Michael McDowell Tag

By David Morgan, Associate Editor AUSTIN, Texas – Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas marks the road course debut of the NASCAR Cup Series Next Gen car. With limited track time ahead of the race, much of how the new car will race on the 20-turn, 3.41-mile road course remains a mystery. Despite the unknowns, a number of drivers explained how they think the car will race when the green flag drops on Sunday. Chase Briscoe – No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford “I think you’re going toRead More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor AUSTIN, Texas – Serving as the United States home for Formula 1 since opening in 2012, the Circuit of The Americas plays host to some good ol’ American Muscle this weekend when the NASCAR Cup Series comes to town for the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix. The 20-turn, 3.41-mile road course sitting just outside of Austin, Texas is the first of six road courses for the Cup Series to visit in 2022 and will be the next milestone test for the Next Gen car to undertake, withRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer The future is indeed now in the NASCAR Cup Series. Not because it’s the first-ever regular season race with the current car (known as NextGen), but it also saw another first-time winner in the Daytona 500. In just his eighth career Cup start, Austin Cindric brought Team Penske its third win in “The Great American Race.” While the No. 2 team celebrated, other drivers were either heartbroken or collected in wrecks that’ll prove costly to team’s due to the supply shortage of the current car. DespiteRead More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Michael McDowell achieved a lifelong dream last season by winning the 2021 Daytona 500, his first win in the NASCAR Cup Series. A year later, he returns to the World Center of Racing proudly carrying the banner as the Daytona 500 champion, ready to defend his title in the first race of the Next Gen era. “It is awesome. It really is,” McDowell said of making his return as the defending winner. “The last few weeks with getting ready for the 500Read More

By Reid Spencer and Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Roush Fenway Keselowski teammates Brad Keselowski and Chris Buescher swept Thursday nights Bluegreen Vacation Duels, but a last-lap collision in the second race wiped out then-frontrunner Joey Logano and spoiled a perfect night for the Ford Performance entries. Running second to Logano, Buescher made a move to the inside on the backstretch on Lap 60. Logano moved down to block, and contact between the cars sent Logano’s No. 22 Team Penske Ford into the outside wall, cripplingRead More

By Holly Cain and Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service 2021 Daytona 500 winner Michael McDowell fastest in today’s practices DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Defending Daytona 500 winner Michael McDowell turned the fastest lap of Tuesday’s combined two opening Daytona 500 practice sessions at Daytona International Speedway with a top lap of 192.736 mph in the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford. David Ragan, a former summer Daytona race winner, was second fastest in the No. 15 Rick Ware Racing Ford with a quick lap of 192.666 mph around the 2.5-mileRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer For the first time since Brendan Gaughan in 2004, a former West Series champion will compete in the NASCAR Cup Series full-time. That man being two-time West champion Todd Gilliland, who’ll make the leap from the Camping World Truck Series to the sport’s top level in 2022. The third-generation racer will continue his tenure at Front Row Motorsports. Only this time, he’ll be accompanied by a teammate in Michael McDowell. As part of the Gilliland family tradition, Todd will pilot the No. 38 Ford Mustang. MuchRead More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor Bristol Motor Speedway hosted the first elimination race of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs on Saturday night, marking the end of the road for four drivers and their championship aspirations. Several drivers entered the night within striking distance of the top-12 in points, but when the checkered flag fell Aric Almirola, Tyler Reddick, Kurt Busch and Michael McDowell were the unlucky drivers to be on the outside looking in. Just two points separated Almirola and Reddick from being able to continue on in the Playoffs,Read More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor After running on the dirt at Bristol earlier this year, the NASCAR Cup Series returns to the track we all know and love this weekend for Saturday night’s running of the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race and the first elimination race of the Playoffs. Racing at Bristol is always intense, but when the lights go down for the night race, the intensity gets cranked to 11. The aggressiveness that the drivers will show on the high-banked bullring that is called “The Last Great Colosseum” toRead More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor Two races down, one to go. With the conclusion of Saturday night’s Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond, the first round of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs is nearly complete, with Bristol Motor Speedway and the first elimination race looming large next weekend for those drivers who have yet to lock themselves into the next round. Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr., and Kyle Larson are safe from whatever carnage may lie ahead at Bristol as the Playoff field is cut from 16 to 12. Following thatRead More