NASCAR News: Michael McDowell Reveals Who Successor in No. 71 Car Could Be

NASCAR’s silly season is just a few months away and, while Michael McDowell isn’t one of the biggest names being talked about, the veteran driver does believe he knows who his successor will be.

Speaking to reporters at Watkins Glen, McDowell called Tristan McKee “the real deal” and believes he will be the one who takes over behind the wheel of the No. 71 car for Spire Motorsports when McDowell retires.

Coming into the year, McKee was ranked 14th among the top NASCAR prospects in 2025 by Fox Sports‘ Bob Pockrass. He became the second-youngest ARCA winner in 2025 at Watkins Glen, just two years after he became the youngest driver ever to win in the CARS Tour Pro Late Model division.

Notably, McKee doesn’t turn 16 until August. The Virginia native has already raced in the ARCA Menards Series and the ARCA Menards Series East, but while he’s a rising star in NASCAR, he still needs to prove himself at the Truck Series and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series levels.

Realistically, McKee is at least three years away from having a shot at a full-time ride in the Cup Series and even that timeline would be a stretch.

Examining Michael McDowell’s Future in NASCAR

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McDowell, who turns 42 in December, clearly has no intention of retiring anytime soon. The longtime Cup Series driver intends to remain behind the wheel of the No. 71 for several more seasons, but even that seems unlikely.

Part of the issue for McDowell is the underwhelming results. His last win came at the Verizon 200 at the Brickyard back in 2023. More troublesome for Spire Motorsports, his results are getting worse every year.