Pocono 500 - 6/7/09
Michael Waltrip Racing finished 3rd, 6th, and 17th in the Pocono 500, this afternoon's Sprint Cup race at Pocono Raceway. All three MWR cars benefitted from fuel strategy. David Reutimann placed 3rd, and Marcos Ambrose was 6th. Despite two spins on pit road and a rough handling car, car owner Michael Waltrip brought his #55 Napa Auto Parts Camry home in 17th and on the lead lap.
Due to rain washing out qualifying on Friday, the field was set according to points. David started 13th, Marcos 20th, and Mikey 32nd. The #55 pit box was the sixth stall getting onto pit road.
"Got a copy?" a crew member asked at 2:06pm ET.
"Hello, 1, 2, do you hear me, guys?" Mikey asked.
"10-4, I got you, Michael," crew chief Bootie Barker replied.
Mikey said something after that, but it was covered in static.
"Okay, I'm going to switch headsets here, Michael. I'm trying to get some radio stuff worked out here," Bootie told his driver.
Ryan Reynolds gave the call to start engines at 2:07pm.
"All right, Michael, go ahead and turn your B fans on, please, and your brake fans," Bootie requested.
"Okay," Mikey complied.
"All right, pit road speed, what are you looking at?" Ty asked.
"5150 is speeding," Bootie replied. "I'd like to go with what Michael is comfortable with. 51."
"Yeah, keep it between there. 51."
"All right, Michael, I won't keep you on an island there," Bootie promised. He said he would give Mikey lap times and any other relevant information.
"All right, Bootie, I swear to you this double file restart deal is easier to do than it is to say," Ty said. He said they'd keep up communications.
"10-4 on that. We definitely will communicate on that. If you have any questions or if I do, we will talk about it."
"We have lots of time," Mikey said. "We'll just work through whatever scenerio. And Bootie and Ty, you make sure you watch what other people do, so that if we get in that situation, we know what it will do."
"There's a woman in the stands in a wedding dress," Ty observed. "I guess she's going to wave the veil."
"I guess you don't see that every day."
"That's why I was pointing it out," Ty said he could now check this off his list of things to see.
"Yeah, she's right by the start finish line. Start finishing somebody's life."
"Yeah, it's definitely all the same thing, isn't it."
"She's going to start finishing his thoughts for him."
After a pause, Bootie asked, "Okay, I'm talking. Can you hear me at all back there?"
"Yeah, you should good," Mikey replied.
"All right, but Ty will definitely ____ when you come around."
"Yes, 10-4."
Tony Stewart dropped to the rear with back-up car due to a crash in practice. David would start 11th rather than 13th as a result. Robby Gordon also dropped to the back for having Travis Kvapil practice his car for him; he was racing in the Baja 500, which he won.
"Okay, Michael, there comes the yellow line right there. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1," Bootie pointed out the #55 box to his driver. "10-4. Got your wave."
"Right, I got you, right there fifth in. 10-4," Mikey replied.
"Ron said you were giving me the bird. Is that right?"
"I was waving to that lady in the stands, wishing her good luck."
"10-4."
"Let's see. One to go when you get back around here," Ty noted. After a pause, he said something about Mikey knowing the deal with how spotters can't see certain spots. "You'll just have to use your mirrors and your own natural abilities to see where you need to go."
"Yeah, no problem," Mikey replied. "I'll probably just stay up to the right, see if I can make up any ground there."
"Yeah."
"All right, bud, pace car's off. Be ready. Green green green. Everybody's rolling, everybody's rolling," Ty said.
The green flag waved at 2:21pm ET. Jimmie Johnson led the field.
"Still got a slow one, all the way on the bottom. Still inside, inside. Inside inside. Inside inside, inside and out. Clear high now, clear high. Clear there, clear there."
"I about spun out. My fault," Mikey apologised.
"That's okay. We've got a long way."
"Plus she was ready to go when I wasn't. So we'll get her tightened up."
"Caution's out, caution's out. We've got the 11 down in the tunnel turn."
The first caution was on lap 2 for Denny Hamlin. He had slowed dramatically at the stop and stalled altogether.
"Car feels fine," Mikey said. "I just got a little aggressive trying to make some moves there. Got loose. Feels like it will be fine. If you want some gas, we don't have much to lose."
Bootie agreed.
"If you don't want to get gas, I don't care. So whatever you want to do, chief."
"No, you're right on it."
"Denny Hamlin didn't get too far."
"Yeah, he missed a shift." Ty said something about him slowing.
