 |
"We were really coming to the front in a hurry. . ." -Micheal McDowell |
"After testing for two days down here, we really felt as though we have a shot to win this thing," said McDowell. "The Z-Line Designs, Make A Wish Beck Dodge is wicked fast and drives very comfortably. Crew chief Patrick Donahue and ESR boys gave me a great car for this race".
McDowell, who was making the seventh ARCA RE/MAX Series start of his career qualified the car solidly in the top-10 and made his way patiently to the Top-5 by lap 123. Just 25 laps later, McDowell slid into third place and ran down the leaders. During a restart on lap 153, the # 2 ESR Beck Dodge lost fourth gear in the transmission. After multiple pit stops to seek repairs, McDowell returned to the racetrack in the 21st position on lap 167.
|
"We were really coming to the front in a hurry just before we broke," said McDowell. "The car would not go into fourth gear after that restart. After that, we rode around in third gear against the rev limiter".
McDowell finished in the 18th position, four laps down.
It is a disappointing result, and it doesn't show the effort that we put in here today," said McDowell. "I'm confident in our efforts and really look forward to Nashville".
The next race for McDowell and the #2 Z-Line Designs ESR Beck Dodge is the Nashville ARCA 150 at the Nashville Superspeedway in Nashville, TN.
McDowell now sits sixth in ARCA RE/MAX Series Championship points just 20 points out of fifth and 85 points from the lead. |
Previously:
CONSTRUCT CORPS- PBG 250 PREVIEW
SECOND SHORT TRACK START FOR McDOWELL
LAKELAND, FL (Mar. 23, 2007) - It is hard to use the term ‘rookie' when describing Eddie Sharp Racing Development Team driver Michael McDowell. Heading into this weekends Construct Corps- PBG 250 at the USA International Speedway, McDowell has four Top- 10 finishes in just six ARCA RE/MAX Series starts, including a sixth at Salem Speedway, the only short track in his racing resume. |
"Short track racing is definitely a different style of racing than I'm used to," said McDowell. "Although there is a huge advantage the drivers who have been racing on short tracks all their lives, I love the bumper to bumper competition and I'm excited to get the Z- Line Designs, Make a Wish Dodge in the mix".
Get into the mix is exactly what McDowell has done since his entrance into the series late in 2006. With just six starts in a stock car, McDowell has scored a Top-10 at every type of track on the ARCA RE/MAX Schedule. That includes his first and only career start on a track under a mile in length as well as two Top- 10's on superspeedways and a career best fourth place finish on an intermediate track.
"It is vital that we keep the momentum we have going for us right now," said McDowell. "We spent two days in Lakeland preparing, just putting laps in and sliding the car around. I'm trying to acquire as much knowledge as possible at this point. Everywhere I go this year, it will be a new experience".
One thing McDowell does has a lot of experience with is bias-ply tires, the type of tire that Hoosier supplies the ARCA RE/MAX series teams competing at the USA International Speedway. McDowell scored seven victories in 10 starts on a bias-ply tire in the 2004 Star Mazda Series. His previous experience and success is something McDowell hopes to translate into the ARCA RE/MAX Series.
"You can really put the bias-ply tires on the edge," said McDowell. "Hoosier brings a great tire to Lakeland and it is a lot of fun to drive on. I'm pumped to watch the green flag drop".
The Construct Corps- PBG 250 starts at 7 p.m. on Saturday March 24 at the USA International Speedway in Lakeland, FL.
|
 |
"Everywhere I go this year, it will be a new experience ." -Micheal McDowell |
|
RACE:
Inaugural Construct Corps- PBG 250
Date: Sat. Mar. 24, 2007
Track: USA Int'l Spdwy, Lakeland FL.
Distance: 187 Miles (200 Laps)
Team: Eddie Sharp Racing, Crew Chief- Patrick Donahue
Car History: ESR #115- Sister car to ESR #114, the former Chip Ganassi Racing car that carried McDowell to fourth place finish at Iowa Speedway (2006)
McFACTS:
• McDowell has four Top-10 finishes in the last four ARCA RE/MAX Series races
• McDowell has only six ARCA RE/MAX Series starts.
• McDowell has a Top-10 finish in his only short track attempt: (Salem, 2006).
• McDowell has spent two full days testing at the USA International Speedway in an Eddie Sharp Racing Development Team Dodge.
• McDowell has logged nearly 700 laps at the USA International Speedway on an ARCA SIM Factory, Adrenaline Corporation computer simulator. |
