McDowell Earns Eighth SIM Factory Pole Award of 2007 at Chicagoland

JOLIET IL (9-7-07) - Michael McDowell remains the man to beat during SIM Factory Pole Award qualifying in the ARCA RE/MAX Series this season. The series rookie and Phoenix, Arizona native circled Chicagoland Speedway’s 1.5-mile D-shaped oval in 30.540 seconds for a speed of 176.817 mph Friday evening, earning his eighth pole award of 2007. He starts alongside Jeremy Clements for Saturday’s Chicagoland ARCA 200, which is scheduled to roll off LIVE on SPEED beginning at 2 p.m. Eastern.

“It’s great to get a SIM Factory Pole Award here because it’s a good measure of the progress I’ve made over the last year,” said McDowell. “Last year this race marked my first intermediate track ever and I spun here in qualifying and I barely made the race. To be able to come back here one year later, sit on the pole and have a chance at the championship is pretty rewarding. The Eddie Sharp Racing-Z Line Design-Beck Dodge was great today and I think we’re going to have a pretty good race tomorrow. I have to thank Eddie Sharp, Patrick Donahue and all the guys on the team. They’ve been giving me great equipment all year and hopefully we can catch Frank [Kimmel] in this championship battle.”

McDowell leads the series in SIM Factory Pole Awards and laps led this season. He starts Saturday’s Chicagoland ARCA 200 185 marks behind defending series champion Frank Kimmel in the National Championship Point Standings.

The qualifying session was delayed for several minutes after Pierre Bourque spun in the No. 62 La Raza-ImpreMedia Chevrolet Monte Carlo. He was examined and released from the infield care center. The team has reverted to a back-up car and Bourque will start Saturday’s Chicagoland ARCA 200 in the 40^th position, utilizing a provisional starting position.

Chicago native Billy Venturini starts 31st in the No. 25 ABC Auto Parts-Texas Corral Chevrolet. Brett Hudson starts third in the No. 0 Habitat for Humanity-BHM Dodge, followed by Frank Kimmel in the No. 46 Fort Dodge Animal Health-Pork Ford and Colin Braun in the No. 99 Roush Fenway Racing Ford.

The Chicagoland ARCA 200 rolls off at 2 p.m. Eastern LIVE on SPEED on Saturday, September 8, 2007. The race marks the 20^th of 23 events on the 2007 ARCA RE/MAX Series schedule

CONTACTS:
ARCA PR/Media, office (734) 847-6726
Don Radebaugh, cell (419) 450-0611
Jackie L. Franzil, cell (419) 574-2685

Starting Grid

Chicagoland ARCA RE/MAX Series 200

(9-8-07)

POS NO DRIVER/HOMETOWN TEAM & CAR TIME SPEED

1 2 Michael McDowell/Phoenix AZ Z Line-Make A Wish-Beck Dodge 30.540 176.817

2 3 Jeremy Clements/Spartanburg SC 1 Stop Convenience-Spartan Constructors Chevy 30.756 175.576

3 0 Brett Hudson/Owensboro KY Habitat For Humanity-BHM Dodge 30.769 175.501

4 46 Frank Kimmel/Clarksville IN Fort Dodge Animal Health-Pork Ford 30.795 175.353

5 99 Colin Braun/Ovalo TX Roush Fenway Racing Ford 30.823 175.194

6 22 Josh Wise/Riverside CA ESR Development-NAPA Toyota 30.928 174.599

7 11 Bryan Silas/Stuart FL Nortrax-Holland Pump Chevrolet 30.938 174.543

8 65 Justin Marks/Rocklin CA Construct Corps Dodge 31.020 174.081

9 66 Bryan Reffner/Stevens Point WI RaceTeamGear.com-GeoVax Labratories Chevy 31.034 174.003

10 47 Phillip McGilton/Marion IL SI Performance Ford 31.045 173.941

11 75 Jason Hedlesky/Clinton MI Curtis Compressors Ford 31.068 173.812

12 31 Alex Yontz/Walnut Cove NC Pike.com Chevrolet 31.116 173.544

13 32 Joey Miller/Farmington MN Youngfield Homes-Red Line Oil Dodge 31.120 173.522

14 48 Carl Long/Roxboro NC FreeFeds.org Dodge 31.161 173.294

15 59 Justin South/Hueytown AL HD Supply Dodge 31.246 172.822

16 60 Patrick Sheltra/Indiantown FL CP Products-US Construction Chevrolet 31.324 172.392

17 98 Erin Crocker/Wilbraham MA Evernham Motorsports Dodge 31.349 172.254

18 12 Mario Gosselin/Lake Wales FL James Carter Attorney-Underwire Services Chevy 31.374 172.117

19 56 Marc Mitchell/Tallahassee FL Ergon Chevrolet 31.388 172.040

20 72 John Jackson/Ellenton FL James Carter Attorney-Underwire Services Chevy 31.392 172.018

21 07 Billy Tanner/Newtown PA CheapCaribbean.com Chevrolet 31.427 171.827

22 6 Dexter Bean/Westby WI Five Star Telecom Chevrolet 31.448 171.712

23 00 Robb Brent/Shelby Township MI Orchard Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep Ford 31.456 171.668

24 39 Pete Shepherd/Brampton ON BeavEx-Reliance Tool-Zardo Scrap Metal Ford 31.464 171.625

25 1 Dominick Casola/Holmdel NJ A. Casola Farms Ford 31.477 171.554

26 8 Blake Feese/Saybrook IL ScottishRite.org-FPC1.com Dodge 31.523 171.303

27 37 Michelle Theriault/Bristol CT Glock Chevrolet 31.538 171.222

28 16 Justin Allgaier/Springfield IL AG Tech Chevrolet 31.704 170.326

29 87 Andy Lally/Dacula GA The Racers Group-Adobe Road Winery Chevrolet 31.834 169.630

30 4 Rob Bunker/Bridgewater NJ Cunningham-Dodge Motorsports Dodge 31.921 169.168

31 25 Billy Venturini/Chicago IL ABC Auto Parts-Texas Corral Chevrolet 31.932 169.109

32 23 Josh Krug/Omaha NE Bigford Enterprises-ARCASimRacing.com Chevy 31.954 168.993

33 5 Brian Keselowski/Rochester Hills MI Lucas Oil Chevrolet Provisional

34 84 Norm Benning/Pittsburgh PA Norm Benning Racing Chevrolet Provisional

35 90 Gabi DiCarlo/Phoenix AZ Great Clips Chevrolet Provisional

36 38 Mike Harmon/Birmingport AL Richardson-Netzloff-Harmon Racing Chevrolet Provisional

37 34 Darrell Basham/Henryville IN Anti Monkey Butt Powder Pontiac Provisional

38 26 Brad Smith/Shelby Township MI Koolmat Ford Provisional

39 79 Mike Koch/Mountain Home AR K&K Racing-Karl's Plumbing Pontiac Provisional

40 62 Pierre Bourque/Ottawa Ontario La Raza-Impremedia Chevrolet Provisional