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"We know we can run with these guys... " -McDowell |
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GRAPEVINE, TX (November 6, 2007) - Michael McDowell made his NASCAR Busch Series debut at Texas Motor Speedway a grand one, making the seamless transition from ARCA dominance to NASCAR competition. While his startup Michael Waltrip Racing team worked without the aid of a garage stall over the course of the weekend, McDowell found speed out of the No. 00 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota early and often.
During the rookie practice session on Friday afternoon, McDowell clicked off the second fastest lap of the entire day with a lap of 28.749 seconds. After getting a dreadfully early qualifying draw, the Arizona native went out second and laid down a quicker time of 28.724 seconds. As the qualifying session crept to evening, the cooler weather allowed for faster times. At the end of the session, McDowell would find himself in the show, starting seventeenth in the 43-car field.
At the drop of the green flag on Saturday afternoon, McDowell hovered in the top-twenty, wrestling a loose condition but managing to stay competitive. The first opportunity to pit couldn't come soon enough as McDowell brought his Toyota into the pit area on lap 20 for four fresh Goodyear tires and a chassis adjustment. Unfortunately, McDowell overshot his pit on entry and had to back the car up, costing valuable track position. He would quickly look to make up for lost ground.
A long green flag run greeted McDowell. Race leader Tony Stewart, setting a torrid pace, lapped the NAPA Toyota on lap 73. Unfettered, McDowell moved up to 24th position before a round of green flag pit stops kicked off on lap 88. He pitted again, still a tad loose, looking for more tires, fuel, and another tweak of the chassis. While his entry was flawless, one of the old tires got loose and rolled along the pit road. The NAPA Auto Parts team was assessed a drive-through penalty which put them further off the lap.
After the penalty, the former Star Mazda Series champion gained a head of steam, looking to make up ground on the track. He did just that, re-entering the top 25.
A caution on lap 128 brought another round of stops. This time, a perfect stop was executed as the No. 00 Michael Waltrip Racing team packed McDowell's Toyota full of fuel and four tires. McDowell charged all the way to twentieth place before the fall of the checkered flag. |
McDowell's day wasn't perfect but he was pleased with his first stock car start with Michael Waltrip Racing:
"It was unfortunate that we had some pit road mistakes today but overall, especially this being a last minute deal, this was exactly what we needed," said McDowell. "We ran all the laps, we stayed competitive, Butch (Hylton, crew chief) and everyone with the NAPA Toyota team were completely supportive of me during my first Busch Series weekend.
"We know we can run with these guys here. I look forward to Phoenix. We'll bring a better car, maybe raise our expectations a little bit, and put ourselves in position to compete for a win."
RACE RESULTS
Texas 300 | Texas Motor Speedway |
| November 3, 2007 | Final |
| Pos |
Car |
Driver |
Team |
Laps |
Status |
| 20 |
00 |
Michael McDowell |
NAPA/Aaron's Toyota |
198 |
Running |
NOTABLE BUSCH SERIES DEBUTS
McDowell's debut compared to those of NASCAR Busch Series Winners in 2007 |
| Driver |
Finished |
Track |
Year |
| Kyle Busch |
2nd |
Charlotte |
2003 |
| Denny Hamlin |
8th |
Darlington |
2004 |
| Juan Pablo Montoya |
11th |
Memphis |
2006 |
| Stephen Leicht |
13th |
Memphis |
2005 |
| Reed Sorenson |
13th |
ORP |
2004 |
| David Reutimann |
16th |
Richmond |
2002 |
| Michael McDowell |
20th |
Texas |
2007 |
| Bobby Labonte |
26th |
Martinsville |
1982 |
| Jeff Burton |
28th |
Martinsville |
1988 |
| Matt Kenseth |
31st |
Charlotte |
1996 |
| Kasey Kahne |
31st |
Rockingham |
2002 |
| Clint Bowyer |
36th |
Texas |
2004 |
| Carl Edwards |
38th |
Gateway |
2002 |
| Jason Leffler |
41st |
ORP |
1999 |
| Kevin Harvick |
42nd |
Rockingham |
1999 |
Next Up: Michael McDowell returns to his native Phoenix, Arizona as his No. 00 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota will take to the one-mile Phoenix International Raceway on Saturday, November 11 for the Arizona Travel 200. |
FORT WORTH, TX (November 2, 2007) - Michael McDowell led the field in Rookie Practice this morning at Texas Motor Speedway. The 2007 ARCA RE/MAX Series Rookie of the Year posted a lap time of 28.749 sec, -better than 1/3 of a second faster than anyone else in a session that featured veteran racers such as Sam Hornish Jr. and Dario Franchitti.
