Fanhouse Motorsports - jamie-mcmurray

Teammate Crashes are Nothing New for NASCAR

Geoffrey Miller — 2010-03-03T19:12:00 00:00

Filed under: Brian Vickers, Carl Edwards, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Denny Hamlin, Greg Biffle, Jamie McMurray, Jeff Gordon, Juan Pablo Montoya, Ken Schrader, Michael Waltrip, Tony Stewart, NASCAR Videos, Sprint Cup, Scott Speed

As expected, word came from Juan Pablo Montoya's camp this week that he and teammate Jamie McMurray have settled their differences after McMurray wrecked both out of last Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Montoya said McMurray sent him an apologetic text message and Montoya accepted -- coining the situation as one the drivers have to move past, autosport.com reported. Of course, it's rare, really, that drivers -- and especially teammates -- fail to openly "make up" over the next week, even if both are still (and likely are) fuming over the dustup.

In the case of the Earnhardt-Ganassi teammates, this isn't their first run-in involving spinning race cars and bent sheet metal during their NASCAR careers, and for NASCAR as a whole, it certainly wasn't the first time -- and definitely not the last -- that on-track action between teammates has ended in a smoking mess.

Here's a few of the best recent teammate vs. teammate crashes -- and one that stretches back to 1995.

On the Straightaway!

Race: 2005 Coca-Cola 600, Charlotte
Team: Dale Earnhardt Inc.
Drivers: Dale Earnhardt Jr. & Michael Waltrip
Scene: With 156 laps to go in NASCAR's longest race, Waltrip & Earnhardt Jr. run 7th and 8th. Then, Earnhardt Jr. gets a run on Waltrip, clips the No. 15, and around they go.

Waltrip left DEI at the end of 2005.

Greg Biffle & Carl Edwards Just Don't Get Along

Race: 2008 AMP Energy 500, Talladega
Team: Roush Fenway Racing
Drivers: Greg Biffle & Carl Edwards
Scene: With each driver trying to supplant Jimmie Johnson as the next Sprint Cup champion, a lot was on the line for a good finish at Talladega. Perhaps that contributed to Carl Edwards doing a little bit of overzealous bump drafting as the laps wound down.

The result? A big crash, and Jimmie Johnson continued to his third-straight title.

Related: Darlington 2009 - 'Nice of my teammate to wreck me' | Dover 2009 - Corner Contact

Carl Edwards Part II: Intimidation Factor

Race: 2007 Subway 500, Martinsville
Team: Roush-Fenway Racing
Drivers: Carl Edwards & Matt Kenseth
Scene: I realize that tagging someone with the word "intimidating" might have a few black No. 3 fans up in arms, but in this video -- the lone video that is more focused on post-race actions than what happened on track -- I can't help but be scared of Carl Edwards and his camouflage shorts.

You can bet Matt Kenseth felt the same way.

Stewart Blames Hamlin for Leading

Race: 2007 Pepsi 400, Daytona
Team: Joe Gibbs Racing
Drivers: Tony Stewart & Denny Hamlin
Scene: In what remains one of the biggest mysteries of NASCAR, Tony Stewart somehow managed to blame Denny Hamlin for this Daytona incident that wiped out both Joe Gibbs Racing drivers in the early stages of 2007 Pepsi 400.

Hamlin, the leader, get bumped by Stewart in second -- sending both into the turn four wall in a crash that collected Dale Earnhardt Jr. The Daytona crowd wasn't pleased.

Jeff Gordon Gives Ken Schrader a Shiner

Race:1995 DieHard 500, Talladega
Team: Hendrick Motorsports
Drivers: Jeff Gordon & Ken Schrader
Scene: Consider this from the way-back file, as we dig into the days of Richard Petty working as a race commentator. With about 50 to go, the non-champion version of Jeff Gordon (he won his first in 1995) gets into Ken Schrader's No. 25 Budweiser machine, spinning the Budweiser Chevrolet around before Schrader takes a wild tumble in the backstretch grass. If you're so inclined, the very same car is still on display at the Hendrick Motorsports museum.

Schrader's biggest injury from the crash was a nasty black eye that he reveals in the interview at the end of the video -- a NASCAR moment worth waiting for.

