Michael McDowell Wins At Salem...In The Hunt For 2007 ARCA Series Championship

RACE UPDATE
McDOWELL THIRD IN THRILLING FINISH

Closes point gap to Kimmel.

SALEM IN (September 15, 2007) - Rookie phenom Michael McDowell and eight-time ARCA champ Frank Kimmel are taking their battle right to the end. The two title contenders finished nose to tail, second and third in a thrilling Eddie Gilstrap Motors 200 by Advance Auto Parts Saturday night at Salem Speedway before a packed house.




Michael McDowell

With just two events remaining in 2007, McDowell, who finished third on Kimmel's bumper, closed to within 140 points of Kimmel for the national championship.

"We were will good at the beginning of the race but then really loose in the middle," said McDowell. "The Z Line Design-Make A Wish-Beck Dodge team worked hard on it in that last stop, put four tires on it and made a big adjustment. We actually ran over a piece of debris there at the end and we were just trying to salvage what we had. We led a lap and qualified second so that gave us 15 points. Frank gained five on us in the race so we actually gained some this weekend even though we finished behind him."