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RACE REPORT
ANOTHER TOP-FIVE FINISH FOR McDOWELL, ESR
McDowell records seventh ARCA SIM Factory Pole Award of 2007
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“It’s a testament to the 46 team (and driver Frank Kimmel) that they can come in and do what they need to do. They’re a formidable opponent ... it’s our turn to strike back.” -Michael McDowell |
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WEST ALLIS, WI (August 27, 2007) – In any other situation, one would be thrilled with a fourth place finish at a feisty race track such as the Milwaukee Mile. Not Michael McDowell—the ARCA RE/MAX Series rookie, in contention for the point championship, couldn’t come away from the Governor’s Cup 200 optimistic.
Locked in the closest ARCA point battle in the last half-decade with veteran Frank Kimmel, McDowell was hopeful for a third win on the 2007 season after reeling off a lap of 30.342, good enough for his series-leading seventh ARCA SIM Factory Pole Award of the year. And in the early stages of the race, a win in one of ARCA’s most heralded races looked to be a lock.
Leading the field to green, McDowell checked out, leading the first 26 laps of the race. With a pit strategy that called for early stops, he relinquished the lead only to re-gain it on lap 120. After more cycles of pit stops and staying in the race’s lead pack for the duration, McDowell found his tires falling off in the last twenty laps of the 200-lapper. With 13 to go, he pitted his No. 2 Z-Line Designs / Make-A-Wish / Beck Dodge for four tires, but the effort proved unsuccessful as McDowell could only climb as high as fourth place before the checkered flag fell on the Governor’s Cup 200. |
The top-five finish left McDowell wanting more.
“It was a good point day for us, which is a positive,” said McDowell. “Winning a pole and leading the most laps is a lot sweeter if you take home the trophy. But that’s fine. We’ll go to St. Louis with some added motivation.
“It’s a testament to the 46 team (and driver Frank Kimmel) that they can come in and do what they need to do. They’re a formidable opponent in the championship battle, so it’s our turn to strike back.”
Even though the championship is within reach, McDowell suggests that the focal point of the season should remain on individual race performance, instead of a bigger picture.
“It’s important that our place in the standings doesn’t consume us. This is a championship-caliber team and we believe we’re worthy of hoisting the trophy at the end of the year. We know that in order to get there, we need to continue doing what we’ve done all year and that’s focusing on one race at a time. We don’t have a weak track—we should be contending for wins each weekend for the remainder of the season.”
McDowell continues to trail Kimmel in the standings, 95 points out of the series lead.
Up Next: Michael McDowell and Eddie Sharp Racing will be running under the lights at the Gateway International Raceway in Madison, Illinois on Friday, August 31. |
QUALIFYING UPDATE
McDOWELL TAKES HIS SEVENTH POLE OF THE SEASON
Rookie's first taste of ARCA deja vu proves even better than the first time
WEST ALLIS WI (August 25, 2007) - Rookie of the Year contender Michael McDowell proved once again that he is McFast in the ARCA RE/MAX Series. |
The 22-year-old national championship point contender earned his seventh SIM Factory Pole Award of 2007 at The Milwaukee Mile on Saturday evening, circling the 1-mile track in 30.342 seconds, an average speed of 118.647 mph. He starts on the front row in Sunday's Governor's Cup 200, which is slated to roll off at 1:00 PM ET LIVE on SPEED.
"The coolest thing about this is that this race last year was my first ARCA race and we qualified 16th," said McDowell. "To come back here this year and sit on the pole is just outstanding. I really have to thank Eddie Sharp and all the guys on this Z Line Design-Make A Wish-Beck Dodge team. |
"The car was good in practice, but we never put on new tires because we were focused on race trim. The car should be great for the race with just a few minor adjustments and a solid race strategy."
McDowell's pole award allowed him to inch within 80 points of Frank Kimmel's lead in the 2007 point standings. Sunday's Governor's Cup 200 marks the 17th of 23 races on the 2007 ARCA RE/MAX Series schedule. |
RACE PREVIEW
McD RETURNS TO SCENE OF ARCA DEBUT
One year later, ARCA rookie comes back to The Milwaukee Mile
MOORESVILLE, NC (August 23, 2007) – Flashback to one year ago: the Governor’s Cup 200, a traditional ARCA summer retreat at The Milwaukee Mile, was in full-swing and a wide-eyed young race car driver took his first step in transitioning from road racing to stock cars. |
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"...to say that winning this race and winning this championship is realistic is a lofty statement, but I believe we can do it." -Michael McDowell |
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One year later, Michael McDowell is on the cusp of completing one of the best rookie seasons in ARCA RE/MAX Series history. What a difference a year makes.
Since last year at Milwaukee, McDowell, sitting second in the series standings, has posted victories at Kentucky Speedway and Pocono Raceway, claimed six ARCA SIM Factory Pole Awards, headlines the rookie standings, and paces the series in laps led for the season.
McDowell relishes what he and his Eddie Sharp Racing team have accomplished; however, his eyes are on this weekend’s return to West Allis, Wisconsin.
“It’s been an amazing ride,” said McDowell. “We’re coming back to where my stock car career started and to say that winning this race and winning this championship is realistic is a lofty statement, but I believe we can do it.”
The belief is well-founded: McDowell has put his No. 2 Z-Line Designs / Make-A-Wish / Beck Dodge on the pole at the short tracks of Salem, Winchester, Toledo, and Berlin. A third-place finish at Salem and runner-up finishes at Berlin and last week at Springfield have made the ESR crew antsy for the Arizona’s native first short track victory.
McDowell hopes he can deliver.
“Yeah, I think I owe Eddie (Sharp, team owner) one,” laughed McDowell. “We’ve been close to a win, no doubt, and it’s reasonable to say that we can get one. Milwaukee is a driver’s track. I know we have the car capable of winning, we just need to stay on our game and seal the deal.” |
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| Governor's Cup 200 |
| Date: |
Sunday, August 26, 2007 |
| Track: |
The Milwaukee Mile (West Allis, WI) |
| Race Distance: |
200 Laps (200 Miles) |
| Team: |
Eddie Sharp Racing |
| Crew Chief: |
Patrick Donahue |
| Qualifying takes place on Saturday. Green flag drops at noon Sunday! SPEED will broadcast the Governor’s Cup 200 live at 1 PM EST on Sunday, August 26. |
McFACTS
> In 2006’s Governor’s Cup 200, McDowell made his ARCA RE/MAX Series debut, qualifying fifteenth and finishing 34th.
> McDowell is 95 points behind leader Frank Kimmel in the series point standings. He also leads the series rookie standings by 26 points after last weekend’s runner-up finish at the Illinois State Fairgrounds.
> McDowell has four short track poles in 2007: Salem Speedway (IN), Winchester Speedway (IN), Toledo Speedway (OH), and Berlin Raceway (MI).
> McDowell’s 465 laps led leads the entire ARCA RE/MAX Series; his 10 top-ten finishes trails only Frank Kimmel (11).
2007 ARCA RE/MAX SERIES DRIVER POINT STANDINGS
After Event #16, Allen Crowe 100,
Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield IL, 8-19-07 |
| POS |
NAME |
POINTS |
STARTS |
WINS |
TOP-5 |
TOP-10 |
| 1 |
Frank Kimmel |
3750 |
16 |
2 |
6 |
11 |
| 2 |
Michael McDowell |
3655 |
16 |
2 |
6 |
10 |
For more information on Eddie Sharp Racing, visit www.teamesr.com. |
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