NASCAR CUP SERIES: GEICO 500

April 25, 2021

Michael McDowell

Press Conference

Talladega Superspeedway

An Interview with:

THE MODERATOR: We are now joined bay Michael McDowell, our third-place finisher in today's race at Talladega Superspeedway.

Congratulations on a great run. Nice to have you back after the Daytona 500 win. I'm sure you're still living that up a little bit. We'll get right into questions.

Q. Did you think you had a shot at the win or were you pretty much resigned they were going to need to crash in front of you for you to slip through?

MICHAEL McDOWELL: No, I thought we had a shot at it. Honestly, I was pretty close to timing it. I just didn't drag Brad back enough when I got to his right rear. He kind of pulled down, which is good. I was watching the 24 a little bit too much and needed to drag Brad back a little bit more.

We definitely had a shot at it. Really fast Ford Mustang today. Glad a Ford Mustang got into Victory Lane there. Ended a little bit different than the Daytona 500. Brad and I have always worked well together seems like at the end of these races where we're usually around each other. Able to execute really well on the restart, get a Ford Mustang into Victory Lane.

Q. Logano was a little bit frustrated with the package. Obviously he got airborne, thinks the spoiler is a little bit too big. Is there anything more you would like to see done?

MICHAEL McDOWELL: I don't really like to comment on that stuff just because I don't know enough about it. I did see Joey get up in the air. I think anything we can do to keep the cars on the ground is really good. I also think we've done a really good job over the years. When you have the 3,200 pound stock cars, 200 miles an hour, cars pushing, once a car does get sideways, it's hard to keep them on the ground all the time.

I'm not really sure what the possibilities are. I hadn't seen the crash. I was driving underneath it. We have the NextGen car coming out next year, so that will be a whole different package altogether. I'm not really sure I would know what to do with it.

Q. Were you trying to back up to Byron there to get enough of a run on Keselowski?

MICHAEL McDOWELL: Yeah, exactly. I was trying to drag back to the 24 just to get a little bit of gap off of Brad so I could get a run. I was able to do that. Like I said, I think I'll have to go back and watch it. From what I could tell, I just didn't drag Brad back enough when I got to his right rear. He did a good job of pulling to the left, kind of getting me off of his right rear.

It was close. If the 24 would have stayed up with us, we would have definitely had the momentum. We would have got Brad. But I understand, too, the 24 is trying to win the race. You're trying to look out the front and the back at the same time and make a good decision.

We were close. Had a fast Ford Mustang. Thankful to be in that position. That's what it's all about, you just got to be there time and time again. That's how you win these races. Obviously we didn't win today, but we were close. That gives us confidence moving forward. Keep learning, keep trying to figure out what you got to do to be perfect.

Q. Essentially you feel like you pulled out at the right time, but when you pulled out you just didn't get to his quarter panel to drag him back?

MICHAEL McDOWELL: Yeah, I needed to stay on his right rear longer and tighter I think to drag back his momentum. I'm not sure if I could have got all the way alongside of him. Once the 24 broke my plane, he was to my left rear, he was dragging me back, too. I lost momentum when the 24 got to my left rear.

I would have to see it, kind of analyze it. I just felt like I needed to maybe stay a little bit tighter on Brad on his right rear there a little longer before trying to pull off of him.

Q. Talk about what it's been like to work with Clayton Hughes this year, how instrumental he's been as a spotter?

MICHAEL McDOWELL: Clayton is a huge asset, a big part of our success that we're having here at these speedway races and everywhere. Him and I are gelling together really well. He knows what I need, is able to give me the information so I can make good decisions. He does a great job. It's been a big step for us this year.

So much is chemistry and personality and how it all gels and fits. That relationship is very unique and special. It's taken me a little while to find that. Clayton and I do really well together. We've had some success already, so it's a good package and I'm thankful to have him.

Q. How much satisfaction is there to back up what you did in the 500 with another potential winning performance at Talladega?

MICHAEL McDOWELL: Yeah, it means a lot. We had that plan coming into this weekend, to make sure that we ran hard the whole race, try to get stage points, race hard, be up front all the time.

I feel like we did well today. We scored points in all three stages. We had a shot at winning the race. That's an awesome tribute to the team and everybody that has worked so hard to grow this Front Row Motorsports program, to having cars capable of running as well as we run at these superspeedway races.

I do feel like today was a good follow-up from the Daytona 500. It would be better if we were sitting in Victory Lane right now. But we're proud of the result. We're proud of what we're accomplishing as a race team.

We'll keep building on it, keep moving forward. That's what it's all about. We keep getting better and better every year. If we continue to put ourselves in these positions, we'll win more races.

Q. What is it that makes Ford so good on superspeedways like 'Dega?

MICHAEL McDOWELL: I think it's our teamwork. When you look at the racetrack, Ford, we talk about one Ford, us all working together as one unit to get ourselves in position. We've done that time and time again, executing on pit road, staying together. Even those restarts there, sticking together so we could control the end of the race. You can't control all the variables, but with 12 or 13 of us, we have the opportunity to do that if we execute well.

