NASCAR: 10 drivers who deserve better rides in the Cup Series

DAYTONA BEACH, FL - JULY 01: David Ragan, driver of the #38 Shriners Hospital for Chldrn 95th Annvrsry Ford, and Ty Dillon, driver of the #13 GEICO Military Chevrolet, lead the field to a restart during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 59th Annual Coke Zero 400 Powered By Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway on July 1, 2017 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Sarah Crabill/Getty Images)
DAYTONA BEACH, FL - JULY 01: David Ragan, driver of the #38 Shriners Hospital for Chldrn 95th Annvrsry Ford, and Ty Dillon, driver of the #13 GEICO Military Chevrolet, lead the field to a restart during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 59th Annual Coke Zero 400 Powered By Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway on July 1, 2017 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Sarah Crabill/Getty Images) /
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BRISTOL, TN – AUGUST 18: Michael McDowell, driver of the #95 Wipes.com Chevrolet (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
BRISTOL, TN – AUGUST 18: Michael McDowell, driver of the #95 Wipes.com Chevrolet (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) /

#7 – Michael McDowell, Leavine Family Racing, No. 95 Chevrolet

Michael McDowell, 32, like many of the other drivers already mentioned in this article, has driven for team after team after team in his NASCAR Cup Series career. In his nine previous seasons in the sport, he has never driven a full season, although that appears as though it will change this season, as he hasn’t missed any of the 24 races already contested in 2017.

In 2008, McDowell drove and finished a bunch of races for Michael Waltrip Racing before driving for Prism Motorsports and Tommy Baldwin Racing the following season and failing to finish a single race in eight attempts. In 2010, he also drove for Prism Motorsports in addition to Whitney Motorsports, and he only finished one of the 24 races he contested that season.

In 2011, McDowell finished just two of the 31 races he drove for HP Racing, but he did finish the one race he drove in relief of Kyle Busch at Joe Gibbs Racing. The following season, he drove for Phil Parsons Racing and finished just five of the 30 races he contested.

The story of not finishing races continued for McDowell in 2013 when he drove for Phil Parsons Racing, Front Row Motorsports and Phoenix Racing, and he finished just seven of the 33 races he contested. However, he did secure his first career top 10 finish with a 9th place finish at the Daytona 500 driving for Phil Parsons Racing.

Finally in 2014, McDowell got himself a ride with the team he still drives for today, and that team is Leavine Family Racing, where he has not had any real issues finishing races on a regular basis. He recently recorded his career-high Cup Series finish driving for this team at Daytona with a 4th place effort.

McDowell has four other top 10 finishes in his 237 career Cup Series races, three of which coming since he began driving for his current team. However, the only top 10 finish that he has had this season is that 4th place finish at Daytona.

Also, so far this season, no driver has completed more laps and more miles than McDowell has. Now that he has a car that he can actually finish races with, he hasn’t been a bad driver at all. Now imagine what would happen if he actually drove for a top-tier organization in a faster and even more consistent car.