BROOKLYN, Mich—Michael McDowell entered Michigan International Speedway on the Playoff bubble prior to the FireKeepers Casino 400.
Just 18 points separated McDowell from 17th-place Ty Gibbs with four races to decide the 2023 NASCAR Cup Playoff field.
McDowell qualified 23rd and was running 17th prior to a Lap17 caution on Sunday. But 34 laps into the race, the driver found himself on pit road with damage to the nose of the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford following contact accrued during the first restart.
“On the restart, everybody got jammed up and it pushed the nose in,” McDowell said. “But I think we’re going to be OK. We had to make some adjustments. Hopefully, got some of the damage fixed a little bit and got out there and got rolling. So, I think we’re going to be in an OK spot.”
McDowell dropped to 26th after repairs. He was running 27th when NASCAR red-flagged the race due to rain after 74 laps were complete.
“Obviously, the weather didn’t work with us today,” McDowell said. “But we’ll reload for tomorrow.”
McDowell will have his work cut out for him when the race resumes on Monday. As the points stand now, the 37-year-old racer has slipped off the Playoff grid to 17th, six points behind Gibbs.
On a personal note, McDowell is closer to locking in his plans for 2024. While he was considered a potential candidate for Stewart-Haas Racing, McDowell appears to be staying put.
“There still working on everything,” McDowell said of FRM. “As I told you guys in the beginning, it’s not up to me. Things are headed in that direction. I’m pretty sure that’s what’s going to happen. Hopefully, we’ll have some news soon.”
McDowell is in his 16th season of Cup competition. Since 2018, he has driven the No. 34 Ford for Bob Jenkins. Together, McDowell scored his first career Cup win with the team in the 2021 Daytona 500. The victory qualified McDowell for his first Playoff berth.
“I love being here,” McDowell said of FRM. “I want to be here. I feel like we have been building our program and growing it in a good direction. I see no reason for that to end. We’re in a good spot. I feel like everything is working.”
Follow Lee Spencer on Twitter @CandiceSpencer or email her at: [email protected].