"Or else he blew the transmission out or something."
"Yeah, 10-4 on that."
Ty told Mikey not to pit yet.
Bootie said he'd watch if numerous people pit. In that case, they'd stay out, but he didn't think that would happen.
"Scott said he's sorry for getting into you. You'd know what that's all about."
"Is that why I about spun out?" Mikey asked.
"Yeah."
"Well I'll be damned! I thought I just wasn't getting with it."
"Okay, you can come on. That's right. I can see you well. All right, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2. Fix that quarter panel, guys. Fix that quarter panel," Bootie said. "Hold on one second, Michael."
"Barribond it, if you need to. You've got all day," Mikey said.
"Yeah, that's why. Obviously, that was the issue. He pounded you quite a bit there."
A crew member asked for tape for the left front cowel.
Bootie told Mikey everything was okay and told the crew to let Mikey go as soon as they got the cowel.
Ty told Mikey to go 5000.
"Are they going to send me to the tail end of the longest line? Or the end of the field? I never did like that longest line thing anyway."
Jeff Gordon led the lap 5 restart. Mikey was 42nd, David 14th, and Marcos 20th.
"Damn, I wish you hadn't done this to me," Mikey complained.
"I know," Bootie replied.
"Well then why did you?"
"I spent too long on the quarter panel. I'm sorry."
"Well damn. I wish we could ___ better than that."
Johnson reclaimed the lead during lap 6.
"55.90," Bootie read off lap times. "55.85. Great lap times there.
"56.29.
"56.35.
"56.70.
"56.68.
"Lap times are good. I know clean air helps, but tell me what your car is doing when you get a shot," Bootie requested.
"Just real skaty on both ends. Kind of floppy getting in, like it doesn't have enough sway bar or enough sway bar ___."
Ty warned Mikey the #11 was back on track and was already slowing on the track. "So we may get a break here. Yeah, he's dead in the water off of Turn 1. We'll get a caution in a minute here."
"57.47. Paul."
"Caution's out, caution's out."
The second caution was on lap 13 again for Hamlin's ailing #11. He was eleven laps down. Mikey was still 42nd, David 11th, and Marcos 23rd.
"Okay, Michael, I got you on the skaty. I figured we'd drop the right rear air pressure a half pound, let you have at it," Bootie said. "Okay, Michael, we might get two here, okay?" Then he confirmed they'd get two tires. "I'll call you in the best I can. You'll just have to be careful. 5100, second gear."
"I don't know what y'all said. Two of you were talking," Mikey said.
Bootie repeated information and guided his driver into the box. "6, 5... watch that 00, coming out of his box! Watch that 00!"
"I slid my tires missing that 34," Mikey said. "You've got to give me four."
Bootie said okay.
"That was what I was going to tell you. Good call," Ty said.
"Lap times look really good, Michael. Let's get back into it. Good call on the four tires. Pit crew, good job."
"All right, going to be odd inside," Ty said.
"I'll let you know in one second, Ty," Bootie replied.
Mikey said he didn't know what he was.
"You're even right now, even."
"I don't know. I don't know. I'll just go up here and see what it works out as. Looks like I'm odd."
"Should be down there behind that 82," Ty said.
Johnson chose the outside for the double-file restart.
"All right, coming to the green, coming to the green. All right, pace car's off. Ready? Green green green. Everybody's rolling, everybody's straight. Outside, outside on your corner. The 9."
Mikey was 32nd, David 8th, and Marcos 23rd on the lap 17 restart.
"Still outside, still outside. Clear behind the 9 if you want it. Clear two back. Four back and five back."
"55.58 and 88," Bootie said.
Cars went four wide.
"Still outside, still outside. Going to be three wide going into this tunnel. Going to be outside, outside. Clear there one back. Looking on the bottom, the 34. Still inside. 7's down there, making it three-wide. Still there, the 7. Still there. Clear half back to the 20."
Mikey was 33rd on lap 19. David was 9th, Marcos 20th.
"Inside, the 20. Inside. Clear one back."
"57 flat," Bootie gave the lap time.
"Still outside, still outside. Outside outside. Still there, still on your corner. Still there, still there. Still there."
On lap 20, Mikey was 34th.
"20 car's trying to wreck... run up top. Clear clear. He's going to have a run outside. Back to clear, clear. Clear one back."
"Ty, don't..." it sounded like Mikey said.
"10-4, if you feel like you can see him, I won't say much."
"Just, when he doesn't have a run and I have a run, it just messes me up, but you're the spotter over there. Do what you want."
