Coca-Cola 600, Lowe's Motor Speedway, Concord, North Carolina, May 30th, 2004:
Pre-Race Festivities:
**Driver Introductions**
**Invocation**
**Amazing Grace**
**TAPS** followed by 5 Blackhawk Fighter Helicopters
**National Anthem** sung by 8 of the 2004 American Idol Finalists
**Flyover by a lone B2 Bomber**
Gentlemen! Start your engines! **presented by our troops in Iraq**
Gary: You got me, Jeff?
Jeff: I got you, Gary.
Gary: 10-4.
Mike: You got a copy, bud?
Jeff: **interference**.
Mike: 10-4.
Mike: Alright, we're going to roll off.
Jeff: Okay.
Pace Laps:
Mike: Pit road speed. 4-5.
Jeff: 43, 2nd gear. 4300, 2nd.
Mike: 10-4. 4300, 2nd gear.
Mike: Start looking left. There's an official there. That will be the beginning of pit road.
Jeff: Okay.
Mike: Look left. That will be our pit area. They're waving the sign now.
Jeff: 10-4. I gotcha.
Gary: In front of the #23 and behind the #12.
Jeff: Okay.
Mike: 10-4. On behalf of this #43 team, we'd like to thank General Mills® and all the people that we have here in the condo today, we'd like to thank General Mills®, Georgia-Pacific®, Coca-Cola® and all the fans that make this possible. Jeff, have a great day, be safe, good luck, God Bless.
Jeff: 10-4.
Gary: That's your qualifying set so **interference**.
Jeff: Okay.
Gary: ...and your gear fan and your front brake fan. Radiator fan if you need it.
Jeff: Okay. Got it.
Mike: It will be 1 to go when you get back to the line.
Jeff: Okay.
Jeff: You've done another great job again, guys. Have fun over there all night. Do good.
Mike: 10-4. Glad to have you aboard. We've got a long night ahead of us. Plan on being here until the end.
Jeff: Tennnnnn-4.
Gary: 400 laps. 600 miles. Be patient and run all of them.
Jeff: Okay.
Mike: Alright, give a good yank on them belts and take a little drink. About time to go to work.
Mike: Pace car's off. Get ready.
Mike: Green flag. Green flag:
**Note:** (Lap 5) pinned down low after the #8 passes us. Everyone follows the #8.
Jeff: (Lap 7) A little tight off.
Gary: 10-4.
**Note:** (Lap 10) Jeff 15th; Kyle 41st.
Jeff: (Lap 13) Tight center off. Need some help.
Gary: 10-4. Too tight in the center off.
Jeff: Yeah. Trying not to hurt my back.
**Note:** (Lap 15) Jeff 17th; Kyle 38th.
Jeff: (Lap 23) It just turned sideways getting in to Turn 3 that time for some reason.
Mike: Nice save.
Jeff: (Lap 25) 215.
Gary: 2-1-5 you said?
Jeff: Yep, 10-4.
Gary: 10-4.
Jeff: (Lap 27) We may have got too stiff a gear.
Gary: 10-4.
Jeff: (Lap 30) I'm having to protect the back end without having the front end slide out up off. About the same.
Gary: 10-4.
Gary: (Lap 40) Mike if you're standing next to something metal or electrical get away from it. You're radio sounds like "crap".
Mike: 10-4, I'll find a new spot.
**Note:** (Lap 45) Kyle pitted for 4 tires and fuel.
Jeff: (Lap 46) It's turning 8800 now.
Mike: Couldn't understand you. You're breaking up really bad.
Jeff: I said now we're turning 8800rpms. 8800. I reset it. That's what it's turning now.
Mike: 10-4. 8800.
Gary: (Lap 51) We're going to stop in 10 laps or less.
Mike: 10-4.
Jeff: It's been sliding at both ends.
Gary: (Lap 52) Dustin take 1/2 pound out of both fronts; a pound in the RR. Drop the track bar 1.
**Note:** (Lap 55) Jeff lapped under green.
**Note:** (Lap 56) Kyle pitted for 4 tires and fuel.
Gary: Pit this time by. This time by.
Mike: 10-4.
Mike: The #15 2 car lengths in front of you is pitting too.
Mike: 4300, 2nd gear.
Mike: 4300, 2nd gear. All the way down.
Gary: 4 tires and gas. Drop the track bar 1 turn. Come on. 6 away there. 4..start looking left. Come on.
Pit Stop: (Lap 59) 4 tires, fuel, down 1 round on the track bar. 14.632 seconds.
Gary: You're outta here. All clear. All the way to the grass. All clear. 4300 from there.
