Love's Travel Stops | The MotorSportsNews.Net(work)

Todd Gilliland to Carry on Love’s Travel Stop Livery Into 2025 and Beyond

by MikeNovember 19, 2024

Steps into No. 34 Ford Mustang Dark Horse

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (November 19, 2024) – Todd Gilliland will enter the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season with new, yet familiar colors. Gilliland will pilot the No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Front Row Motorsports (FRM). Todd will follow in his father, David’s, footsteps in representing the Love’s colors at FRM. (more…)

Love’s Travel Stops Returns with McDowell in Miami

by MikeOctober 18, 2022

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (October 18, 2022) – Michael McDowell is amid a career-best season and he and his Love’s Travel Stops team is now ready to finish strong in the final three races of the season. Next up McDowell and the No. 34 team head to the fast, banked, mile-and-a-half Homestead-Miami Speedway. McDowell has 12 previous starts at the track- with a best finish of sixth in 2021. (more…)

Homecoming Weekend for Daytona 500 Champion. Alfredo Talks About Early Season Expectations

by MikeMarch 10, 2021

You can’t find a better jewel in the desert than the Phoenix Raceway. The 1 mile, tri-oval shaped track is always a popular visit on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule. Phoenix Raceway hosts two events- this weekend and the season finale in November. The track recently went through major renovations making it one of the premier facilities on the circuit.

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McDowell Starts NASCAR Cup Series Season with Back-to-Back-to-Back Top-10 Finishes and Alfredo Scores Another Top-25 in South Florida

by MikeMarch 1, 2021

For the third consecutive weekend, Front Row Motorsports (FRM) headed south from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters to the Sunshine State. Sunday, the NASCAR Cup Series competed at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series was off.

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Michael McDowell Earns New Personal Best Finish at Bristol

by MikeJune 1, 2020

Track: Bristol Motor Speedway, 0.5 Mile Oval

Race: 9 of 38

Event: Supermarket Heroes 500 (266.5 miles, 500 laps)

Michael McDowell

No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang

Started: 25th

Finished: 14th

Stage One: 24th
Stage Two: 20th
Stage Three: 14th

Michael McDowell took the green flag in Sunday’s “Supermarket Heroes 500” at Bristol Motor Speedway from the 25th position. To start the race, McDowell mentioned that his No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang fired off, “a little free overall” and then noted on lap 23 that the track was finally beginning to take rubber. McDowell would go on to finish Stage 1 in the 24th position. Under the Stage 1 caution, Crew Chief Drew Blickensderfer made the call for 4 tires and fuel.

During Stage 2, the No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang began to tighten up as McDowell radioed to the team to say, “I’m tight in dirty air, which is weird here at Bristol.” Under a mid-stage caution, McDowell brought his Love’s Travel Stops Ford to pit road for 4 tires, fuel, a wedge adjustment and pulled left-rear spring rubber. To end Stage 2, McDowell noted that his race car was a lot better, finishing in the 20th position. During the Stage 2 caution, he pitted for 4 tires and fuel.

During the final stage of Sunday’s “Supermarket Heroes 500,” Michael McDowell and his No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang made their way inside of the top 15 and then top 10 before unfortunately being collected in a late-race collision. Thankfully, the No. 34 team was able to make the necessary repairs on pit road to keep their race car competitive. Ultimately, good strategy calls all day long by Blickensderfer and a late-race charge by McDowell would bring the No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang home 14th, earning McDowell a new personal best finishing position at Bristol Motor Speedway.

McDowell on Bristol:

“We had a great run going today at Bristol. My Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang was pretty close to the top 10, but unfortunately got involved in a mid-race collision and had some damage. Thankfully, Drew and my guys on pit road did a great job of making repairs and we recovered alright to get a few spots back at the end and finish 14th. Overall, Bristol has always been a tough track for us, so to be competitive and run up front made it a solid day.”

Michael McDowell Post Race Report: Charlotte

by MikeMay 25, 2020

Track: Charlotte Motor Speedway, 1.5 Mile Oval

Race: 7 of 38

Event: Coca-Cola 600 (600 miles, 400 laps)

Michael McDowell

No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang

Started: 27th

Finished: 19th

Stage One: 29th
Stage Two: 24th
Stage Three: 21st
Stage Four: 19th

With the name of Sergeant First Class John Jarrell printed on his No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang, Michael McDowell took the green flag in Sunday’s Coca Cola 600 from the 27th position. McDowell noted early in Stage 1 that the bumps in Turns 3 and 4 were playing a factor in his race and would take the green-white checkered flag from the 29th position. Under the stage 1 caution, Crew Chief Drew Blickensderfer called for 4 tires, fuel, pulled packer and a trackbar adjustment.

Taking the green flag in Stage 2, McDowell mentioned that the calls on pit road definitely helped his No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang as he ran comfortably inside of the top 25 throughout the stage and would go on to finish Stage 2 in 24th. Under the Stage 2 caution, McDowell came to pit road for 4 tires, fuel and added grille tape.

