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NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES
McDOWELL 27TH IN SEASON OPENER
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 16, 2008) - Michael McDowell, who made his fourth NASCAR Nationwide Series start today, went on to finish 27th in the #00 Rimco Toyota Camry led by crew chief Bobby Kennedy.
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Michael McDowell, who made his fourth NASCAR Nationwide Series start today, went on to finish 27th in the #00 Rimco Toyota Camry led by crew chief Bobby Kennedy.
"Michael did what he was supposed to do today and that was practice pit stops and finish the race," Kennedy said.
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Michael McDowell |
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"Today, I did learn a lot," added McDowell. "Unfortunately, my radio was not working and I was not able to communicate with my crew chief. We tried to resolve the problem, but we were not able. All and all, we stayed out of trouble, learned a lot and finished the race."
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Tony Stewart went on to win the Camping World 300 from the pole giving Toyota its third NASCAR Nationwide Series victory. Reutimann was the most recent prior to Stewart - winning at Memphis Motorsports Park in the #99 Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota Camry in October.
McDowell's next race will be his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut in the Goody's Cool Orange 500 at Martinsville Speedway on March 30th.
"I can't wait," McDowell said. "It's something I've worked for my entire life."
| Camping World 300: Race Results /// |
| FIN |
ST |
CAR |
DRIVER |
TIME |
SPEED |
LAPS |
PTS |
| 27 |
21 |
00 |
McDowell |
49.18 |
183.009 |
119 of 120 |
82 |
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NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES
McDOWELL TOPS CHARTS IN FINAL PRACTICE
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 14, 2008) - Michael McDowell climbed out of his #00 Rimco Toyota Camry all smiles as Dave Burns with ESPN walked up to him for an interview after posting the fastest time (47.988 sec./187.547 mph) in NASCAR Nationwide Series final practice this morning at Daytona International Speedway. |
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Michael McDowell |
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"We felt really good about turning the fastest lap during practice," McDowell said. "When we tested the car initially last month, we struggled off the trailer. Bobby (Kennedy) went back to the shop with the car and pretty much cut the body off. I'm pretty happy with how the #00 Rimco Toyota Camry handled today. Michael Waltrip Racing has done a great job."
McDowell, who has to make it in on speed Friday afternoon, is confident his Michael Waltrip Racing team will qualify the #00 Rimco Toyota Camry for the Camping World 300 on Saturday.
"Yesterday we made qualifying runs and this morning we primarily focused on race trim" McDowell said. "I'm really comfortable with the car. I just need to gain as much experience as I can. The only race I have competed in at Daytona was the ARCA race (tenth-place finish) last year. The Nationwide Series cars are entirely different and they run faster. Keeping the fenders on it and getting as much experience as I can is what we need to accomplish."
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The 23-year-old has been busy with media obligations and appearances in the Daytona Beach area for almost two weeks promoting his NASCAR Nationwide Series sponsor as well as his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rookie campaign, which begins with his debut at Martinsville Speedway on March 30th. For now, his focus is to qualify for his fourth NASCAR Nationwide race and ultimately park his #00 Rimco Toyota Camry in Victory Lane.
"I feel like we have the car to do just that," McDowell said. "I'm just ready to race. It killed me not racing in the ARCA RE/MAX Series event last weekend, but I've had a lot of fun. We've been busy. It kicked off with NASCAR media day and went from there. It's been pretty fun. I've been taking it all in."
Live coverage of the Camping World 300 on Saturday, February 16th at 12 p.m. will air live on ESPN2 and MRN Radio at 1:15 p.m.
| Camping World 300: Practice 2 |
| POS |
CAR |
DRIVER |
TIME |
SPEED |
| 1 |
00 |
McDowell |
47.988 |
187.547 |
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NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES
RIMCO TO SPONSOR MCD AT DAYTONA
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 12, 2008) -- Rimco officially announced today a partnership with Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) to sponsor Michael McDowell and the #00 Toyota Camry in the NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) Camping World 300 at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday. |
"MWR secured Rimco through their strong relationship with Ken Butler and Aaron's," McDowell said. "Aaron's helped provide a strong foundation for Michael Waltrip Racing's growth and continue to assist the organization in so many ways. They are actively involved in their Nationwide program and it shows. I'm grateful to them that we have a company like Rimco to represent."
Rimco is a division of Aaron's Sales and Lease Ownership offering custom wheels, tires, accessories and more.
"This is a great opportunity to introduce Rimco on a national scale," said Ken Butler, President of Aaron's Sales and Lease Ownership. "We've had a longstanding partnership with Michael Waltrip Racing and developed a friendship with Michael (Waltrip). When we heard the #00 Toyota Camry was open for the Nationwide race and they were looking for a sponsor, we positioned Rimco. We've been there to celebrate the highs with MWR and we've been there when times were tough. Michael (Waltrip) is so passionate about the sport, his sponsors and his teams and takes care of them like no other. We'll have our eyes on both David (Reutimann) and Michael (McDowell) this weekend and we'll be pulling for one of them to win."
McDowell made three NNS starts with Michael Waltrip Racing last year finishing as high as 14th at Phoenix International Raceway. Now, the 23-year-old aims to sharpen his skills in the season opener alongside championship contender David Reutimann and the #99 Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota Camry team.