Mike: 4300; 2nd gear all the way to the cones. We've got to keep all 4 tires below the yellow line. I'll get you up.
**Note:** (Lap 65) Jeff 26th; Kyle 41st.
**Note:** (Lap 68) Kyle pitted for 4 tires and fuel.
Jeff: (Lap 69) You helped the "crap" out of me. You did good.
Gary: 10-4.
Gary: (Lap 85) That's 25 laps on your tires. 32.20; leader at 32 flat.
Jeff: Front end is still pretty good. The back end just skips out just a touch.
Gary: 10-4.
Jeff: You've made the front end the best it's been all week. Help the back.
Jeff: (Lap 94) It's getting looser up off. Plus it's pushing the front up off Turn 2.
Gary: 10-4.
Gary: (Lap 107) We're going to stop in about 10 laps.
Jeff: Mainly I'm just protecting the back up off.
Gary: 10-4. Take a 1/2 pound out of the LF; 1/2 pound out of the **interference** track bar.
Gary: (Lap 109) How's your windshield doing?
Jeff: It's okay.
Gary: (Lap 120) Pit this time. This time by.
Jeff: ***as Jeff heads into Turn 1 at the end of the frontstretch*** I'm out of gas.
Mike: He's on the apron in the middle of Turns 3 and 4.
Mike: 4300, 2nd gear, right there. Coming down pit road.
Gary: 4 tires and gas. Drop the track bar a 1/2 round.
Pit Stop: (Lap 121) 4 tires, fuel, 1/2 round down on the track bar. 14.473 seconds and pushed to start engine.
Gary: Don't leave the pit box, Root.
Gary: All clear. All clear.
Mike: 4300, 2nd gear.
Mike: Run hard. I'll get you up.
**Note:** (Lap 121) Kyle pitted for 4 tires and fuel.
Gary: (Lap 125) Sorry about that. Keep digging. Must not have got it full the last time.
Jeff: Don't worry about it.
Jeff: (Lap 127) We've got way too good a race car to be running like this.
Gary: 10-4. We've got a long way to go. We can make that up.
Mike: (Lap 130) Clear by 3 over the #31.
Mike: Clear by 2. He's with you now. Looking inside. He's there. He's all by himself.
Jeff: See what I mean?
Mike: 10-4. Keep digging.
Jeff: That's all I'm going to say about it.
Gary: Come back on that.
Jeff: I said that's all I'm going to say. That's all.
Jeff: (Lap 140) I'm getting a little bit snug up off.
Gary: 10-4. A little snug up off.
Jeff: (Lap 152) Pretty neutral right now. We're good.
Jeff: (Lap 154) It may be pushing a little bit when I'm behind them. Off.
Gary: 10-4.
**Note:** (Lap 157) Jeff lapped under green.
Jeff: Really killing the front end when I'm behind them.
Gary: What do we need to do to the front?
Jeff: We need to help the front a little bit up off.
Gary: 10-4.
Mike: Yellow will be out.
Mike: The #30 just hit the wall between Turns 1 and 2. Field is frozen. Caution Lap 159: #30 hits the Turn 2 wall and spins down onto the apron.
Jeff: That helped my back there for quite a bit. It's pretty GOOD in open air, but so-so when I get behind somebody; I would slide up off.
Gary: 10-4. We'll take a 1/2 pound out of both fronts.
Gary: You need a drink? How's your windshield?
Jeff: It's okay right now. Everything is.
Gary: 10-4. Come in second time by.
Mike: Pit road is closed.
Jeff: Okay.
Gary: We lost about 1/2-mile per gallon that last green flag run.
Jeff: I got my car better probably.
Gary: 10-4.
Gary: We're racing the #21, #4, #49, #10, #84.
Mike: Pit road is open for lead lap cars only.
Gary: We're going to have the #23 pitting behind us and I beleive the #12 in front of us is staying out. They just pitted.
Jeff: Okay.
Mike: 4300, 2nd gear.
Mike: Right there. 4300; 2nd gear. He's on pit road. He's behind the #24, Gary.
Gary: 4 tires and gas. 5 away. Start looking left. 3-2...
Pit Stop: (Lap 163) 4 tires, fuel. 14.589 seconds.
**Note:** (Lap 164) Kyle pitted for 4 tires and fuel.
Gary: All clear. #41 outside. Clear after the #41.
Mike: 4300; 2nd gear. All the way out.
Jeff: Great stop guys.
Gary: Great stop. They've all been good tonight.
Jeff: How many down are we?
Gary: 3.
Jeff: The #8 and the #20; are they down 1 or what?