A big part of that, too, is Doug Yates and Roush-Yates engines. Their superspeedway program is incredible. Doug and his whole team there take a lot of pride in Talladega and Daytona. This is a big deal to them. That's a big part of our success and Ford's success, is working together as a team, the resources we have at Ford Performance and Doug Yates at Roush-Yates engines.

Q. How much is this a confidence booster for the superspeedway races in the future? You're going to be in the Playoffs.

MICHAEL McDOWELL: It is. Talladega, we've had speed here, but we've struggled to get to the finish of these races. It's nice to get one. I think it's been a year or two since we've had a top five here at Talladega. It's nice to kick off the superspeedway at Daytona, then here, with solid finishes. We have two more. Yeah, we think that we're in a good spot for these races and feel like we can contend.

You just never know. You just never know in these races. You have to take 'em when you can get 'em because you're not always going to get 'em. It's always great to have that opportunity.

Q. You're a guy who ran the circuit for a long time and finally broke into Victory Lane this year. Matt DiBenedetto is in the same boat right now. Unfortunately that win hasn't come yet. What is the one piece of advice you could offer to him at this point?

MICHAEL McDOWELL: Matt D is an incredibly talented guy. He's not going to have to wait as long as I did to win a race, I can promise you that. He's up front so much in these races, not just se speedways, but he has a great team behind him. He will get to Victory Lane.

The biggest thing is not getting down and discouraged, and building. You got to build from the success he had today. He had a great run, was leading a lot of laps, controlling the lanes. Unfortunately he didn't get the right push at the right time. We all had our own agendas and momentum.

But he's been doing so well. He will win a race. He is a great guy, has a lot of heart. He fights hard. That's the thing, you got to fight hard. You got to want it and fight hard. He's got that.

Q. What can you say about what this year has been like for you so far?

MICHAEL McDOWELL: It's a dream come true. This is what I've worked so hard to be in a position like this: to run well consistently, to have the opportunity to perform. I'm so thankful to Bob Jenkins, everybody at Front Row Motorsports, for not only allowing me to be a part of their team but growing it and building it.

We've come a long way in four years. I do take a lot of satisfaction in being a part of that process, continuing to add to the stats and the performance for our race team.

The future's bright for us. We want to keep building this momentum, keep getting better, roll that into the NextGen car next year, try to feel like we can close the gap to the bigger teams even one more step.

Like I said, the future's bright, and really looking forward to it.

Q. Despite all the talk about the dangerous wrecks, this was a pretty tame race for Talladega. How was this race any different than what we normally see at Talladega?

MICHAEL McDOWELL: I didn't see the last couple wrecks. I was kind of in front of it. I'm not sure the magnitude, exactly what happened.

Leading up to that, I felt like it was a pretty tame race. Everybody was being aggressive and pushing hard, but I was expecting more cautions and less single-file racing. Yeah, you just never know how it's going to ebb and flow.

Like I said, I didn't see the last two wrecks there. I'm not sure exactly what transpired. I felt like today was a pretty normal day, pretty normal race as far as Talladega goes.

Like I said, you got to understand I haven't seen those accidents yet. Hopefully I'm not speaking out of line.

Q. How big is this considering the points? You got stage points in each of the stages, good points today. You said you weren't too worried about there being more winners than spots, but this certainly helps.

MICHAEL McDOWELL: I would rather be in Victory Lane and having two wins. I'd really not worry about it.

But it is a great day. We wanted to score stage points, make sure we capitalize on these opportunities that we have at superspeedways and road courses, the races we have coming up, because we need the points. I'm not sure where we're at now in the points, but we were pretty close to that 16th with a win.

I feel like we're doing a good job of managing what we can manage. But winning a race, winning another race, would obviously put us in a really good spot. Having Brad Keselowski check that box is not bad because we knew he was going to win a race at some point throughout the year. Obviously really strong in the points. That's kind of a double win for me on that aspect because obviously there could be another surprise winner here in some of the other places.

If I couldn't win, I'm glad Brad was able to because we anticipate he'll be able to win a few more before the Playoffs start.

Q. You said over the years, a lot of other drivers have said, how strong you are in your faith. How much has that gotten you through your career, with what all has happened this year, leaning on your faith, your relationship with the Lord?

MICHAEL McDOWELL: Yeah, thanks.

The trials and tribulations where God shapes you and molds you, checks to see if you've really got the stuff. That was a lot of years of grinding it out. I'm thankful for that. I wouldn't change that for anything.

This year, having success, running well, it just makes me thankful, makes me thankful for the journey and the opportunity I have. I don't take it for granted. I know I'm in a great position and have a great opportunity.

But the other thing, too, winning the race and having success hasn't changed me at all. I'm thankful for that. I say that humbly because I felt enough, even without the win because of my faith, what God has done for me.

With the win, it's not like all of a sudden I feel like I arrived or made it. I felt pretty good about who I was as a man and my relationship with the Lord prior to these wins and running good.

THE MODERATOR: Michael, that's all the time we have. Thank you so much for joining us.

MICHAEL McDOWELL: Thank you.