McMurray Takes Checkered Flag in Second at Daytona
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 2, 2005)
--- Restrictor-plate races are notorious for big wrecks that take out multiple competitors. The Pepsi 400 at Daytona International Speedway was no exception, but luckily Jamie McMurray was able to miss all of the accidents en route to an impressive second-place run at the "World Headquarters of Racing."
The 160-lap event was delayed for a few hours due to heavy rain showers that hit the area just before the command to start the engines. After lengthy track drying efforts, the race was officially started under green/yellow conditions, meaning the field was at a reduced pace to help complete the drying. After 11 laps the field was unleashed and the 43-car field stormed into action.
McMurray took the initial green flag in 33rd, but it only took him to lap 28 to draft his way into the top 10. He would go on to maintain position in the lead group of cars until taking the first of eight caution flags on lap 35.
"This thing is awesome Donnie!" McMurray exclaimed to crew chief Donnie Wingo. "It's a little loose when I'm by myself and it gets tight in the draft, but the balance is pretty good. Let's not change a thing."
Rarely does a team make it through a race without adjusting on the car, but so was the case for the Home123/Texaco/Havoline Team at Daytona. They prepared a perfect race car for McMurray and the end result showed it.
McMurray brought the No. 42 Home123 Dodge onto pit road running in 15th, and after a lightening fast stop by the over-the-wall crew he returned to competition in 12th.
Racing resumed on lap 41 and soon after the restart McMurray told his spotter, Lorin Ranier, that the middle lane was where he need to position himself. That area of the corners was where the No. 42 Dodge was its best and when McMurray could run there he was incredibly fast. He found the groove and cruised up to fourth before taking the second caution on lap 64.
"Don't change a thing," said McMurray. "This car is really fast. I think it's better than our Talladega car," he continued, referring to the car he finished fifth with earlier in the season.
After another quick stop by the Home123 crew, McMurray lined up third in the running order for the next green flag on lap 67.
The next segment of the race saw much of the same for the No. 42 team, with McMurray trading positions in the top 10. At times he would get shuffled out of the draft and fall back, but he had no problem racing right back up towards the front.
The No. 42 team took the opportunity to pit again during the fifth caution on lap 102. McMurray entered the pits in fifth and after a solid four tire and fuel stop with no adjustments, he returned to the track in eighth only because a few competitors were on a different pit sequence and chose not to service their cars.
Racing resumed on lap 106 and by lap 111 McMurray was locked into third. Things began to get a little hairy as the race drew to a close and after a long green flag run McMurray radioed in that his car was all over the place, probably a result of the tires beginning to wear out. He held a pretty wheel, however, until pitting during the seventh caution on lap 139 for what would be his final stop of the day.
Fans witnessed an impressive piece of driving by McMurray during the final stretch of the race. He took the green flag on lap 143 in ninth and shortly thereafter he made a four wide move, pushing eventual winner Tony Stewart into first and pulling himself into the runner up position.
"I want to jump out of line and try him on the outside, but the bottom line is where you have to be," said McMurray in the closing laps. "I'm just going to protect this lane."
And, that is what he did on his way to a solid second-place effort and a huge day in the overall point standings.
"I'm so proud of the effort tonight of the Home123/Texaco/Havoline Team," said McMurray after emerging from his race car. "They built me a great race car and we didn't have to change a thing all night. They also kept me in contention with awesome pit stops. I just want to thank everyone here at that track and the guys back at the shop."
"My car was hooked up in the middle groove and that's where I was able to make most of my passes. I wanted to try to make a run on (Tony) Stewart, but he was just too good. I figured that if I pulled out of line no one would go with me and I would get shuffled back. The only thing I could do was protect the bottom and finish second. I was a great day for us and I'm happy to finally get a good finish at Daytona."
The No. 42 Home123/Texaco/Havoline Team moved up three positions to seventh in the overall standings, which is a career high for McMurray. They are 80 points out of fifth and 285 out of first heading into the next event at Chicagoland Speedway on July 10. McMurray's Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates teammates Sterling Marlin and Casey Mears finished 22nd and 43rd respectively.
View the Pepsi 400
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