Michael McDowell took home 43rd place in the No. 36 Wave Energy Drink Toyota during Sunday’s Ford 400 NASCAR season-finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.  On Friday, McDowell put the No. 36 Wave Energy Drink Toyota solidly in the field with an 18th place effort—the second best qualifying run of the year for Tommy Baldwin Racing.

“We were really charged up coming into this final weekend,” said McDowell.  “The entire Tommy Baldwin team performed so well and they had the car prepared.  We didn’t practice as well as we wanted, but when it came time to get this Wave Energy Drink car in the field, we were able to deliver.  I was a little nervous because the two cars in front of us spun out trying to get in the field.  But when I hauled it down into the first turn and it stuck, I knew we were set.  I’d really like to take this opportunity to thank Tommy Baldwin for including me as part of his race team this year.  I really enjoyed working with him, personally, and the team has a great sponsor in Wave Energy Drink.  My hat is off to everything Tommy was able to accomplish in such a short amount of time—making it happen each week all the way through the year.  I know they announced on Friday that Wave Energy Drink will be back with the team in 2010 and I think next year will be a breakout season for everyone,” he added.

Denny Hamlin won the Ford 400 on Sunday, followed to the line by Jeff Burton, Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch and Jimmie Johnson rounded out the top-five finishers on the day.  By virtue of his fifth-place finish, Johnson won the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship outright—making it four straight titles in a row, a feat never before seen in the 61-year history of NASCAR.  The long winter break is ahead of the teams for now, but the 2010 Speedweeks will begin in earnest next February at the storied home of the sport—Daytona Beach, Florida.