Track: Indianapolis Motor Speedway, 2.5 Mile Oval
Race: 16 of 38
Event: Big Machine Hand Sanitizer 400 (400 miles, 160 laps)
Michael McDowell
No. 34 CarParts.com | PowerStop Ford Mustang
Started: 27th
Finished: 7th
Stage One: 15th
Stage Two: 16th
Stage Three: 7th
Michael McDowell and his No. 34 CarParts.com | PowerStop Ford Mustang took the green flag in Sunday’s Brickyard 400 from the 27th position. Under the Competition Caution on Lap 12, a multi-car incident would occur directly behind the pit stall of the No. 34 and a loose tire from the No. 12 car was sent flying into the rear of the No. 34 Ford, causing minor damage. McDowell would need to make a second trip down pit road for minimal repairs. The caution flag would again fly late in the first stage and Crew Chief Drew Blickensderfer would call McDowell down pit road for 2 tires and fuel. The No. 34 CarParts.com | PowerStop Ford Mustang would go on to finish Stage 1 from the 15th position. Under the Stage 1 caution, McDowell noted that his race car was “a little tight.” He also mentioned that his “corner speed was good, just lacked a little straightaway speed.” He pitted for 4 tires and fuel.
During Stage 2, McDowell noted that his No. 34 CarParts.com | PowerStop Ford Mustang was still lacking “a little speed down the straightaway,” and then on Lap 74, told the team that he had a strong vibration. McDowell would bring his race car to pit road under green for 4 tires, fuel and a trackbar adjustment. He would momentarily go one lap down before the caution flag flew seconds later, making the No. 34 the Lucky Dog, and allowing McDowell to get back on the lead lap. McDowell would finish Stage 2, 16th. Under the Stage 2 caution, the No. 34 CarParts.com | PowerStop Ford Mustang would take 4 tires, fuel and a packer adjustment.
In the final stage of Sunday’s 400-mile race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the No. 34 CarParts.com | PowerStop Ford Mustang showed good speed as McDowell navigated his race car into the Top-10. Another caution would come on Lap 132 and Blickensderfer called the No. 34 to pit road for 4 tires, fuel and a wedge adjustment after McDowell noted that his race car needed more “rear grip on the long run.” McDowell was running 11th as another caution would occur on Lap 153; setting up an overtime finish to which McDowell would restart 9th. In the final two laps of Sunday’s race, McDowell and his No. 34 CarParts.com | PowerStop Ford Mustang, with help from spotters Rocky Ryan and Tony Arnold would race their way to a 7th-place finish at the Brickyard; earning both McDowell and Front Row Motorsports new career-best finishes at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
McDowell on Indianapolis:
“Another great finish for us. Another solid top 10. It’s such a big run for us. I’m so proud of everybody at Front Row and Bob Jenkins for giving me this opportunity. It’s taken so long to be this competitive and I’m so thankful to have the opportunity. To have CarParts.com and PowerStop and Love’s Travel Stops and FR8Auctions and all our partners throughout the year, Speedco — so many great people that make this possible and we’re doing it. We’re doing it every week. We’re definitely way more competitive than we’ve ever been and it’s a lot of fun.”