Red Bull Gives You... Teammate Arguments

Race: 2009 Camping World 200, New Hampshire
Team: Team Red Bull
Drivers: Brian Vickers & Scott Speed
Scene: In one of the more unusual teammate disputes, Vickers and Speed showed that a bit of tension simmered under the surface of their Sprint Cup Series team when they had issues during a Nationwide race. Sure, this might be a stretch because they were driving for competing teams during this Nationwide race, but just hours later they were competing under the same Red Bull colors.

Me? I'm just confused as to why Vickers wasn't mad at himself for getting loose.

Related: Vickers scores first win at teammate's expense -- Talladega 2006

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Daytona 500 Champ Jamie McMurray Gets His Time in Spotlight

Holly Cain — 2010-02-16T20:52:00 00:00

by Holly Cain

Filed under: Jamie McMurray, Daytona Int'l Speedway, Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- As Jamie McMurray sat behind the microphone in his Daytona 500 victory press conference, hands clinched around his face, head bowed, tears rolling down his eyes, too emotional to speak -- the enormity of his accomplishment set in. For him and for us.

The hundred or so journalists typing away on deadline suddenly became quiet, almost reverently watching McMurray in the several minutes it took for him to regain his composure and continue taking questions.

He was so honestly and deeply wrapped up in the moment. His moment.

It was a nice reminder of what it means to feel such genuine happiness. And for the 33-year old Missouri native McMurray, there was also a bit of relief and a healthy dose of redemption.

"To be honest, I was thinking, 'you need to stop crying and answer the questions ... but you know, the harder you try, the worse it gets,'' McMurray explained Tuesday with a laugh.

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A Daytona 500 Victory is No Promise of Season Success

Geoffrey Miller — 2010-02-16T00:12:00 00:00

by Geoffrey Miller

Filed under: Jamie McMurray, Sprint Cup

Since his emotional victory in the Daytona 500 Sunday, Jamie McMurray has been on a nonstop, coast-to-coast roller coaster ride of public appearances, television shows and other activities that are the exclusive privilege and responsibility of winners of NASCAR's biggest race.

"I don't know that I've ever been recognized," McMurray said Tuesday from New York on the weekly NASCAR teleconference.

"I can't believe in just the 24 hours that I've been here the amount of people that have found me and have brought their USA Today paper up and had me sign it. I can't believe how popular that race is and how, by winning it, how many people realize who you are all of a sudden."

But after trips to New York and San Francisco, the long week eventually winds down, and come Friday, he'll be back at the race track at California Speedway, preparing for race number two in a long season full of opportunity and potential disappointment.

in fact, over the past 15 years, the winner of The Great American Race has usually not been the driver who, at the end of the season, hoists NASCAR's biggest trophy for winning the Sprint Cup championship. Likewise, the eventual season champion often has a largely unremarkable finish in the 500.

Just two drivers -- Jimmie Johnson in 2006 and Jeff Gordon in 1997 -- have hoisted both the Harley J. Earl trophy in Daytona's victory lane and the championship trophy at the end of the year. Otherwise, the 500 winners haven't really come close. Dale Jarrett, who won the 500 in 1996, and Sterling Marlin, 1995's winner, came the closest to taking NASCAR's ultimate double with 3rd-place points finishes after winning at Daytona.

The average points finish of the 15 Daytona 500 winners since 1995 is an unremarkable 10th. Ward Burton, the winner in 2002 after a crazy finish that saw Sterling Marlin try to fix his damaged front fender during a late red flag while leading, had the worst points finish (25th) in the measured span.

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Track Damage, Red Flags Took Away From Fine Daytona 500

Holly Cain — 2010-02-14T22:07:00 00:00

by Holly Cain

Filed under: Jamie McMurray, Daytona Int'l Speedway, NASCAR Tracks

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The Daytona 500 had one heckuva finish -- Jamie McMurray holding off NASCAR's favorite son Dale Earnhardt Jr. in double overtime; team owner Chip Ganassi joining Roger Penske as the only two men to field Indianapolis 500 and Daytona 500 winning cars; a record number of race leaders; and a near-record number of lead changes.

It was everything NASCAR could ask of its season-opener at Daytona International Speedway ... except for a pesky pothole located between turns 1 and 2 that stands to cast a shadow on the spotlight the 33-year-old McMurray deserves to own all his own.

So often we hear of race car drivers battling the track. Perhaps not so literally.

