NEWSLETTERS - Aaron's Dream Machine driver in national spotlight
Aaron's Dream Machine driver in national spotlight
Number 00 Aaron's Dream Machine driver Michael McDowell made the rounds on New York talk shows Monday recounting his harrowing 170 mph wreck last Friday in Ft. Worth during qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
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Michael McDowell and wife Jami on the set of the Today Show. Click here to watch the interview.
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The 23-year old driver of the Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota Camry gained national attention not only for the violence of the accident -- the car barrel-rolled some eight times before hurtling to a stop -- but for the fact McDowell walked away from it with only a bruised ankle.
McDowell and wife Jami appeared on The Today Show for an interview with Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira yesterday morning. McDowell then visited MSNBC and Inside Edition.
Today, he will travel to Burbank, Calif. to appear on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
Appearing in an Aaron's shirt for the interviews, McDowell commented on whether he was scared to get back behind the wheel.
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| Michael McDowell |
"The folks at Aaron's are really behind us here," McDowell told Lauer. "NASCAR always learns from tragic crashes and they'll learn from this one. I'm going to try to get in the headlines by good race results and I told NASCAR I was done being a crash test dummy."
Before departing for New York Sunday night, McDowell posted a 33rd place finish in the number 00 Aaron's Dream Machine .
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| Aaron's Dream Machine |
According to McDowell's Web site, those results keep his Michael Waltrip Racing Team inside the top 35 owner points and guarantee him a starting spot in the Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on Saturday.
"My wife and I have had a nice time doing all the shows," McDowell says on his site. "This has been great exposure for the sport. NASCAR has done a tremendous job in making the cars safe."
mevans@rtohq.org
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