McDowell signs with MWR, but plans not announced
By Bob Pockrass
Sunday, January 06, 2008
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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Michael Waltrip Racing driver Michael McDowell said he has signed with the organization but as far as his 2008 plans, he can't say anything just yet.
McDowell, who has road-racing, Champ Car and ARCA experience and competed in three Busch (now Nationwide) Series events last year, has been considered the leading candidate (pending sponsorship) to drive the No. 00 car after David Reutimann replaces Dale Jarrett in the No. 44 car starting with the sixth NASCAR Sprint Cup race of the season.
The team has not announced a sponsor nor a driver yet to replace Reutimann.
"I know that we're supposed to make an announcement at the end of the month," McDowell said Sunday during a break in testing for the Rolex 24 At Daytona. "I have signed with Michael Waltrip Racing. What the plans are are yet to be announced."
McDowell said he is going through the Sprint Cup approval process now and will compete in the Nationwide Series event in February at Daytona.
He has spent at least five days during the offseason testing and has worked with new crew chief Bill Pappas, who has an extensive Indy-car resume and is making his first foray into stock-car racing. Pappas will be the crew chief for Jarrett and then whoever replaces Reutimann in the No. 00 car.
"He's a great guy - he's very intense and he's ready to do it," said the 23-year-old McDowell, who won four ARCA races last year - his first season where he raced predominately on ovals in stock cars. "He has got something to prove, and I have something to prove.
"We are on the same level as far as we're both new to this. We're both coming in with different experience - experience but not [NASCAR] experience. He has got to prove himself and I have to prove myself so we're both going to be working hard at it."
McDowell said he will not get in a car during Cup testing over the next couple of weeks at Daytona. He believes he could be ready for his Cup debut if called on to make it.
"I'm definitely not underlooking the challenge," he said. "I understand how difficult it is going to be. I don't want to sound like, 'Hey, I'm ready to go.'
"Time will tell whether I'm ready to go, but I feel like the preparation has been there. I did a full season of ARCA, which isn't a ton but I did the whole season and ran a few Busch races. It's going to take a little bit of time to get up to speed. The timing is perfect to try to do something now rather than waiting and giving everybody a full season in the new car. Now, testing [for me] is really important, and if I can get up to speed and be ready to go, then we'll do it."
- Mentioned Drivers:
- Dale Jarrett
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