With “silly season” now in full swing, the NASCAR Cup Series returns to historic Darlington Raceway for a Throwback Weekend that pays homage to grass roots racing.
On Wednesday, Michael McDowell announced he will leave Front Row Motorsports after seven seasons with the organization. His new home? Spire Motorsports, where McDowell will drive the No. 71 Chevrolet under a multi-year deal.
On Sunday, in his penultimate appearance at Darlington for Front Row, McDowell will drive a No. 34 Ford featuring a retro Long John Silver’s paint scheme in the Goodyear 400 (3 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Though McDowell’s paint scheme is a tribute to 1970’s branding, the 2021 Daytona 500 winner already is looking ahead to his next ride. At Spire, McDowell will team with Corey LaJoie and Carson Hocevar, as Zane Smith exits the No. 71 Camaro in a planned move to Trackhouse Racing.
“This is a new chapter for my family and me, and we’re incredibly thankful for the opportunity that’s in front of us,” said McDowell, who has won pole positions at Atlanta and Talladega this season. “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.”
McDowell has three top 10s to his credit this season, the most recent a 10th-place finish last Sunday at Kansas Speedway. His record at Darlington, however, leaves plenty of room for improvement.
In 17 starts at the Lady in Black, McDowell has recorded a pair of top 10s—a seventh and sixth in 2022, the first year of NASCAR’s Next Gen race car.
Realistically, in looking for likely favorites at the 1.366-mile egg-shaped track, the usual suspects come to mind.
Hendrick Motorsports has produced the last two Cup Series winners at Darlington — William Byron last spring and Kyle Larson in last year’s Playoff race. Chevrolet drivers have won the last three events at the Track Too Tough to Tame after a dry spell for the manufacturer that lasted 11 straight races.
There’s nothing like getting ready for Darlington,” said Byron, who is sporting an Axalta paint scheme with bright flames reminiscent of Jeff Gordon’s 2009 Chevrolet. “It’s always exciting to go to that track and compete…
“That place is so nostalgic, and the fans really show up. There’s just something about that track that has clicked for me, and I hope we have a strong showing there again.”
Tied with Byron for the series lead in victories this season with three, Denny Hamlin has four career wins at Darlington, most among active drivers. Erik Jones and Martin Truex Jr. (two victories each) are the only other active drivers with more than one.
Larson comes to Darlington fresh from his dramatic victory at Kansas, where he beat Chris Buescher to the stripe by 0.001 seconds in the closest finish in Cup Series history.
Jones will return to the seat of the No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Toyota after a two-week absence due to a compression fracture of a lower vertebra suffered during an April 21 accident at Talladega.
“I am super excited to get back to Darlington and hopefully go out and have a good run for our first race back with a pretty neat tribute to the Petty Family on the car,” said Jones, who won the 2022 Southern 500 in a Chevrolet fielded by Petty | GMS Motorsports, the predecessor of Legacy Motor Club.
Source: Reid Spencer | NASCAR Wire Service
