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McMurray was born in Joplin, Missouri. He grew up racing go-karts and competed in nearly every form of karting around the country before moving to late-model stock cars; and eventually became a NASCAR driver. He is best known for winning the 2002 UAW-GM Quality 500 as a substitute driver in his second Cup start, and is one of only three drivers to win both the Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 in the same year. He currently drives the #1 Bass Pro Shops/McDonald's Chevrolet Impala in the Cup Series for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with crew chief Kevin Manion. In 1999, McMurray made four starts in the Craftsman Truck Series. In 2000, he ran 15 Truck races and posted one top-five and four Top 10 finishes. During 2001 and 2002, he competed full-time in the Busch Series; driving the #27 Williams Travel Centers Chevrolet Monte Carlo for Brewco Motorsports. The latter year was better for McMurray, as he won two races and finished sixth in the overall points standings. McMurray substituted for an injured Sterling Marlin, who fractured a vertebra at the Winston Cup race at Kansas Speedway. He made his Cup debut, filling

in the #40 Coors Light Dodge at Talladega. One week later, in just his second career NASCAR Cup start, McMurray outraced Bobby Labonte to win the UAW-GM Quality 500 at Lowes Motor Speedway. McMurray had been consistent the entire night, and led 96 of the final 100 laps to score the win. It is considered one of the biggest upsets in NASCAR history. This win set a modern era record for fewest starts before a win (which has since been recently tied by Trevor Bayne in the 2011 Daytona 500). In 2003, McMurray joined the Cup Series full-time. He won Rookie of the Year honors by 37 points over Greg Biffle. McMurray had five top-5 finishes for the year and finished 13th overall. In 2004 he had 23 top-10s during the season, including 12 in the last 14 races, and finished eleventh in the points standings, which earned him a $1 million

bonus. In the same year, he won a Truck Series race; joining 20 other drivers that have won a race in all three of NASCAR's top touring series. In April 2006, Jack Roush moved Jimmy Fennig from crew chief of the #26 Ford to head Roush's Xfinity operations. Bob Osbourne, who had been crew chief for Carl Edwards, moved to head the crew for McMurray. 2006 was a hard season for McMurray. McMurray's best finish of the 2006 season came at Dover International Speedway, where he finished second after leading the most laps. On July 7, 2007, in the Pepsi 400 at Daytona, McMurray led the final stages but battled Kyle Busch for five laps. On the last lap Busch was the leader next to McMurray and charged to the finish, but at the last second McMurray charged one last time and barely beat

Busch to win the Pepsi 400 for his second career Cup win. On November 1, 2009, McMurray won the AMP Energy 500 at Talladega after leading over 20 laps and passing David Stremme with 8 laps to go. He then survived a green-white checkered finish to earn his second restrictor plate win. Roush released him and the #26 team at the end of the season due to NASCAR's four team limit and the expiration of Roush Fenway Racing's exemption that allowed a 5th team. Jamie McMurray decided to ask former boss Chip Ganassi for another chance following his disastrous era on Roush-Fenway Racing and Ganassi granted him a contract to let him drive for his merged team with Dale Earnhardt Inc. In 2010, in May, McMurray ended

up second to good friend Kurt Busch in the Coca-Cola 600 and had several more top ten finishes before in July, McMurray held off Kevin Harvick again to win the Brickyard 400, which made him one of only three drivers to win the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400 in the same year. After 2010 it was slim pickings for Jamie. He hadn't been to victory lane but once (Talladega, 2013); and hasn't finished any better than 13th in the points (2015 and also 2016). In 2017; McMurray had three Top 5 finishes with a best of second at Talladega. Although he didn't post a win; but was able to 'point' his way into the Chase. Finishes of 37th and 34th eliminated him from the Chase in the second round. He ended up the season 12th in points. As of the end of 2018 McMurray has raced 17 seasons with 582 starts. Chip Ganassi has promised McMurray a car to race

the 2019 Daytona 500; and then wanted McMurray to come to work at Chip Ganassi Racing. McMurray ran the race and then took a job at FOX on NASCAR Race Hub. But, that didn't end up being his final career Cup start. The 2021 Daytona 500 was the final start for Jamie McMurray. He drove the #77 Spire Motorsports car and had a great run. After starting 19th he ran toward the front all day. When it came down to the finish McMurray made some great moved to get toward the front; then missed a massive pile up in the final turn and brought his car home to an eighth place finish. For his career McMurray ran 584 Cup races and got seven wins. He won the Daytona 500 and Brick Yard 400 in 2010. He had 63

Fantasy NASCAR Racing

JAMIE CHRISTOPHER MCMURRAY - 06/03/1976