NASCAR CUP SERIES: VERIZON 200 AT THE BRICKYARD

August 13, 2023

Michael McDowell

Frontstretch Quotes

An Interview with:

Q. Could you pick two better wins than the Daytona 500 for the first career win and the second one at Indianapolis? As a young man who was coming up through open wheel racing, did you ever dream you would win here at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway?

MICHAEL McDOWELL: Oh, man, this is such a dream come true. I'm so thankful to everybody at Front Row Motorsports, Bob Jenkins, Horizon Hobbies, Fr8 Auctions, Chicago Pneumatic.

Man, we had a fast Ford Mustang. Everybody at Roush Yates engine shop, Doug, these guys gave me everything today. We had the fastest car. We executed, and we did what we needed to do.

Just so thankful, so thankful to still be grinding it out in the Cup Series. To put on a performance like that, I don't know if it was dominant, but it felt pretty dominant to me.

Q. What were the emotions on the final few laps because Chase Elliott was closing quick.

MICHAEL McDOWELL: I was really trying to pace myself. I figured there would be a late-race caution, and I didn't want to burn my stuff up. I was just trying to maintain that gap.

Then when I got into traffic, started closing, I had to push it, but I just can't believe it.

So thankful to Bob Jenkins, all of our partners, Bell Racing Helmets, Sparco. There's so many people that help us. So thankful to everybody that stuck behind us. It's been a grind, and I'm so proud.

Q. Did you think the path to the Playoffs for your team was with a win, and much less I'll go with dominant, as well, a dominant win?

MICHAEL McDOWELL: You know, I thought we could point our way in, but after the car that we had yesterday in practice, I thought, man, we've got a good shot at winning if we could just get track position and maintain it.

Just I can't believe it, so thankful. Also Wiley X; I don't know where they're at right now. They should be on my head. But they've been with me for over 10 years, and it's great to have partners like that.

Q. What does it mean to have the family here to celebrate a win at Indianapolis, a place you always dreamed of just racing at but it also puts you in the Playoffs?

MICHAEL McDOWELL: Yeah, it's such a big deal. Winning the Daytona 500 was one of the coolest moments you could ever have, but going to Victory Lane without your family, that was tough.

And so we cherry pick; my family comes to the races we think we can win. We thought we could win this one. Just so proud.