NASCAR's biggest race of the year was halted for two and a half hours for two lengthy repairs to the track surface -- a super gaffe in the sanctioning body's self-proclaimed Super Bowl.

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Jamie McMurray Wins Daytona 500

Holly Cain — 2010-02-14T20:04:00 00:00

by Holly Cain

Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jamie McMurray, Daytona Int'l Speedway, Sprint Cup, Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Clint Bowyer predicted that a nearly two-hour red flag period in the middle of the Daytona 500 was merely the calm before the storm.

He wasn't kidding.

When the racing finally resumed for good Jamie McMurray, 33, of Joplin, Mo., held off a last lap charge by Dale Earnhardt Jr. to win the Daytona 500 in double overtime -- a race that may be remembered as much for a pothole between turns 1 and 2 as the exciting finish.

For the fans who patiently endured more than two hours of total red flag race stoppage at Daytona International Speedway while officials twice repaired a pot hole in the track, the ending was a prime reward. It was the first test of NASCAR's new policy of green-white-checkered finishes, allowing for up to three overtime periods.

McMurray led only the final two laps in the No. 1 Bass Pro Shop Chevrolet -- the fewest number of laps led by a Daytona 500 winner in the 52-year history of the race. And his team co-owner Chip Ganassi now joins Roger Penske as owners with wins in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500.

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Sprint Cup N's & Q's: AMP Energy 500

Geoffrey Miller — 2009-11-04T11:14:00 00:00

by Geoffrey Miller

Filed under: Jamie McMurray, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Mark Martin, Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart, Talladega Superspeedway, Sprint Cup

Notes, quotes & commentary from a NASCAR weekend at Talladega.

What a weekend it was, huh? Yes, I do have some comments and ideas about the overall product at Talladega this week. I'm going to wait, though, until the end of this post. First, the finer notes on Sunday.

Can anyone make sense of NASCAR's pit road penalties? Had Sunday's race been at another track where track position isn't so easily gained like it is at Talladega, Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart and eventual race winner Jamie McMurray would have been downright hosed.

And good or bad as it relates to your particular driver, the rule that nabbed them just isn't fair.

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McMurray Snaps 86-Race Winless Streak

FanHouse Newswire — 2009-11-01T17:24:00 00:00

by FanHouse Newswire

Filed under: Jamie McMurray, Talladega Superspeedway, Chase for the Sprint Cup

TALLADEGA, Ala. (AP) -- Jamie McMurray was the unlikely winner of an uncharacteristically dull race at Talladega Superspeedway, where a ban on bump-drafting forced most drivers to coast until the end Sunday.

It almost cost three-time defending champion Jimmie Johnson dearly. He puttered around at the back of the pack most of the afternoon and almost ran out of time to charge back through the field.

But when Ryan Newman's harrowing accident with five laps remaining caused a red-flag delay of nearly 13 minutes while Newman was cut out of his car, drivers ahead of Johnson began to run out of gas. He was credited with an eighth-place finish -- enough to likely seal his NASCAR-record fourth consecutive championship.

More Coverage: Amp Energy 500 Results | Sprint Cup Standings

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So-So Stats Mark McMurray's Roush Era

Geoffrey Miller — 2009-07-30T22:18:00 00:00

by Geoffrey Miller

Filed under: Jamie McMurray, Roush Fenway Racing

With his sponsor gone and a pending NASCAR rule ready to dismantle his race team, there's not a bit of surprise in the NASCAR world that Jamie McMurray's time is likely ending with Roush Fenway Racing.

There's no shock, no outcry and nothing being written saying McMurray shouldn't have drawn the short stick in RFR's transition to the NASCAR-mandated four-team cap in 2010, and the reasoning is quite simple.

Why? It's as simple as looking at the incredibly unimpressive numbers Jamie McMurray has compiled since his Roush debut in 2006.

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Sprint Cup Notes & Quotes: Richmond

Geoffrey Miller — 2009-05-03T18:47:00 00:00

by Geoffrey Miller

Filed under: Jamie McMurray, Jimmie Johnson, Sam Hornish Jr., Sprint Cup

Let's take a quick glance at some of the Richmond post-race storylines:

"We lost the brakes."

