Official Site of Front Row Motorsports - 34 NCS Team News

Michael McDowell Seeks Redemption at Kentucky with Love's Travel Stops and Delo

7/8/2020

McDowell on Kentucky:

"I'm looking forward to being back in the familiar colors of Love's Travel Stops this weekend at Kentucky Speedway; and to also have Delo back on board our No. 34 Ford Mustang for their first race of the 2020 season. We were really fast last year, but unfortunately had a speeding penalty on pit road and lost a lap while running inside of the Top-10. With the improvements that our team has made this year, especially to our mile-and-a-half program, I feel really confident about going back to Kentucky.

"It's been a fun month for us and coming off of a Top-10 finish at Indianapolis definitely helps to build that confidence. Love's Travel Stops has been the backbone of Front Row Motorsports for years and I feel like it's very humbling to look back at the beginning, when we weren't always getting the best results as a younger organization, but they stuck by us. Fast forward to now, where we've consistently been running well, it is very rewarding to know that we can go out on race day and compete to give them the finishes that they deserve as they've been such a fundamental partner to our team and I hope to get them a Top-10 finish this weekend as well."

About Love's Travel Stops

Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores is the nation's industry-leading travel stop network with more than 520 locations in 41 states. Founded in 1964 and headquartered in Oklahoma City, the company remains family-owned and operated and employs more than 26,000 people. Love's provides professional truck drivers and motorists with 24-hour access to clean and safe places to purchase gasoline, diesel fuel, fresh coffee, restaurant offerings and more. Love's has more than 390 truck service centers, which include on-site and stand-alone Speedco and Love's Truck Care locations. Love's and Speedco combined is the largest oil change, preventive maintenance and total truck care nationwide network. Love's is committed to providing customers with "Clean Places, Friendly Faces" at every stop. To learn more, visit loves.com.

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Michael McDowell Scores Top-10 and Personal-best Finish at Indy with CarParts.com

7/5/2020

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.”

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CarParts.com and PowerStop to Celebrate Independence Day with Front Row Motorsports

6/29/2020

McDowell Will Hit the Track with Patriotic Scheme on July 5th

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (June 30, 2020) - CarParts.com and longtime partner PowerStop are joining together to celebrate this coming July 4th weekend at the world-famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Debuting a new star-spangled theme, CarParts.com will be the primary sponsor of Michael McDowell and the No. 34 Ford Mustang on Sunday, July 5th, with PowerStop-the leading brand in performance brake system upgrades-serving as a co-primary partner. All PowerStop brake system upgrade kits are sold at CarParts.com.

One of NASCAR's most prestigious events, the Brickyard 400, moves to July 4th weekend for the first time in NASCAR Cup Series history. The Brickyard will also play host to the NTT IndyCar Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series events on Saturday, prior to Sunday's race, where the No. 34 CarParts.com Ford Mustang will compete in the NASCAR Cup Series. All three races will be televised nationally on NBC.

"We're honored to take part in this historic occasion at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as we all commemorate America's independence," said Lev Peker, CEO of CarParts.com and its parent company, US Auto Parts. "We're proud to have CarParts.com and our friends at PowerStop featured on the No. 34 machine of Michael McDowell and the Front Row Motorsports team. We hope our car's scheme will bring joy to our fellow hardworking Americans as we all observe the nation's birthday."

CarParts.com returns as a partner with FRM as McDowell continues to have career-best finishes this season. The support for McDowell has extended off the track, as McDowell recently received a PowerStop Z36 Truck & Tow Brake Upgrade Kit for his 2017 Ford F-150. McDowell will continue to showcase upgrades from CarParts.com throughout the year.

Keeping customers across America on the road, the e-commerce business offers an easy-to-navigate, mobile-friendly website and a 90-day return policy to assure customers they will get the right parts, guaranteed. CarParts.com is also a prime destination to find PowerStop products. PowerStop has pioneered the performance brake upgrade category by providing exceptional-quality brake parts and full brake kits at affordable prices.

"This is such a big weekend with us running at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the July 4 weekend," said McDowell. "Having CarParts.com and PowerStop join us with a very cool paint scheme makes us want to run up front and have a great finish for them. I've really enjoyed working with CarParts.com and now I'm starting to work on putting new PowerStop brakes on my truck. I encourage everyone to check out their sites to see how they can help you, too."

For more information about CarParts.com, visit CarParts.com. For more information about PowerStop, visit PowerStop.com.

