NASCAR penalizes Michael McDowell's No. 34 team after Coca-Cola 600

NASCAR has penalized the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports team of Michael McDowell for a violation during Monday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The right-front tire of McDowell’s car came detached on Lap 344, a violation detailed in the NASCAR Rule Book, pertaining to loss or separation of an improperly installed tire/wheel from the vehicle, per NASCAR.com. As a result, front-tire changer Scott Brzozowski and jackman Adam Lewis have been suspended for the next two races.

McDowell, 38, is in his 13th full-time season in the Cup Series. He currently sits 22nd in the points standings, having recorded one top-10 this season. He finished 23rd in the points standings in 2022, the second-highest finish of his career. McDowell is coming off a P28 finish in the Coca-Cola 600.

He made headlines during the All-Star Open at North Wilkesboro Speedway the week prior after issuing a stern warning to Ty Gibbs after contact between the two on the racetrack. Both McDowell and Justin Haley slammed into the wall coming out of Turn 4, while Gibbs raced his way to the All-Star race after a P2 finish.

Michael McDowell fed up with Ty Gibbs after All-Star Open

“Well, it’s short track racing to try to get into the All-Star Race, so somebody has got to leave with hurt feelings,” McDowell told FOX Sports after the race, via Heavy. “I guess it’s me. I’ve got a great restart there, kind of worked the outside, got a couple guys, and was able to get down. And Ty just plowed into me, just knocked me into the 31 and spun us both out, and got a lot of damage from that.

“We ended up on the short side of it. It sucks. Felt like we had a pretty fast Fr8 Auctions Ford Mustang, but at the same time all that stuff comes around, man. You get away with it a few times, but it comes around, and I don’t have a budget for the fine, otherwise, I would not be standing here, I’d be standing down there.”

Gibbs, meanwhile, said he understood McDowell’s frustration.

“I can understand the 34’s frustration,” Gibbs said. “At Martinsville, we were running 18th and they clobbered us and about wrecked us, so I think it’s honestly fair game. We are racing to make it in the All-Star Race, so I understand his frustration, but we got in, and that is all that matters.”