Gary: 10-4.
Mike: You have the #9 coming on the outside to get his lap back.
Mike: It will be 1 to go when you get back to the line.
Jeff: Okay.
Jeff: The #12; is he the leader?
Gary: Negative. He's on the tail end of the lead lap.
Mike: Just be on your toes. The #8 was looking to get around you here, but...getting ready to come to the green. Make sure your belts are nice and tight.
Mike: I'm not going to say a word.
Jeff: I'm trying to let him go and he won't go so the hell with him.
Mike: 10-4.
Mike: Restart's all yours. Restart Lap 166
Jeff: (Lap 194) About the same, but it probably loosend me up in the back a little bit; getting into the corner more than anything.
Gary: 10-4.
Jeff: (Lap 198) The #2 just come over on me and got my LF fender. I don't know...look at it.
Gary: Just knocked it in up at the top. Mike, make sure it's not rubbing in the corners.
Mike: 10-4.
Jeff: (Lap 212) I can't turn or do nothing. It won't turn.
Gary: We'll pit in 10 laps or less. We'll fix it on the next pit stop.
**Note:** (Lap 216) Jeff lapped under green.
Gary: (Lap 219) We're going to pit in 3 laps. Make sure we get that LF fender pulled back out.
Gary: Going to go down 1/2 turn on the RR jack bolt.
Gary: We're going to pit this time. This time by.
Jeff: Okay.
Mike: 4300, 2nd gear.
Mike: On pit road all by himself.
Gary: 4 tires and gas. Go down a 1/2 turn on the RR jack bolt. 5 away. Start looking left. 2-1...
Pit Stop: (Lap 222) 4 tires, fuel, down 1/2 turn on RR jack bolt. 14.900 seconds.
Gary: Go at the bottom more. All clear, all clear. Go!!
Mike: 4300, 2nd gear, all the way out. We'll keep our tires below the white line. I'll blend you up.
**Note:** (Lap 222) Kyle pitted for 4 tires and fuel.
Jeff: (Lap 228) These tire here feel like "crap".
Jeff: (Lap 231) When I pick up the gas it turns sideways.
Gary: 10-4.
Mike: One spinning in front of you. Keep coming.
Mike: Yellow will be out. Caution Lap 233: Debris in Turns 3 and 4.
Mike: Just be careful driving through Turns 3 and 4. They're saying there might be a little fluid down.
Jeff: Get these things off here.
Gary: 10-4. Take these back off. Let's...Mitchell, put a 1/2 round in the LR.
Mike: Pit road is closed.
Gary: **through interference** Ernie, check the bottom of the valance there.
Jeff: I couldn't understand any of that if that's for me.
Mike: Negative. They were just talking about pit strategy stuff.
Mike: Jet dryer up high.
Mike: Pit road is open for lead lap cars only. You've got a safety truck up high in Turn 4.
Jeff: Okay.
Mike: Leaders seem to stay out.
Gary: 4 tires and gas and go down a 1/2 round in the LR.
Gary: Need a drink?
Jeff: Yeah, I'll take one if you got one.
Mike: 4300, 2nd gear.
Gary: We're going to have the #12 and the #23 pitting.
Jeff: Okay. Stop me a little short.
Mike: 4300, 2nd gear.
Mike: He's behind the #32, Gary.
Gary: The #32 will peel off first. We're 2 ahead of him.
Gary: Start looking left. Come on, left.
Pit Stop: (Lap 237) 4 tires, fuel, down 1/2 round in LR. 15.195 seconds.
Gary: You're outta here. All clear, all clear. All the way to the grass.
**Note:** Jeff comes to a complete stop a few stalls down on pit road after leaving the box.
Gary: What happened?
Jeff: It just quit.
Gary: Switch boxes?
Crew: Steering wheel button?
Jeff: Yeah.
Gary: Did the steering wheel button fix it or switching the boxes?
Jeff: Steering wheel button. I hit it I guess.
Gary: **inaudible**?
Jeff: Yeah.
Gary: 10-4.
Jeff: I can't wait to see what happens next.
Jeff: You guys have been doing good over there. Real good.
Gary: Yeah. We'd be looking pretty decent if not for running you out of gas.
**Note:** (Lap 238) Kyle pitted for 4 tires and fuel.
Gary: We're racing the #10, #21, #4, #49, and #84.
Jeff: Okay.
Gary: There's only 10 cars left on the lead lap so most everybody is a lap or more down.
Jeff: Okay.
Mike: You got a copy, bud?
Jeff: I gotcha, Mike.
Mike: 10-4. I just had to switch a couple things here.
