McDowell Wins In Overtime At Road America

Michael McDowell captured his first Xfinity Series win at Road America.  [John Wiedemann Photo]

 

There were probably just three drivers that had a chance to actually win today’s Road America 180 Fired by Johnsonville NASCAR XFINITY Series race at a rainy, foggy, and cool Road America.

Alex Tagliani, a hard-charging Brendan Gaughan and eventual winner Michael McDowell. But it took 45 laps plus overtime to finally sort out the beating and banging and crown McDowell, today’s victor.

Pole-winner Tagliani sprinted to an early lead until just after the half-way mark when he made slight contact in Turn 5 with McDowell who passed him as rain began to fall on some parts of the course.

“I got bumped by the 2 car (McDowell) from behind. To win I needed to avoid wrecks; but I didn’t,” said the disappointed Canadian who only races occasionally in the series. “My challenge is I need to do this more often. It’s disappointing when this is the only race you do and this happens.

Tagliani spent the last portion of the race trying to regain track position after falling to 30^th, but could only climb to seventh at the end.

McDowell, who started second, survived three cautions in the final six laps to hold off the inspired Gaughan for the win, taking the lead after that Lap 28 contact with Tagliani in Turn 5; contact that HE thinks was Tagliani’s fault.

“He (Tag) went wide in Turn 5 and turned in on me. I came off the brakes to avoid hitting him. It wasn’t intentional on my part. I was clearly in there when he turned in,” explained McDowell who led from that point and survived those late restarts and that final charge by Gaughan. I was hoping the others could hold him back so I could build a lead because I thought he’d take a shot at me.

“Track position was paramount, especially on a long road course like this. I spun my tires on the first restart and almost lost the lead, but I learned not to do that on the final two (restarts) and was able to hold on.”

Gaughan led just two laps early during a pit stop sequence, but was able to stay in the lead group during most of the race. He charged after McDowell on the Green/White/Checker final restart, coming from fourth to almost catch his Richard Childress teammate in Turn 5 before slipping behind by 0.534 seconds at the checker.

“I love restarts,” smiled the Las Vegas native. “I practice them very hard. I got a good run on him going into (turn) 5, and had great braking; I could out-brake anybody. I couldn’t get past him up the hill, but I gave it one last effort in (turn) 14; but I couldn’t do it.”

Though this was his first XFINITY Series win, it turns out that McDowell has won here before; a Star Mazda Series open-wheeler in 2004, before his NASCAR career took hold.

“Road America is an amazing place,” McDowell, who also races in the Sprint Cup Series, said with a smile on his face. “It’s been twelve years-too long-since I won here. It means a tremendous amount to win here. Brendan may like restarts, but I was dreading those last few. He was with me in Turn 5, but I got ahead for good in Turn 8. I‘ve been leading so many laps and not got it done. But now this win checked a box for me. And an oval win will be the next one.”

NOTES:

• Elliott Sadler leads the Series point battle with 770 followed by Daniel Suarez (723) and Justin Allgaier (720).
• Brennan Poole hung on to finish third followed by Suarez and Ryan Reed. Tagliani finished seventh. Thirty-three of the 40 starters finished the race.
• McDowell led 24 of the 48 laps while early leader Tagliani led 17. Thirteen laps were run under caution.
• Sprint Cup car owner Joe Gibbs had a United Nations among his three drivers entered here: Owen Kelley (Tasmania, AUS), Daniel Suarez, (Monterrey, MEX), Erik Jones, (Byron, MI). Gibbs has entered cars in 16 races at RA but has yet to win. Kelley has raced in the Australian Supercar Series the past 12 years. Today will mark his sixth NASCAR start over three top-tier series.
• Alex Tagliani’s pole win was his fourth in eight XFINITY Series races  (second at Road America).
• Two series’ rookies, Erik Jones and Brennan Poole qualified among the Top 10 starters.
• The starting line-up showed 24 Chevrolets, 7 Toyotas , 6 Fords and 3 Dodges.
• Tagliani has started first or second in last six XFINITY starts and has no wins to show for it.
• The rainy, foggy, chilly weather held down the crowd somewhat from previous years.
• This was the seventh XFINITY Series event held at Road America. Next year’s race will be on a Sunday, June 27^th.

 

 

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