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Michael McDowell, Anthony Alfredo Driving for FRM in 2021, David Ragan Racing Daytona

Michael McDowell will remain with Front Row Motorsports in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2021, while Anthony Alfredo moves to the team to compete for Rookie of the Year honors, the team announced Jan. 6.

McDowell returns to the No. 34, while Alfredo will drive the No. 38 vacated by John Hunter Nemechek.

2021 will mark Alfredo’s first full-time season in the NASCAR national series, having driven a part-time season in the Camping World Truck Series in 2019, followed by a part-time run in the Xfinity Series last year.

“This is really an unbelievable moment,” Alfredo said in a team release. “When you start out racing karts as a kid, you dream of making it to the sport’s top level. I want to thank Bob Jenkins and everyone at Front Row Motorsports for making this dream a reality. I know the challenges ahead, but I’m here to work hard and prove myself.”

In 2020, McDowell scored his best points placement and average finish in Cup, finishing 23rd in points with a 20.9 average finish, earning a career-high four top 10s.

In 19 starts with Richard Childress Racing in Xfinity, Alfredo had two top fives and nine top 10s.

Additionally, the team announced that David Ragan will again drive a third FRM car in the Daytona 500 after also doing so in 2020. He’ll drive the No. 36, which last year was partnered with Rick Ware Racing in one of its chartered cars. The release didn’t specify if the No. 36 would again have a charter for the race.

Alfredo joins Chase Briscoe as rookie competitors in the series announced thus far in 2021.

About the author

Rutherford is the managing editor of Frontstretch, a position he gained in 2015 after serving on the editing staff for two years. At his day job, he's a journalist covering music and rock charts at Billboard. He lives in New York City, but his heart is in Ohio -- you know, like that Hawthorne Heights song.

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Charlie

This is a good thing, just need to be a bit patient with Alfrado.

Tom

I would like to see McDowell in better equipment, he can’t show his potential but I think he does well with what he has to drive, frm seems to be improving too. Here’s hoping for a fun exciting year!

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