Mike: It will be 1 to go when you get back to the line.
Mike: Give a good yank on those belts. We're getting ready to go to the green.
Mike: Pace car's off. Get ready. Remember, no passing to the left.
Mike: Green flag. Restart Lap 243
Jeff: (Lap 246) If he keeps going down in front of me like that I'm going to send him out to the f-bomb grass.
Mike: 10-4. Clear all around, bud.
Jeff: (Lap 263) Still a little bit free up off.
Gary: 10-4, a little bit free up off.
Jeff: Seems like it's all on the RR more than it has been.
Jeff: (Lap 279) A little loose in. I've got to protect it off a little bit now.
Gary: 10-4.
**Note:** (Lap 286) Jeff lapped under green.
Gary: (Lap 291) We're going to pit in 5 laps. 4 tires and gas and we'll go up 1 on the RR jack bolt.
Gary: Pit this time. This time by.
Mike: Coming by us now. 4300, 2nd gear.
Mike: On pit road now. 4300, 2nd gear.
Gary: 4 tires and gas. Up 1 on the RR jack bolt.
Gary: 5 away from there. Start looking left. Come on.
Pit Stop: (Lap 296) 4 tires, fuel, up 1 on RR jack bolt. 14.352 seconds.
Gary: All clear, all clear.
Mike: 4300, 2nd gear, all the way. Run hard.
**Note:** (Lap 296) Kyle pitted for 4 tires and fuel.
Jeff: (Lap 321) Just add just a little bit more rear grip in the center up off. Pretty good.
Gary: 10-4.
**Note:** (Lap 333) Kyle pitted for 4 tires and fuel.
Mike: Yellow is out. Got one spinning through the infield. It will be just fine. Keep coming.
Mike: He's got it under control. He's all right. Bring it back to the line. Caution Lap 337: #12 punts the #1 into the frontstretch grass.
Jeff: Still a little loose right down through the center when I load up and a little bit loose up off. Not much, mainly when I load up the center.
Gary: 10-4. Put 4 tires on it and fill it up with gas. Make sure we're real full. We should make it from here. Drop the track bar a 1/2 turn.
Gary: We're running 28th. We're racing the #10 and #21 ahead of us.
Jeff: Okay.
Gary: Pit road is closed. We'll pit second time by when they open it.
Jeff: I'll take another drink if you got it.
Gary: 10-4.
Mike: Pit road will be open this time by for lead lap cars only.
Jeff: Okay.
Gary: We've got 11 cars on the lead lap.
Gary: We're going to come around the #23 when we come in and the #12 will be pitting after us.
Jeff: Okay.
Gary: Stop him a little short, Andy.
Gary: 4 tires and gas. Drop the track bar 1/2 a round.
Mike: 4300, 2nd gear. He's on pit road.
Mike: Behind the #24.
Gary: About 5 away. Start looking left.
Pit Stop: (Lap 341) 4 tires, fuel, down 1/2 round track bar. 15.233 seconds.
Gary: You're outta here. All clear, all clear.
Gary: Still all clear. #50 coming.
**Note:** (Lap 342) Kyle pitted fuel only.
Jeff: Separating these cars that don't turn right real far; can we fix that or is that something we cant fix?
Gary: No, we're working on fixing that.
Jeff: Okay.
Mike: You've got the #2 coming to get his lap back coming by us now.
Gary: We've got to move the sway bar down on the LF lower on the A-frame in forward a little bit.
Jeff: Okay.
Gary: AND down.
Gary: The #21 and #10 are the only cars we're racing on our lap.
Mike: 10-4.
Mike: It will be 1 to go when you get back to the line.
Jeff: Okay. Where is the #21 up to?
Mike: One more time?
Jeff: I was looking for the #21, but I see him.
Mike: Coming to the green. We'll have 56 laps to go.
Jeff: Okay.
Jeff: I imagine this is where they get stupid right here.
Mike: 10-4. Make sure those belts are nice and tight. I'll keep my eyes peeled up front.
Mike: Pace car's off. Remember all passing to the right.
Mike: Get ready. Green flag. Restart Lap 344
Mike: Yellow will be out. Debris on the backstretch. Caution Lap 348: Debris on the backstretch.
Gary: If it's pretty decent I'd just sit and stay out.
Jeff: Yeah, it's going through the corners good.
Gary: 10-4.
**Note:** Kyle also stayed out.
Gary: You still want to race this car next week, right?
Jeff: Helllllll YEAH!!!
Gary: 10-4. **barely audible**
Jeff: Do what?
Mike: And the week after that, too.
Jeff: Riiight.
Gary: Just keep him out of trouble, Mike.
