Front Row Motorsports Cup Series Race Report - Bristol 1

No. 34 Love's Travel Stop / Delo Ford Mustang Dark Horse:

After a top-10 performance last week at the Phoenix Raceway, Michael McDowell was eager to put the No. 34 car back up front at Bristol Motor Speedway, where he finished a career-best sixth-place last fall. Starting seventh, his fourth top-10 starting position this season, McDowell navigated early traffic and cautions to run up as high as third in Stage 1. However, tire management was the key factor in the race, and both first and second stages forced McDowell to be conservative towards the ends of the runs. With the laps winding down in the final stage, McDowell ended up passing four cars in 15 laps to bring home the Love's Travel Stop / Delo Ford Mustang Dark Horse in 11th position, his fifth top-15 finish at Bristol in his last five starts. McDowell was the third-highest finishing Ford Mustang Dark Horse in Sunday's race.

Start: 7th

Stage One: 22nd

Stage Two: 23rd

Race Result: 11th

DRIVER MICHAEL MCDOWELL:

“Wild race for sure, lots of tire fall off. Just really a race to see who was going to use up their tires first. But proud of everybody on this Love's Travel Stops / Delo Ford Mustang Dark Horse, just had a little bit of a tough run at the end of the race, but bounced back to finish 11th and keep the streak of good finishes here at Bristol."

No. 38 CITGARD Ford Mustang Dark Horse:

Todd Gilliland qualified 24th in the CITGARD Ford Mustang Dark Horse. Tire management played a key role in the race as the track chewed through tires like it never had before. Gilliland played the tire management game and saw himself within the top-10 and even top-five. The track's wear proved to much for Gilliland and eventually fell back to 26th.

Start: 24th

Stage One: 16th

Stage Two: 13th

Race Result: 26th

DRIVER TODD GILLILAND:

"Ryan (Bergenty) and the team brought me a fast CITGARD Ford Mustang Dark Horse. We had good speed all day, but with the tire fall off, we just weren't there in the end. The track ate up our tires so it just game down to tire management. We'll know for next time we're here, hopefully competing for a championship. I'm looking forward COTA next week!"