
"All right, pit road will be open for the leaders. We're coming next time," Ty said. He warned Mikey about trucks on the apron. "All right, 4150. Ten away."
"10-4. I've got you. 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2." Bootie led Mikey to the #55's box. "No, just look at that. How we looking, Ty?"
Ty said the pace car was on the backstretch.
Bootie led Mikey out of his box moments later. "Nice job, men."
"You'll be coming around with one to go," Ty said. "All right, they say we're coming around to the green, but we've got two trucks on the apron."
Kurt Busch led the restart with 134 laps to go; Martin Truex Jr had led under yellow but pit before the restart. Mikey was 33rd, three laps down. David was in the garage in 37th.
"All right, buddy. Pace car's off. Be ready. Green green green. Clear there five back."
"41.
"68.
"90."
"Still there. Still there. Still there on the bottom. Still there."
With 128 laps to go, David Ragan ran into the back of Greg Biffle and hit the wall.
"Keep rolling. 6 car hit the wall up there. No caution yet. Clear three back. Slow one on the bottom. Still there, still there. Still there inside. Clear there, whatever you need. Still outside on your corner. Still there still there still there. Clear one back."
Mikey was 32nd on lap 199.
"7 car still out there. Clear now. Still clear. Still clear. Still clear one back, two back. Inside, 43. Inside. All the way down there. Still there."
Mikey was 31st on lap 201.
"There you go. All clear."
"66. Good job, man."
"Looks a little better, Bootie. Keep us abreast of the times," Ty requested.
"10-4. 62."
Kurt Busch scraped the wall again.
"Definitely better, Michael. You're catching the people you need to."
"Right in front of you, right in front of you. 77 in the fence. Watch out, watch that 42. Stay in the middle."
The seventh caution was on lap 205. Sam Hornish Jr ran into the wall and collected Bill Elliott.
"Okay, Michael, I'm listening."
"I don't got nothing to say, man. All I'm doing is surviving. That was better than the time before, as you well know. We're just really really really really frickin' junk. The front end... I don't know what to say. The front end doesn't work. And it's so frickin' loose that I can't hang on."
"10-4."
"I don't know. Other than get me more right front grip." He suggested taking air out of the left too.
Bootie said he'd work on grip.
"It's just a mess. You can't drive it."
"Okay, everybody got that? Okay, Michael, we're going to tweak on this thing. It was so much better than before that we don't want to go backwards." Bootie called for a slight air pressure adjustment.
"Here we come. 4150. Ten away."
"9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2. Wheels straight, put on the brake."
The #55 had pit.
"One lane one lane one lane one lane. Behind the 42. Good job."
"All right, it's going to be one to go when you get around. One to go."
"Okay, Michael, you're P27. 118 to go."
"All right, not gonna go, not gonna go."
David was back on track, 23 laps down in 36th.
"All right, man. Will be coming to the green this time, coming to the green. They got everything off the track," Ty said.
Jeff Gordon led the restart with 116 laps to go. Mikey was in 27th and three laps down.
"Inside inside, the 12. Still outside, 98. Bouncing around up there. Keep rolling. Keep rolling outside. Clear up behind that 98 if you need it. Clear three back. Clear the 98. Clear."
Mikey was 28th one lap into the run.
"Coming outside now, outside. It will be clear there, three back."
"30."
"Clear one back, 17. Lucky dog last time. Inside, inside. Clear one back. Two back."
Mikey was 29th on lap 212.
"51."
"One back. Inside. Clear there five back."
"40."
"Still out there. Still there."
With 110 laps to go, Joey Logano hit the wall.
"That 20, he's all over the place up in front of you," Ty warned. "Clear there. Clear, four back. Spin in 2. Back it down. He's on the apron. Caution's out."
The eighth caution was on lap 217 for Mark Martin, who lost a tire and wrecked hard. Kevin Harvick received the free pass.
"That seemed to help the front grip, but I'm so frickin' loose. Whatever you did helped the front, so you need to lower that trackbar. Fu, fu... heck, I'm going to kill myself. I'm going to do what he just did."
Booty said he was staying away from touching the trackbar is because it would make him looser like in qualifying.
"Fine. Just do something. It's just ridiculous the cars are this bad."
Leaders pit under yellow.
