Michael McDowell’s emotional journey with Front Row Motorsports is drawing to an end as he announces his move to Spire Motorsports.
McDowell’s remarkable milestone of 500 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Martinsville Speedway was overshadowed by the bittersweet reality of leaving FRM after seven years. Reflecting on his time at FRM, McDowell explained to the media: “I thought about it like, man, it’s going to be a hard habit to break. “I’m … just thankful, thankful for the opportunity I’ve had and what we’ve built and what we’ve done, and you know, there is a new chapter, and so I’m thankful for that.
I’m thankful to still have a few years in front of me racing in the Cup Series, but it’s definitely going to be hard to walk away from the 34.” He added about his move to Spire Motorsports in 2025: “I’m super-excited because we have a lot of great people and great hires that we’ve made and more to come. Momentum is good, and you know you’ve seen Spire really progress these last six months in a good direction, so timing is good.
“I think the timing is right, and I feel good about the decision I’ve made and where it’s going and what it’ll look like, and so I’m very excited. I’m ready to get to work, but that starts on Monday.” During his tenure with FRM, McDowell achieved a number of milestones, including winning two NASCAR Cup Series races: the iconic 2021 Daytona 500 and the 2023 Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. His dedication contributed to FRM’s success, making him the all-time leader in wins, starts, and top-five finishes for the team.
Despite his achievements, the lack of a multi-year contract offer from FRM was a catalyst for his decision to seek opportunities elsewhere, ultimately leading him to Spire Motorsports, which promised a more secure future with a multi-year deal. McDowell is set to drive the No. 71 Chevrolet for Spire in 2025, replacing rookie Zane Smith.
His upcoming partnership with Spire also includes the continuation of his collaboration with Crew Chief Travis Peterson. Peterson commented on the upcoming move: “I think it was huge for both of us.
The way the sport is right now, teams clicking and the little details of understanding each other and doing that kind of stuff is more valuable than it’s ever been.
“So being able to go somewhere new but have a lot of familiarity with some of the guys on the team coming with us, and me and Michael staying together is going to help us not have so many growing pains, because we already have that understanding of each other, the way we communicate, the things that he likes in the race car, and how to accomplish that. So it’s going to help us a ton, even though it’s a new manufacturer and a new team and all that, it won’t be as bad because we have a lot of the foundation.”
