David Smith
Head Talent Scout
 

In most major sports, there are minor league venues that serve as consistent springboards to something bigger. Major League Baseball has its farm systems. The NFL has seen an influx of players from the University of Miami and University of Southern California. The NBA playoffs were littered with players who either came from overseas or played in the Atlantic Coast Conference, consisting of powerhouses such as Duke and North Carolina.

In NASCAR? As a series, the ARCA RE/MAX Series has long been considered a place where drivers can hone their skills on intermediate tracks and mammoth superspeedways. But specifically, one team has emerged as a home for budding talent.

Eddie Sharp Racing currently houses three drivers being closely watched by the eyes of NASCAR: Michael McDowell, Josh Wise, and Ken Butler III.

As a whole, the ESR trio has racked up 11 top-ten finishes on the season. Butler earned his first career win at Toledo. McDowell has scorched the competition by winning four poles and leading the series in laps led. Wise has made an abnormally smooth transition from USAC Sprint Cars to full-size stock cars and has impressed in his spot starts in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

“I’m spoiled, I know,” admits team owner Eddie Sharp. “A lot of talent comes through ARCA and to have the three elite talents right now is big for us.”

The cars haven’t been bad either. McDowell says that there isn’t a weak track for the ESR contingent.

“We’re not soft,” said McDowell. “All of the drivers here have winning backgrounds but little experience with the tracks that are on the schedule. We’re fortunate to be able to rely on Eddie and everyone in the shop who’s had experience at these tracks. The drivers and the personnel compliment each other and that’s what allows us to be consistently fast, regardless of the location.”

Already with alums T.J. Bell and Ryan Mathews currently racing limited schedules in NASCAR’s Truck Series, ESR is looking to flood NASCAR with graduates. Wise and Butler are well on their way, riding on development deals with Michael Waltrip Racing. McDowell, one of the nation’s emerging prospects, has garnered attention from a number of top-tier NASCAR organizations.

The ESR success streak could continue. In the mean time, school is in session for three of the series’ premier standouts.

June 21, 2007