"That seems to be the first thing you've done that helped it turn, and that was a plus, but the more I slid the front, the worst the back end went. Now at least I have control of one end," Mikey said.
"10-4 on that," Bootie replied.
"All right, here we come. 4150," Ty spotted. "Ten away."
"9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2. Put on the brake, wheels straight."
The #55 pit under yellow.
"One lane one lane one lane one lane. 4150. The 19 coming on the outside. You beat it. Andy, I got you, I got you. Yeah."
"Good pit stop, boys. Good job," Mikey praised his team.
"107 to go, Michael. 107," said Bootie.
"What's our pit window?"
"We can make it on one stop."
"All right, one to go, one to go.
"All right, one to go when you come around this time. Not gonna go."
"What are they mad at the 16 about?" Mikey asked.
"I don't know," Ty replied. "What position is it up to on our lap? Is it 23rd?"
Bootie said it was up to the 21st spot now. "For pitting outside of the box on the #16, Michael."
Racing resumed with 104 laps to go with Jeff Gordon leading. Mikey was 26th, three laps down. David was 23 laps down in 36th.
"Clear one back," Ty said. "Two back. Clear one back to the 19 up top. Still clear high. Got one looking low. 19's got a big run up top, one back. Outside. Got the 12 with him. Still out there on your quarter, still there. Still outside up top, still up there. 12's still half back, right on your quarter, inside. Clear up there, clear up. Have a good run outside, outside. Got the 29, a lead lap car. Clear up behind the 12."
Mikey was 25th on lap 223.
"All clear there, two back. 42 coming hard one back, inside. Inside. Half back to the 42."
David was 35th on lap 225. Meanwhile, Mikey lost a spot after David Stremme passed.
"87."
David was back up to 34th on lap 226.
"75.
"71."
"Still outside, still all the way at the top, still all the way at the top. Clear one back. Nice job."
"16."
"Still clear the 12. Still clear."
"27."
"Still outside. Still there. 19 still outside with that 88. Clear up behind him if you want it, two back to the 12."
Mikey was 25th on lap 232.
"Still out there, that 19. Still there. Inside, inside. Inside. Clear clear. Still outside on your corner. Still there, still there. Clear five back, bud."
Mikey was up to 24th on lap 234, but he lost two spots one lap later.
"77," Bootie read off times.
"Still out there. You see that 5 up there real lame on the top."
"Flat."
"Still there. Clear the 5. Clear. 39's backing up like he's down a cyllander. Still outside. 39's coming back outside. 39's there. Clear three back. Still outside, still up there. There you go. Clear clear."
"Nice job, Michael. Definite improvement on times. Stay smooth. 03," Bootie praised. "90.
"40.
"10.
"34.
"21.
"59.
"46."
"Three back to the 42."
"Ty, we are not racing him, just to let you know."
"Still clear one back."
"90."
"Leader's at the line now - 24."
"That 40's pretty good," Bootie noted. "56."
With 74 laps to go, Kurt Busch was back in the lead.
"65.
"62.
"62."
"Just, just very loose," Mikey reported on lap 255.
"10-4. That's fine, lap time wise," Bootie replied. "77."
"All right, three back to the 7. He's also on our lap. Then two back to the 2. Still clear the 7. He's working the top side. Got a run outside. It will be clear right there. 2 car off of two."
"We might ought to short stop," Mikey said.
"We need to make sure we get to our window. 10-4 on that," Bootie replied.
"Clear, clear."
The ninth caution was on lap 260 for Robby Gordon getting into the wall.
"Caution's out, caution's out. That's cool. We needed that," Ty said.
"Okay, Michael, that run was our best run of the day by far." Bootie asked if the car were better.
"Yes. Just still loose."
Bootie called for four tires and fuel.
"That lap there is on you guys. That pit stop got me out ahead of some guys. You did a good job there."
"They certainly appreciate it. But you did good too. You gained a lot of time on that run." After a pause, Bootie added. "I mean, that run there, Michael, he caught the 19... all those cars behind you."
Lead lap cars pit under yellow. Jimmie Johnson was too fast exitting pit road.
"Okay, 4150. Put on your brake, hit your sign. Shift when you get dropped here."
"All right, here we go," Ty said. "Ten away."