"57.14. 10-4 on that," Bootie replied. "57.24."
Mikey said something that was covered by engine noise.
"Still all the way outside. Still there," Ty noted. "Still on your corner, still there. Still all the way on your quarter. Outside, still there. Inside, both sides, both sides. Clear high there."
On lap 25, Mikey was 35th. Joey Logano had passed. David was 11th, and Marcos was 20th.
"I just... no grip. Mainly loose," Mikey reported.
"10-4. 57.99," Bootie replied. "Yup, we'll tighten you up next stop. Just keep doing what you're doing. 58 flat.
"58.14."
"Still on your quarter. All the way inside to your door now, all by himself."
"58.70.
"58.27."
On lap 30, Mikey was 36th. John Andretti had gotten around the #55. Hamlin was back on track 22 laps down while Joe Nemechek went to the garage.
"58.17. That lap time is fine." Bootie said Mikey was in range of the cars in front of him. "58.17."
"One back to the 11. He's going to have a big run on the bottom here. Inside. Leader now."
"Just real loose mainly," Mikey said.
"10-4. You're doing a good job. Just ride it out. We'll tighten it up," Bootie replied. "58.25. That's actually pretty quick. Good job!
"58.54.
"We're going to pit in about twelve laps. Just keep digging. We've got a 58.40."
Lap 37 saw Greg Biffle pass a very loose Jimmie Johnson, but Johnson's #48 got back around the Biffle's #16 before Biffle was marked as having led.
"58.43.
"57.96. Good lap."
Sterling Marlin, David Gilliland, Patrick Carpentier, Joe Nemchek, and Dave Blaney had all gone to the garage.
"58.50."
Biffle got Johnson loose again, and Carl Edwards passed them both to lead starting on lap 39. Mikey was 36th, David 12th, and Marcos 17th.
"I'm just classic loose, you know," Mikey reported. "Classic loose. I'm spinning the rear tires."
"10-4 on that. 58.45. We're pitting in eight laps.
"58.75.
"58.31.
"58.25."
Reports of oil in Turn 2 came through on lap 44.
"58.32."
Jeff Burton pit on lap 45 for an early scheduled stop.
"Okay, Michael, we're going to stop next time by, next time by. 5100," Ty said.
Dexter Bean smoked heavily when pitting on lap 46. He led a number of other cars onto pit road.
"You're going to be coming this time. 5100 at the line," Ty told his driver. "Two back to that 09. Wave him off, wave him off. Hustle around in Turn 3. The cone has been knocked. To that yellow line. 5100, 5100."
Mikey spun out getting onto pit road with the cone missing. TNT commentators speculated that it could be fuel.
"Well get it back," Ty said.
"No big deal at all. You know we'll get it fixed."
"5151 5151. You're okay."
"Okay, 5100 to the cone. 5100."
Kurt Busch led during green flag stops. When he made a stop, Edwards reclaimed the lead on lap 49." Mikey was 36th, David 13th, and Marcos 16th.
"56.52.
"56.71."
"About five back to the 99," Ty warned.
"56.80."
"Two back, will be looking low. They're all by himself. Eight back to the 16. Two back to the 16."
On lap 52, Mikey lost the lead lap, running 36th.
"Still one back. One back to the 48. All by himself."
"Lap times are faster this time. I know you're having trouble, but we'll get it tightened it up and get you back in the game," Bootie told his driver. "57.33."
"All right, 34 got the lucky dog right now," Ty stated on lap 57.
"57.39. You're doing fine. Keep driving."
"Two back to that 17."
"74.
"58 flat.
"57.63."
"24's by himself. Inside. It will be clear behind him."
"58.22."
"5 car's two back."
"57.82."
"Looking low. Inside, inside. Watch that slow one on the bottom."
"58.51.
"57.88.
"One back to the 31."
"57.75."
"2's going to be outside. 2's going to be outside on your quarter, quarter. It will be clear all clear."
"58.55.
"57.71.
"57.83.
"Doing good, Michael. Keep riding. We'll get it right. 57.90. Not bad at all.
"57.99."
"One back to the 18 and the 14 racing. Still clear one back. Outside. 14's with him, 14's with him. Clear behind the 14."
"All right, Michael. We're going to be pitting in the next few laps. What can we do for you? Still loose?" Bootie asked.
"Loose on entry, better on exit."
"10-4."
"18's pitting this time. Just letting you know. 18's pitting this time," Ty said.
