Denny Hamlin uncertain on 39-yo Michael McDowell's Spire move matching top NASCAR teams' caliber

Michael McDowell's move from Front Row Motorsports to Spire Motorsports in 2025 is surely meant for the best, but Joe Gibbs Racing driver and 23XI Racing team owner Denny Hamlin does not necessarily view it as a step in the right direction. The number 11 wheelman seemed rather doubtful of Spire Motorsports being a more competitive team than Front Row Motorsports.

In an episode of Denny Hamlin's podcast, the 7-time Pocono winner went candid on McDowell's current situation in the Cup Series. Undoubtedly, Spire Motorsports has come a long way since their initial days of trying to sell out charters to keep themselves in the game.

With the purchase of the new $40 million Live Fast charter and the entirety of Kyle Busch Motorsports, Spire Motorsports seems to be all set to launch its stellar season. But Denny Hamlin is not convinced. He said,

"He (McDowell) must view it as the 71 car will be a equal to what he's in. I don't necessarily think that's the case right in this one moment, right now. Now, down the road, I don't know."

According to Hamlin, Michael McDowell might have been appreciative of the work that the team is putting in to become a championship-winning organization over the next few years. However, he feels the switch from Front Row Motorsports might not have been a great idea.

Explaining the same, he said:

"Because you have the Front Row cars...now that have Penske-tier one information," said Denny Hamlin. "Which is the aerodynamics, more likely the setups...things like that...really important information for those teams to get that allows them to be competitive."

Denny Hamlin negates the idea of NASCAR's exhibition race

Three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin would prefer having the NASCAR Cup Series season take off right from the 3.5-mile tri-oval in Daytona, Florida, rather than organizing "The Clash" a week before. In an episode of Actions Detrimental, Hamlin said,

"Can I suggest we don’t run The Clash at all? I mean, to me it’s run its course."

"For the team’s sake... it doesn’t pay anything hardly to go run it. Only better thing for us is we don’t have to travel across the country and it’s better for the scheduling of our team."

For many, "The Clash" at The Coliseum is the unofficial season-opener to get the momentum of a fresh, new NASCAR season kick-started. For others, it helps to buckle up for the fan-favorite Daytona 500. However, for Denny Hamlin, it is a "money loser".

Previously, The Clash used to be held at the Daytona International Speedway itself. However, the race, renamed as the Busch Light Clash, has been held at The Coliseum in Los Angeles since 2002. This year's event was delayed by rain. Even then, that race attracted about 1.551 million viewers on FS1, as reported by Motorsports Wire.