Jamie McMurray Wheels Texaco/Havoline Dodge to 10th Place in Richmond
RICHMOND, Va. (May 15, 2005)
--- When the dust settled at the end of the 400-lap race under the lights at Richmond International Raceway, Jamie McMurray was sitting in the 10th position. This was McMurray's fifth top 10 of the season, and his second-best finish at Richmond.
The Texaco/Havoline Dodge started the American Revolution 500 from the inside of row nine in the 17th spot. McMurray quickly began to climb through the field, and was 14th on lap 20 when he radioed that the car was tight in the middle and loose off.
McMurray continued to battle for positions while occasionally going two and three wide on the short track. When the first caution came out on lap 64, McMurray was 15th and reporting that the car was still tight in the middle. Crew chief Donnie Wingo called the Texaco/Havoline Dodge down pit road for four tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment on lap 65.
The No. 42 pit crew picked up two spots in the pits, and the Texaco/Havoline Dodge restarted 13th on lap 68. McMurray started to get in a groove, and was up to 10th when the yellow flag waved again on lap 126. Wingo made the call for another four-tire stop, while the team also added fuel and made an air pressure adjustment. The Texaco/Havoline team gained another two spots, and returned McMurray to the track in eighth.
McMurray continued to report the car was tight, but was able to maintain his position. When the caution came out on lap 165, he dove into the pits for four tires, fuel and a trackbar and air pressure adjustment. The Texaco/Havoline crew had another flawless effort in the pits, and picked up another two spots. McMurray restarted sixth on lap 170.
Passing on the short track of Richmond proved to be difficult, but another pit stop 68 laps later was fruitful for the No. 42 Dodge as McMurray gained two more spots. He jumped into the top five for the first time during the American Revolution 500. McMurray was running fourth when the No. 5 car passed him in turn four and dropped him back to fifth.
McMurray radioed on lap 300 that the car was starting to get loose, as he slipped one more position to sixth. The yellow flag waved on lap 331 and the Texaco/Havoline crew put on four fresh tires, added fuel and made another air pressure adjustment. When racing resumed, McMurray was fifth. He radioed to the crew that they were doing an awesome job getting him track position.
As three more cautions came out over the next 50 laps, McMurray climbed up to fourth. He was sitting in the top five when racing resumed for the final time on lap 393. McMurray was bumped by the No. 5 car in turn two on lap 394 which got him loose. He was able to hang on to the Texaco/Havoline Dodge to take the checkered flag in the 10th position.
"We had a top five car, but we had a little trouble on the last restart," McMurray said. "The crew did a great job in the pits. I think it was all my pit crew tonight. We had a really good car, but we had some unreal pit stops. That got us up front, but it was a little frustrating with the No. 5 car there at the end. He was racing hard, it's just frustrating."
McMurray fell back one spot to ninth in the Chase for the NEXTEL Cup, just 211 points back from leader Jimmie Johnson. Ganassi teammates Marlin and Mears finished 23rd and 28th, respectively.
The Texaco/Havoline team will be at home in Charlotte for the next two weeks. First up is the NEXTEL All-Star Challenge on Saturday night at Lowe's Motor Speedway. McMurray and the No. 42 crew will attempt to qualify for the All-Star Challenge by winning the NEXTEL Open that precedes the race. The NEXTEL Open will air on FX television at 7 p.m. ET.
View the Chevy American Revolution 400
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