As Ford’s dominance in the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series shifts into high gear, a dark horse is emerging from the shadows. Meet Michael McDowell, the underdog driver who is preparing himself to break the charts. Although his days at Front Row Motorsports are limited, McDowell is fighting hard to establish his name in the team’s history.

However, as it turns out, he might have ruffled some feathers in his mission. That includes drawing the ire of a fellow Ford driver, Ryan Blaney, in a controversial move that spun him and team Penske’s driver out of contention. Despite that setback and the criticism he received, McDowell is focused on turning the tables. 

Michael McDowell’s faith is yet to die out

Michael McDowell’s season has been a testament to his determination. Owning three poles, four top-tens, and one runner-up finish, the FRM driver has been knocking at the door of victory tirelessly. Yet his quest for a playoff spot took a rather desperate turn at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. With nine laps remaining in regulation, the race ensued under damp conditions. Hungry for the best he could stand on the podium, the #34 slid hard into turn 1 and took out Ryan Blaney’s #12. McDowell was looking for another aggressive charge at the leader of the race, Christopher Bell. However, he ended up causing a caution flag- ruining his own day as well. 

The Team Penske driver was furious with this antic that stole his top-ten efforts. Michael McDowell offered an apology, but also unapologetically stood by his actions, confessing that he had to do what he could do. In a recent media briefing, he stuck to his guns emphasizing that what’s really important is winning. “I think anytime you can see it play out and know what’s gonna happen, it makes it easier to analyze and figure out what you would’ve done differently. There were several opportunities this year to put ourselves in position.”

Currently standing 22nd in points and yet to secure a playoff spot, Michael McDowell’s goals are fixed. Despite his numbered tenure at FRM, his strategy is the same. “I don’t think you change the approach…a lot can happen as far as that goes. You got to have you know, wins, in any of these next seven weeks or eight weeks. And that changes how far out in points you are. So I think it’s still the same approach.”

And it is an approach that’s starting to pay off! After all, Michael McDowell may soon grab his golden ticket to the playoffs. His pace in the past few races was remarkable, given that he challenged even the likes of Kyle Larson.

Neck-to-neck fight with the best at Sonoma

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Hendrick Motorsports has one of the finest motorsport athletes at present. Kyle Larson is not only an exemplary Cup driver but also a Sprint car racer. Hence, going up against the 2024 Double Runner is no minor feat. Michael McDowell managed to do exactly that at Sonoma Raceway. If not for a lap 41 crash and Larson’s strong battle with Martin Truex Jr and Chris Buescher, McDowell might have toppled the Hendrick driver.

Michael McDowell explained how narrowly he missed a win. “I needed him to battle with [Truex] a little bit more and [Buescher] because when he came out on new tires, he was just quicker than us. I couldn’t hold him off, but I knew in the long run we could probably balance out and have a little bit of speed. Our long run was our strength, so I don’t know. I have to go back and watch it, but it’s a shame.”

Yet it became clear that McDowell is becoming a tougher match for the Cup Series heavyweights. Hopefully, he can translate his stellar efforts into a win soon.