NASCAR veteran Michael McDowell fails inspection, hit with major penalties for Kansas race

Spire Motorsports driver Michael McDowell was penalized for the NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway after failing an inspection. There are major implications for the team as they are starting the race at a significant disadvantage.

It was on their second attempt at going through the inspection after they had initially passed at all stations that NASCAR officials noticed the No. 71 team making an unapproved adjustment to the splitter, particularly, they were reinstalling the struts and rerunning the car through the OSS, which changed the conditions of the part and thus caused the car to fail the inspection.

As a result of this mishap, NASCAR gave the team a heavy load of penalties. Specifically, crew chief Travis Peterson, who is the brain behind the racing strategy, was banned from the event.

In addition, the team got the pit selection taken away, so McDowell could not opt for the pit stall he liked but had to make do with the one that was left after all other teams had done their selections. Besides, McDowell will have to start the race at the back of the pack and execute a stop-and-go penalty after taking the green flag, thus the No. 71 Chevrolet will be in a very difficult position right from the start of competition.

Jeff Gluck reported on X:

"Trouble for Spire Motorsports driver Michael McDowell in Cup Series inspection. NASCAR says: "On their second attempt through inspections after passing all stations, they were observed making an unapproved adjustment to the splitter. The struts were reinstalled, and the car was rerun over the USS and failed due to the adjustment." Penalties: -- Crew chief Travis Peterson ejected -- Lost pit selection -- Start at the rear -- Stop-and-go penalty after taking the green flag"

Jeff Gluck

@jeff_gluck

Trouble for Spire Motorsports driver Michael McDowell in Cup Series inspection. NASCAR says: "On their secnd attempt through inspections after passing all stations, they were observed making an unapproved adjustment to the splitter. The struts were reinstalled, and the car was

The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season for Michael McDowell has been a tough one. The No. 71 Spire Motorsports driver is currently 25th in the championship standings with 587 points. McDowell hasn't won any races this season but has managed to get two top-fives and four top-10 results.

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Michael McDowell on juggling NASCAR career and fatherhood

Michael McDowell recently openly discussed how he balances his demanding NASCAR career with being a father of five. To maintain a productive balance, he sets clear boundaries between work and family time.

At the racetrack, he is fully focused on racing duties, including practice, qualifying, and strategy meetings. However, when he returns home or to the motorhome, his attention shifts exclusively to his family, where he refuses to conduct interviews or work-related activities.

"When I go to the motorhome, I'm engaged with them and I'm playing and doing all the things, but that's not what we're here to do, and they know that. But when I'm home, it's the other way too. Like when I'm home, I'm not there to do interviews," McDowell said to Altdriver.

McDowell credits his wife for managing the heavy lifting at home while he pursues his racing career.