"Okay, we will stop next time by, Michael. Next time by. 5800," Bootie told his driver.
With Scott Speed's stop on lap 75, Mikey picked up 35th.
"5100 when you get around here. 5100 when you get to the line," Ty said.
"Okay, guys, it will be four tires and an adjustment," Bootie told the crew.
"5100 at the line. 5100."
Bootie warned Mikey the #48 was coming out as he guided Mikey to the box and out of it. "88's outside, 88's outside. Clear behind."
Ty resumed spotting for Mikey to get him back on track.
"Nice job, everybody," Bootie praised the team.
Tony Stewart led lap 78 before pitting.
"57.61."
"Two back to the 14. One back to the 14. Outside. Clear two back to the 44."
Mikey was 34th on lap 80.
"Looking outside. Clear clear. Clear behind him. All right, everyone has pitted. 99 is back to the leader."
"57.86."
Bootie suggested Mikey adjust his brake.
"Yeah, I've been front braking it all day. It hasn't..."
"10-4."
"Just feels like it wobbles. I don't know."
"10-4."
"I can't figure what we're doing out at all."
"10-4."
Mikey said something about trying different adjustments. "And I can't figure it out. It's just ridiculous that I'm this bad."
"Okay. 57.62. You're not that bad. We can get you back into the game."
"I'm pretty bad."
"57.07. Leader ran a 56.63, so you ain't far, man.
"57.13.
"57.45.
"56.83. That's fast.
"57.60.
"57.28.
"57.45. That's fine, man. Keep digging.
"57.45."
"About three back to the 00. All right, half back. Top side, man."
"It's just got tight now." Mikey said something about comparing lap times to see which way would be better to run.
"10-4. Okay," Bootie replied. "Definitely faster this run." He told Mikey they had about twelve more laps until the end of this run. "57.66." He told Mikey what cars around him were running. "David's is very good right now.
"57.92.
"57.94.
"57.76.
"57.74. Leader ran a 59. You're doing great.
"57.88.
"57.86."
"One back to that 9, one back. Outside, all by himself."
Edwards had to pit early on lap 102, because the crew hadn't put enough fuel in the car during the last stop. Greg Biffle picked up the lead.
"Okay, Michael, still tight, I assume," Bootie addressed the driver.
"Better in, a little tight on exit."
"10-4."
"But if it's faster all the way through, I wouldn't do much."
"10-4 on that."
On lap 103, Jeff Burton made a stop.
"Still out there," Ty warned. "All clear."
The third caution came out on lap 104. Johnson was in the middle of making a stop, and he smoked as he overshot his box. He was told to pit anyway.
"Debris caution caution."
"Good job, Michael. You really made up a lot of time." Bootie said they would stay out and get the pass-around. "We're going to take four."
Mikey asked if anyone had pit in front of him.
Bootie and Ty talked over each other about the #48 having problems pitting.
"I can't hear you anyway, so let Ty answer. I saw the 48 pit. Did the 99 or the 16 do that?"
Ty said the 99 had pit, and the #99 and #48 would be behind Mikey.
"Thank you."
"I got you, bud. I'm just trying to communicate. I'm sorry."
Ty said the leaders would probably all pit.
"Have I got enough gas to run a few laps?" Mikey asked.
"Yes, sir. You can run about twelve under caution," Bootie replied.
NASCAR penalised Johnson for pitting early and for missing the commitment cone.
"Yup. Nobody stayed out, so we're in good shape. Just stay out this time, please."
Biffle was first off pit road, and he picked up the lead. Bobby Labonte got the lead.
"All right, verify that the 20 is a lap down for me, Bootie, please."
Bootie did.
Ty said that's what he saw on Fan Scan.
"It's showing the 19, the 6, and the 20.
"Stay out."
"We have all the information we need here. See what happens to those guys," Mikey said.
"10-4 on that," Bootie replied.
"Hey Ty, I need to ask, just because I'm ignorant. If you speed to avoid going a lap down, don't they hold you?"
"Yeah, if you speed under green... no." He said it was a tail end of the lead lap or a pass through penalty deal.
"I thought, at one point, they said, if you speed, you went down a lap. But I must have dreamed that."
"I think that's true if you go out of your pit box and you go 100 MPH out of your pit box."
"To me, it was speeding to avoid losing a lap. Which I don't care if that's what happens to Ryan Newman. I just wanted to know for me.
"Me and three of my buddies."
Ty said it sucked where he was running. "We'll ride around and be part of history today."
Bootie said they'd take the green, then would pit the next time around.
