Michael McDowell and Leavine Family Racing (LFR) will start the 59th running of the Daytona 500 in 22nd after finishing the second Can-Am Duel in 12th place.
After a rain-plagued day forced practice for the Can-Am Duel to be canceled, McDowell and LFR would start the second duel in 15th where they would look to assess and gauge the set-up of the No. 95 K-LOVE Chevrolet SS.
After starting off strong, McDowell settled into the Top-10, where he would stay for a majority of the 150-mile sprint. McDowell was able to work his way up to third before dropping back during a three-wide battle for position that would ultimately put him in the 12th position crossing the start/finish line.
“It was a typical duel,” said McDowell. “We definitely got a good feel as to what our car can do. We were able to get to the front, and we had good speed the whole race. We just got shuffled out and put three-wide towards the end. We lost a lot of our track position, but the car was good and doesn’t have too much damage. We are just going to get it ready for the 500.”
Crew Chief Todd Parrott is equally as satisfied with the team’s effort in capturing a solid starting position for Sunday’s Daytona 500.
“I felt like we had a good car and good speed,” said Parrott. “I thought the handling was pretty good, so we just have a few things we need to clean up before Sunday. The pit crew did a great job too. We made a four-tire stop and took some right sides during the cautions. I think it was a good test for the race on Sunday.”
“The Great American Race” will take place on Sunday, February 26, at 2PM ET. Race fans can follow @LFR95 on Twitter and Leavine Family Racing on Facebook for Daytona 500 updates.
About Leavine Family Racing
Leavine Family Racing is an organization competing in the NASCAR Premier Series focused on growing competitively and providing results-driven partnerships for its sponsors. The single-car team was founded in 2011 by Bob and Sharon Leavine, two individuals who are passionate about NASCAR and started the team to make a positive impact on the sport and community. Michael McDowell, a nine-year veteran of NASCAR and winner of the Road America 180 in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, pilots the No. 95 Chevrolet SS for the team. In 2016 alone, McDowell and LFR earned two Top-10 finishes and nine Top-20 finishes together. In alliance with Richard Childress Racing, the team operates out of their Concord, N.C.-based race shop with a veteran group of racing personnel and is driven by several key principals including intensity, attention to detail, focus and a sense of urgency. For more information, please visit www.LFR95.com.
TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!
