As a full-time NASCAR Cup Series driver, it would be easy for Michael McDowell to focus solely on his career while pushing everything else to the side. After all, winning is all that matters, isn't it?
That isn't the case for the Arizona native. He makes it very clear to his wife and five children that when he is with them, they are the priority.
"My thing is always this, just be present wherever you're at," McDowell told AltDriver during a sitdown at Daytona International Speedway. "And so, like when I'm at the track and I'm here, I'm engaged in the moment.
"And then when I'm home, I try to be engaged in that moment too. Not trying to be at two places at once."
This is our guy. He is our #1. He’s the most selfless, loving, sacrificial person I know. Being a dad is by far my favorite thing to watch him do. Thank you, @Mc_Driver , for loving and leading us so well. I love you. pic.twitter.com/Lq9SR3k8M8
— Jami McDowell (@McDzFamily) June 15, 2025
The life of a NASCAR driver is a balancing act. The weekly schedule includes competition meetings, simulator sessions, film study, sponsor engagements, and media sessions. And that's before they have to go to the track for practice, qualifying, and the race.
So how do drivers pull it off without ignoring their loved ones?
"When I go to the motorhome, I'm engaged with them and I'm playing and doing all the things, but that's not what we're here to do," McDowell said. "And they know that. But when I'm home, it's the other way too. Like when I'm home, I'm not there to do interviews.
"And so when JP (Payne, Spire Motorsports account manager) calls me and says, 'Hey, I got a Sirius (interview) at 5:30,' No, you don't. Because I'm home at 5:30.
"And so not that that's a non-negotiable. If we're announcing a partner or something big is happening, yeah, I will do one or two (interviews). But I just try to put some parameters up of like when I'm home, I want to be home. And when I'm at work, I want to be at work."
McDowell's life has significantly changed as he has grown older and learned to better adapt to the changing situations. He and wife Jami married in 2004. They welcomed their first child, Trace, in 2009.
The family has expanded with the births of Emma, Rylie, and Isabella Grace, as well as the adoption of Lucas. This has certainly affected the McDowell schedule, as has the move from part-time racing to full-time roles with Front Row Motorsports and then Spire Motorsports.
No longer is McDowell sharing a car with another driver, nor is he doing simulator work for larger Cup Series organizations. No longer is he competing in IndyCar or sports cars.
He is a two-time Cup Series winner trying to get Spire Motorsports back to victory lane. He is trying to build the organization into a consistent contender, which takes up far more of his weekly schedule.
"When we started having kids, I didn't have a lot of commitments," McDowell said. "And I didn't have a lot of sponsor commitments. We were 'start and parking' mostly. And we were doing our own travel, driving to the racetrack.
"So there wasn't a lot of commitments. So we made the most of that time and enjoyed that time. ...But then as things progressed, that routine changed."
McDowell and his family have learned how grueling the NASCAR schedule can be, and they have had to make hard choices over the years. He has had to look at certain situations through the lens of "is this family engagement more important than this other responsibility?"
McDowell has tried to build his schedule in a way that conflicts don't emerge. He's tried to build gaps in so he can attend that first volleyball game and still make it to a mandatory event on the NASCAR side.
Part of this scheduling process has included putting in a home gym and a sauna.
Instead of having to drive 30 minutes one way for workouts, dry needling, or chiropractic work, he can just walk to a different area of the house. This reduces the amount of time he has to spend away from his family, and it includes the added benefit of keeping him accountable.
"Just the recovery side of it, being that it's convenient, it forces me to do it," McDowell said during a follow-up conversation at Darlington Raceway. "You know what I mean? Like there's no excuse if I'm sore and I'm feeling it why I shouldn't be in the sauna or be in the ice bath or doing those things. So that part is really convenient.
'Even late when you get home from a race and it's late and adrenaline's still maxed out, right, and it's 2 a.m. and you're like, 'OK, I'm not going to be able to sleep. It's 2 a.m.' Just getting in that sauna for 20, 30 minutes, you're like, 'Yep, I'm ready to go to bed.'"
This doesn't always work out as planned, but McDowell says that his family gives him grace. Jami and their older children have been around for the lean years, and they have seen how the situation has changed as McDowell has won the Daytona 500 and become a veteran in the sport.
Photo credit: Getty Images
They have experienced tough times and fun times alike, and they have seen the dedication that makes it possible for them to explore new areas.
The family knows that they aren't going to Daytona to go to the beach. This is a work trip, first and foremost. They accept that reality. But when the family has some down time, they take full advantage.
Sometimes, they take trips where they can just have fun without worrying about shaving off a tenth of a second. More often than not, they actually stay at home and just enjoy their time together. It's a rare treat.
"We don't like to go out a lot when we're home because we just feel like we're always running and gunning," McDowell said. "So we play board games. We play card games. I think that's probably what we do the most when we have, like, downtime.
"Or even this week, we played card games together. Just, like, something that isn't going to take forever and you can commit to it for a little bit."
If the family has more time available, they will play the popular strategy game, Catan. If they have less time, they will play familiar card games such Five Crowns or Golf. Although opportunity always exists for a new game to enter the rotation.
"This week -- I don't know where the kids got it. My wife must have got it for them -- but we got Uno something," McDowell said. "I don't even know what it is. It's wild. Like at times, you're drawing 15 cards at a time."
These card game sessions are precious moments that McDowell will forever cherish, but they will become more difficult to schedule as his racing career continues and as his children grow older. Athletic endeavors, school, and jobs will cause disruptions.
All the veteran racer can do is just continue to prioritize his family and be present when he is around them.