"The first couple of laps the car was really tight," McDowell said. "But, my biggest concern was the fact that it was loose in and that's what we focused on."

On the restart at Lap 24, McDowell was shown in 33rd-place. His #00 Champion Mortgage Toyota was better on entry, but he reported it was somewhat tight. As another caution happened 20 laps later, the Michael Waltrip Racing team opted to only change four tires.

"We were tight center off and a tick free in, but not bad," McDowell said.

McDowell took off 24th as the field received the green flag again at Lap 48. He pitted again on Lap 72 under caution for tires and adjustments this time.

"They did a wedge and tire pressure adjustment and changed four tires," McDowell said. "It was a bit loose."

On the restart at Lap 74, the Glendale, Ariz.-native was 23rd and trying to hold on to a loose handling car. By lap 90, the #00 Champion Mortgage Toyota was shuffled back to 35th.

"The car was loose to the point of where it felt like I was going to wreck," McDowell said.

Michael McDowell

The next caution at Lap 124, Bill Pappas made the call for two tires and that placed McDowell inside the top-20.

"The guys made more adjustments because it had been too tight in the middle and still free in," McDowell said. "They kept after it."

With four laps remaining, a wreck collecting seven cars in Turn 3 including McDowell's teammate David Reutimann resulted in a green-white-checkered flag situation.

On the restart, McDowell was 21st and his boss Michael Waltrip appeared to be on his way to a solid top-10 finish. On the final lap of a green-white-checkered finish, a pack of cars ahead of McDowell started wrecking in Turn 1 collecting Waltrip. McDowell made it through the wreckage to finish 25th.

Kyle Busch was the winner. Michael Waltrip finished 27th in the NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota and David Reutimann finished 21st coming back from being five laps down to finish on the lead lap.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 2, 2008) - Michael McDowell experienced Daytona International Speedway for the first time driving for Michael Waltrip Racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series season opener. Now, he tries his hand at the 2.5-mile tri-oval in his #00 Champion Mortgage Toyota Camry during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola on Saturday.

"I'm glad I've turned some laps at Daytona," McDowell said. "Our biggest challenge will be trying to avoid getting caught up in a wreck because we are on the bubble. We have to stay inside the top-35."

McDowell knows what he has to do to keep a coveted spot in the owner standings.

"We need to finish in the top-15 or top-20," McDowell said. "I haven't been in a situation where I have had to qualify for a race and I want to keep that streak going for the rest of the year."

Keeping that streak alive is vitally important to McDowell and he's optimistic about the 160-lap event.

"Michael Waltrip Racing has a solid superspeedway package," McDowell said. "It showed at Daytona earlier this year and also at Talladega. Actually, Michael Waltrip was in contention for a victory at Talladega until his engine expired at the end of the race. I know we've got a good program in place, but I'm still a rookie in this deal. I've got to go out there and earn respect."

As a rookie, McDowell has had to adapt quickly to the ever-changing track configurations on a weekly basis.

Michael McDowell and MWR teammate David Reutimann

"These cars drive and handle so much different in competition that it feels like it is new every weekend. That's why I'm looking forward to going back to places like Pocono, Martinsville, Dover and New Hampshire. Those are places I've run before with my guys and we can build upon that."