About CarParts.com
Established in 1999, CarParts.com is an e-commerce auto parts retailer that specializes in OE replacement collision, repair, and maintenance parts. With over 50 million parts delivered, we've helped millions of drivers across the United States find the right parts to fix their cars and keep their vehicles on the road. Our vehicle selector and easy-to-navigate, mobile-friendly website offer customers guaranteed fitment and a convenient online shopping experience. Paired with our 90-day return policy and satisfaction guarantee, CarParts.com makes it easier than ever to get the parts you need delivered straight to your door. CarParts.com's parent US Auto Parts trades under NASDAQ:PRTS.

Twitter: @CarPartscom
Instagram: @CarPartscom
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carpartscom/

About PowerStop
PowerStop is on a mission to deliver an easy way for any driver to upgrade to quality brakes - no matter where or how they use their vehicle. Taking the difficulty out of upgrading, our performance brake kits directly bolt-on your vehicle with ease to get you back on the road quicker with components that out-perform standard, off the shelf parts at an affordable price. With 30 years of experience innovating the aftermarket brake world, we offer braking performance you can trust to give you complete control on the brake pedal regardless of your vehicle type and driving style.

About Front Row Motorsports
Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup Series. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields two full-time entries - the No. 34 of Michael McDowell and the No. 38 of John Hunter Nemechek - from its Mooresville, N.C., headquarters just outside of Charlotte. In 2020, the team announced an expansion to include the No. 38 Ford F-150 in the NASCAR Gander RV and Outdoors Truck Series, driven by Todd Gilliland. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

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Michael McDowell Post-Race Report: Pocono 2

6/28/2020

Michael McDowell

No. 34 Dockside Logistics Ford Mustang

Started: 13th
Finished: 40th

Stage One: 40th (out)
Stage Two: 40th (out)
Stage Three: 40th (out)

In the second race of the Pocono doubleheader weekend, Michael McDowell and his No. 34 Dockside Logistics Ford Mustang took the green flag from the 13th position. It wasn't long before the caution flag was displayed and the 350-mile race went under a 50-minute rain delay. Unfortunately, once racing recommenced, it was only a handful of laps before McDowell would get turned into the backstretch wall. However, he was able to recover the car and remain on track for another lap before the caution flag would fly as he had a right rear tire go down, sending his No. 34 Dockside Logistics Ford Mustang into the wall and ending his day early.

McDowell on Pocono:

“Today was a real shame. The first few laps of today's race felt really good and I thought that we were going to have the opportunity for another strong run. I'm still proud of the race that we had yesterday and the speed that we've been showing all year. Unfortunately, it's all part of the ups and downs of racing. I'm really proud of the effort by everyone at Front Row Motorsports for bringing us a competitive car and I'm ready to head to Indianapolis Motor Speedway next weekend and hopefully rebound after today's unfortunate events."

Michael McDowell Earns New Career-Best Finish at Pocono

6/27/2020

Michael McDowell

No. 34 Dockside Logistics Ford Mustang

Started: 26th
Finished: 8th

Stage One: 19th
Stage Two: 16th
Stage Three: 8th

Michael McDowell and his No. 34 Dockside Logistics Ford Mustang took the green flag in Saturday's 130-lap race at Pocono Raceway from the 26th position. During the Competition Caution on Lap 12, McDowell radioed to the team to say, "feels like it rolls over on the right rear ... felt like the balance was coming to me." McDowell would come to pit road for 4 tires and fuel. A second Caution would come with less than ten laps remaining in the first stage, in which McDowell would stay out. He finished the stage from the 19th position, noting that the car's balance was "better." Under the Stage 1 Caution, Crew Chief Drew Blickensderfer would make the call for fuel only.

McDowell noted early on in Stage 2 that his race car fired off "too free." He would go on to race his way into the top-15, before the Caution flag flew with less than 20 laps remaining in the stage. Michael McDowell would bring his No. 34 Dockside Logistics Ford Mustang down pit road for 4 tires, fuel, a packer and spring rubber adjustment. Not long after going back to green, the Caution flag would fly once again. Blickensderfer made the call for the No. 34 to stay out under Caution after McDowell told the team that his car was much better. The No. 34 Dockside Logistics Ford Mustang would take the Stage 2 green- and-white checkered flag, P16.

Michael McDowell would take the green flag in the caution-less final stage of Saturday's 325-mile race from the 14th position. Later in the Stage, as green flag pit stops began, Michael McDowell and the No. 34 team would remain on track, running down the leader and overtaking the lead with 20 laps to go. Half a lap later, Blickensderfer would call the No. 34 to pit road for 2 tires and fuel. McDowell would cycle into the 10th position after his green flag pit stop and go on to race his way to an 8th place finish; earning a new career-best finish not only at Pocono Raceway, but also at a non-superspeedway race track.

