"It felt good to run up front," McDowell said. "I wish we could have left Richmond with a top-10 finish. The pit stops were great all day and we were able to reposition the #00 Champion Mortgage Toyota back inside the top-35 where it belongs."

McDowell started near the rear of the field because following NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series final practices on Friday, NASCAR canceled qualifying for both divisions. Tropical Storm Hanna forced NASCAR to line up both fields by the NASCAR rule book. With the potential threat of more rain on Saturday, NASCAR postponed the running of both events for the safety of the fans presenting a doubleheader situation at RIR on Sunday.

"We really wanted the chance to qualify, but the weather didn't permit us to," McDowell said.

As the green flag waved for McDowell's return after being absent for three races, the 23-year-old went to work from the 38th starting position. On Lap 37, NASCAR implemented a competition yellow for teams to make adjustments to their cars.

"We were a little free all the way through," McDowell said. "We were free to the center and free off. We were getting beat off the corner."

After the team changed four tires and made an air pressure adjustment, McDowell restarted in 33rd-place on Lap 42. By Lap 84 the frontrunners, had chased down McDowell and the leader (Dale Earnhardt Jr.) made the pass on Lap 85 to place the #00 Champion Mortgage Toyota one lap down.

"Our biggest problem was that we couldn't power down," McDowell said. "We were really fighting the car off too."

Another pit stop at Lap 99 under caution allowed the pit crew to make a track bar and air pressure adjustment and place on four fresh Goodyear tires. The Glendale, Ariz., native restarted 34th and was racing hard for the Lucky Dog pass. The 45 car received the free pass on the next caution at Lap 115, but McDowell was next in line as he was running 33rd.

While leader Dale Earnhardt Jr. showed the way, McDowell was tucked in closely behind the #88 entry. On Lap 121 the yellow flag waved and McDowell was the recipient of the Lucky Dog pass to advance back onto the lead lap.

"We needed to be freed up a little up off," McDowell said. "The guys closed the shock a few clicks and put on more tires."

After restarting in 33rd-place on Lap 127, McDowell climbed his way into the top-20 on Lap 154.

"We stopped again about eight laps later for more tires," McDowell said. "We were a little tight in the center and somewhat snappy loose off. It wasn't too bad. We were actually pretty good at that point."

At halfway, the team continued to work on the car under each caution.

#00 Champion Mortgage Toyota Camry

"We were a little tight in the middle and just a tick free in and still a little snappy loose," McDowell said. "They made an air pressure adjustment and put on fresh tires. We came in again about 26 laps later. We needed to pull some tape off because the temperatures kept rising."

On a restart at Lap 232, McDowell was in 23rd-place As the yellow flag was displayed again at Lap 241, Peter Sospenzo opted for McDowell to stay out as the frontrunners dove to pit road. The track position was invaluable and it placed the #00 Champion Mortgage Toyota in fifth-place while his teammate David Reutimann took the lead and his owner Michael Waltrip was in fourth-place with similar strategies. On Lap 249, McDowell snatched away fourth-place.

McDowell held on to a top-five position for 12 laps and maintained a top-10 run until Lap 279. Under caution at Lap 298, McDowell entered pit road for tires while in 11th-place.

"We were just a little tight in the center," McDowell said. "The guys did a great job in the pits all day and picked us up a spot to put us back in the top-10."

McDowell was 10th when the green flag waved at Lap 304. The Raybestos Rookie maintained a top-15 position before his next stop at Lap 360 for four tires. Approaching the end of the race, McDowell fell out of the top-15 with less than 25 laps remaining.

McDowell fought hard, but played it safe to finish in the top-20 spot and reposition his Michael Waltrip Racing team back inside the top-35 before heading to New Hampshire this weekend. The #00 Champion Mortgage Toyota team is only 10 points out of 34th-place.

"It was a huge accomplishment for us," McDowell said. "We were able to run up front and take back a top-35 position. We're looking forward to New Hampshire."

David Reutimann earned his third top-10 of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season with his ninth-place finish in the #44 UPS Toyota Camry. Michael Waltrip finished 28th in his #55 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry.

Live coverage of the Sylvania 300 on Sunday, September 14th airs on ABC at 1 p.m. ET and 1:15 p.m. ET on PRN Radio.

Spinoff rain from Hanna struck RIR Friday afternoon at about 4:15 p.m., wiping out all hope NASCAR officials had for the remainder of scheduled activities not only that evening, but all day Saturday as well.

Qualifying for the Cup race eventually was washed out, and the starting field was set per the rulebook. MWR teammates Reutimann, Waltrip and McDowell will start 27th, 34th and 37th respectively

Michael Waltrip Racing teammates Michael Waltrip, David Reutimann and Michael McDowell saw mixed results in teh session with team owner Michael Waltrip 12th fastest, Reutimann 24th and McDowell 36th.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Qualifying is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET tonight, weather permitting.

#00 Champion Mortgage Toyota Camry

"As a young guy and a rookie, you are always trying to prove yourself and how you do that is being up on the board," McDowell continued. "Sometimes I found myself just trying to put up a solid lap rather than what I needed to run 400 to 500 miles. It's a balance. You compare yourself to your teammates and you compare yourself to the rookies and the other guys at your level and you are trying to be the best of that group."

McDowell has a new outlook reentering the .75-mile D-shaped oval thanks in part to Skinner.

"Skinner is a driver that has won a lot of races and he has so many NASCAR starts and the car seems to be about the same with him driving it," McDowell said. "I don't mean that in a negative way. I really mean that in a positive way because that gives me confidence going back into the car at Richmond. Now, I know more of what I need to be doing to be more efficient in practice to get more out of the car in qualifying. Then in the race we will make better decisions as a team."

The 23-year-old will apply the knowledge he gained from observing practices and races from the spotter's stand and listening to his team's communication while absent from the #00 Champion Mortgage Toyota.

"Skinner knew what he needed in a race car to get the guys through practice," McDowell said. "I've learned a lot from watching and listening. I need to let Peter Sospenzo (crew chief) do his job and make his calls, but I also have to lead him to that point. Having that balance of trust, knowing that Peter is going to make the right decision, if I give him the right information will make us better. I wasn't stressing enough on how big of a change we needed to make. If I know we are not close, I need to say ‘we need to make some big swings at this.' It's going to come in time."

"I got a valuable lesson from watching Juan Pablo Montoya at Bristol," McDowell said. "I know everyone was upset with how hard he raced the leaders. He raced everybody as hard as he could every single lap. He ended up getting a top-20 finish and he probably had a 35th-place car. I think that's something that you've got to look at. There is a balance and you probably are going to upset some people, but at the same time you are trying to get into the top-35. You are trying to keep your job and improve your finishes."

According to McDowell, the #00 Champion Mortgage Toyota Camry team has grown from the experience.

"The team's learned how to be even more efficient in practice," McDowell said. "They've been working really hard on pit stops and adjustments. All of that comes with time and also with communication. It's tough because I only was able to work with Peter for three weekends. We haven't had time to form a solid bond. The break from these three races has slowed it down a little, but hopefully long term everything will work out fine."

Returning to RIR for a second time, McDowell expects better results.

"We had a pretty good car at Richmond and there were times where we ran well," said McDowell, who was caught up in an accident and finished 40th. "I just need to find that feel and shut the timing and scoring monitor off. I need to get what I need out of the race car. I'm really looking forward to being back with my guys."

Live coverage of the event at Richmond International Raceway will air on ABC beginning at 7 p.m. Eastern and 6:45 p.m. on MRN Radio.