Who is NASCAR's Drew Blickensderfer?

Drew Blickensderfer, also fondly known as "Blick," is the crew chief for NASCAR 2021 Daytona 500 winner Michael McDowell.

The Decatur, Ill., native joined Front Row Motorsports in 2019 as he wanted to be a part of the rebuilding process of the team with team owner Bob Jenkins and driver McDowell.

Starting in 2009, Drew Blickensderfer was the crew chief for Roush Fenway Racing's Matt Kenseth. He guided Kenseth to wins in the first two races of the year, including the season-opening Daytona 500.

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Blickensderfer, however, struggled on the track for the decade that followed. He could only muster a single win as crew chief for driver David Ragan in the July 2011 race at Daytona International Speedway during that period.

During that period he also made moves to Richard Childress Racing and Richard Petty Motorsports before finally settling down with FRM.

Cut to 2021 and Drew Blickensderfer reached victory lane in the Great American Race again, making it his fourth Cup Series victory as a crew chief.

And now the #Daytona500 winning championship jackets! @Mc_Driver & Drew Blickensderfer put their 🧥 on, continuing to celebrate their victory. 🏁 pic.twitter.com/bLwCxZdN7I

— Frontstretch (@Frontstretch) February 15, 2021

Speaking about his second Daytona 500 victory, an emotional Blickensderfer said, "It's something that I don't take for granted anymore."

"Personally, my eyes are red ... not because I had champagne in them, but I was tearing up out there. That's how special this is and what it means to me."

How is Drew Blickensderfer preparing for Daytona Road Course?

When you are crew chief for a driver who has more than 300 races without a win, do you get a defeated feeling that it won’t happen? Drew Blickensderfer said he didn’t have that attitude working with Michael McDowell: pic.twitter.com/h53zRnceq0

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) February 15, 2021

Drew Blickensderfer will be looking to win the first two races of the season for the second time in his crew chief career.

Drew Blickensderfer has already made it to victory lane at the World Center of Racing three times already.

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"I love coming to Daytona, whether it's the fourth of July or the second race of the season, or it's the first race of the season, coming to Daytona is a super-exciting time for me. I love the aspect of racing. The last few years have been my chances to win races as a crew chief, so that's helped me embrace some of the love to come down here," Drew Blickensderfer said in a conversation with Speed Sport.

But Drew Blickensderfer doesn't want to think too far ahead and take it one race at a time. He also believes that the Daytona Road Course race won't be an easy race by any means.

The second race of the NASCAR 2021 season was shifted to Daytona Road Course at DIS after the Auto Club weekend was canceled due to COVID-19. The race at Homestead-Miami Speedway (initially the second race on the schedule) will host the third race instead.

Drew Blickensderfer was also seen doing commentary with Joey Logano for the Xfinity Series race ahead of his big one.

A friendly rivalry in the booth is one of our favorite things.@joeylogano | @drewblick pic.twitter.com/ZvZQ1XLLsj

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 20, 2021