In the second, full field practice, McDowell placed 16th in the field -just 0.676 second off the pace of his Michael Waltrip Racing teammate, David Reutimann in first place. |
PRACTICE SPEEDS
Texas 300 | Texas Motor Speedway |
| November 2, 2007 | Rookie Practice |
| Pos |
Car |
Driver |
Team |
Time |
Speed |
| 1 |
00 |
Michael McDowell |
NAPA/Aaron's Toyota |
28.749 |
187.833 |
| November 2, 2007 | Practice 2 |
| 16 |
00 |
Michael McDowell |
NAPA/Aaron's Toyota |
29.142 |
185.300 |
Next up: Qualifying |
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"I can't wait " -Michael McDowell on his Busch Series debut at TWS |
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CORNELIUS, NC (October 31, 2007) - ARCA RE/MAX Series Rookie of the Year Michael McDowell will make his NASCAR Busch Series debut this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. A former Star Mazda Series champion, McDowell will pilot the No. 00 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota from the Michael Waltrip Racing stable for the final three races of the Busch Series schedule.
McDowell is coming off a four-win season in ARCA, one that earned him second place honors in the series championship standings. He also recently made his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut at Martinsville Speedway.
While McDowell has visited many tracks-thanks in part to his eclectic background of sports car racing, open-wheel racing, and stock cars, this will be his first trek to Texas Motor Speedway. The prospect of making his series debut at the Fort Worth, Texas quad- oval has the Arizona native intrigued:
"I can't wait for this weekend. Anytime you get to race is great but to be making your debut in the Busch Series is extra special," said McDowell. "MWR has prepared an awesome car for this weekend and with the short notice (that I'd be racing) that meant a lot of extra hours for the crew. I have a new crew chief this weekend in Butch (Hylton), so hopefully his experience will speed up my learning curve. I just want to make all the laps and get some seat time at a track that is this fast."
After this weekend's foray in the Lone Star State, McDowell will travel to hometown track Phoenix International Raceway and the series season finale at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. |
RACE: |
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| Texas 300 |
| Date: |
Saturday, November 3, 2007 |
| Track: |
Texas Motor Speedway (Fort Worth, TX) |
| Race Distance: |
200 Laps (300 miles) |
| Television: |
ESPN2 at 3 pm EST |
| Team: |
Michael Waltrip Racing |
| Crew Chief: |
Butch Hylton |
McFACTS:
> McDowell is coming off a record-setting rookie ARCA season, scoring four victories (Kentucky Speedway, Pocono Raceway, Chicagoland Speedway, and Toledo Raceway) and leading 822 laps (both tops for the series).
> The 22 year-old also competed in the Rolex Sports Car Series, collecting two Daytona Prototype wins for team Finlay Motorsports.
> McDowell will have to qualify into the Texas 300 on time. His résumé speaks well of his qualifying prowess: nine poles in ARCA in 2007.
> A sim-racing enthusiast, McDowell spends on average, three hours per day playing computer simulation racing featuring tracks of every major American racing series.
> In his ARCA career, McDowell scored a top-five finish on every type of track: a win at a short track (Salem - October 2007), a win at an intermediate track (Kentucky - July 2007), and a fifth place finish at a superspeedway (Talladega - October 2006). |