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Michael McDowell |
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"The NASCAR Nationwide Series is an incredible division with top caliber drivers and teams," McDowell said. "Michael Waltrip Racing's program is phenomenal and it really showed last year with Jerry Baxter leading the charge for Reutimann and the Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota team. Bobby Kennedy, who won a few races with Aaron's and Michael back in the day, will be my crew chief for the race. I need as much experience around me right now because that is what I lack and that's something Bobby has."
McDowell finished 10th in the ARCA RE/MAX Series at the 2.5-mile tri-oval last year and looks to gain more experience this week. Once the Nationwide race is in the books on Saturday, the Glendale, Ariz.-native continues to prep himself for taking over the #00 Toyota Camry in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Martinsville Speedway in March.
"I don't have a lot of experience at Daytona's tri-oval, but running the Nationwide car there will help me learn some things before debuting in the Sprint Cup Series," said McDowell, who recorded four wins and nine poles en route to finishing second in the ARCA RE/MAX Series championship standings with Rookie of the Year honors last season. "MWR is providing great people and resources to make the program a success. I'm ready to get started and March can't get here soon enough."
Live coverage of the Camping World 300 on Saturday, February 16th at 12 p.m. will air live on ESPN2 and MRN Radio.
For more information about Rimco, visit www.gorimco.com . |
NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES
McD IN NNS ENTRY AT DAYTONA
McDowell discusses his return to the high banks
DAYTONA BEACH FL. (February 6, 2008) – Michael McDowell will prepare for his scheduled entry into NASCAR Sprint Cup competition at Martinville at the end of March with the Michael Waltrip Racing 00 car team at the NASCAR Nationwide Series Camping World 300 at Daytona next week. |
McDowell in NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) entry at Daytona:
"The NASCAR Nationwide Series is an incredible Series with top caliber drivers and teams," McDowell said. "Michael Waltrip Racing's NASCAR Nationwide Series program is phenomenal and it really showed last year with Jerry Baxter leading the charge for Reutimann and the #99 Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota Camry team. I will have the opportunity to race the #00 Toyota Camry at Daytona and work with Bobby Kennedy (Crew Chief). We've got to get in the show on speed, but with the support in place I know we can do it."
McDowell on Daytona:
"Daytona is the home of motorsports," McDowell said. "It's such a unique atmosphere that feels so intense. There's so much media around it and an enormous amount of sponsors and fans attend each event. Things can happen so fast at a place like Daytona and it's in my hands not to wreck the car and have a good run. You can be running well and all of the sudden get caught up in a wreck that ends your day. It's all about paying attention and being there at the end."
Debuted in Nationwide Series with MWR last year:
"Last season, Michael Waltrip Racing fielded a second entry (#00 Toyota Camry) at Texas (Motor Speedway), Phoenix (International Raceway) and Homestead (Miami Speedway) and we ran pretty good in each race," McDowell said. "My best finish was 14th at Phoenix and I'm looking forward to improving upon that at Daytona."
Working with Crew Chief Bobby Kennedy:
"I'm glad to have Bobby on the box because he has a ton of experience and I need as much experience around me as possible because that is what I lack right now," McDowell said. "Bobby has been with Michael (Waltrip) for a long time and he helped David (Reutimann) get started with his career when he came into Truck Series. He's won Nationwide races and he loves superspeedway races. Over the years, he's had a lot of great results at Daytona in the Truck Series, Nationwide Series and Sprint Cup Series. I've been testing a lot on the Cup side and I've been working with him in the off season. We are working well together. We just came off of a four day test at Vegas (Las Vegas Motor Speedway) and California (Speedway)."
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Daytona experience:
"I raced in the ARCA race last year with Eddie Sharp Racing and finished 10th," said McDowell, who finished second in the ARCA RE/MAX Series championship standings and captured the most wins (four), poles (nine) and was Rookie of the Year. "We had a hole punched in the nose and that pretty much slowed us down."
Future bright at MWR for McDowell:
"We are proud to have Michael join our organization as we field three full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams and a Nationwide Series team for a second year in a row," said Michael Waltrip, CEO and President of Michael Waltrip Racing. "To be honest, at first I was apprehensive only because I know how difficult the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is and what challenges it presents. After testing with Michael, I learned firsthand that he is intense, knowledgeable of racing and more importantly he was fast at all of our test sessions. Those factors set my mind at ease. I feel like he will do a great job and it is our job to prepare the best cars we can for him and provide the best opportunity to hone his driving talents."
Path to Nationwide and Sprint Cup:
"When I was 16 years old, I started working at the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving in Chandler, Arizona as a go-kart mechanic," McDowell said. "Slowly, I worked my way up to being an instructor. The school is where I met a lot of my sponsors and industry contacts. It opened the door for opportunities. That's how I met Rob Finlay and got the Rolex Series and Grand Am Cup Series deals and my ARCA ride and now this. To be at the pinnacle of the sport is an incredible feeling. I am ready to run the Nationwide race at Daytona and transfer to the #00 Toyota Camry NASCAR Sprint Cup Series entry at Martinsville Speedway to begin my Raybestos Rookie of the Year campaign." |
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