Is Michael McDowell NASCAR’s most popular driver? That can’t be true, as Chase Elliott has been reigning supreme in the popularity contest for some time now. If anything, the veteran driver has been navigation his shift from Ford to Chevy camp as he joined Spire Motorsports in 2025. However, for some reason, the veteran driver has emerged as the crowd favorite ahead of the Viva Mexico 250, the first points paying race outside USA since 1958.
Long before the bright lights of the Cup Series, McDowell was tearing up BMX tracks and go-kart circuits, dominating local youth races before transitioning into open-wheel competition, where he won the 2004 Star Mazda championship with 7 victories. After karting and formula cars, he honed his craft in Grand-Am sports cars, even scoring a podium at the 2012 Rolex 24 at Daytona. That same year, he made his NASCAR Cup Series debut, blending patience with precision. His early success wasn’t luck, but it laid the foundation in discipline and grit, essential for the long road through NASCAR’s lower rungs.
Now Michael McDowell knows his way around Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez as he and AJ Allmendinger raced at the circuit in 2005. Participating in the Champ Car World Series, Allmendinger bagged a runner-up finish, whereas McDowell snagged a top 10. Well, fans in Mexico like a good underdog driver and it seems like they’ve found their hero in the Spire Motorsports driver. He was bombarded by the fans ahead of the race in signing autographs, and even the security personnel escorting McDowell were having a hard time dealing with the situation.
Jeff Gluck, who has been on his toe with his coverage of the race this weekend, shared the clips of the moment on X, “Meanwhile in the Blue Zone midway, I was just sent these from @SpireMotorsport. Mob scene for @Mc_Driver!!”
Meanwhile in the Blue Zone midway, I was just sent these from @SpireMotorsport. Mob scene for @Mc_Driver!! pic.twitter.com/rqLTYrVK6k
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) June 15, 2025
Had this been Daniel Suarez, this energy and eagerness by the fans would make sense. But Michael McDowell getting the hero treatment left the NASCAR fans in US, scratching their heads. What followed next was a streak of hilarious comments on social media, as they labeled Michaleto.
Fans flock to NASCAR’s most humble hero
“Mcdowell getting the rockstar treatment! Nascar drivers are like A list celebrities out on the streets there. He might as well be Micheal Jordan walking the street in Chicago,” one fan commented under the post. While the Daytona 500 victory etched him into history and instantly elevated his profile in the Cup garage, it is on international stages like Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez where his versatility truly shines. He is not just a Cup Series driver, but has a competitive pedigree across disciplines, having raced in Champ Car in 2005 and even claiming a Grand-Am sports car in Mexico City in 2006.
While recent European-style circuits are a novelty for many NASCAR drivers, McDowell is a step ahead. His background in road and sports cars shows as he topped the opening practice session in Mexico City. He also acknowledged before practice, “No, I know this place and I’m good here. I’m ready to go.’ So, it’s been an exciting week, and I think we’re all looking forward to it.” It’s a line that speaks not of privilege but earned expertise, and it is why supporters in Mexico embrace him as one of their own.
“I’m so happy to see the love NASCAR as a whole is getting in Mexico. Hopefully they keep this track on the schedule going forward. If last nights XFINITY Series race was anything 2 go by, the Cup race is gonna be a great race. Also happy to see @Mc_Driver get the love he deserves,” wrote another fan. The surge of enthusiasm for NASCAR in Mexico City has been undeniable, with Saturday’s Xfinity Series race not only electrifying the crowd but also feeling like a cultural milestone for the sport. Monterrey-born Daniel Suárez, after crashing during qualifying, reset and stormed from the back to win in front of a rain-soaked, roaring home audience. Thousands of loyal fans braved the elements to cheer him on, embodying the excitement NASCAR has long aimed to cultivate beyond its traditional U.S. base. And now it’s time for McDowell to create his own magic on the track.
While some fans sympathized with Michael McDowell‘s plight of being caught up in a huge mob, others took to lightening the mood with humorous comments. One fan wrote, “What they hell are they doing bro it’s Michael McDowell not the pope.” But the reactions received from the crowd were no less than seeing the Pope. While another supporter hilariously commented, “His new name is Michaleto…” With a new generation of fans coming in, NASCAR is no longer age-restricted. Numerous eyewitness reports and photos show McDowell surrounded by children and families eager for posters, drivers, and memories, with a mob of young admirers just like his own children approaching the friendly NASCAR figure.
Some fans even compared this fandom to the gold old days of NASCAR when fans crowding star drivers was a regular sight. “So awesome. Shades of the 90s-2000s,” another fan adding to this sentiment replied, “mid 2000s popularity vibes ”
This is what NASCAR racing is all about and if these are the early signs, then Sunday’s race is going to electrifying. But, hey now we know, don’t get surprised if you see fans cheering for McDowell.
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