"Do they know something we don't?" Mikey asked.
"I hope we know something they don't."
Ty warned Mikey the #39 had engine issues.
Edwards led the restart on lap 109. Mikey was 28th, David 9th, and Marcos 16th.
"Clear behind the 48, clear behind the 48. Everybody's rolling, everybody's rolling."
"5100, second gear," Bootie said.
"Wave off ol' Dexter back there," Ty told Mikey. "5100, 5100 at the line."
Joey Logano, Mikey, and Robby Gordon all pit. They got back on the lead lap for staying on track but had to pit under green.
"5100 to the line, 5100 to the line. Go hard go hard. They're just getting off of 3."
On lap 112, David Stremme slowed dramatically.
"You've got a car over there in the turn. No caution yet. Keep digging, keep digging. He made it to pit road. Keep rolling. Piece of debris over there in 2 where the 12 smacked the wall."
"There's debris all over the place!" Mikey yelled.
Ty said NASCAR was saying the same thing.
"Michael, great job!" Bootie praised.
"I didn't do shit," Mikey replied. "It was y'all. I'm still too tight off. If we did anything, we could give it a couple laps."
Bootie said they'd raise the track bar. "If they come, we stay. If they stay, we come."
The fourth caution on lap 114 put Mikey firmly back on the lead lap.
"If we pit, I think we ought to lower the left rear air maybe," Mikey suggested.
"10-4. Paul. Okay, guys, be ready. I don't know what the call is. We'll have to be ready. If we come, we'll do air pressure." Bootie again told the crew to go by his lead to see if they pit. "Okay, stay out, stay out. Stay out, Michael."
"My oil temperature says, like, 100. Do you think the gauge is broken?" Mikey asked.
"I sure hope it is. If it were 300, I'd be concerned."
"I mean. I don't know. Something's weird."
"How about your water. Is it okay?"
"Yup."
"10-4."
"There's a reset button on that board. Switch that bad boy, and see what happens. Right by the fans."
"It didn't do nothing."
"10-4. Michael, we're going to have to do two more stops. You're P17, P17." Then Bootie said something about not being sure where the #6 would restart.
"I guess they stayed out to race for the lucky dog, but it didn't work out. But it worked out for Elliott. But now he's behind me. So I guess most places it's best just to stay a lap down." Mikey said he guessed it depended how long until they needed to pit.
"Yup, I guess it will be track dependent, situation dependent. It'll make me earn some money, I guess."
Ryan Newman and David Stremme were penalised for being too fast on pit road.
Somebody came on and told Mikey they had his back. Mikey pointed out this person was in front of me. This person may have been Marcos.
"Hahaha! I have your back!" Mikey laughed.
Edwards led the lap 118 restart. Mikey was 17th, David 9th, and Marcos 11th.
"Three-wide, you're going to be three-wide. Still inside and out, still inside and out. Clear high, clear high. You're clear there, clear. Half back, one back. Inside, the 48. Inside inside. Two by two all the way back, still inside. 6 is down there, all the way to the inside. Clear the 6, clear the 6. Clear half back, clear one back."
Mikey was 19th on lap 119. Matt Kenseth now led.
"Outside outside outside. 96. Still outside. You've got the 6 down there, bumping you. 2 outside, outside. Still outside on your corner. Still there. Clear, clear. Half back."
Mikey was 23rd on lap 120. David was 8th, and Marcos was 9th.
"Clear half back. Clear to the 42. Outside, going to be looking outside. Outside outside outside. All right, nice block there. You're clear, clear. Got the 39 got his spark plug wire all fixed, so he's right on your bumper. 42 still there, 42 still there. Got one trying to come with him, the 6 and the 88. Clear three back to the 88. Clear two back. Inside, the 07, inside. Clear two back to the 82. Still there, still there. Clear the 07, clear. Got a bumper back inside, inside. Got the 11 with you."
On lap 121, Mikey was 28th.
"Clear there."
"57.49."
"A run inside, the 11. Still there on your bumper, still there. Clear half back now, clear half back. Inside, the 11. Inside."
Lap 122 saw Edwards reclaim the lead.
"Clear three back."
"57.50.
"57.44.
"57.38."
"Outside. Clear clear."
"57.47.
"57.37. Good lap."
"Slow one up top, slow one up top. You see him. Clear three back. Clear four back."
"57.86.
"57.85."
"Outside. He's all the way at the top, all the way at the top. It will be clear five back. Okay, brother, we'll get him. You see one in front of you. Clear, whatever you need. You've got one outside on your corner. Clear clear. Back inside, inside."
