Roush voices disappointment with McMurray's productivity

[kelloggs5TLfan]

http://www.thatsracin.com/topstories/story/16780.html

JIM UTTER
The Charlotte Observer

INDIANAPOLIS - Team owner Jack Roush expressed disappointment Friday that driver Jamie McMurray has not been as productive as the other four drivers in Roush Fenway's Sprint Cup series stable.

When talking at Indianapolis Motor Speedway about manufacturer involvement and money used to lure drivers, Roush appeared to slight McMurray in his answer to a question.

"With the line I've drawn across the sand, nobody is going to take Carl Edwards from me, nobody is going to take Matt Kenseth from me, nobody is going to take David Ragan from me, nobody's going to take Greg Biffle from me," Roush said.

Asked later about McMurray, left out in his discussion, Roush seemed down on the driver.

"Jamie is important to me," Roush said. "But today Jamie is not the driver that's been productive to the extent the other four are. I look forward, certainly I expected and expect great things from Jamie, but the productivity has not been there at this point."

The Charlotte Observer and ThatsRacin.com reported in June that McMurray would not return to Roush Fenway Racing in 2008 driving the No. 26 Ford. McMurray subsequently denied the story, but the original sources for the report have continued to maintain its accurracy.

In 2½ seasons with Roush, McMurray has one win, six top-five and 19 top-10 finishes in 91 starts. He has failed to qualify for the Chase for the Sprint Cup in his first two seasons with the team and is 22nd in points this season.

Roush must move from five teams to four by the end of the 2010 season to comply with NASCAR's four-team limit rule.

Roush said he did not know yet which of his teams would leave or possibly move to Yates Racing, with which Roush Fenway has a technical alliance.

"It really has more to do with the sponsor relationship than the driver, but one of the reasons I fostered the relationship I got with (Yates owners) Max (Jones) and with Doug (Yates) is to be able to have a place to put a sponsor," Roush said.

"We do help them sell their sponsorships, we do help them with their marketing programs, we do all the engineering, we do build all the cars, so it's a closely affiliated relationship that maintains the covenants, the barriers that NASCAR wants to put up for competitive considerations."

 

[Bucky Badger]

It took you how long to see this?

 

[MRM]

Read between the lines - McMurray is a goner.

 

[Go Panthers]

the 4 car rule is being put in place because of roush....and course he's going to find a way around it.

and when he doesnt get his way, he'll whine about it.

boooooo

 

[MRM]

the 4 car rule is being put in place because of roush....and course he's going to find a way around it.

and when he doesnt get his way, he'll whine about it.

boooooo

You'll suddenly see Yates add more cars and suddenly get sponsors.

 

[Clutch]

Read between the lines - McMurray is a goner.

I'm sure that he will see out 2009 with Roush (that is when his contract ends)

only other possibility is a move to Yates in a Yates/Roush deal.

Do you think Roush can find a good driver to sign for just one year before he has to cut back one team.......doesnt make sense to rop up the current contract

 

[carsntunes]

It's Roush's fault anyway. Everytime they put the number 26 on a car, it goes backwards and kills the driver's career. Just ask Johnny Benson.