Michael McDowell was not pleased with Zane Smith, who he had a run-in with on overtime finish of Sunday’s Go Bowling at The Glen at Watkins Glen while battling for a top-five finishing position. Smith had upset McDowell so much that the driver of the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford Mustang slammed into the side of Smith’s No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet on the cool-down lap.
And after they climbed from their cars, McDowell sought out Smith on pit road, where the two had a heated chat (seen in the second video in the post on X below).
Contact on the race track, words off of it.
An exchange between @Mc_Driver and @ZaneSmith. pic.twitter.com/OvFi1HSHo1
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) September 15, 2024
So, what happened?
Contact on the race track, words off of it.
An exchange between @Mc_Driver and @ZaneSmith. pic.twitter.com/OvFi1HSHo1
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) September 15, 2024
In onboard camera footage shared by NASCAR, Smith aggressively made a move to the inside of McDowell heading into the final Turn on the next-to-last lap of Sunday’s race. The driver made contact with McDowell, which sent McDowell up the hill, and allowed Smith to gain the fifth position.
McDowell would repay the favor in Turn 1 on the following lap, and then coming to the checkered flag, Smith would once again boot McDowell from the fifth position in the final turn of the race.
Smith would charge to his second top-five finish of the season in the Go Bowling at The Glen. McDowell, who was seeking his first-career top-five finish at Watkins Glen, would fade to seventh on the final lap.
After being roughed up for fifth position, McDowell was angry, and in the NASCAR onboard camera footage, is seen blasting into the side of Smith’s car after the race is over.