Kurt Busch pit on lap 130. His #2 car was overheating and was spitting water.
"Clear now, clear. One back, one back. Inside again, inside. The 11."
"57.80."
With Busch's stop, Mikey moved up to 27th.
"Inside, inside. That 19's sneaking in there with him. He's inside, at your door. Inside. Back to clear. Clear half back. Clear one back. Nice job. Nice corner. Got a look inside. He's at your door. Still there. Still there inside. Clear behind him. Two back to the 6."
"It's gone all to pieces again," Mikey complained.
"Copy that," Bootie replied. "Loose or tight, Michael."
"It's skaty. It's like you put air in the tires."
"10-4."
Mikey was 28th on lap 133. Elliott Sadler had passed him. David was 8th, and Marcos was 14th.
"For an FYI, did we put air in or didn't we?"
"We didn't pit, Michael."
"We pitted. I remember pitted. If we didn't, that's fine. But we pitted."
"10-4, 10-4."
"10-4, buddy. Just keep hitting your marks. Do the best you can," Ty encouraged.
Bootie told Mikey his last two lap times were good. "We're going to be pitting again in about six laps."
"Michael, there's a lot of cloud cover. I can feel the temperature." Ty asked Bootie if that change may be affecting the tires.
Mikey said it was tight before and now it's skaty.
Green flag pit stops began on lap 137 with Jeff Burton.
"62, 57.62."
Edwards pit at the end of the lap, giving the lead to Matt Kenseth. Mikey was 27th.
"Okay, Michael, next time, next time. 5100."
"All right, buddy, about seven back. 5100 at the line," Ty added.
Mikey was 20th on lap 138 as he headed to pit road.
"All right, four back to the 6.
"Okay, the 33 is going around to the left. Right here right here right here. Oh," Bootie said. "All right, right here. There you go."
"I got too much rear brake, and I just fucked up. I'm sorry," Mikey said.
Bootie told Mikey to stay cool. "We'll make it up."
Mikey had spun again when going to his pit box.
Jamie McMurray led on lap 140.
"What's the deal, Ty? What did I do?" Mikey asked.
"I'm checking right now," Bootie said.
"You were fine speedwise getting to the line," Ty added.
"Come back?"
"The 26 was the leader. He's on pit road now. Still outside. Still outside. You're all clear there. Now the leader's going to be the 99. He's at the line now."
"Has the 99 pitted?"
"10-4."
Ty noted the #19 hadn't pitted yet. "There he is. If caution comes out, we'll be lucky dog. They're talking about weather over there in the tunnel turn."
Mikey was 28th and one lap down on lap 142. David was 11th, and Marcos was 17th.
"No weather," Mikey said.
"10-4, 10-4," Ty replied. "All good. That 19's coming this time. Watch it there. There you go. You're on the lead lap now."
Sadler had been leading when he pit. Casey Mears led momentarily before Edwards passed him.
"You're doing fine, Michael. Just race the race track, stay focused," Bootie encouraged. He gave the lap time.
"56.85," said Bootie.
"99's two back," Ty warned. "A run on the bottom."
"57.01." Bootie told Ty they should be fine as far as being in the free pass position, because Casey Mears in front of Mikey was well in front of him.
"57.30."
"Nice job, Michael. We'll be fine," Bootie assured his driver.
"Okay, bud, you're five back to the 14. You're all good, you're all good," Ty said. "It will be clear behind him."
"57.77."
"I'm just real loose again," Mikey reported.
"10-4, 10-4 on the loose."
"Maybe we should pit when there's five cars about where I want to pit. I screwed up last time."
"10-4, Michael. 57.30.
"57.13."
"One back to the 17." Ty said the #6 was a third of the track behind Mikey for the free pass, and the #07 was a half a track ahead of him.
"10-4, bud. The 34 behind you just took tires."
"Looking low. Still clear two back."
"57.12. Good lap.
"57.20.
"57.09. Nice job, man."
The fifth caution was with 43 laps to go for debris. Mikey got the free pass.
"Good job, man. Hey, Bootie, you're going to have to do a lot of work on the right rear quarter panel."
"Aw, I just screwed up every way I can today," Mikey said. "The car is nowhere near as good as it was. It's not the same the last two runs. The run before, it felt grippier."
"10-4 on that, Michael. Paul, Paul." Bootie said they'd have to fix the right rear, likely with an L-brace. "Nice job though, Mike. You kept your composure."
