Michael McDowell, driver of the No. 34 NASCAR Ford Mustang, earned his second career Cup Series win in dominant fashion at the Indy Road Course on August 13th, 2023. He held off road course ace Chase Elliott in the No. 9 Chevy Camaro ZL1 to win, securing a berth in the postseason Playoffs.
McDowell’s No. 34 Mustang showed the way for 24 of 82 laps on Sunday. The race only had one yellow flag, leaving McDowell and the rest of the Cup Series field to do battle under green.
McDowell guided his No. 34 NASCAR Ford past the polesitter, Daniel Suárez, driver of the No. 99 Camaro, early in the race, only relinquishing the top spot when he pulled in for a pit stop. McDowell’s No. 34 Mustang was clearly the car to beat, though, as he captured the lead once again late in the race and held it all the way to the checkered flag.
“My family comes to the races we think we can win,” said McDowell, all smiles after the race. “We thought we could win this one… I was really trying to pace myself. I figured there would be a late-race caution, and I didn’t want to burn my stuff up. I was just trying to maintain that gap.”
After the race, almost every driver on track slowed to congratulate McDowell.
McDowell’s only other Cup Series win was also earned behind the wheel of the No. 34 NASCAR Ford, when he scored the victory in the 2020 Daytona 500.
| Finish | Start | Car Number | Driver | Team | Laps Run | Laps Led | Car |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 34 | Michael McDowell | Horizon Hobby Ford | 82 | 54 | Ford Mustang |
| 2 | 3 | 9 | Chase Elliott | NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet | 82 | 1 | Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 |
| 3 | 1 | 99 | Daniel Suarez | Freeway.com Chevrolet | 82 | 6 | Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 |
| 4 | 2 | 45 | Tyler Reddick | SiriusXM Radio Toyota | 82 | 0 | Toyota TRD Camry |
| 5 | 9 | 48 | Alex Bowman | Ally Chevrolet | 82 | 0 | Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 |
| 6 | 13 | 14 | Chase Briscoe | HighPoint.com Ford | 82 | 0 | Ford Mustang |
| 7 | 12 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Auto-Owners Insurance Toyota | 82 | 0 | Toyota TRD Camry |
| 8 | 6 | 5 | Kyle Larson | HendrickCars.com Chevrolet | 82 | 0 | Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 |
| 9 | 7 | 20 | Christopher Bell | Rheem/PSC Industries-Johns Manville Toyota | 82 | 11 | Toyota TRD Camry |
| 10 | 8 | 91 | * Shane Van Gisbergen(i) | Enhance Health Chevrolet | 82 | 1 | Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 |
| 11 | 17 | 17 | Chris Buescher | Castrol Edge Ford | 82 | 0 | Ford Mustang |
| 12 | 10 | 54 | Ty Gibbs # | Monster Energy Toyota | 82 | 0 | Toyota TRD Camry |
| 13 | 16 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Menards/Atlas Ford | 82 | 0 | Ford Mustang |
| 14 | 39 | 24 | William Byron | RaptorTough.com Chevrolet | 82 | 0 | Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 |
| 15 | 20 | 2 | Austin Cindric | Discount Tire Ford | 82 | 0 | Ford Mustang |
| 16 | 27 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Cowboy Channel Chevrolet | 82 | 1 | Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 |
| 17 | 21 | 1 | Ross Chastain | Worldwide Express Chevrolet | 82 | 0 | Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 |
| 18 | 19 | 23 | Bubba Wallace | MoneyLion Toyota | 82 | 0 | Toyota TRD Camry |
| 19 | 25 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Yahoo! Toyota | 82 | 8 | Toyota TRD Camry |
| 20 | 22 | 6 | Brad Keselowski | Socios.com Ford | 82 | 0 | Ford Mustang |
| 21 | 24 | 21 | Harrison Burton | DEX Imaging Ford | 82 | 0 | Ford Mustang |
| 22 | 11 | 33 | * Brodie Kostecki | Mobile X Chevrolet | 82 | 0 | Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 |
| 23 | 38 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Mobil 1 Ford | 81 | 0 | Ford Mustang |
| 24 | 37 | 42 | Mike Rockenfeller | Sunseeker Resort Chevrolet | 81 | 0 | Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 |
| 25 | 34 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | Kroger/Frosted Flakes Chevrolet | 81 | 0 | Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 |
| 26 | 26 | 16 | AJ Allmendinger | Dyna-Gro Seed Chevrolet | 81 | 0 | Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 |
| 27 | 35 | 77 | Ty Dillon | Raze Tea Chevrolet | 81 | 0 | Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 |
| 28 | 31 | 15 | Jenson Button | Mobil 1 Ford | 81 | 0 | Ford Mustang |
| 29 | 14 | 7 | Corey LaJoie | Gainbridge Chevrolet | 81 | 0 | Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 |
| 30 | 29 | 51 | Andy Lally | Camping World Ford | 81 | 0 | Ford Mustang |
| 31 | 30 | 41 | Ryan Preece | Purdue University Ford | 81 | 0 | Ford Mustang |
| 32 | 32 | 78 | Josh Bilicki(i) | Zeigler Auto Group Chevrolet | 81 | 0 | Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 |
| 33 | 28 | 67 | * Kamui Kobayashi(i) | Toyota Genuine Parts Toyota | 81 | 0 | Toyota TRD Camry |
| 34 | 18 | 22 | Joey Logano | Shell Pennzoil Ford | 81 | 0 | Ford Mustang |
| 35 | 36 | 43 | Erik Jones | Allegiant Chevrolet | 81 | 0 | Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 |
| 36 | 5 | 8 | Kyle Busch | 3CHI Chevrolet | 80 | 0 | Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 |
| 37 | 23 | 38 | Todd Gilliland | gener8tor Skills Ford | 80 | 0 | Ford Mustang |
| 38 | 15 | 31 | Justin Haley | LeafFilter Gutter Protection Chevrolet | 80 | 0 | Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 |
| 39 | 33 | 10 | Aric Almirola | Ford Ford | 79 | 0 | Ford Mustang |
# – Rookie
i – Points ineligible
* – Part-time driver
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Comments
Near empty stands.
Well yeah its a road course, those never pack them in lol but oh don’t let me ruin your “the sport is doomed” wet dream
Great win for one of the ‘good guys’!!