NASCAR Preview: Michael McDowell on the Key Component Needed to Convert Pole to Victory at Gateway

For the Cup Series race on Sunday, Michael McDowell finds himself in a not-so-rare pole position and that just might be what he needs to win the race. In the press conference, the 2024 Enjoy Illinois 300 pole-sitter said that the most important factor in winning a race at the WWT Gateway was track position. The veteran experienced that a couple of years ago even though he finished P18 at that time.

The Front Row Motorsports driver said that his decision to run on old tires paid dividends for a lot of the 2022 race as he led several laps before eventually losing out. Last year, the veteran had a good run at the WWT Gateway as well, finishing P9. This time, McDowell has a golden opportunity to secure his berth in the playoffs and the 39-year-old knows exactly what he needs to get that.

“Well, it’s gonna take track position which we start out with and we have so we got to execute that. I’ve seen it be really powerful here before just in 2022, I believe. We stayed out and took the lead and led like 50, 60, I don’t know…decent amount of laps. That was really eye-opening of hey we just got to get out in front and we’re going to be okay,” the FRM racer said.

McDowell had announced earlier that he would be leaving his current team for Spire Motorsports at the end of the season, but that shift clearly is not playing on the veteran’s mind.

Michael McDowell hopes to leave Front Row Motorsports on a high

If anything, the 39-year-old is all the more motivated to perform well for the team in his final season. He would like to end his time at FRM on a high and take that momentum into Spire Motorsports. Considering it’s his third pole position of this season, he’s been doing a pretty good job at least in qualifying sessions.

“I am as motivated as I’ve ever been to make sure that we win and make the playoffs, and for so many reasons, right? But more than ever, because I am making a change and I want to finish what we started,” he said.

It’s never easy for a race car driver to change teams especially when you’re near the end of your career like McDowell. However, his hunger to win is still massively inspiring and he may just pull a rabbit out of the hat on Sunday.