Jimmie Johnson, as Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway proved, isn't the racing robot with a switch stuck on "Dominate" we've come to think he is after three-straight Sprint Cup titles. Nope, not even at a track where he's won three of the last four events before Saturday night's race.

In fact, it was an all-around miserable night for the No. 48 after brake problems caused him to spin once, get caught up in another crash and then race the rest of the way with a damaged race car. Unfortunately for the rest of the competition, his 36th-place finish won't be a barometer of his 2009 season.

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Talladega Marred by Early 13-Car Wreck

FanHouse Newswire — 2009-04-26T16:57:00 00:00

by FanHouse Newswire

Filed under: A.J. Allmendinger, Brian Vickers, Casey Mears, Clint Bowyer, David Gilliland, Jamie McMurray, Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne, Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch, Mark Martin, Scott Riggs, NASCAR Crashes, Sprint Cup

TALLADEGA, Ala. (AP) --The "Big One" hit early at Talladega Superspeedway.

A massive 13-car accident just seven laps into Sunday's race at Talladega Superspeedway took out race favorites and left it open for an unlikely winner to emerge from the field.

The accident started just seven laps into the race near the front of the field when Matt Kenseth appeared to make contact with series points leader Jeff Gordon.

The bump made Gordon's car slide toward the top of the track, and the drivers running around them couldn't avoid the wreck.

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Jamie McMurray: Las Vegas Drifting Star

Geoffrey Miller — 2009-03-01T19:33:00 00:00

by Geoffrey Miller

Filed under: Jamie McMurray, Roush Fenway Racing, NASCAR Videos, Sprint Cup

Roush Fenway Racing's Jamie McMurray has been under the weather since last Wednesday thanks to a nasty bout with the flu.

Throughout the Las Vegas race weekend, he made several trips to the infield care center for drugs and IV's after previous medications didn't quite work and before the race, he wondered aloud if he could stay focused and on top of his game during throughout the day.

Well, on lap 66 of the 285-lap Shelby 427, McMurray got a major wake-up call.

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Sunday Notes and Quotes: Daytona

Geoffrey Miller — 2009-02-15T22:09:00 00:00

by Geoffrey Miller

Filed under: Elliott Sadler, Jamie McMurray, Sprint Cup, Joey Logano

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Here's a few rumblings and bumblings from a soggy evening at Daytona:

Are television viewers more important than full races? I think its a very valid question to wonder why NASCAR is so willing to push the snooze button later and later on Sunday afternoons with the start times of its Sprint Cup Series races.

It was just eight years ago that the Daytona 500 started at 12:30pm local time, while Sunday, it started after 3:40pm local time. The reason? Television ratings and commercial advertising rates go up the later in the day thanks to West Coast viewers and the "prime time" effect kicking in on the East Coast.

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Harvick Snags Wild Bud Shootout Win

Geoffrey Miller — 2009-02-07T22:59:00 00:00

by Geoffrey Miller

Filed under: A.J. Allmendinger, Jamie McMurray, Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick, Tony Stewart

Kevin Harvick has found the key to winning the biggest races at Daytona International Speedway: lead as few laps as possible. Harvick, who won the 2007 Daytona 500 after leading just four laps, led just one Saturday night en route to winning his first Bud Shootout.

His improbable win was just the tip of the iceberg on a wild, full moon Florida night as 28 of NASCAR's stars knocked the dust of the steering wheel in the season-opening exhibition.

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Jamie McMurray Enjoys Truck Stops, Karting

Geoffrey Miller — 2008-12-30T01:12:00 00:00

by Geoffrey Miller

Filed under: Jamie McMurray, Other Racing Series, Sprint Cup

We already heard about Tony Stewart's non-NASCAR racing exploits on Monday, so obviously, it's high time to keep that theme moving along with this tale about Jamie McMurray.

McMurray, the driver of the No. 26 Ford for Roush-Fenway Racing, could be found early this week doing some hot laps at the always-famous Daytona International Speedway.

Nope -- he wasn't breaking NASCAR's testing ban to get a head start on the 2009 season -- but rather, McMurray made the trip to DIS for "Daytona Kartweek" for some Sunday practice and racing on Monday and Tuesday.

And according to some DIS release material, the Crown Royal driver made the trip to Daytona the day after Christmas with his dad from North Carolina -- via car.

