NASCAR journeyman driver Michael McDowell is making a late-career move in hopes of capitalizing on his remaining years in the Cup Series.
McDowell, a 39-year-old who finally won a race in his 14th season by going to victory lane in the 2021 Daytona 500, will leave longtime team Front Row Motorsports after this season to join the emerging Spire Motorsports organization.
Paired with veteran Corey LaJoie and current rookie Carson Hocevar, McDowell will drive the No. 71 Chevrolet currently piloted by rookie Zane Smith (who is on loan to Spire from Trackhouse Racing).
“This is a new chapter for my family and me, and we’re incredibly grateful for the opportunity that’s in front of us,” McDowell said. “It’s going to take some hard work, but I feel like everything is in place for us to be successful as a race team — to win races and contend for championships.
“People are the greatest asset to any organization, and with Spire’s vision, ambition, knowledge, and dedication, we will achieve great things. Failure is not an option, and that’s the mindset that it will take to achieve our goals.”
McDowell has made the playoffs twice (2021 after winning Daytona and last year after winning at the Indianapolis road course), and is viewed as a major part of elevating Front Row’s organization in the last seven seasons. A fascinating case study of a driver who slowly built his career, McDowell entered the Cup Series with Michael Waltrip Racing in 2008 straight from the ARCA Series and had only four combined starts in NASCAR’s lower series (Xfinity and Trucks).
It didn’t go well, and McDowell was fired before his rookie season was over. He then spent years as a start-and-park driver for backmarker teams, simply qualifying his way into races and then retiring early so the organizations could collect last-place purse money.
But finally, McDowell caught on with Leavine Family Motorsports in 2014 and began rebuilding his reputation. He parlayed that into a ride with Front Row Motorsports, and gradually helped the team improve an average of eight positions on the grid. McDowell is Front Row’s all-time leader in wins, starts and top-five finishes and has been a key presence in guiding the team’s direction behind the scenes.
“We thank Michael for all he has done during his time as a driver at Front Row Motorsports,” team owner Bob Jenkins said. “His 2021 Daytona 500 victory, a dominant win at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and two appearances in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs set a new standard for our organization. He became the leader of his team and the organization. Outside the car, he was the model for a driver we want to represent us and our partners.
“We’re sad to see Michael leave, but wish him, Jami and his family nothing but the best as he moves on to another chapter of what is already an incredible racing career.”
Spire, a growing team that continues to make investments at a rapid pace, was likely able to lure McDowell with the promise of playoff-contending cars as the driver’s career begins to wind down. Although Front Row is now one of Ford’s top organizations, McDowell hasn’t gotten the same results so far this season and is on pace for his worst average finish since 2019.
“Michael McDowell is a proven winner and brings a NASCAR Playoff pedigree,” Spire Motorsports president Doug Duchardt said. “Michael has always been committed to elevating his teams. His experience and enthusiasm are a perfect fit for Spire Motorsports, and we are sure he will be a great teammate to both Corey LaJoie and Carson Hocevar. “We’re thrilled to keep up the positive momentum by adding someone as accomplished as Michael to our driving lineup.” —Gluck
Why did Spire make this move?
Spire has made significant investment into building a consistently competitive organization, and signing McDowell to a multi-year contract is just the latest in a long series of moves to achieve this goal.
Between what he did on the track and the leadership he displayed behind the scenes, McDowell has played a pivotal role in Front Row’s growth into a team that is no longer a mid-pack outfit and is now capable of running well just about everywhere. McDowell’s dominant win on the Indianapolis road course last summer is proof of that.
Spire is counting on McDowell to do for it what he did for Front Row. And there is good reason to believe the 39-year-old will be able to have the same level of impact. McDowell’s knowledge of what a team needs to do to reach its potential, along with his ability on the track, will be a boon to Spire, as his addition gives them something they have not had previously: a multi-time Cup Series race winner and driver with playoff experience as part of his driver lineup. —Bianchi
What does this mean for Front Row?
Losing McDowell is a blow; potentially a significant one. McDowell pushed Front Row to greater heights, delivering the team two wins (as many as it had combined with other drivers previously) and a pair of playoff berths (also double what the team previously had).
McDowell is adept at taking care of his equipment while also maximizing its performance, two characteristics that help a team like Front Row as it operates on a limited budget. He’s not easily replaceable. —Bianchi
Related reading
How a $6 million piece of paper no one wanted turned into a growing NASCAR team
How Michael McDowell and Front Row made the No. 34 a crew-chief incubator
(Top photo: James Gilbert / Getty Images)
