|
|
|
|
|
|
RACE REPORT
McDOWELL ROARS TO REPEAT WIN!
ARCA rookie scores second-straight victory with win at Pocono
LONG POND, PA (August 4, 2007) – With all of the bad luck Michael McDowell encountered in the beginning of the season, one would figure that his luck would have to eventually balance out. Saturday, that theory proved correct.
|
|
| Jeremy Clements’ misfortune was Michael McDowell’s gain as McDowell led the last 200 yards of the ARCA RE/MAX Series’ Pennsylvania 200 to capture his second career series victory. Clements, who led 33 laps on the day, ran out of fuel while leading on the white flag lap. McDowell had just finished passing Eddie Sharp Racing teammate Josh Wise for second place when Clements waved his hand out the window, signaling that he was out of gas.
When Clements ran out, McDowell mashed the throttle for more.
McDowell’s win comes in a repeat performance following his first career victory last July at Kentucky Speedway. The Arizona native added to his win column in a race filled with five NASCAR development drivers and one former NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion.
While the win came as a last-second surprise, McDowell was stellar the entire weekend, pacing the Saturday afternoon practice session and qualifying his No. 2 Z-Line Designs / Make-A-Wish / Beck Dodge on the outside of the second row. He knew he had something special in the making:
“I can’t believe it,” laughed McDowell. “I hate it for Jeremy Clements because he really did drive a fantastic race, but I’m thrilled for ESR, Z-Line Designs, Make-A-Wish, Beck Dodge, and Mission Residential. We’ve suffered enough bad luck this year, but this one—we put ourselves in position to run well, and it definitely worked out in our favor.”
McDowell fought to earn the clean pass on Wise, who earned a runner-up finish for Eddie Sharp Racing. It wasn’t the “winning pass,” but it proved to be just as pivotal:
“That last re-start meant everything. Josh (Wise) is a tremendous driver and mix that with running side-by-side on the tunnel turn at Pocono and you’ve got a difficult passing situation. There was nothing easy about it. It cost us a left front tire. If there had been one more lap, we wouldn’t have made it.”
|
McD TO GUEST ON SPEED's WINDTUNNEL
ARCA star joins host Dave DeSpain on popular racing show
(AUG 5, 2007) - Fresh off of his second-straight ARCA RE/MAX Series victory, rookie Michael McDowell will appear as a guest on SPEED's popular television show Windtunnel With Dave DeSpain.
The hour-long show will air live tonight (Sunday) at 9 PM EST. A replay will be broadcast at 10 AM EST on Monday, August 6. |
|
The victory puts McDowell within 20 points of series point leader Frank Kimmel. With nine races left on the 2007 ARCA schedule, McDowell feels confident that he and Eddie Sharp Racing can catch the eight-time champion:
“Momentum is the difference-maker. Everyone in the shop is focused, there isn’t a weak track for ESR, this is it - this is our year. Frank (Kimmel) is going to do as well as he always does; so, we just need to do everything correctly on our part. Today was huge and certainly a giant step towards the title.”
Listen to Michael's Post-Race Interview available on the ARCA website here.
Race Results
PENNSYLVANIA 200: POCONO |
| FIN |
STR |
NO |
DRIVER
HOMETOWN |
TEAM & CAR |
LAPS |
STATUS |
| 1 |
4 |
2 |
Michael McDowell Phoenix AZ |
Z Line Design - Make A Wish - Beck Dodge |
80 |
Running |
| 2 |
2 |
22 |
Josh Wise Riverside CA |
ESR Development Team-NAPA Toyota |
80 |
Running |
Up Next:
McDowell and Eddie Sharp Racing travel to Lebanon, Tennessee’s Nashville Superspeedway on Saturday, August 11. McDowell unofficially turned the quickest lap in an open test at the track two weeks ago. |
PRACTICE & QUALIFYING UPDATE
McDOWELL TO START ON SECOND ROW
Fastest in practice
LONG POND, PA (August 3, 2007) –Michael McDowell, in the No. 2 Z Line Design-Make a Wish-Beck Dodge, posted the quickest time overall during ARCA RE/MAX Series practice earlier Friday afternoon. |
| McDowell, who earned his career first series victory at Kentucky Speedway just three weeks ago, posted a lap of 165.177 mph (54.487 seconds) around the 2.5-mile Pocono Raceway triangle late during the session. |
"The Eddie Sharp Racing Z Line Design-Make a Wish-Beck Dodge was really good during practice," said McDowell. "The car was better then the last time we raced here at Pocono. I guess we just knew where we needed to improve and I have more experience at the Poconos. We're coming into this race with a lot of momentum after winning Kentucky and I think we have a car that can win the race."
McDowell will start the race from 4th position |
RACE PREVIEW
McDOWELL LOOKS FOR CONSECUTIVE WINS AT POCONO
McDowell, ESR coming of first career win at Kentucky |
MOORESVILLE, NC (August 2, 2007) – Repeat, anyone?
After a two-week hiatus, the ARCA RE/MAX Series returns to action at Pocono Raceway this Saturday. ARCA rookie leader Michael McDowell continues his quest for the series championship, coming off of his first career win at Kentucky Speedway.
“We’re certainly looking to rattle some cages this week,” commented McDowell. “A win is something that’s in our grasp and continuing to chip away at Frank (Kimmel’s) point lead is definitely something we need to accomplish from here on out.”
McDowell’s confidence comes in the form of Chassis No. 619, the car that went to victory lane at Kentucky. His No. 2 Z-Line Designs / Make-A-Wish / Beck Dodge has been a staple of speed on the 2007 circuit and McDowell hopes that this weekend is no different.
The June race at Pocono proved to be good to McDowell, as he led six laps en route to a sixth-place finish. Lorin Ranier, spotter for Reed Sorenson in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series and the spotter for McDowell in June’s race, returns to the spotter’s stand to be the eyes in the sky for McDowell.
While McDowell wants the win, the big picture for him and the Eddie Sharp Racing team is the ARCA championship. McDowell realizes that Pocono kicks off an integral stretch of the schedule in which the title hunt will heighten:
|
|
Looking to rattle some cages. |
|
“The month of August will decide the title. Nashville, Springfield, Milwaukee, and Gateway will separate the contenders from the rest. We have to be on our game. The momentum is there for us and that’s the key to winning this championship. Luckily, we’re peaking at the right time and if we can stretch that out to encompass the month of August, this title is ours to lose.”
|
|
| Pennsylvania 200 |
| Date: |
Saturday, August 4, 2007 |
| Track: |
Pocono Raceway (Long Pond, PA) |
| Race Distance: |
80 Laps (200 miles) |
| Team: |
Eddie Sharp Racing |
| Crew Chief: |
Patrick Donahue |
| Practice and qualifying take place on Friday. The race starts Saturday at 1pm Eastern |
McFACTS:
> Last June was McDowell’s first time visiting the Pocono Raceway. In his track debut, he qualified in tenth position and finished sixth, after leading six laps on the day.
> While he maintains his lead in ARCA’s rookie standings, he also is second in the series point standings, 145 points behind Frank Kimmel.
> McDowell’s eight top-ten finishes in 2007 is second only to Kimmel, who has nine.
> McDowell is the runaway leader in laps led, with 430 on the season. |
|
|
|
|
|
