Michael McDowell to leave Front Row for Spire

Michael McDowell has announced his departure from Front Row Motorsports after the NASCAR Cup Series season. He’s set to join Spire Motorsports’ No. 71 team on a multiyear deal starting in 2025.

McDowell, aged 39, makes this transition after a seven-season stint driving the No. 34 Ford for the Bob Jenkins-owned team. Notable victories during his tenure include the 2021 Daytona 500 and a triumph at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course in 2023. Front Row issued a statement expressing gratitude to McDowell for his contributions to the No. 34 FRM team.

Assuming the reins of the No. 71 Chevrolet, McDowell is poised to fill the spot left by rookie Zane Smith. Smith’s signing was disclosed last September, with his multiyear contract under the management of Trackhouse Racing. No definitive plans regarding Smith’s future have emerged as yet.

Hailing from Phoenix, Arizona, McDowell boasts an impressive track record, with 477 starts in the Cup Series. For the upcoming season, he’s slated to partner with Corey LaJoie and rookie Carson Hocevar, both of whom inked multiyear deals extending beyond 2024. LaJoie has accrued 248 Cup starts, while Hocevar has 21 to his name.

McDowell’s Cup Series journey commenced in 2008 with Michael Waltrip Racing, initially piloting the No. 00 Toyota on a part-time basis. Subsequently, he had brief stints with Tommy Baldwin Racing and Phil Parsons Racing before joining Leavine Family Racing in 2014, where he primarily drove the No. 95 car through the majority of the 2014-16 seasons before transitioning to full-time competition in 2017.

Beyond his Cup exploits, McDowell clinched a victory in the 2016 NASCAR Xfinity Series, guiding the No. 2 Chevrolet to Victory Lane for Richard Childress Racing at Road America.

Notably, McDowell secured a commendable 10th-place finish last weekend at Kansas Speedway and currently holds the 26th position in the Cup Series points standings.