Cut Tire Deflates McMurray's Impressive Charge from the Rear at Bristol
BRISTOL, Tenn. (Aug. 27, 2005)
--- Jamie McMurray and the Texaco/Havoline Team started the Sharpie 500 with a huge disadvantage. They were forced to forfeit their 18th-place qualifying effort and take the initial green flag at the rear of the field, and practically a half a lap down, because of a transmission change prior to the command to start the engines.
Although McMurray went a lap down to the leaders during the first 100 laps of the event, he and the team were able to rally back and race up to as high as ninth place as the 500-lap event drew to a close. It appeared as though the team was going to have a tremendous day in their bid to make "The Chase for the NEXTEL Cup", but in an instant their fortune changed dramatically.
McMurray cut a left front tire while trying to avoid two cars fighting for the same piece of real estate on the track. He had to pit with just 25 laps remaining, and as a result was relegated from 13th to 26th in the running order. In addition, the Texaco/Havoline Team dropped from 10th to 12th in the overall standings with just two races remaining before the cutoff.
"I just can't believe that happened," said a dejected McMurray at the conclusion of the event. "We had a really good car tonight and it was definitely capable of a top-10 finish. It was a little tight in beginning, but we made some air pressure changes that really helped the overall handling. This is tough to take because we worked all they way from the back and it looked like it was going to be a great day in the points, only to have it taken away right at the end of the race.
"We've got some ground to make up in the points over the next couple of weeks. I was really hoping to build a cushion so we had some breathing room going into Richmond. It doesn't look like that's going to happen so we'll just have to give it everything we've got. Tonight was a big set back, but it will only make us fight harder."
McMurray battled a tight condition early in the event, but slight air pressure adjustments during each pit stop helped the team zero in on the handling. During the sixth of 14 cautions on lap 182, McMurray radioed in that the Texaco/Havoline Dodge was "pretty good right there". The crew made a few more minor air pressure adjustments during the next caution on lap 210 and from there McMurray raced into the top 10.
He maintained position in the top 10 for the majority of the remaining laps and at times he was running lap times comparable to the leaders. Passing is extremely difficult at Bristol, and rather than risk getting caught up in an accident or busting a hole in the radiator by using the "chrome horn", McMurray patiently picked his way through the field. Unfortunately all that he and the team had worked for was taken away by two drivers that refused to practice the same strategy.
The Texaco/Havoline team slipped two positions to 12th in the overall standings at the conclusion of the Bristol event. However, they are only 12 points out of 10th and just 62 points out of eighth heading into the next event at California Speedway on Sept. 4.
McMurray's Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates teammates Sterling Marlin and Casey Mears finishes 29th and 34th respectively.
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