McDowell’s Spire Crew Banks $100,000

NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. — Michael McDowell still has work to do to qualify for the NASCAR All-Star Race, but McDowell’s pit crew left North Wilkesboro Speedway on Friday with 100,000 reasons to celebrate.

Despite entering NASCAR All-Star Open qualifying as a heavy underdog, McDowell’s No. 71 Spire Motorsports crew collected a $100,000 bonus for changing four tires in 12.587 seconds to win the NASCAR Pit Crew Challenge presented by Mechanix Wear.

McDowell will start fourth in Sunday’s All-Star Open after Shane van Gisbergen, Carson Hocevar and Noah Gragson topped the No. 71 team’s overall time across three laps and a four-tire pit stop. McDowell has to finish in the top two in the Open to advance to Sunday night’s $1 million NASCAR All-Star Race, but his team stole the spotlight on Friday.

“This is awesome,” said Dax Hollifield, the jackman on the No. 71 crew and a former Virginia Tech football player. “It’s definitely beyond my wildest dreams. We’ve been working hard this year. We’re probably the youngest team on pit road.

“It was just hard work and determination that made the difference. I’ve got no words. I can’t breathe. I blacked out during the stop.”