by Steve Waid
Jamie McMurray’s entry into Nextel Cup racing was the kind of stuff we get all the time from Hollywood – entertaining, but plausible?
McMurray was a Busch Series regular in 2002 and while many figured his career would reach the next level, it happened sooner than expected.
Sterling Marlin, making a strong bid to win the championship for Chip Ganassi Racing, sustained a neck injury in a crash at Kansas that dashed his hopes and put him on the sidelines. Surprisingly, Ganassi selected McMurray to replace Marlin for the final seven races of the season. It’s likely many thought McMurray would be just a “filler” until the end of the year.
I’m not sure McMurray thought so. In only his second start, he wowed everyone with a dramatic victory in the October race at Charlotte, which he earned by holding off Bobby Labonte on the last lap.
That’s Hollywood stuff.
The next year, McMurray won Raybestos Rookie of the Year and finished 13th in points.
Things seemed to progress from there, and McMurray joined Roush Racing in 2006.
No doubt McMurray felt he could achieve good things with Roush. He didn’t last year. He drifted to 25th in points, his worst showing since his rookie year. He finished only three times in the top five and seven in the top 10. There were no pole positions or victories. In fact, his last pole came in 2003, and he hasn’t won since that night in Charlotte nearly five years ago.
But now McMurray and Roush Fenway seem to be clicking. McMurray is seventh in points. He’s got two top-five finishes and five among the top 10 in just nine races. That’s a far cry from 2006.
The next race is at Richmond and is sponsored by Crown Royal, which also backs McMurray.
That might mean some added pressure for McMurray, but he’s confident another top-five finish can be achieved.
But hey, what if he won? Could he? Sure, why not?
He’d win a race named after his sponsor. It’s happened before.
Are you listening, Hollywood?
STILL SHAMELESS: Listen to Steve on The Sporting News Radio’s “The Dave Smith Show” at 3:45 p.m. EDT Wednesdays, “The Tony Bruno Show” at 12:45 p.m. EDT Fridays and “The Inside Track” from 9-10 a.m. Saturdays. Check out http://radio.sportingnews.com.
Jamie McMurray’s entry into Nextel Cup racing was the kind of stuff we get all the time from Hollywood – entertaining, but plausible?
McMurray was a Busch Series regular in 2002 and while many figured his career would reach the next level, it happened sooner than expected.
Sterling Marlin, making a strong bid to win the championship for Chip Ganassi Racing, sustained a neck injury in a crash at Kansas that dashed his hopes and put him on the sidelines. Surprisingly, Ganassi selected McMurray to replace Marlin for the final seven races of the season. It’s likely many thought McMurray would be just a “filler” until the end of the year.
I’m not sure McMurray thought so. In only his second start, he wowed everyone with a dramatic victory in the October race at Charlotte, which he earned by holding off Bobby Labonte on the last lap.
That’s Hollywood stuff.
The next year, McMurray won Raybestos Rookie of the Year and finished 13th in points.
Things seemed to progress from there, and McMurray joined Roush Racing in 2006.
No doubt McMurray felt he could achieve good things with Roush. He didn’t last year. He drifted to 25th in points, his worst showing since his rookie year. He finished only three times in the top five and seven in the top 10. There were no pole positions or victories. In fact, his last pole came in 2003, and he hasn’t won since that night in Charlotte nearly five years ago.
But now McMurray and Roush Fenway seem to be clicking. McMurray is seventh in points. He’s got two top-five finishes and five among the top 10 in just nine races. That’s a far cry from 2006.
The next race is at Richmond and is sponsored by Crown Royal, which also backs McMurray.
That might mean some added pressure for McMurray, but he’s confident another top-five finish can be achieved.
But hey, what if he won? Could he? Sure, why not?
He’d win a race named after his sponsor. It’s happened before.
Are you listening, Hollywood?
STILL SHAMELESS: Listen to Steve on The Sporting News Radio’s “The Dave Smith Show” at 3:45 p.m. EDT Wednesdays, “The Tony Bruno Show” at 12:45 p.m. EDT Fridays and “The Inside Track” from 9-10 a.m. Saturdays. Check out http://radio.sportingnews.com.