McDowell on Pocono:

“That was an exciting run. Strategy was a big part of it today and Drew made great calls all race long. Our car was really fast on the long run, which allowed us to stay out longer and make good lap times. We ended up only taking 2 tires during our green flag pit stop late in the race and were able to gain some track position. Luckily, it stayed green the rest of the race and everything went our way. I’m really proud of everyone at Front Row Motorsports; we had a really fast race car all day long. I’m glad that we were able to get a top-10 here and keep our momentum rolling. Now, we’ll reload and get ready to do it all over again tomorrow.”

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Michael Mcdowell Heads to Pocono with Dockside Logistics

6/24/2020

McDowell on Pocono:

"This weekend at Pocono Raceway is going to be a crazy one, for sure. I have been looking forward to the doubleheader weekend since it was fist announced and I think that holding back-to-back Cup races on Saturday and Sunday will create some really exciting racing. If you have a bad race or maybe wish that you had done something a little bit differently, drivers will have the opportunity for almost immediate redemption the following day. Most of the time, we have to wait months, if not a full year before we're able to go back to a track and have the chance to apply what we learned during a previous race; so I think that fans are in for a real treat."

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Michael McDowell Looks to Continue Momentum with Love's Travel Stops at Talladega

6/17/2020

McDowell on Talladega:

"It's a big week for us at Front Row Motorsports. We have Love's Travel Stops back on board for the second week in a row and we're coming off of a couple strong top 15 finishes. Last time we were at Talladega in the No. 34 Love's Travel Stops Ford Mustang, we came close to capturing the checkered flag and finished 5th. So when we come to Talladega, we know that it is always a good opportunity for us to hopefully win a race and secure a playoff birth. We're heading there at a good time as we have some momentum in our program and things are rolling pretty good; but it's Talladega, and anything can happen. I'm just ready to hopefully put up a big result for everyone at Love's Travel Stops and Front Row Motorsports."

About Love's Travel Stops

Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores is the nation's industry-leading travel stop network with more than 520 locations in 41 states. Founded in 1964 and headquartered in Oklahoma City, the company remains family-owned and operated and employs more than 26,000 people. Love's provides professional truck drivers and motorists with 24-hour access to clean and safe places to purchase gasoline, diesel fuel, fresh coffee, restaurant offerings and more. Love's has more than 380 truck service centers, which include on-site and stand-alone Speedco and Love's Truck Tire Care locations. Love's and Speedco combined is the largest oil change, preventive maintenance and total truck care nationwide network. Love's is committed to providing customers with "Clean Places, Friendly Faces" at every stop. To learn more, visit loves.com.

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Michael McDowell Post-Race Report: Homestead

6/14/2020

Michael McDowell

No. 34 Love's Travel Stops Ford Mustang

Started: 30th
Finished: 15th

Stage One: 19th
Stage Two: 17th
Stage Three: 15th

Sunday's 267-lap race at Homestead-Miami Speedway got off to a slow start as lightning in the area delayed the start of the 400-mile event. Once racing did commence, it wasn't long before Michael McDowell radioed to his team to say that he "hit something really big. If it was a bird, that thing must have been a turkey." The red flag would be displayed shortly after as lightning was once again detected at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Once racing resumed and teams were able to pit, McDowell would bring his No. 34 Love's Travel Stops Ford Mustang down pit road for the team to make necessary repairs, along with taking 4 fresh Goodyear tires and fuel. Another lightning strike would come halfway through the stage, displaying the red flag once again. Thankfully, once NASCAR gave the green light to resume racing, the remainder of the stage would stay green and McDowell would go on to finish Stage 1 from the 19th position.

During Stage 2, Michael McDowell and his No. 34 Love's Travel Stops Ford Mustang ran comfortably inside of the top 20. With roughly 40 laps to go in the stage, green flag pit stops began. McDowell would bring his race car to pit road for 4 tires, fuel and a trackbar adjustment after noting that his No. 34 Love's Travel Stops Ford Mustang was "a little bit too tight this run." As the stage continued, Michael McDowell and his No. 34 Love's Travel Stops Ford Mustang would continue their push towards the front and would finish Stage 2, 17th. Under the Stage 2 caution, Crew Chief Drew Blickensderfer made the call for 4 tires, fuel and a trackbar adjustment.

