Michael McDowell is set to part ways with Front Row Motorsports after seven seasons, moving to Spire Motorsports next year to pilot the No. 71 car. While the 39-year-old has switched teams multiple times in his career, none have seen his dedication like FRM. Despite racing in the Cup Series for 16 years, McDowell has only reached the playoffs once, thanks to his unforgettable Daytona 500 win.
Eager for a fresh start and new challenges, he hopes Spire will offer a better shot at success. For now, though, he’s fully committed to finishing strong with FRM, delivering solid performances in the postseason.
McDowell’s final triumph with FRM
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The Athletic saw this as a chance to invite him for a round of 12 questions. During the interview, they touched upon topics like what the driver has on his bucket list and learning how much NASCAR media he consumes.
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After getting those answers, the 6th question on the Athletic’s list was, “The next one is about a hot topic concerning yourself. You’ve said you’re not thinking too much about the final race with Front Row yet. There are still a few races left together. But when the time comes, are you going to be sentimental and emotional about it? Or are you not that type of person?” McDowell did not waste time before saying that he was that type of person.
Michael McDowell explained his commitment to his current team, saying, “I’m 100 percent vested here. I’ve poured my heart and energy into Front Row Motorsports, so I can’t just be like, ‘Oh, whatever.’ It’s not like that for me.” Before leaving the team, McDowell wants to give his everything into racing and hopefully win a race while he is at it. There are still 7 races left for the season to conclude, and until then, McDowell is completely dedicated to his duties with Front Row Motorsports.
He said, “That’s just the way I’m wired,” before he explained, “Honestly, it was the same with Leavine Family Racing, his previous team.” According to him, when he was with LFR, he used to go to the shop every day. He added, “It’s the same here. I’ve been here a long time, and we’ve done a lot together. More than anything, you’re just all in and it’s not easy to just pick up and say, OK, that’s it.”
With this answer, McDowell showed how loyal he is to the team he is racing for. Even though he has a contract and a future with Spire Motorsports, he will start to worry about that after this season is over. However, this was not the only thing that the interview brought to light.
Michael McDowell reveals his favorite part about Arizona
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So a little background here: Michael McDowell is from Arizona, and when he was asked about what he likes about the place where he grew up, he surprised everyone with his answer, saying, “Mexican food.” He further justified his answer by explaining that the food is not the same on the East Coast while claiming that his hometown is where people can get the best Mexican food.
His love for Mexican food was further proved when he revealed that he often thinks about Mexican food and used to have it 2-3 times a week. After trying the food in other cities, his final verdict stands to be that Arizona has the best Mexican food.
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While it might come as a surprise that McDowell picked a cuisine when it came to his favorite thing about his hometown, it only proves that he is a foodie. Taking that into consideration, we hope he finds a good Mexican restaurant in Mooresville, as that will be where his HQ will be from next year.