The ARCA RE/MAX Series rookie repeated his April Salem effort, finishing third in the Eddie Gilstrap Motors ARCA Fall Classic. McDowell’s night in Southern Indiana wasn’t spent solely in the P3 spot: the Arizona native showed that his speedway prowess encompasses short track success.
McDowell’s qualifying lap of 17.695 was good enough for second on the Salem scoring pylon. As soon as the green flag dropped, McDowell’s No. 2 Z-Line Designs / Make-A-Wish / Beck Dodge jumped to an early lead over pole-sitter Brian Keselowski and led the first 12 laps of the event. On pace for a record setting evening, McDowell clocked the Accel Fastest Lap of the Race and was eager for a win; however, the car wouldn’t easily allow for it.
The Eddie Sharp Racing Dodge became too loose for McDowell’s liking, forcing the rookie to struggle with the car’s handling. With an ill-driving race car, and an encounter with on-track debris, crew chief Patrick Donahue made major chassis adjustments in addition to putting on four tires for the final stretch run. The calculated risk paid dividends.
McDowell soon began running with the lead pack but time ran out on a budding come-from-behind win; he followed Justin Allgaier and Frank Kimmel to the line for the third place finish. After the race, McDowell was indifferent about his result:
“We actually struggled a little bit tonight,” said McDowell. “We did gain points on Frank (Kimmel) but I think with a little more time we could have made a move to the front. Patrick (Donahue) and all the guys at ESR did a fantastic job of setting this car up for that last run. We got off to a great start but got too loose for my liking in the middle part of the race. I still think our short track program is as good as anyone’s in ARCA and that will be reflected at Toledo.”
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Eyes still on the prize: Michael McDowell looks to gain ground in the final two events of the season. |
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McDowell gained ten points on Kimmel, now 140 markers behind the eight-time champion in the series point standings. With two races (Talladega and Toledo) remaining, McDowell knows that lady luck will have to favor him:
“Talladega is a track where we expect to encounter a lot of excitement and Toledo will be our last chance at a short track win,” McDowell continued. “Plus, we’re still in this championship hunt. We may be underdogs at this point, but I believe in everyone at Eddie Sharp Racing and still feel that this is an uncrowned championship team.”
UP NEXT: McDowell and Eddie Sharp Racing venture to the 2.66 mile Talladega Superspeedway for one of ARCA’s most exciting events on October 5.
AUDIO: Hear Michael's post-race interview on the ARCA Racing website here.
2007 ARCA RE/MAX SERIES DRIVER POINT STANDINGS
After Event #21, Eddie Gilstrap Motors ARCA Fall Classic 200 by Advance Auto Parts at Salem Speedway (9-15-07): |
| POS |
NAME |
POINTS |
STARTS |
WINS |
TOP-5 |
TOP-10 |
| 1 |
Frank Kimmel |
5030 |
21 |
2 |
8 |
14 |
| 2 |
Michael McDowell |
4890 |
21 |
3 |
9 |
13 |
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RACE PREVIEW
McDOWELL RETURNS TO SALEM IN SEARCH OF WIN
Looking to improve on Pole and Podium of last Salem Speedway outing.
MOORESVILLE, NC (September 13, 2007) – Last April, budding ARCA RE/MAX Series rookie Michael McDowell won his first ever pole and scored a career-best finish of third in his first outing at Salem Speedway. |
Now, it’s September. And his April performance looks like child’s play.
Since his last Salem visit, McDowell has collected three victories, notched a series-high eight ARCA SIM Factory Pole Awards, leads the series in laps led, and is 150 markers out of the series point lead. Needless to say, just a pole and a third place finish may not cut the muster for the Phoenix native this time around in the Eddie Gilstrap Motors ARCA Fall Classic at Salem.
Now, McDowell looks to tackle the .555 mile oval this weekend in hopes of a win. The No. 2 Z-Line Designs / Make-A-Wish / Beck Dodge is coming off of a dominating intermediate track victory at Chicagoland Speedway. Could a repeat win be in the works?
“We set the bar for ourselves the last time we were here,” said McDowell. “We led the first fifty or so laps and the car was probably a second place car at best. Now, we’re trying to clear the bar with a win.
“Our short track program has been excellent this year. We have two races left (Salem and Toledo) to get a win at one of the tracks that have helped put ARCA on the map. We’ve been dangerously close this year to winning both, so hopefully we can get one (win) before the year is over.”
On one of the most difficult track to drive on the circuit, McDowell says track experience is integral in positioning for a win. His third place finish last April, combined with the expertise in the Eddie Sharp Racing brain trust, has made McDowell confident heading into the weekend:
“I’m fortunate to be able to rely on Patrick Donahue and Eddie Sharp for this weekend. Experience is a factor and to come in like we did in April, not really knowing what to expect but still putting together a formidable run was great for us. Eddie knows what it takes to go fast around this place, so I’m sure we’ll have one of the quickest cars this weekend.”
McDowell will take to the track for 200 laps of ARCA action on Saturday, September 15.
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McFACTS:
> In his second career race at Salem Speedway, McDowell won the pole, led the first 56 laps, and finished a then-career best of third.
> McDowell continues to narrow the gap behind him and point leader Frank Kimmel. Heading into Salem, he is 150 points behind Kimmel; he also currently leads the ARCA Rookie of the Year standings.
> Back-to-back wins wouldn’t be unprecedented for McDowell—earlier this season, he captured victories at Kentucky Speedway and Pocono Raceway.
> McDowell has led 644 laps (a series-high) over the course of the 2007 season. He also has been the leader at the race’s halfway mark four times.
RACE:
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Eddie Gilstrap Motors ARCA Fall Classic
by Advance Auto Parts |
| Date: |
Saturday, September 15, 2007 |
| Track: |
Salem Speedway (Salem, IN) |
| Race Distance: |
200 Laps (111 Miles) |
| Team: |
Eddie Sharp Racing |
| Crew Chief: |
Patrick Donahue |
| Practice, qualifying and the race all take place on Saturday. The green flag drops at 7:15pm CST! |
2007 ARCA RE/MAX SERIES DRIVER POINT STANDINGS
After Event #20, Chicagoland ARCA 200,
Chicagoland Speedway, Joliet IL, 9-08-07 |
| POS |
NAME |
POINTS |
STARTS |
WINS |
TOP-5 |
TOP-10 |
| 1 |
Frank Kimmel |
4810 |
20 |
2 |
7 |
13 |
| 2 |
Michael McDowell |
4660 |
20 |
3 |
8 |
12 |
For more information on Eddie Sharp Racing, visit www.teamesr.com. |
