Is Michael McDowell's Son Adopted?

Michael McDowell is an American professional stock car racing driver, who competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series. He drives for the team Front Row Motorsports and drives the No.32 Ford Mustang Dark Horse. McDowell began his career in the early 2000s, initially competing in Formula Renault and Champ, with open-wheel and sports cars. He gained recognition for his performance in both the Cup Series and Xfinity Series. His career highlights include securing his first CupSeries victory at the 2021 Daytona 500, one of the most prestigious races in NASCAR.

Is Michael McDowell's son adopted?

Yes, Michael has an adopted son named Lucas. In 2016, while Michael McDowell was at the Richard Childress Racing shop preparing for the Xfinity Series, his wife traveled to China to adopt a child. Jami returned with a boy named Lucas, making him a new member of the McDowell family. The adoption was publicly announced in 2016. Lucas was adopted after being found abandoned on the street at just five days old, due to having cleft hands and feet.

According to NASCAR, when Michael was questioned about the adoption in 2016, he said:

“I wish I could be there,” Michael McDowell said. “I have obligations here and need to make sure I can provide for my family, too.”

“We were going to have one and then we were going to adopt one. We felt like with our lifestyle and travel and everything, two is manageable. But God had other plans, and while we were waiting we had two more, so now we’ll be at four. And four is not manageable on the road and all those things. But at the same time, I’m very thankful to be in this sport and have the opportunities that I have."

“My wife does a great job of caring for our children when I’m out racing around, and I work really hard to be there and be available during the week when I’m not at the shop and not taking care of my (racing) obligations."

“It’s not going to be easy; it’s going to be a challenge. We knew that and were aware of that, but at the same time, it’s going to be worth it.”

“Our son Lucas, he’s 3 now, but he was left in the street at five days old because he has cleft hands and feet. Something here that would be very small, something that … you can operate and help them be able to walk and grab and do all the things that your other kids can do. But over there, it’s ‘Well, he’s not perfect. There’s something wrong with him."

“We’re really thankful that we have the opportunity to do it and be a part of his life and him be a part of our lives. It’s going to be great for our kids. A crazy, cool opportunity.”

Michael McDowell's Children

Before adopting Lucas, Michael and Jami McDowell had three biological children. They are namely Trace, Emma, and Rylie. Their family grew when they welcomed a new daughter, Isabella Grace in February 2023, making a total number of five children. Michael and Jami Mcdowell's journey through adoption, highlights their commitment to expanding their family and their advocacy for adoption from disadvantaged communities. Michael has publicly shared his perspective on adoption and its impact on the global issues. In an interview with NASCAR, Michael said "There are over 200 million orphans in the world. You can’t save them all, you can’t fix everything. But we have a great home that we can save one."