McDowell defends decision not to push Logano
Michael McDowell was still digesting his fifthplace finish at the Daytona 500 when Joey Logano appeared at the front of his car, angrily pointing at the Ford logo.
He was questioning McDowell's loyalty to the brand.
"He shows up pointing at the Ford emblem, pushing on the Ford, making his point 'Hey, you are a Ford driver, why didn't you push me?'" McDowell told The Associated Press on Tuesday. "It's a twoway street, and if I got out of the car and started screaming at Joey for not going with me, everybody would say I was ridiculous and that I don't belong up there and am not fast enough."
The tension between a pair of Ford drivers is the fallout from a disappointing Daytona 500 for the blue oval brand. The manufacturer debuted its new Mustang at Daytona International Speedway and positioned its stable of drivers as heavy favorites to win "The Great American Race." Most manufacturers align their teams to work together at Daytona and Talladega with the goal of getting one of their drivers — doesn't matter who — into victory lane.
Ford fell short in the final overtime sprint to the checkered flag on Sunday, perhaps because McDowell made a lane change that separated him from Logano. Both drivers were trying to win, yet both probably needed to work together to have any chance at catching winner Denny Hamlin. Instead, Ford wound up locked out of a Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota podium sweep. Logano finished fourth ahead of McDowell.
McDowell didn't want to hear about brand loyalty in the aftermath of the race.
McDowell is winless in 286 Cup starts since 2008 and doesn't drive for one of NASCAR's superstar teams.
"I have maybe four or five shots a year to try to win a race," McDowell said. "These other guys, they have 35 more chances. I needed to take my chance to win a race."
Logano is NASCAR's reigning champion and a former Daytona 500 winner.
So when McDowell found himself lined up with the leaders in the closing laps of the Daytona 500 he was racing for the victory with no time to consider team alliances. He pulled out of the bottom lane, away from Logano, and tried to hook onto Kyle Busch in the top lane. The move hampered Logano's shot to catch Hamlin for the win.
McDowell has watched replays, spoken with Logano and Ford executives, and said he now realizes his best bet for a win would have been staying in line behind Logano.