Mike: 10-4, bud.
Mike: You've got the #97 coming to get his lap back. He's coming by right now.
Mike: It will be 1 to go when you get back to the line.
Jeff: Okay.
Gary: You've got 45 laps to go when you get the green.
Jeff: Alrighty.
Mike: Give a good tug on those belts.
Mike: Pace car's off. Get ready.
Mike: Green flag. Restart Lap 355
Mike: Got one in the fence up into Turn 2. Just keep coming back.
Mike: They rolled away. Caution Lap 369: #12 spins into Turn 2 wall with #50 riding the wall.
Jeff: Just a little bit tight behind these guys, but....but I can't do nothing. They run off on me in the corner.
Gary: 10-4. Let's put 4 tires on it. We're going to end up with 25 to go here.
Jeff: I can't understand you, Gary.
Gary: Come get 4 tires on it.
Jeff: Okay.
Gary: Ricky, go up a pound on all 4 of them.
Gary: Mitchell, you going to make it back?
Gary: It will be just 1 can.
Mike: *** a bit loud** Pit road is going to be open for lead lap cars only this time by.
Jeff: OKAY!!
Mike: Again, you're going to have to come around the #23.
Jeff: Alright.
Jeff: The #12 is not there, is he?
Gary: He won't be when you come back.
Mike: The #12 is just rolling off the end of pit road right now.
Jeff: Alrighty.
Gary: It will be 4 tires and gas.
Mike: Stay caught up. 4300, 2nd gear. On pit road now.
Mike: Behind the #16, Gary.
Gary: 5 away. Start looking left.
Jeff: Don't block us again.
Mike: The #12 is coming.
Pit Stop: (Lap 370) 4 tires, fuel. 14.640 seconds.
Gary: We're going to have to push him back.
**Note:** (Lap 370) Kyle pitted for 4 tires and fuel.
Mike: It will be 1 to go when you get back to the line.
Jeff: Alright.
Gary: It will be 27 laps to go when you take the green.
Jeff: Alright.
Mike: Pace car's off. Get ready.
Mike: All passing to the right.
Mike: Green flag. Restart Lap 373
Mike: Clear all around. 10 to go.
Mike: Yellow's out.
Gary: We've got a blown motor going into Turn 1. Stay towards the bottom. Caution Lap 394: #12 loses an engine down the frontstretch.
Mike: I think they're going to stop you on the backstretch.
Jeff: There ain't anything on the race track.
Mike: 10-4. Red Flag Lap 395: Field is stopped on the backstretch to clean up fluid from #12's engine.
Jeff: Absolutely the BEST car I've ever driven here. Absolutely the best.
Gary: Thank you. We'll bring it back next week and we won't run you out of gas next week.
Jeff: Tennnn-4.
Gary: How's your water temp been the last 100 laps or so?
Jeff: About 215, 218.
Gary: 10-4.
Jeff: What are they doing, Mike?
Mike: The fans are starting to throw some stuff onto the backstretch now, so.....
Gary: When they do roll you off pit road will be closed the first time by. It will be open the second time by. It will be a quickie yellow. It will be 1 to go the second time by.
Gary: We're going to stay out.
Jeff: Okay.
Mike: Alright, bud.
Jeff: What was that?
Mike: We can fire it off now.
Jeff: Okay.
Mike: She fired alright?
Jeff: Yep.
Mike: 10-4.
Mike: Alright, they're starting to roll away now.
Jeff: Alright. Caution Lap 395: Quickie yellow.
Gary: And we belong behind the #1.
Mike: It will be 5 to go when you cross the line.
Jeff: Okay.
Mike: Pit road will be open this time by. It will be a quickie yellow.
Gary: Remember single file restart.
Jeff: Okay.
Gary: We're going green next time by.
Jeff: 10-4.
Mike: Remember all passing to the right.
Jeff: Okay.
Mike: Keep your eyes peeled.
Jeff: Yes, sir.
Mike: You've got guys behind you trying to do the same thing. Pace car's off. Get ready.
Mike: Green flag. Restart Lap 397
Mike: White flag next time by.
Mike: Clear all around. 1 lap left to go.
Jeff: I'm glad he doesn't race with us every week.
Mike: Thank God. Bring her back now.
Mike: SPINNING IN FRONT OF YOU. Wrecking up high. Stay down low.
**Note:** #18 spins and hits the Turn 2 wall.
Mike: Yellow will be out.
Checkered flag
Jeff: Good job, guys. Great job in the pits. Good calls, Gary.
Gary: You did a great job, man. You ended up 27th.
Jeff: 10-4.
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