Michael McDowell and the No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops/Chevron Delo Ford Mustang Team Bristol Motor Speedway Competition Notes

TEAM AND RACE NOTES:

The final race of Round 1 of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs is set for Saturday night at the Bristol Motor Speedway.

The race will eliminate four drivers from the championship hunt as the playoff field will be cut from 16 to 12.

Michael McDowell and the No. 34 team will have Love’s Travel Stops and Chevron Delo racing with them on Saturday. Chevron Delo is the maker of top performing heavy duty engine oils, coolants, antifreezes, transmission fluids, gear oils, greases and hydraulic oils.

Saturday night’s 500-lap race is live on the USA Network at 7:30 p.m. ET.

COMPETITION NOTES:

After their finish at the Kansas Speedway, McDowell and the team are in a must-win situation to advance to the next round of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.

McDowell comes into Bristol on the concrete surface with 23 previous starts.

His best start is ninth and best finish is 10th in 2020. He finished 11th in this race last season.

CREW CHIEF TRAVIS PETERSON:

“It’s just about getting in the position to win this weekend. We’ve qualified great in the playoffs but haven’t had good races. Saturday night is a long race and we just need to be there at the end and in a position to race for the win.”

DRIVER MICHAEL MCDOWELL:

“It’s a win-and-advance situation for us. Our backs are against the wall, but we still have a lot of fight left in us.”