"10-4. I'm sorry about that. I just messed up, screwed up."
"Team, buddy, team."
Ty said they'd get a good adjustment and now they were back on the lead lap.
"Ty, the extent of the damage, is it just knocked in some?"
"I'll tell you what it looks like. It looks like he hit one of those yellow concrete posts at the gas station." Ty said it was pretty significant and it looked like Mikey was losing air.
Mikey asked for two waters. "And, Bootie, it might be helping it aero-wise. You never know. 57 late isn't bad, considering the car ain't running well. So just make sure y'all are real gentle."
Bootie and the crew coordinated how they'd handle repairs during the stop.
"All right, go ahead and go. Go ahead and go."
Mikey went around the track to accept his free pass.
A crew member said to take a good look at the crush panel.
Bootie started talking pit road speed, then stopped.
"I don't come right now."
"Yeah, I misspoke. You're right."
"Y'all are confusing me."
"Keep doing what you said. Don't pit now."
"Sorry, Michael. Track's so big, I lost track of time there."
Ty warned Mikey about a truck against the wall along the Long Pond straightaway.
Bootie called over Ron. "It's sprinkling here, Michael. Just be careful. Pit road is a little wet." He guided his driver to his box.
"We're nowhere near one to go, so it's not the same situation as last time," Ty said.
"10-4." Bootie said he wanted to make sure the fuel was packed before Arte went. "We're nine laps short on fuel right now, Michael, just to let you know."
Bootie said they'd come back in for more repairs. Mikey reminded him they couldn't put fuel in it again. Bootie told him that's why he made sure it was packed.
Mikey went back on track.
Ty warned him about rain.
Bootie said they'd re-pit the car if they had time.
"Well, I have a question for you. Do we have to take the green on the track before we come back in for fuel, or do we have to wait one lap?"
Bootie said they were two laps down, but with enough cautions, they'd be okay. "If we get caught up, we'll make sure."
"Where are they at, Ty?" Mikey asked.
Ty said they were on the Long Pond straightaway.
"Okay, just get caught up. Don't pit, don't pit." Bootie said pitting an extra time could screw them on track position. "Okay, I think we're good. Just stay out there, Michael. Stay out. Use tall gears. We got everything we wanted to do. There's no use getting those wave cars in front of us if we don't have to. I'll let you know how we're looking on fuel."
"Well, I could cost for about a mile," Mikey said.
"Perfect."
"Remember how long the Long Pond straightaway is, I just coasted down it. So you can put that in the bank."
"Okay."
"So we're showing two short. The 00 is showing six or eight short," Ty said.
Bootie said they were still calculating. "We'll see how it goes here in a minute."
"Yeah, 10-4."
"Yeah, if they don't go pretty soon, then it won't matter, because everybody will pit. Well, I can't pit. But I just coasted all the way down the front straightaway this time," Mikey said.
"Okay. Michael, I'm just talking to you while we're looking." Bootie said he was looking at being out of fuel on lap 199. "So if we get a couple more, bro, we're all over it. We'll see."
"Well, I just coasted all the way down the Long Pond again. Got all the way down the front straightaway again. We did this before at Michigan, and we saved a lot."
Bootie said they were right on it now, using everything they had. "You just play it, be smooth on the throttle."
"I go right behind the lead lap cars, right?" Mikey asked.
"Yeah, they have... absolutely. You hold your position on the track, and the waved-by go behind you," Bootie replied.
Ty told Mikey to hold his spot and asked if the cars that just pit go in front or behind. Bootie thought behind, but Mikey thought they'd be put in front. Ty agreed with Mikey.
"I'm checking. Sorry. I'm checking," Bootie said. "Right, if they pit again, Michael, it's where they come out. Lou is right here with us, and if they pit a second time, which they did, they pit behind us."
Stewart led the restart along the outside with 35 laps to go. Mikey was 21st, David 10th, and Marcos 23rd.
"Inside and out, everybody's got help. Inside and out," said Ty. "Still both sides. Clear high, clear high, one back. 31 right there. You're clear half back to the 31. Run on the bottom. Back to clear, clear. Inside inside. 31. There inside, inside. Still down there, still down there. 26 still there, still there. Clear clear clear. Inside inside."
On lap 168, Mikey was 25th.
"56.55," Bootie read off the lap time.
"Clear there, clear clear. Still down there, the 96. Still down there, to your corner. Still down there. Still down there. Still on your corner, still there. Still there, inside. Three-wide, three-wide. 11's right there behind you. Clear there, clear."