"9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3. Put on your brake. Hit the sign," Bootie directed.
Mikey made his stop.
"One lane one lane one lane one lane. 6 outside. Hold your line."
"There you go," Ty added.
"Tall gears, use tall gears right here, please," Bootie requested.
"Tall gears," Mikey repeated.
"If you want to squirt it fuel, squirt it."
Bootie said they didn't need to. He listed people behind Mikey he needed to race and people on the same lap.
Kurt Busch led the restart with 61 laps to go. Mikey was 24th and three laps down. David was 34th.
"Pace car's off. Ready? Green green green. Everybody's rolling. Got one coming, the 19." Ty warned Mikey about a "dead" car. "Still outside, the 8. Still there. Still outside, 20. Still there. Still there. Got inside, inside. Inside. Inside. Inside and out. Both sides, clear there, clear there. Right in front of you. The 82's right up against the wall. Come on down, come on down."
The tenth caution was for Scott Speed, who got turned into the wall by David Ragan. Then Jeff Burton put Greg Biffle in the wall. Mikey got oil on his windshield.
Bootie told Mikey to come in for left side splitter.
"That's my fault. I didn't want to go off the road, but I couldn't see." He asked for tape off too.
"Turn your wheel to the left a little bit, Michael?"
Ty noted where the pace car was.
Bootie made sure the splitter was clear and prepared to send the car back out.
"Did you clean the grill?"
"Turn 4. You guys had better get going."
Bootie sent Mikey back out. "You're all right, Michael. You're all right."
"Watch that ambulance, watch that ambulance."
A crew member said they needed a brace and screws.
"Get caught up though, Michael. Get us a little time," Bootie requested.
Ty told Mikey to slow down and come through the bottom for the trucks.
A crew member said to put a screw in the splitter and a pop rivet in the nose. He said they'd pull the tire off and would look at something.
"That's why I said you should use the big hammer instead of the ____ saw. It's quicker," Mikey commented.
Ty warned Mikey about a truck before guiding him back to pit road.
The #55 pit again. Bootie called for the left side up. He told the crew not to create more damage than they were fixing.
"Turn 3," Ty warned.
"Guys, we are definitely not going to lose a lap over this."
"Jack it up higher," a crew member said.
Bootie said they were okay. "You're okay, Michael. 4150."
"4150. Watch the truck, watch the truck. There you go."
A crew member said the left side splitter was still broke loose and they needed to pit again. He said what they needed and thanked Shelly for getting it.
Mikey asked for his windshield cleaned and right side tires as he didn't know what he'd run through. "You want me to come in this time, because we're already in the back?"
Bootie told him to come in.
"Sean, stay back," Bobby Kennedy said.
Bootie guided Mikey back to the pit box.
"Pull the splitter up so you can put it in tight. Pull it up."
Mikey suggested barribond to help. "Be gentle with the barribond. Just take your time."
"Yeah, we're in pretty good shape, Michael. We're fine."
"I need to go pretty soon."
Bootie said they were watching, then told Mikey when to leave his box. He told him to come back in for left side tires. Bobby said they need to put in more screws.
Bootie led Mikey back to the box. "I'm watching, Michael, you're fine. They're in the middle of 3 and 4. You've got one more, one more. Okay. Go ahead and drop it."
"All right, guys, good job. Come around there, Michael."
"Nobody ever got my windshield," Mikey commented.
"Michael, if you want us to come tear it off, we have time," Ty said.
"No, no no. Get caught up," Bootie disagreed.
"He's got a lot of shit on there. 50 to go, 50."
Kurt Busch led the restart with 51 laps to go. Mikey was 27th.
"Pace car's off. Be ready. Ready? Green green green. Outside, outside only. Clear the 39. One back and closing, the 31. Inside. Clear half back to the 7. Inside. Clear five back."
Mikey was 26th on lap 275. David was 34th, 24 laps down.
"I hurt my front," Mikey said.
"10-4," Bootie replied. "28."
Mikey was 27th on lap 278. Robby Gordon had passed.
"59."
"Still outside."
"Flat."
"Still down there. Still there. All clear."
"18.
"20.
"56."
"Down there on the bottom. He's at your door. Clear there, two back."
"65.
"72. Lap times are fine, Michael. You're doing good."
