Michael McDowell has reached a remarkable milestone in his NASCAR racing career, marking his 500th NASCAR Cup Series start at Martinsville Speedway. This achievement places him among the esteemed ranks of just 47 drivers in the series’ history to reach this benchmark.
McDowell entered NASCAR after an early career in BMX, go-karts, and open-wheel racing where he made a name for himself as the 2004 Star Mazda champion. Transitioning to NASCAR, McDowell made his debut in the prestigious Cup Series on March 30, 2008, at Martinsville.
McDowell commenced his journey in NASCAR’s top-flight competition with Michael Waltrip Racing. Over the years, he steadily progressed, achieving notable performances with Leavine Family Racing before ultimately finding a long-term home with Front Row Motorsports beginning in 2018. It was with this team that McDowell achieved a crowning career moment—the triumphant 2021 Daytona 500 win went down in history not only as his first but also as the debut Daytona 500 victory for Front Row Motorsports. This victory secured his participation in the 2021 Cup Series Playoffs.
Reflecting on his career journey and this landmark race, McDowell expressed profound gratitude:
“I’m super thankful for all the opportunities I’ve had to stay in the sport, and they haven’t always been all glamorous but I mean, I’ve gotten to drive race cars for the last 20 years, and I’ve gotten to race in the Cup Series the last 16, and I don’t take that for granted. I know how tough it is. I know these these seats are desired and coveted, and I’m glad that I have one.”
Crew Chief Travis Peterson also weighed in on McDowell’s landmark achievement, commenting:
“For anyone to have raced in this sport for as long as Michael has is pretty remarkable, especially with some of the names he’s included with.
“It’s an awesome honor to be on the box for his 500th start and I know the team is excited as well to be a part of this milestone.”
During his 500th Cup Series race, McDowell crossed the line in 33rd position.
NASCAR Cup Series in Martinsville – Race Results
1.Ryan Blaney
2.Chase Elliott
3.Kyle Larson
4.Austin Cindric
5.Denny Hamlin
6.William Byron
7.Austin Dillon
8.Ross Chastain
9.Brad Keselowski
10.Joey Logano
11.Noah Gragson
12.Shane Van Gisbergen
13.Alex Bowman
14.Ryan Preece
15.Chase Briscoe
16.Josh Berry
17.Daniel Hemric
18.Bubba Wallace
19.Erik Jones
20.Ricky Stenhouse Jr
21.Zane Smith
22.Christopher Bell
23.Daniel Suárez
24.Martin Truex Jr
25.Carson Hocevar
26.Todd Gilliland
27.Kaz Grala
28.Kyle Busch
29.Justin Haley
30.Chris Buescher
31.John H. Nemechek
32.Ty Gibbs
33.Michael McDowell
34.Tyler Reddick
35.Corey LaJoie
36.Harrison Burton
37.Josh Bilicki
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