With his second-place finish at Sonoma on June 9th, 2024, Michael McDowell, driver of the No. 34 NASCAR Ford Mustang Dark Horse, joined an elite (and somewhat niche) group of Cup Series drivers. In fact, McDowell can proudly say that he’s part of the “All 40” club – that is, he’s officially been credited when a finish in every single position from 40th to first.
A report from NASCAR.com recognizes McDowell as the newest member of the just-for-fun statistical group. His runner-up finish last weekend was the last position on his list, which mean until Sonoma, he’d never finished second in his career. Interestingly, his result came at the expense of another driver. Martin Truex Jr., driver of the No. 19 Toyota TRD Camry, ran out of gas on the last lap, surrendering his position and allowing McDowell to make the pass heading to the checkered flag.
Ross Chastain, driver of the No. 1 Chevy Camaro ZL1, also became a member of the All 40 club in May with an 11th place finish at Darlington Raceway. There are quite a few current racers who are just one spot away from earning the title as well, including NASCAR Ford driver Brad Keselowski, along with Chevy’s Kyle Larson, Daniel Suárez, and Chase Elliott, and Toyota driver Bubba Wallace.
Beyond the 2024 season, McDowell won’t be a part of the NASCAR Ford stable. He’s leaving Front Row Motorsports and joining Spire Motorsports beginning in 2025, where he’ll drive a Chevy race car instead. That leaves his No. 34 Mustang up for grabs, and at this time, it’s not clear who will replace him in The Blue Oval’s fold. However, considering that Stewart-Haas Racing, a current NASCAR Ford team, is shutting down at the end of the year, it’s possible that one of its four drivers will take over McDowell’s seat.
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