Michael McDowell, who currently sits in P21 on the driver standings table with 478 points, two top fives, and three top 10s, is ready to conquer Daytona International Speedway in the final race of the regular season. Despite his average finish at the track in 28 starts being 20.9, he has already won the Daytona 500 race in 2021 and knows a thing or two about being at the right place at the right time.
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Still, the track never comes easy, and McDowell warned that the race is “going to be a mess” again. Speaking to the media, he noted it won’t be a surprise, given the desperation in the field, which makes the race wildly unpredictable.
He emphasized that drivers most likely would not want to settle for running second or third in line, and every move matters more than ever as everyone looks to capitalize on their final chance to punch a playoff ticket. As the intensity climbs, decision-making shifts under the weight of those stakes.
Ahead of the race, during the media session, McDowell revealed his plans of running and succeeding at Daytona, saying, “Don’t want to be in the wreck… You’re going to have to come through whatever the field is left. Now, if there’s only eight cars, maybe that’s okay. But if there’s 22 cars, that’s hard to pass. But you run the risk running up front and trying to get stage points… and not that the stage points are really what you’re focusing on, you just want to keep track position and stay up front.”
“I think it’s the best way to give yourself a chance at winning, but it’s also the best chance of being in the crash because it normally starts up there. So yeah, it’s tough. I always let it kind of play out organically in my own mind and race as I go out there to try to lead every lap.”
“If you get stuck somewhere and the pack’s not really moving and you’re not able to make moves or pit strategy or caution falls or wherever it is, then you assess where you’re at, where you’re at track position-wise, and then you just stick to your gut,” he added.
A year ago at Daytona, McDowell started on pole, led 26 laps, and appeared ready to win with 10 laps to go, until an ill-timed push into Turn 1 on Lap 151 spun him from the lead. His car lifted completely off the ground before slamming back onto its wheels in the middle of the pack, triggering a multi-car wreck.
But this time, he hopes to flip the whole script. While McDowell has delivered strong performances at Daytona before, his 2025 campaign with Spire Motorsports already stacks up as one of the best of his career, surpassing many of his seasons with Front Row Motorsports.
The #71 driver will roll off 20th after the weather forced NASCAR to cancel qualifying. He will enter still chasing his first win since the Indianapolis Road Course in August 2023. Over his last five starts, his best finish has been 13th at Dover after starting seventh.
In case McDowell manages to win and qualify for the playoffs this season, it’d only be the third season that the #71 Chevy driver will be in the playoffs after his 2021 and 2023 campaigns.
