Michael McDowell and co. swap jerseys with Indiana Pacers stars before their big win over Steph Curry’s GSW

Michael McDowell started the year with his new teammates, though outside the racetrack. The driver swapped jerseys with the Indiana Pacers players before the home-court match against Stephen Curry's Golden State Warriors.

McDowell is a 40-year-old NASCAR driver bound for Spire Motorsports. He previously drove for Front Row Motorsports, spending seven Cup Series seasons in the team's No. 34 Ford.

The Arizona native took to Instagram to reshare the jersey swap moments into the NBA game on Friday.

"Awesome night with the @pacers, @gainbridgelife & @spiremotorsport!" Michael McDowell wrote on his IG stories.

Michael McDowell's Instagram story - Source: @mc_driver on IG

McDowell was joined by his Spire Motorsports teammates Carson Hocevar and Justin Haley. They swapped jerseys with Pacers players Ben Sheppard, Jarace Walker, and Johnny Furphy.

The home team defeated the Golden State Warriors 108-96. Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam scored 25 points each to lead the team to its fifth straight win since beating the Miami Heat on January 2.

The Warriors played the Pacers while missing multiple players, including all-stars Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Andrew Wiggins.

The Indiana Pacers (21-18) will be back on the road to face the Cleveland Cavaliers (33-4) on Sunday, January 12.

Meanwhile, McDowell will return to NASCAR in the No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro, replacing Zane Smith.

McDowell concluded his 2024 season with two top five and seven top 10 finishes. Notably, the veteran driver scored six pole positions, including two at Talladega Superspeedway (Geico 500 and YellaWood 500).

Michael McDowell previously drove the No. 34 Ford for Front Row Motorsports - Source: Imagn

His first race with Spire Motorsports will be the Daytona 500 scheduled for February 16.

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Michael McDowell shared why he joined Spire Motorsports in 2025

In May 2024, Michael McDowell shared why he joined Spire Motorsports in the latter stage of his NASCAR career. He argued that the young team has the potential to become a strong contender in the coming years.

In an interview with Racing America, McDowell said:

"I wouldn't be making the move that I'm making if I didn't have confidence that the performance is going to be there and the potential is going to be there to get the performance out of the race car. So, I feel good about that."

The 2021 Daytona 500 winner also underscored the team's support system, saying:

"They're a growing organization and, they have a tremendous amount of people, a lot of great people, and great partners. They have the ownership group and the support of the ownership group to go build. The ceiling is extremely high. There's a great opportunity to build and continue to build for the years to come."

"The proof is on the racetrack. And we all know that this is a performance-driven sport. We're going to be measured on Sundays and the results will measure where we're at," he added.

Michael McDowell won the 2021 Daytona 500 - Source: Imagn

Aside from his driving duties, McDowell should provide a veteran presence to his young teammates, Carson Hocevar and Justin Haley. Hocevar will return to the No. 77 Chevy after winning the 2024 Rookie of the Year award.