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Front Row Motorsports star Michael McDowell admitted he was “bummed” to crash out of the lead late in the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday.
After receiving a shove to the front from Parker Retzlaff, Harrison Burton held off Kyle Busch to take the checkered flag and secure his first NASCAR Cup Series win. His performance marked the 100th win in the history of Wood Brothers Racing, and Burton – set to be a free agent next year – has clinched a playoff berth.
But it was agony for McDowell, who led the field heading into Turn 1 on the outside lane with nine laps remaining. The polesitter was tagged by Ford teammate Austin Cindric and sent spinning to the left.
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His Mustang was perpendicular to the field when hit in the driver’s side door by Joey Logano and lifted off the ground. McDowell’s car did not flip as it landed on all four wheels, but it ended his contention as he finished 30th having led for 26 laps.
McDowell was checked and released from the infield care center, and he declared he felt fine. However, McDowell was somewhat crestfallen as his playoff hopes now hang by a thread.
“I’m just bummed… I’m really proud of everyone at Front Row,” McDowell told reporters. “I mean, we had a ton of speed with both cars this weekend and, with a few laps to go, we put ourselves in position to win the race – that’s what we wanted to do and unfortunately we didn’t get to the end.
“I felt like I got turned going into Turn 1, and it was just the wrong hour at the wrong time.”
On the crash and what led to the incident, McDowell added: “It was going over. I had my eyes closed, but whoever hit me, it felt like it set me back down because I had that moment where it got real light and it got real quiet and then I got hit, and then I was back on the ground. I haven’t seen the replay, but I’m just glad Josh Berry is okay. That one looked definitely worse than mine.
“It’s the end of a Daytona race and these things happen. Everybody is pushing hard and we had guys up there that had to win, so you know everybody is going to go for it.”
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The result leaves McDowell outside the playoff places, sitting 23rd in the playoff picture as the 39-year-old does not have a Cup Series victory this season. He is 199 points behind Chris Buescher, who occupies the final playoff spot.
McDowell will hope for victory to save his postseason hopes in next week’s regular season finale, the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington.
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