Thursday, November 21, 2024
HomeCup Series2023 Season in Review: Front Row Motorsports (Part 1-#34)

2023 Season in Review: Front Row Motorsports (Part 1-#34)

Driver: Michael McDowell

#34 Love’s Travel Stops / Speedco Ford

(courtesy of NASCAR.com)

Crew Chiefs: Travis Peterson

Engines: Roush-Yates

2023 Season Grade: B

Driver

Starts

Wins

Top 5

Top 10

Rank

Michael McDowell

36

1

2

8

15

 

(courtesy of Jayski &Joel Bray)

Front Row Motorsports entered the 2023 season with an eye on the playoffs. After turning heads in 2022, the team showed that they were ready for that next step. The new season did not arrive without change however, as Travis Peterson replaced Blake Harris (who departed for the Hendrick Motorsports #48 team). While it was a slow start as the new team jelled, results steadily improved heading into race 7 in Richmond. Finishes after were a bit of a roller coaster, but those were not indicative of how the team performed on track some weekends. There were many highlights as well, including four top 10 finishes in 5 races, stretching from Gateway to Atlanta.

(courtesy of Jayski & Sean Gardner/Getty Images

With bad luck plaguing the team some weeks, the 34 crew still narrowly missed a legitimate playoff run, with McDowell scoring his second career win on the Indianapolis road course. The win was backed up by another top 5 in Atlanta, and 8 top 10 finishes throughout the season. These finishes were just not consistent enough to maintain a playoff pace into the Round of 8. McDowell would end 2023 with a career-high 15th place points finish, 3 DNF’s,  an average finish of 19th, and 97 laps led.

2024 Season Outlook: While Front Row Motorsports usually does a year-to-year contract, McDowell and the #34 team are already set to return intact for 2024. A repeat performance should be a new expectation, while gaining consistent finishes could be the thing that pushes the team into a Round of 8 spot. Look for the 34 to be a strong contender on road courses, super speedways, as well as in Bristol.

**Stay tuned for Front Row Part 2 covering the #38 and #36 teams**

2023 Results by Track

RACE

TRACK

ST

FIN

LAPS

STATUS

1

Daytona

11

28

208/212

Running

2

Fontana

26

18

200/200

Running

3

Las Vegas

17

25

270/271

Running

4

Phoenix

7

13

317/317

Running

5

Atlanta

12

21

260/260

Running

6

COTA

20

12

75/75

Running

7

Richmond

15

6

400/400

Running

8

Bristol (Dirt)

13

11

250/250

Running

9

Martinsville

20

19

400/400

Running

10

Talladega

21

35

189/196

Running

11

Dover

32

22

397/400

Running

12

Kansas

23

26

266/267

Running

13

Darlington

19

33

200/295

Accident

14

Charlotte

30

28

396/400

Running

15

Gateway

21

9

243/243

Running

16

Sonoma

3

7

110/110

Running

17

Nashville

33

28

299/300

Running

18

Chicago

6

7

78/78

Running

19

Atlanta

20

4

185/185

Running

20

Loudon

17

13

301/301

Running

21

Pocono

15

19

160/160

Running

22

Richmond

18

22

399/400

Running

23

Michigan

23

24

199/200

Running

24

Indianapolis G.P.

4

1

82/82

Running

25

Watkins Glen

3

36

74/90

Electrical

26

Daytona

39

13

163/163

Running

27

Darlington

9

32

329/367

Accident

28

Kansas

7

26

267/268

Running

29

Bristol

4

6

500/500

Running

30

Texas

17

15

267/267

Running

31

Talladega

18

21

188/188

Running

32

Charlotte (Road)

13

32

109/109

Running

33

Las Vegas

18

17

267/267

Running

34

Homestead

15

22

267/267

Running

35

Martinsville

23

25

499/500

Running

36

Phoenix

19

9

312/312

Running

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