Throughout Stage 3, the No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops team did a good job of steadily making improvements to their Ford Mustang as McDowell knocked on the door of the top 20 all stage long, finishing Stage 3 in the 21st position. During the stage, McDowell noted that his car was on the tight side to begin, however became more free as he raced. Under the Stage 3 caution, the No. 34 Love’s Travel Stop Ford Mustang pitted for 4 tires, fuel and a trackbar adjustment.

In the final stage of the Coca Cola 600, Michael McDowell and his No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops team picked up right where they left off in Stage 3 by running in the 21st position for a majority of the final stage. With 2 laps remaining in the race, the caution flag flew making McDowell the Lucky Dog, which put him back on the lead lap for the overtime restart and would go on to take the checkered flag in the 19th position.

McDowell on Charlotte:

“Our No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang had a tough time getting over the bumps in Turns 3 and 4 to start today’s Coca-Cola 600, but Drew and my guys on pit road did a good job of making adjustments all race long to get us more competitive. Thankfully, we caught a lucky caution with 2 laps to go and were able to get back on the lead lap. It was great to have Love’s Travel Stops back on board with us and I’m proud to have been able to represent Sergeant First Class John Jarrell on my car. We’ll regroup at the shop tomorrow and look ahead to coming back even stronger at Charlotte on Wednesday.”

Michael McDowell Salutes Fallen Hero at Charlotte Motor Speedway

by MikeMay 21, 2020May 21, 2020

No. 34 Team to Run Patriotic Paint Scheme During the Coca-Cola 600

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (May 21, 2020) – The No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang driven by Michael McDowell will carry special meaning this Memorial Day Weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. McDowell will honor a fallen service member as part of the NASCAR Salutes 600 Miles of Remembrance program. The decal across the top of his Front Row Motorsports entry will display the name of Sergeant First Class (SFC) John Jarrell.

SFC John Jarrell was a member of the United States Army 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) based in Fort Campbell, Ky. Jarrell made the ultimate sacrifice for our country on July 15, 2010 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.

McDowell will race for the second year in a row with a camouflage paint scheme designed internally by the Love’s marketing team honoring the 32-year old Jarrell and his family for the race on May 24, featuring a nod to the Special Forces Charitable Trust, which serves past and present U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers and their families through direct service programs such as scholarships, veteran assistance, transition programs and family support services.

“The 600 Miles of Remembrance initiative is so important to all of us in NASCAR,” said McDowell. “Especially at a time like this with so much uncertainty in the world, we have a duty to come together to acknowledge and salute the people making sacrifices and risking their lives every day to keep up safe. The men and women who serve our country have my utmost respect and I will never be able to thank them for their selflessness, but I am proud to drive in memory of Sergeant First Class Jarrell this weekend.”

The No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops patriotic paint scheme will take to the track on Sunday, May 24 for the “Coca-Cola 600” NASCAR Cup Series Race at 6:00 p.m. ET on FOX.

About Love’s Travel Stops

Love’s Travel Stops is the nation’s industry-leading travel stop network with more than 510 locations in 41 states. Founded in 1964 and headquartered in Oklahoma City, the company remains family-owned and operated and employs more than 26,000 people. Love’s provides professional truck drivers and motorists with 24-hour access to clean and safe places to purchase gasoline, diesel fuel, fresh coffee, restaurant offerings and more. Love’s has more than 380 truck service centers, which include on-site and stand-alone Speedco and Love’s Truck Care locations. Love’s and Speedco combined is the largest oil change, preventive maintenance and total truck care nationwide network. Love’s is committed to providing customers with “Clean Places, Friendly Faces” at every stop. To learn more, visit loves.com.

About Front Row Motorsports

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup Series. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields two full-time entries – the No. 34 of Michael McDowell and the No. 38 of John Hunter Nemechek – from its Mooresville, N.C., headquarters just outside of Charlotte. In 2020, the team announced an expansion to include the No. 38 Ford F-150 in the NASCAR Gander RV and Outdoors Truck Series, driven by Todd Gilliland. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports

Michael McDowell Race Preview: Virtual Texas Motor Speedway

by MikeMarch 26, 2020

MCDOWELL ON VIRTUAL TEXAS:

“I was really glad to hear the news this week that NASCAR, iRacing and FOX Sports have agreed to partner up once again to broadcast the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race on FS1. Texas Motor Speedway has always been a track that I enjoy racing at in real life, so I am excited to see what it will be like from a virtual perspective.

“Now that drivers have had some time to get comfortable with making the switch from racing in person to racing in a virtual realm, I can imagine that we will see a lot of hard racing this weekend that is hopefully entertaining for the fans tuning in. My Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang is ready to go and I’m excited to be back racing for the second consecutive Sunday.

“I would also like to thank all of the guys at the shop for working so hard this week to build me a custom simulator to race on. With the overwhelming responses from drivers that are eager to be part of the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series, most of the simulators in and around the Charlotte, N.C. area have been either rented out or purchased, leaving me with limited options to be able to compete in the series. Thankfully, my guys were able to put one together for me, so hopefully I can make them proud this weekend.”