Michael McDowell, a 16-year NASCAR Cup Series veteran driver, doesn't just dream of crossing the finish line on the racetrack, but aspires to cross the finish line on his way to heaven.
In a recent podcast episode of the Thinking Christian podcast hosted by Dr. James Spencer, McDowell opens up about his faith journey and the obstacles he's faced along the way.
"Almost 20 years ago, I went into my faith journey with a lot of questions. And I've never been somebody that takes anything at face value. I'm a skeptic at heart, so it caused me to really dive in and try to understand and to challenge a lot of people that were around me."
When McDowell was in his late teens, he coached two young men who inspired him to re-think his purpose and consider exploring the faith. Prior to the encounter, he'd attended a handful of funerals and weddings but never got the chance to be in youth groups, Christian camps, or VBS programs.
He ended up attending a church service with his wife in Arizona that changed his perspective.
"The pastor was talking about how God's grace is a free gift and that you can't earn it, you can't work for it, and you can't purchase it. Growing up in racing, I've equated everything to hard work. And if you don't have a fast car, you buy better parts, like, you work for it, you can purchase it, you can make it better. And so that was a fairly foreign concept to me," McDowell said. "Out of all the stuff that I heard that day, what he said about the fresh start and the clean slate is what really hit home for me."
Throughout his career, McDowell has experienced several highs and lows but recognizes that everything happens for a reason.
"God doesn't allow us to go through difficult things because he's mad, because he's frustrated, or because we missed the mark. It's because he wants to train us and mold us into His likeness."
McDowell won the 2021 Daytona 500 and 2023 Brickyard 200. He will continue to race next season with a NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Rank of #15.
Hear McDowell's full testimony and the #1 challenge he's faced in his career:
Photo Courtesy: Zach Catanzareti Photo