"My dad and I left 8:30 in the morning after Christmas," McMurray said. "I drove the whole way. This might sound odd but I wouldn't want to drive to Cup races but I missed the fact of stopping at a truck stop and experiencing that. It's different."

Oh, the truck stop experience. Mediocre coffee, questionable restrooms and more knock-off brand gadgets than anyone can handle -- here's to hoping that McMurray got the fill he desired.

Wanna read some more? Just click the link above to the track's release.

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'08 Rear-View Mirror: Jamie McMurray

Geoffrey Miller — 2008-12-19T17:38:00 00:00

by Geoffrey Miller

Filed under: Jamie McMurray, Roush Fenway Racing, Sprint Cup

Warning: Objects in this post may be the only way to successfully live through the NASCAR off-season. For best results, read rearview mirror early and often.

Driver: Jamie McMurray
Team: No. 26 Roush Fenway Racing Ford
'08 Final Standing: 16th (-2875)
Best Race: Texas, Phoenix & Homestead (3rd-place)
Worst Race: Bristol (43rd-place)

Season in a box: I don't know if there was a driver who had more of a roller coaster season than Jamie McMurray, but the way the ride ended surely was pleasing for the driver from Joplin, Missouri.

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Roush Fenway Racing Extends Matt Kenseth, Appears to Leave Out Jamie McMurray

Geoffrey Miller — 2008-11-20T23:26:00 00:00

by Geoffrey Miller

Filed under: Carl Edwards, David Ragan, Greg Biffle, Jamie McMurray, Matt Kenseth, Roush Fenway Racing, NASCAR Silly Season, Sprint Cup

Matt Kenseth's contract at Roush Fenway Racing got extended Thursday afternoon and that was seemingly bad news for his teammate Jamie McMurray.

Kenseth got a new "multi-year dear" from RFR to keep him as the driver of the No. 17 Ford for well past 2010, when his current contract was set to expire. Terms weren't disclosed by the team, but I'd imagine the contract puts Kenseth in a position to make RFR his final place of stock car employment with either a heavily extended contract from his current one or one loaded with options.

Kenseth, a native of Cambridge, Wisc., turns 37 in March.

For teammate McMurray -- who's been nothing short of a disappointment during his time at RFR but showed some flashes of brilliance towards the end of the 2008 -- Kenseth's re-signing might be a nail in the coffin for his future at RFR.

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New Crew Chief, Fianc�e Good for McMurray

Geoffrey Miller — 2008-11-06T12:36:00 00:00

by Geoffrey Miller

Filed under: Jamie McMurray, Roush Fenway Racing, Sprint Cup

Jamie McMurray is probably one of the happier guys in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series this week. Here's why:

1) He finished third at Texas Motor Speedway last weekend and could have very easily won the event.

2) He proposed to his longtime girlfriend Christy Futrell. (FanHouse supposes she said yes)

3) He's getting to team up with his longtime friend and former crew chief from the Chip Ganassi Racing days, Donnie Wingo.

There's no official indication on which aspect he's the happiest about, however. Grin.

Regardless, it's been more than a good week for McMurray, who has had one of the most disappointing performances in his brief career at Roush Fenway Racing that a guy could in that situation. In the past few weeks, McMurray has notched finishes of 5th, 7th and 3rd with one exception of a 38th-place finish at Martinsville thanks to mechanical troubles.

He's been so good, in fact, that ABC's commentators have wondered plenty about why Jack Roush is wanting to move Larry Carter off of the pit box for the No. 26 when it seems that McMurray has finally started to see the light at the powerhouse Ford team.

McMurray, though, isn't questioning that decision and instead is very pleased to know that Wingo will be leading the No. 26 come Daytona in February.

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Truex Jr. Appears to Have Contract Signed; McMurray Denies Free Agent Reports

Geoffrey Miller — 2008-07-26T17:20:00 00:00

by Geoffrey Miller

Filed under: Jamie McMurray, Martin Truex Jr., Roush Fenway Racing, Dale Earnhardt Inc., Indianapolis Motor Speedway, NASCAR Silly Season

FanHouse's Geoffrey Miller is on location & blogging away at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for Sunday's 15th Running of the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard.

Martin Truex Jr. appears set to end the rumor mill swirling around his future.

