Michael McDowell was beaming after a solid eighth place finish in the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway. (Photo: Spire Motorsports)
AVONDALE, Ariz. — It was a thrilling finale to the racing season for a trio of drivers and teams last Sunday at Phoenix Raceway. Ryan Blaney captured the checkered flag in his No. 12 Team Penske Ford while Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, captured the NASCAR Cup Series championship for the second time in his career. Michael McDowell was equally beaming like the bright colors of Tide after he captured a strong eighth in the No. 71 Tide Chevrolet prepared by Spire Motorsports, climbing all the way up after starting the race in 37th.
In his first season with Spire Motorsports, McDowell finished 21st in the points standings and he recorded a career-high top five finishes with three. However, McDowell is aware that he has a lot more work ahead especially to compete with the larger teams.
“I think that it’s no secret that we didn’t achieve the goals that we set out to achieve, but I think we’ve grown as a race team,” McDowell said. “Our cars have a lot of speed and a lot of potential, so I feel really good about where we’re at and the future of where we’re going,”
McDowell, a native of Glendale, Arizona, enjoys racing at Phoenix Raceway because it takes the pressure off him. He admits he used to feel extra pressure to preform when he came home, but now he just enjoys the moment.
“Maybe it’s just experience or years of doing it, but now I just feel more of the excitement, that I get to go out, run in front of my hometown crowd, while hopefully doing a good job,” McDowell said. “And it’s great just to have family around for support.”
McDowell and his wife, Jami, grew up together. They started dating in high school, and she has been through the journey of racing with him every step of the way. He says she’s his rock and has always supported him through the highs and the lows.
“She understands the sport really well,” McDowell said about his wife. “She grew up around it, just like I did, so she’s not just my support, but my accountability partner too. She often sees things in my racing that I might need to correct, that I don’t always see in myself. she’s what allows me to do this and do it at a high level.”
For Jami McDowell, it was her husband’s personality that instantly drew her in when they were teenagers.
Michael McDowell put on a great performance not just for the Phoenix fans, but for his family, including his wife, Jami. (Photo: Spire Motorsports)
“We were young and in high school and he was traveling the country racing in go-karts trying to build his career, and so we honestly fell in love over the phone,” Jami said.
The McDowells have five children including a son, inspired by their faith, they adopted from China. Jami expressed enthusiasm that the whole family travels to quite a few races together, during the season.
“The kids really enjoy traveling, they have their own set of friends at the racetrack, so that makes it really nice,” Jami said.
It’s not just family — the fans at Phoenix Raceway really support their hometown driver too. Aaron Payne is a fan from “The Valley” and has been following McDowell for about five years. Payne says McDowell is probably one of the friendliest drivers on the NASCAR circuit.
“He’s just a good person, he’s always professional both on and off the track,” Payne said. “All the drivers have good days and bad days, but at the end of the season, he’s always consistent.”
When visiting Phoenix, McDowell enjoys Mexican food, something he really misses about The Valley. He admits it’s just not the same in North Carolina where he and his family currently reside. Macayo’s and Filberto’s are among some of his favorite spots. Likewise, McDowell acknowledges it has been appealing ending the season in his hometown the last six years, but he looks forward to the future.
“Over the years, the city [Phoenix] has done a good job of promoting and getting behind NASCAR Championship Weekend. So, it’s a bit bittersweet. But as a competitor and for the fans too, it’s going to be good to move it around and to have different venues and change the feel of Championship Weekend,” he said.
The 40-year-old McDowell discloses that even though he has been racing for a very long time, he doesn’t see himself slowing down any time soon.
“I don’t see retirement before long, but given how the sport is, the next fastest guy is coming that is probably going to replace me,” McDowell shared. “It’s just when is that person ready verses how am I performing at the time. This is a performance-based business, we all know that, and so I feel like I’m performing well right now.”
