It was perhaps the sweetest kiss that Front Row Motorsports driver Michael McDowell had ever had. After taking the checkered on Sunday and exiting his car, McDowell, along with his family and teammates, knelt down to kiss the yard bricks laid on the track. A tradition initiated by Dale Jarrett. Nevertheless, the victory was surely a spectacle where words would fall short to describe the feat.

With just two victories in his Cup Series career and at the two Crown Jewel races, Michael McDowell has carved his name into the roster of celebrated drivers. He joined the likes of Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon, and Jimmie Johnson in being crowned victors both in Indianapolis and Daytona.

Due to this fact, it is apparent that McDowell has sent the NASCAR world into a state of bewilderment, and this sense of surprise was perceptible in the voice of Jeff Burton in his conversation with Nate Ryan.

NASCAR veteran lays bare the fact that could have propelled Michael McDowell to success

If the line “All good things come to those who wait” had a human personification, it would have assuredly looked like Front Row Motorsports Driver Michael McDowell. The driver’s first and only win in the Cup Series came in 2021 when he scored a victory at the Daytona 500. The driver had to navigate through traffic, a lengthy delay, and a harrowing crash to notch his first victory.

However, the second victory was comparatively smoother, but for which he had to wait more than 2 years. The success of the driver lies not only in the fact that he was able to speed past two road course prodigies but also in his never-ending hope of earning another victory. Even veteran NASCAR driver and fellow NASCAR analyst for Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Burton, thinks along the same lines.

In a conversation with NBC’s Nate Ryan, the veteran expressed, “Well, he never gave up and mainly they never gave in, so what happens to so many people in that kind of situation is they become victims. They are like I can’t succeed because and it’s never me, it’s they won’t do, this guy won’t, that guy won’t, the sports this, and when you get like that you won’t be successful.”

“If you can’t wake up and feel energy and I am not saying every day because we all have bad days but you have to have a certain amount of energy and enthusiasm and optimism to continue on and Michael has an edge about him at the same time I think his faith has been very important to him. His family is clearly very important to him, he has been committed to his career and while doing it the right way,” Burton added.

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Michael McDowell reveals the hurdles that the team had to overcome in order to succeed

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Michael McDowell, who had begun in the fourth position, went on to win the race’s first stage but trailed behind Stage 2 winner Denny Hamlin. However, once the driver was able to position himself as the leader of the race, McDowell hardly glanced back and glided into victory lane.

Moreover, the road to victory is seldom a cakewalk, as one has to overcome the impediments thrown in the way. So was McDowell’s career as he dealt with the loss of his crew members, who were poached by Team Penske as well as Hendrick Motorsports. However, the irony lay in the fact that he could outlast the drivers of both teams.

McDowell revealed, “When I lost my lead engineer to Penske, I knew we had to have an engineer-minded crew chief because we just didn’t have two people to fill the spot. When I met with him after coming off of Blake, who was a car guy, very little engineering experience, I’m like, oh, this is the opposite of what I just had and had success, but this is what I need.” 

Nevertheless, with a berth sealed in the playoffs, the FRM driver is assuredly looking forward to a favorable post-season and perhaps another victory.

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