4/3/2026
Dale McDowell Scores First 2026 Victory at I-75 Raceway
Veteran Earns 19th Career Schaeffer’s Spring Nationals Win
MOORESBURG, Tenn. (April 6, 2026) — Dale McDowell drove his Shane McDowell Racing / Reece Monument Company No. 17m Team Zero Race Cars Late Model to his first victory of the season this past weekend, taking an unconventional path to get there.
The Chickamauga, Georgia, native found speed on the top side of I-75 Raceway, overtaking Hudson O’Neal during Thursday’s Schaeffer’s Spring Nationals opener and racing to a $5,053 payday.
“That’s an unusual line for me around the top and usually a young man’s line up there, but that’s just where my car was best,” McDowell said. “I think we were a little different than Huddy on tires, so I could get it to go early, I just didn’t know if we’d fade late. He jumped out there and got the lead and I was able to maneuver just a little bit.”
McDowell kicked off the doubleheader weekend on Thursday as Tennessee's I-75 Raceway hosted the fourth round of the Schaeffer’s Spring Nationals tour. After qualifying second-quick in his group, he rolled off from the second row in the feature and set his sights on front-row starters Brandon Overton and Hudson O’Neal. McDowell tracked down O’Neal with a slider on lap 17 and led the remainder of the 40-lap main event to secure his 19th career series victory.
He backed up the strong performance on Saturday with a third-place finish in the $21,000-to-win Lil’ Bill Corum Memorial at Tazewell Speedway, joining race winner Brandon Overton and runner-up Kaede Loudy on the podium.
Complete results from the can be found at www.SouthernNationalsSeries.com.
McDowell now turns his attention to a return to his home state of Georgia this weekend for a Hunt the Front Super Dirt Series doubleheader at North Georgia Speedway. Friday’s opener pays $8,000 to win, followed by Saturday’s $12,000-to-win finale.
Additional event details are available at www.HTFSeries.com.
Shane McDowell Racing would like to thank all of their sponsors and marketing partners, which include Reece Monument Company, Northeastern Fabrication, Klotz Synthetic Lubricants, Ace Doran Hauling & Rigging, Remtek Enterprises, Cometic Gaskets, Jason Wright Excavating, Arendale Construction & HVAC, BSI Well Service, Black Rock Enterprises, Otterly Baths, AAA General Contractors, M&S Motors, Campbell Insulation Specialists, Fox Factory, Mark IV ATV's, Mt. Airy Polaris, Fullmoon Graphics, Clements Racing Engines, Team Zero Race Cars, FK Rod Ends, AllStar Performance, Champ Pans, Performance Bodies, BeCool Radiators, Schoenfeld Headers, Keyser Mfg., Wiles Racing Driveshafts, Wilwood Disc Brakes, DMI - Diversified Machine Inc., Quickcar Racing Products, P.E.M. Racing, Winters Performance Products, Southern Fluid Power, Deatherage Racing Optics, Quartermaster, Jones Racing Products, Winning Edge Carburetors, Go Lithium, and MyRacePass Marketing Services.
For the latest updates on Dale McDowell’s schedule, results, and merchandise, visit www.ShaneMcDowellRacing.com. Fans can also subscribe to the team’s mailing list at https://pages/ShaneMcDowellRacing.
Article Credit: Josh James image