Mark Dowdy Selected As COMP Cams® Top Performer For June

Memphis, TN − In 2012, weekly racers are being randomly recognized as the COMP Cams® Top Performer of the Month. The winner for June is Alabama driver Mark Dowdy.

The racer chosen to be the COMP Cams® Top Performer for June is Michigan transplant Mark Dowdy, who currently resides in Waterloo, Alabama. The 42-year-old competitor pilots his No. 88D Limited Late Model at tracks throughout North Alabama and Middle Tennessee. He utilizes Warrior Chassis and a Maniac Racing Engine.

While Dowdy has been racing for more than 24 years, his career took a sudden and unexpected turn four years ago in Michigan. On Tuesday, May 13th, 2008, Mark was riding his motorcycle to work in the early hours of the morning. While approaching a gentle right hand curve the rear tire of his motorcycle locked up, causing him to crash to the pavement and slide across the curve on the road. Unfortunately, while in the road, another driver was coming from the other direction, and hit Mark head on with a Dodge Ram truck.

Mark awoke on Thursday of the same week in the hospital to learn of his injuries. He was left with six broken ribs on his right side, a punctured lung, a T-11 burst fracture of his vertebrae and a severed spinal cord. He had lost 3 1/2 pints of blood and was breathing with the help of a tube that had been inserted into his lungs. The doctors came into the room and informed Mark that he would never walk again, as he was permanently paralyzed from the waist down. Mark ultimately accepted that fact, although not without some difficulty.

"I mean let's be honest, that's some of the worst news that you can ever receive,” Dowdy says. “It was really devastating, and it took some time to get a grip on the entire situation. One thing for sure though is that I knew there was no way I was just going to give up on life.”

While Mark knew that he had to accept that he would never walk again, he was not willing to accept that he would never race again. Mark had worked to become a fairly successful regional dirt track racer in the Great Lakes region of Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. He won numerous races in the IMCA & UMP Open Wheel Modified division during the 1990s. In 1999 Dowdy made the switch to the Late Model class and continued his winning ways. He always prided himself on the fact that that he was not a "one-track" racer. He would travel from track to track every weekend and hone his skills. It was not uncommon on any given week to see him race anywhere from Michigan to Alabama. During his career Mark has competed at around 112 race tracks throughout the midwest and the south, claiming over thirty feature wins, including a $3,000 victory in the Great Lakes Nationals at Crystal Raceway (Crystal, Michigan).

"I loved racing, and I was bound and determined to find a way to get back on the track, and prove all the naysayers wrong. No matter what it took I was going to get back on the track again,” Dowdy explains.

With this drive to continue racing and still be competitive residing firmly in his mind, Mark was released from the hospital six weeks after his accident. Shortly after being released he completed his move to Alabama, which had been planned before his injury. Once fully relocated to his new state, Dowdy began devising a way in which he could continue to race. With the help of his long-time friend and crew member Dennis Brewer, and after several failed attempts, the duo finally came up with a steering wheel that would allow him to control the throttle, brake and steering, all without ever lifting a hand from the wheel.

"This was just a dream come true, to be able to get back on the track again,” Dowdy says. “I'm permanently indebted to Dennis for the countless hours that he worked with me to get this control system ironed out.”

With the state-of-the-art controls now devised for his race car, Mark was prepared to make his return to the cockpit in 2009. The team set their expectations low and agreed that the season would just be a test and tune session. However, within two months Dowdy became competitive, recording multiple top ten finishes.

Now three years after making his return to the driver's seat, Dowdy is still looking for his first feature win in the Dirt Late Model ranks, but he has won three heats and claimed four second place finishes.

Says Dowdy, "I love racing more now than I think I ever have. Racing has helped get me through these challenges in my life. My family has stood behind me the whole way, and I couldn't have done it without the support of my daughters, Dena and Darci. I can't thank my crew enough for their support, including my crew chief, Lee Strong, as well as Gary Jones and Dennis Brewer. I also have to thank Josh Plant for the great job he does with my PR and my website."

For the 2012 season Mark is competing mainly in the Limited Late Model division at his home track, Thunderhill Raceway (Summertown, Tennessee). For the 2013 season and beyond the driver may be returning to the Super Late Model ranks though as he waits on an announcement about a new CT525 based tour in the south.

For more information on Mark, please visit his website at

As the COMP Cams® Top Performer for June, Mark Dowdy will receive a case of COMP Cams® Break-In Oil #1590-12, a $100 COMP Cams® product certificate and a racer pack featuring a COMP® hat, t-shirt, banner and apron

Mark Dowdy

Image Credit: JP Motorsports Promotions

About the COMP Cams® Top Performer of the Month

COMP Cams® is a long-time title sponsor of and over the years has sponsored several different promotions for racers. For 2012, COMP Cams® created a new program to reward a random lucky driver each month during the season. A competitor is randomly chosen on the last day of the month to receive the title of Top Performer. The driver receives a profile story, which will be posted around the net and made available for the winning driver to use. In addition, each month the winning driver will receive a prize pack from COMP Cams® and its family of companies. The prize packs include everything from engine components and product certificates to apparel and other items, and will vary each month.

About COMP Cams®

Founded in 1976 and based in Memphis, TN, COMP Cams® has become the automotive performance aftermarket’s “Absolute Leader in Valve Train Technology.” With an ISO 9001:2008 Certification, our mission is to produce the highest performing products possible, provide superior customer service and lead the industry in technological development. Additional information about COMP Cams® and its products can be found at or at 1.800.999.0853. Or, visit us on Facebook (facebook.com/COMPWins), Twitter (twitter.com/COMPCams) or YouTube (CPGNationTV.com).

Media Contact: Dan Hodgdon, , 901.795.2400, ext. 637.