"Got one rubbing up against the wall in turns 1 and 2. The 20 car. Watch him."
"81."
Mikey was 26th on lap 289 after Joey Logano went to pit road with damage. David was 32nd, 24 laps down.
"Flat.
"84.
"Flat.
"21.
"Flat.
"37.
"19."
"28 to go. 28."
"31.
"18.
"40.
"59.
"43.
"24.
"59.
"46."
"Looks like 20 to go, 20."
"97.
"65.
"46.
"65.
"56.
"62. 15 to go.
"87.
"Okay, Michael, you've got the leader and the second place car about ten car lengths behind you. 18."
Ty told Mikey when Kurt Busch and Brian Vickers were fixing to pass. With 11 laps to go, Mikey went a fourth lap down. He was still 26th.
"20's car going to be... inside. He pitted about twenty laps ago. Clear."
"08."
"20 car's way down there. You're all clear. Clear three back behind you, if you need it. That's the 24 three back. 24 is 3rd place. Coming in the middle between you two. High side. Working the high side. Outside. It will be clear behind him. Six more, bud. Six more. Inside, the 99. Clear behind him."
"You're doing good, Michael. No pressure from behind us. Just bring 'er home," Bootie encouraged.
Robby Gordon was smoking with four laps to go. He'd lost a tire.
The eleventh caution was for Gordon with 3 to go.
"All right, brother. Keep going. You've got a couple of them who have run out of gas. The 7 and the 98. Caution's out, caution's out for debris."
"All right, Michael, what can we do to help you?"
"I'm just loose, man. Way way way way too loose."
Bootie called for four tires and no fuel. "Paul, I'd put another pound in the right front as well."
"You're only going to get two laps," Ty said. "Have a good stop. We're still racing a couple guys."
"10-4. If we have a good pit stop, we might be able to get that 71 and that 12 or something. You've done excellent, Michael. You've got us in the top 25 now. So if we can get you a decent stop."
"Pit road's open for lead lap."
"We'll come next time." Bootie told the crew to move the sign up. Then he told Mikey to shift when the car dropped.
"All right, here we go. 4150."
"Nice and smooth, guys. Yeah, just do your thing. I got you, Michael, I've got you. 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2."
The #55 pit.
"One lane one lane one lane one lane. 20 outside. One lane. Good job, you've got it. Good stop, men." Bootie said they were racing the #71 and #12, and the #7 had to go to the tail end of the lead lap.
"If I didn't speed, and the 12 didn't speed, then I don't know what happened," Mikey said.
"Um, Ty, I don't know if you're near the 20's spotter, but just remind him he's on a lap by himself. There's nothing he can do," Bootie said.
"I see him."
"If he wants to get in somebody's way, get in the 71's way."
"I talked to him, Bootie. He said he'd talk to him and he'd relay."
"No big deal."
Ty said something about the #12 speeding if he'd beat him. "One to go, one to go."
Carl Edwards led the field for the green/white/checkered finish. Mikey was four laps down in 25th. David was 25 laps down in 32nd.
"All right, the 99 took two tires. The rest of them took four," Ty said. "Pace car's off. Ready? Green green green. Everybody's rolling."
Kurt Busch reclaimed the lead.
"Looking low, looking inside. Inside. Still there on the bottom. Clear there, clear four back. One more. One back to the 18. Got a run inside, inside. Inside, inside. Hang on best you can. Inside."
"You earned it today. That's 25th. Way to not give up, crew," Bootie said.
Kurt Busch went on to win and took a lap around the lap in reverse. Mikey finished four laps down in 25th while David finished 25 laps down in 32nd.
"I said last week I couldn't make mistakes again," Mikey said. "But I can't drive a car like this. We can say oh yeah, maybe it's the bumpstops and just go on. But ef me, it's so far off."
"Sorry about that, bud, but you did good. Good job, Ty."
"Great job on pit road. The stops were awesome. The repairs were good."
NASCAR returns in two weeks. Coverage of the Sprint Cup's Food City 500 begins Sunday, March 22nd at 1:30pm ET on FOX. The Nationwide Series' Scotts Turf Builder 300 airs the day before at 2:00pm on ABC.
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© 2009 Kellyanne Lynch, in association with Cyber Speed Design. All rights reserved.
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