ESPN.com's David Newton reported on Saturday that "several sources" are confirming that Truex will now stay right where he's at -- with Dale Earnhardt Inc. -- until at least 2010:

The 28-year-old New Jersey native has agreed in principle to a two-year deal that will keep him at Dale Earnhardt Inc. through the 2010 season, multiple sources close to the situation told ESPN.com on Saturday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Sources said an official announcement is expected any day, and that details with multiple sponsors remain to be finalized.

Truex, asked if he has an agreement, said: "We're getting there, yeah. Things are going well right. I'm pretty happy. I just want to think about racing this weekend."

That quote from Truex seems to seal the deal for me, as he definitely didn't make any attempt to deny the report. He pretty much gave the "yeah, that's been correctly reported but I can't say anything yet so I'm going to get back in my race car and stay away from you media-types"-style answer.

I'm glad Truex has got his deal seemingly worked out with DEI, a team where he'll remain as the No. 1 driver in the camp. I don't think, however, that re-signing with the team will lead him towards a Sprint Cup championship any time soon.

McMurray Grows Weary of Constant Free Agency Reports

It must be tough to have the media firing you from a high-profile job before you get the news, unless, you know, the media is wrong.

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Brickyard Bloggin': Wallace Slams Newman, Roush Isn't Happy & Busch's Bum Ankle

Geoffrey Miller — 2008-07-26T09:59:00 00:00

by Geoffrey Miller

Filed under: Jamie McMurray, Kyle Busch, Ryan Newman, Roush Fenway Racing, Penske Racing, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Sprint Cup

FanHouse's Geoffrey Miller is on-location at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for Sunday's 15th Running of the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard.

It's Saturday morning in Indianapolis, and after forgetting my parking tag on the way in this morning, I have finally made my way to the media center here at the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

With that, let's get started on some news and notes from Friday afternoon at the Brickyard:

Rusty & Ryan Still Don't Like Each Other

Rusty Wallace must not be a fan of Ryan Newman, even after all these years. The two drivers had a lukewarm relationship at best while they were teammates, and Rusty decided to pile on some more bad blood Friday at IMS.

Newman said he left Penske Racing on mutual terms but Rusty says not say fast:

"He didn't leave. I've read many, many stories that said that,'' Wallace said. "Roger Penske called Ryan Newman up to his offices and said 'I don't need your services next year.' Ryan Newman didn't come to him and say 'I'm leaving.'''

Now why Rusty feels its imperative that he rag on Newman is beyond me, and apparently Ryan feels the same way. You can read more about the "He Said, He Said" battle here.

I wonder how happy ESPN (Rusty's employer) is about their driver analyst ripping on a driver that is racing in the same series they will be covering on Sunday? They can't be too pleased.

Roush Doesn't See McMurray Coming Back, Apparently

Jack Roush had some interesting words during a Friday press conference at IMS about the future drivers in his operation, and more exclusively about Jamie McMurray:

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Would You Sign Jamie McMurray?

Geoffrey Miller — 2008-06-02T23:10:00 00:00

by Geoffrey Miller

Filed under: Jamie McMurray, Roush Fenway Racing, Sprint Cup

Jamie McMurray is gone from Roush Fenway Racing after 2008, ThatsRacin.com reported Sunday.

It's not a huge shock to me to see McMurray headed out the door -- the FanHouse talked about this in April -- thanks to a few factors. The most significant, though, is that McMurray has never been able to be a consistent front runner in the Sprint Cup Series in RFR's race cars.

That being said, what is the real likelihood that McMurray even finds a Sprint Cup ride for 2009?

I'd say there are quite a few factors running against him in that pursuit -- the least of which has been his driving statistics over the past few years. Those stats -- one win at Daytona, 6 Top-5s, and 18 Top-10s since signing with Roush -- don't help much, though.

The Sprint Cup Series is entering a pretty busy "silly season" period that will definitely see some moving and shaking for 2009. Among those candidates eligible for moving to different seats are Tony Stewart, Martin Truex Jr., Bobby Labonte, Reed Sorenson, and possibly more.

McMurray, if he is indeed out the door at Roush and seeking new employment, is vacating a seat that won't be filled. His sponsor Crown Royal is expected to move in with teammate Greg Biffle and Roush could use the chance to measure his team down to four cars as NASCAR has mandated for 2010.

All those factors aside, though, if you're a car owner are you hiring McMurray?

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