A Recap of the Weekend Past
If there is one track on the NASCAR Cup Series that is a mystery to Front Row Motorsports (FRM), it continues to be the Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. FRM has only scored one top-10 at the track and has been cursed of better results with bad luck.
On Sunday, it seemed as though Michael McDowell and Anthony Alfredo had finally broken the curse and was going to put both cars in the top-20 or even the top-15. McDowell was racing towards that mark and Alfredo was just getting back on the Lead Lap when a 13-car accident on Lap 386 collected both drivers. McDowell was knocked out of the race and Alfredo suffered significant damage- the curse strikes again! For McDowell, it was only his third DNF in the past two seasons. He finished 31st.
Alfredo was able to get back on the track, and was 10 laps from matching his best Cup finish before a battery issue forced the team to pit. But, Alfredo did pick up the Sunoco Rookie of the Race with a 26th-place finish.
Martin Truex, Jr. won the race by beating Chase Elliott and Denny Hamlin.
The Martinsville Speedway Sunoco Rookie of the Race Award went to Anthony Alfredo after his 26th-place finish in Sunday's 500-lap race. Alfredo didn't have the finish he wanted after being collected in a 13-car wreck that caused damage and battery issues, but during the race Alfredo showed speed and was on his way to his best Cup finish of the season.
The No. 38 iRacing Ford Mustang was tight when racing resumed after rain Saturday night pushed the remaining of the race to Sunday afternoon. The team worked on the car and Alfredo kept moving up the leaderboard. A spin on Lap 330 sent Alfredo to the rear of the field where he again advanced to the front. Alfredo was back on the Lead Lap and was eyeing a top-20 finish.
Alfredo was then collected in the big wreck on the frontstretch. Still, the team had Alfredo back out on the track with impressive speed for a damaged car. It was ultimately a battery issue that forced Alfredo to pit twice in the closing laps that lost the team their best finish of the season.
ANTHONY ALFREDO. NO. 38 iRACING FORD MUSTANG. FINISHED 26.
"That was probably the most eventful race that I've ever been a part of. We had a really great day going, kept adjusting on the iRacing Ford Mustang and drove it up through the field. We had a great opportunity at a top-20. I wheel hopped and spun, but didn't hit anything. We drove up through the field again, got back on the Lead Lap and then got into that massive wreck.
"The guys did a great job getting the car back together and on the track. We were fast again, but had to pit twice with battery issues. I just want to thank everyone who supports me. We'll be back at Richmond."
f there was ever a time for FRM to get another top-10 finish at the Martinsville Speedway, it was this past weekend with McDowell and the No. 34 Fr8 Auctions team. The team has been nothing but impressive in the first seven races of the season with three top-10 finishes.
The strong performances looked like they would continue on Sunday. After making handling adjustments and overcoming track position, McDowell had a fast Fr8 Auctions Ford Mustang when it counted. But the wreck caused too much damage to the front of the Mustang and McDowell and the No. 34 team was forced to retire from the race.
McDowell was running as high as 19th and had shown speed to be in the top-15 before the accident. It's their first DNF of the season.
MICHAEL MCDOWELL. NO. 34 Fr8 AUCTIONS FORD MUSTANG. FINISHED 31.
"This one stings a little. We were coming off better runs at Atlanta and Bristol and just getting into our sweet spot in this race when the accident happened. We still needed more speed, but the Fr8 Auctions team was getting the car better and better. We've avoided bad luck this season, but today it go us. That's Martinsville for us. I want to thank Fr8 Auctions for supporting us today. They gave us what we needed to be fast."
ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS
Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and Camping World Truck Series and the 2021 Daytona 500 champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 34 and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 38 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team– from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. 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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