During the final stage of Sunday's 400-mile race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Michael McDowell and his No. 34 Love's Travel Stops Ford Mustang continued their strong run as they battled inside of the top 20 throughout the entirety of Stage 3. With 50 laps remaining, McDowell came down pit road for 4 tires, fuel and a trackbar adjustment after noting that his race car was, "a little looser this run." Michael McDowell and his No. 34 Love's Travel Stop Ford Mustang would make a late race charge, taking the checkered flag in the 15th position, earning McDowell his second best finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway and second consecutive top 15 finish.

McDowell on Homestead:

“That was great. Another top 15 run; that's two in a row for us. Everyone at Front Row Motorsports has worked really hard. Our No. 34 program has been a lot better this year and we're starting to see some of the fruit of that, so thanks to all of the guys back at the shop who have been working really hard to get everything that they can out of our race cars. Our Love's Travel Stops Ford Mustang was fast on the long runs; we just needed a couple more laps at the end to grab a couple more positions, but I'm really excited about our performance today. Drew and the boys did a good job tonight and I'm ready to keep the momentum rolling with Love's Travel Stops next weekend at Talladega."

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Michael McDowell Heads to Homestead-Miami Speedway with Love's Travel Stops

6/12/2020

McDowell on Homestead-Miami:

"This Sunday, we will have Love's Travel Stops back on board our No. 34 Ford Mustang for their 7th race of the 2020 season. Since returning to racing after the COVID-19 pandemic impacted our country, our No. 34 team has made some great strides and I'm looking forward to keeping the ball rolling this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. We're coming off of a strong run at Martinsville Speedway and I hope to deliver the same result for Love's Travel Stops this Sunday. I would also like to applaud Love's as they continue their support of professional drivers who are delivering vital goods across the county through their "Thank A Driver" e-coupon on the Love's Connect app, which saves drivers money at Love’s. I greatly appreciate everything that these hard-working men and women are doing to keep America moving.”

About Love's Travel Stops

Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores is the nation's industry-leading travel stop network with more than 520 locations in 41 states. Founded in 1964 and headquartered in Oklahoma City, the company remains family-owned and operated and employs more than 26,000 people. Love's provides professional truck drivers and motorists with 24-hour access to clean and safe places to purchase gasoline, diesel fuel, fresh coffee, restaurant offerings and more. Love's has more than 380 truck service centers, which include on-site and stand-alone Speedco and Love's Truck Tire Care locations. Love's and Speedco combined is the largest oil change, preventive maintenance and total truck care nationwide network. Love's is committed to providing customers with "Clean Places, Friendly Faces" at every stop. To learn more, visit loves.com.

Michael McDowell Post-Race Report: Martinsville

6/11/2020

Michael McDowell

No. 34 The Pete Store Ford Mustang

Started: 29th
Finished: 14th

Stage One: 15th
Stage Two: 14th
Stage Three: 14th

Michael McDowell and his No. 34 The Pete Store Ford Mustang took the green flag in Wednesday night's race at Martinsville Speedway from the 29th position. McDowell had an extremely impressive run to begin Stage 1 as he quickly navigated his race car through the field and into the top 10. He continued to show good speed throughout the remainder of the stage and would finish Stage 1 from the 15th position. Under the caution, Crew Chief Drew Blickensderfer made the call to stay out in order to gain valuable track position.

During Stage 2, the No. 34 The Pete Store Ford Mustang continued to impress as McDowell ran comfortably inside of the top 15, only noting that his race car was a touch on the tight side through the center of the corners. He would take the Stage 2 green- and white-checkered flag 14th. During the Stage 2 caution, Michael McDowell brought his No. 34 The Pete Store Ford Mustang down pit road for 4 tires, an air pressure adjustment, trackbar adjustment and fuel.

Taking the green flag in the final stage of Wednesday's night race at Martinsville, Michael McDowell and his No. 34 The Pete Store Ford Mustang picked up right where they left off at the end of Stage 2. McDowell continued to run strong inside of the top 15 and would go on to take the checkered flag 14th, earning him a new personal best finishing position at Martinsville Speedway.

McDowell on Martinsville:

“That was an awesome run for us tonight at Martinsville Speedway. Running inside of the top 15 for most of the day was great, especially considering that we started 29th and were able to drive up and inside of the top 10 for a while. Drew and the guys did a really nice job of bringing a fast No. 34 The Pete Store Ford Mustang; this was definitely one of our best races at Martinsville. We just needed a little bit more at the end as we battled hard with our Roush Fenway Racing teammates, but it's hard to pass guys when you have similar cars. Overall, I'm really proud of everyone at Front Row Motorsports; It was a really good run for us tonight. Thanks to The Pete Store for all that they do for our team, it was great to have them on board with us."