With 32 laps to go, Mikey lost two spots. He was now 27th.
"Half back to the 77. I'm sorry, 11. Looking low."
"Okay, Michael, you have a big gap behind you. Just save fuel, partner. Just save fuel," Bootie adviced. "57.26."
"Inside, inside," Ty warned.
"You're fine, Michael. The 96 is behind you, and he's 28 seconds back. So keep riding.
"57.29."
On lap 173, Mikey picked up 26th from Elliott Sadler.
"Just keep saving, Michael. Nice and easy. You're plenty fast right now. 56.91.
"57.74."
On lap 175, Mikey was up to 25th, having passed Reed Sorenson.
"Ty, see if you can get this 51 to push me," Mikey requested, talking about Dexter Bean, who was making his debut. "I'd like to stay up with Harvick, because he's going to do it."
"10-4. I know you know what you're doing, but just save."
Mikey said he knew.
Bootie told Mikey he was plenty fast. "Last lap was a 57.50. You're still a 57.50.
"57.70.
"57.43."
Mikey said something about, if he were driving normal, he'd be one lap short.
Bootie said they weren't even using their best mileage, but Mikey's saving was helping. "57.74."
By 18 laps to go, Mikey was 24th. He had passed Kevin Harvick.
"18 to go. 57.56.
"57.49. Nice and easy."
On lap 184, Mikey was 23rd. David was 8th, and Marcos was 13th. Brian Vickers had to pit.
"65."
Mark Martin pit with 15 laps to go, as did Greg Biffle and Kyle Busch and a number of others.
"85."
"Nice and easy, brother. A lot of these guys are having to pit," Ty said.
"57.70. Easier," Bootie added.
"Hey, Ty, how far is Biffle behind me?"
"Just now in Turn 2. Long Pond straightaway," Ty replied.
"Ten seconds. But don't pay no mind to that. You just do what you're doing," Bootie told his driver.
Other drivers were coming to pit road. Mikey was 19th on lap 188. David was 6th, and Marcos was 9th.
"57."
On lap 189, Mikey was 17th, David 5th, and Marcos 8th.
"Boku fast, Michael," Bootie said. "Leader's at the line now.
"57.34."
Mikey was 15th on lap 190.
"Ten to go, ten," Ty said.
"57.
"Yeah, a lot of guys are saving with you, Michael. Be smooth on that throttle. I know you are. I'm just reminding you."
On lap 192, Mikey was 14th. David was 4th, and Marcos was 7th.
"Biffle's behind you and the 9, but that doesn't matter. They're going to catch you. But the leader is saving as well, so you just do your thing," Bootie told his driver. "Looking at seven to go. You've got the 9 and the 16 coming to you."
"Two back to the 9. He pitted. Has tires. Inside. Then it's clear four back. Outside, outside. He's outside, the 16. Then it's seven or eight back to the 33. 33's got a run. He's inside. Then it's half a straightaway to the 17."
"Five to go, Michael. Five to go," Bootie told his driver.
With five laps to go, Mikey was 17th. David was 4th, and Marcos was 7th.
"Four more, bud. Four," Ty said. He told Mikey he was 17th.
"57.41."
"Two to go, two to go. 17 is three back. Five back, five back. One right there looking low, the 33. Don't need to race him. We're fine. We're forty cars back to the one, coming to the white. Last lap, brother, last lap. 44 just ran out of gas on the Long Pond straightaway. He's going to be slow on the bottom. Keep on rolling around here, brother. Keep on rolling around here. Got a spin off this corner. NO caution coming. Keep coming keep coming. There you go, brother. We placed 3rd, 6th, and what, 17th?"
"Good job, brother. Good job!" Bootie praised the driver. "Michael, we hung in there, we did. That was a decent day for us. We'll keep working."
"Yeah, 10-4. I'm sorry I didn't do a very good job. The car wasn't very good either, but we survived. Thank you all for that."
"10-4. It was a good day. I'm going to get down from here. Good job, crew. Good job, crew."
Jimmie Johnson had run out of gas at the end. David finished 3rd, Marcos 6th, and Mikey 17th.
Next week, the Sprint Cup Series goes to Michigan International Speedway. Coverage of the LifeLock 400 begins Sunday at 12:30pm ET on TNT. The Nationwide Series will be at Kentucky Speedway. Coverage of the Meijer 300 begins Saturday at 8:00pm ET on ESPN2.
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© 2009 Kellyanne Lynch, in association with Cyber Speed Design. All rights reserved.
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