Michael McDowell

NASCAR CUP SERIES DRIVER

BIO

Michael McDowell’s life has been a perpetual love story. He and his wife have been together since middle school. He has loved everything racing since his first BMX race at age three. All of which he believes were made possible because of love and dedication to his faith, which he practices inside and outside of racing. He participated in his first car race at age eight “Racing was all I was ever raised to do,” Michael says. “I grew up doing it every weekend.” When he wasn’t racing, he spent his time traveling track to track and working on go-carts. He did whatever he could to keep progressing. That love and commitment led him to racing with NASCAR, where he found a career while pursuing his passion.

The first 10 years with NASCAR presented a challenge. “I was barely hanging on, driving cars that nobody wanted to drive and not getting to do all of the races,” he says. “I had to ride out the storm before I could be in competitive race in a competitive car.” His perseverance has paid off. Michael has won the Xfinity Series at Road America and one of NASCAR’s preeminent events – the Daytona 500.

Michael traveled to races in an RV with his wife and their four kids for the first few years of their lives. Now they are in school, he constantly travels home between races to be a part of their lives as much as possible. Faith continues to be a pillar of their family. In addition to racing, Michael is co-owner of a karting facility called the GoPro Motorplex in Charlotte, NC. He further develops his driving skills by practicing on a simulator, watching films, and studying data in the off-season. “You have to focus on many facets of the business and the sport not just the pure natural ability it takes to do it.”