Track: Talladega Superspeedway, 2.66 Mile Oval
Race: 31 of 36
Event: YellaWood 500 (500 Miles,188 Laps)
Michael McDowell
No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops | Luber-finer Ford Mustang
Started: 24th
Finished: 36th
Stage One: 25th
Stage Two: 36th
Stage Three: 36th
Michael McDowell and his No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops | Luber-finer Ford Mustang took the green flag from the 24th position on Sunday afternoon at Talladega Superspeedway. The first 13 Laps would see a total of 3 yellow flags before the Competition Caution on Lap 25. Under caution, McDowell noted that his No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops | Luber-finer Ford Mustang was riding “a little rough,” prompting Crew Chief Drew Blickensderfer to make the call for 4 tires, fuel and a packer adjustment. Once racing resumed, the remainder of the first stage would stay green and McDowell would go on to take the Stage 1 green- and white-checkered flag from the 25th position. During the Stage Break Caution, Blickensderfer would call the No. 34 to pit road for 4 tires and fuel after McDowell radioed to say that his No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops | Luber-finer Ford Mustang had “a little bit of splitter contact,” but was driveable.
Shortly after the Stage 2 restart, the yellow flag would be displayed and Blickensderfer would make the call for McDowell to “stay out” under the caution. Once racing resumed, the No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops | Luber-finer Ford Mustang would mount a strong run as McDowell surged to the front to contend for the lead. Unfortunately, the charge would be short lived as a few laps later, McDowell came over the radio to say, “I’m losing water pressure … my pressure is at zero.” McDowell would bring his race car to pit road for the team to inspect, where it was discovered that a trackbar extension from another race car had gone through the grille and punctured the radiator, ending McDowell’s race early as the No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops | Luber-finer Ford Mustang would retire to a 36th place finish.
McDowell on Talladega:
“Man, what a shame. We had such fast Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang; it was really, really fast. Unfortunately, we had a trackbar extension from another race car come through the grille and knocked all of the water out of the radiator. I’m thankful to everybody at Love’s Travel Stops and Luber-finer for their continued support. We had a really fast race car and it’s just really unfortunate that we weren’t able to make it to the end. It just wasn’t our day.”
