Michael McDowell who is ready to join the Spire Motorsports next year did not make it to the playoffs this season. The 39-year-old veteran of the sport has reached the postseason on just one occasion in the past 17 years of his NASCAR Cup Series career. The same took place after he won the opening race of the 2021 season, the famed Daytona 500.
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Despite his professional journey, McDowell’s musings are more personal than professional. Speaking with The Athletic, McDowell shared a glimpse into his life beyond the racetrack, discussing a dream he holds dear. When asked about the first thing on his bucket list, he said,
“My wife and I want to go on a horseback bow elk hunt. But we just had another baby, so I’m not sure when that’s going to be. We thought we were getting close because my oldest is 15 and before the baby, our youngest was 10. We’re like, ‘Oh, we’re almost there’ — and now we’re not.”
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In addition to his aspirations away from the racetrack, the #34 FRM driver expressed a yearning to explore his roots in open-wheel racing. Having cut his teeth racing go-karts and climbing the ranks in Europe on the formula car ladder, McDowell’s career eventually took a turn towards NASCAR. Despite his extensive racing background, there are still experiences he longs to check off his list.
“I’ve never been to an Indy 500 and never been to a Formula One race. So Formula One Monaco and the Indy 500 are on the bucket list,” he added.
McDowell on the struggles of a NASCAR driver’s family
The Phoenix, Arizona native further shed light on the often-overlooked difficulties faced by the families of NASCAR drivers. With a hectic schedule that takes him to various tracks week after week, the at-home responsibilities fall heavily on his wife. During an intimate discussion with Bob Pockrass earlier this year, he opened up about his family struggles,
“My wife really does most of the heavy lifting. I’m here this weekend ready to go [at the Chicago road course] and she’s holding down the fort back home. But it’s something that we’ve learned to adapt to.”
He also shared insights into his children’s lives, noting that they frequently travel with him to stay connected. He stated that although it wasn’t their initial plan for the children; this is the reality, and hence the family tries to make the most of every moment together.
Looking ahead, McDowell will next compete at Talladega Superspeedway. Despite a challenging season, he has managed to win five poles, seven top-10, and two top-5 finishes, his performance averages around a 20.5 average. It remains to be seen if he can return to victory lane at a superspeedway-style track again this Sunday.
