NASCAR driver Michael McDowell has fired back at Larry McReynolds’ public criticism of Front Row Motorsports.
In a conversation with Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports, McDowell responded to McReynolds’ remarks that called his team uncompetitive, calling them a “low blow” and “a dagger that hurt me deeply.” This tension arises amid the ongoing antitrust lawsuit involving FRM and 23XI Racing.
McReynolds, a veteran NASCAR analyst, cast doubt on FRM’s involvement in the lawsuit, questioning their relevance due to a perceived lack of competitive success. However, McDowell’s recent accomplishments paint a different picture, especially after he earned his sixth pole position of the season at Talladega Superspeedway.
McDowell [below]:
Sean Gardner/Getty Images
“You know, honestly, I tried to stay out of the noise as much as possible this week.
“Because obviously I’m leaving next year [to Spire]. I don’t want to be collateral damage in all of this. But I think one of the things I didn’t like was just Larry Mac’s take on us being a “non-competitive” team and why would we have any skin in our skin? game or shall we say so.
“And that’s something that offended me because I feel like we’re pretty darn competitive.
“This is our sixth pole, yes we didn’t get to victory this year but we came very close. I’m really proud of everyone at Front Row and how competitive we are.
“So that was probably the only dagger that cut me deep and cut my guys deep, but you know, there’s a lot of noise and we try to ignore it. But that one was a low blow .”
This is in response to McReynolds’ comments, as reported by Speedway Digest:
“We have an organization that’s been around less than four years and all of a sudden is saying, ‘We need to change the way NASCAR operates.’ I’m all about change. Change is what makes you better.
“But you know what? When I see Richard Childress, Jake Roush, Rick Hendrick and Joe Gibbs who have been here longer than some of these guys pooped yellow…and they signed and said it’s good …we’re fine.
“There are things we don’t like, but we’re going to do what’s best for the sport and what’s best for our business. And they approved of it, and those people who weren’t competitive or have only been here for four years for 76 and a half years, we say the way we have been doing business for 76 and a half years is wrong.”
As McDowell considers his new opportunity at Spire Motorsports, his goal remains to end his time at FRM on a high note.
Unfortunately for McDowell, his pole position start did not lead to a race victory. The FRM driver was the victim of an accident which ended his race prematurely.
NASCAR Cup Series: Results from the YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr – Running
- Brad Keselowski – Running
- William Byron – Running
- Kyle Larson – Running
- Erik Jones – Running
- Christopher Bell – Running
- Justin Haley – Running
- Austin Dillon – Running
- Bubba Wallace – Running
- Denny Hamlin – Running
- Martin Truex Jr – Running
- Cody Ware – Running
- Ty Gibbs – Running
- Carson Hocevar – Running
- Shane Van Gisbergen – Running
- Alex Bowman – Running
- Chris Buescher – Running
- Corey LaJoie – Running
- Kyle Busch – Running
- Tyler Reddick – Running
- Zane Smith – Running
- BJ McLeod – Running
- Todd Gilliland – Running
- Anthony Alfredo – Running
- Noah Gragson – Running
- Daniel Suárez – Running
- JJ Yeley – Running
- AJ Allmendinger – Running
- Chase Elliott – Running
- Chase Briscoe – Running
- John H. Nemechek – Running
- Austin Cindric – Accident
- Joey Logano – Accident
- Harrison Burton – Accident
- Ryan Preece – Accident
- Josh Berry-Accident
- Michael McDowell – Accident
- Daniel Hemric – Accident
- Ryan Blaney – Accident
- Ross Chastain – Accident
