NASCAR veteran reacts to race-ruining wreck at Texas

40-year-old NASCAR veteran Michael McDowell has opened up on a gutting wreck during the Wurth 400 race last weekend, as he came close to securing his first victory of 2025.

The No.71 Chevrolet was in a position to challenge for the race victory, before Joey Logano got a run on him and managed to get past.

Then, when fighting for position with Ryan Blaney, McDowell lost control of his car, ruining his race with a wreck at the Texas Motor Speedway that left him out of the race.

The Spire Motorsports racer has only achieved two Cup Series race victories in his 18-year career, but following some great restarts, McDowell found himself with an opportunity to claim a third win.

"I just really hate it for everyone on this No. 71 Chevrolet," McDowell told media after the race.

"We were giving it everything, we had there to try to keep track position. Joey [Logano] got a run there, and I tried to block it. I went as far as I think you could probably go.

"When [Ryan] Blaney slid up in front of me, it just took the air off of it and I just lost the back of it. I still had the fight in me, but I probably should have conceded at that point.

"But I'm just proud of everyone at Spire Motorsports. I know that's not the day we wanted, but we had an opportunity to win the race."

Win slips away from McDowell

In the end, it was Logano who managed to claim victory in Texas, the first of the 2025 season for the three-time Cup Series champion.

Blaney came home in third after the incident with McDowell, while Ross Chastain finished second in a thrilling race that went to overtime.

Heartbreakingly, McDowell was classified as 26th after his DNF, and is now left searching for another opportunity to claim his first win since the 2023 Verizon 200.

"I'm really proud of everyone at the Hendrick Motorsports engine shop - you guys saw those restarts, the motors were ripping," McDowell continued.

"Just hate that we didn't get it done, but we knew we had to go for it. We went for it and it didn't work out."

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