McMurray Scores Top-15 Finish in Chicagoland
JOILET, Ill., (July 11, 2004)
--- Overcoming obstacles was the name of the game for Jamie McMurray and the Texaco/Havoline team during the running of yesterday's Tropicana 400 at Chicagoland Speedway. McMurray would wind up finishing in the 13th position. McMurray maintains 13th in NASCAR NEXTEL Cup points and is 105 points out of the NASCAR Top 10.
"We just couldn't get everything going in the same direction today," McMurray said. "Our Texaco/Havoline Dodge was good at times during the race, and then we got caught behind, and then at the end of the race, we were running really good again. It was just one of those days."
After qualifying 14th, McMurray quickly began his march through the field and was running sixth by lap 25.
As the caution flag waved on lap 39 for debris, McMurray was the lucky driver to find the debris on the track as the Texaco/Havoline Dodge had a piece of metal wedged in the front grill. McMurray was forced to pit on lap 41 for the crew to access the damage. Fortunately the piece of debris was removed from the grill and McMurray was able to return to competition.
After restarting 35th, McMurray began to quietly work his way through the field as the Texaco/Havoline Dodge was running 15th by lap 125.
During a caution period on lap 208, McMurray headed for pit road and was serviced with four tires and fuel. He exited pit road in 11th place.
When the caution flag waved again on lap 244, the Texaco/Havoline team elected to stay out for track position. That move would prove costly as on the restart, McMurray began to fight the handling on his machine. When the caution flag waved a few laps later on lap 254, McMurray headed for pit road for four new tires. He restarted the race in the 22nd position.
McMurray made his charge in the closing laps of the race as he rocketed back up through the field. When the checkered flag waved, the Texaco/Havoline Dodge crossed the finish line in 13th place.
The Texaco/Havoline team has a weekend off before returning to competition on July 25 at New Hampshire International Speedway in Loudon, N.H.
View the Tropicana 400
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