BY: ZACH MCADOO
For years NASCAR fans have seen Michael McDowell take to the track only to finish in the back half of the field. Little did they know how good this guy is at the superspeedways. I did. I have known just how good this guy was at Daytona and Talladega since the 2016 Coke Zero 400. McDowell finished 10th in that race, and I knew that something was there. Two years later, McDowell led laps in the same race until he would get involved in the big one that took him out. This year though, would be a different story.
On Sunday, the NASCAR Cup Series opened their season with the Daytona 500. McDowell would start 17th for the race. Early on, he found some trouble in the lap 14 crash—a little damage on his right side that was just cosmetic. An easy fix, and he was fine again. McDowell would earn four points in the second stage when he finished second. McDowell and the other Fords would find themselves at the front with the laps winding down. With three to go, McDowell was third behind Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski. On the final lap, Keselowski tried to pass Logano, and they both found themselves turned around. McDowell made it through and found himself in the lead when the caution came out. He had finally done it. In his 358th career start, he had finally won a Cup Series race.
Now for all of you saying, “He wrecked them to win,” get off your high horse. On the final lap, no one is lifting. I will wreck my family to win a Daytona 500. If you think that is a joke, I am 100 percent serious. This race is special and for him to get his first win like that is incredible. This helps prove that anything is possible.
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