Jamie McMurray
Daytona International Speedway
2.5-mile speedway located in Daytona Beach, Fla.
NNCS: Pepsi 400; Saturday, July 7, 2007
FAST FACTS
Jamie McMurray has one top-five and two top-10 finishes in his last four starts at Daytona International Speedway.
Daytona is statistically McMurray’s most challenging track on the NASCAR Cup circuit. McMurray averages a 27.9 finish at the 2.5-mile speedway.
In nine starts, when finishing on the lead lap, McMurray has produced two top-10 finishes – otherwise, McMurray has finished 31st or worst.
McMurray will pilot the No. 26 IRWIN Marathon with WeldTec Ford Fusion. This is a special paint scheme promoting IRWIN’s Marathon Saw Blades.
McMurray is currently 14th in the NEXTEL Cup point standings and only 184 points out of the “Chase.”
Jamie McMurray
Team: No. 26 IRWIN Marathon with WeldTec Ford Fusion
Crew Chief: Larry Carter
Chassis: RK–192: Last raced at Talladega, April 2007; Finished 5th
Backup – RK–328: Tested at Daytona; Jan. 2007
McMurray on racing at Daytona International Speedway:
“Daytona is one of the race tracks that I will either finish really well, or really bad. It’s a track that if you are there at the end of the race, you will finish really well, but in the case for me, I tend to get caught up in a wreck. Daytona is still one of my favorite places to race at. It’s funny because either guys love restrictor-plate racing or they hate it. I’m one of the guys out there that enjoys drafting and running three or four wide.
“This weekend in Daytona we are sporting a new paint scheme from IRWIN Industrial Tools. It’s the same IRWIN blue but with yellow flames and a huge Marathon Saw Blade on the side of the No. 26 Ford Fusion.
“The car we are taking is the same car that I’ve run at every restrictor-plate track since I’ve been over here at Roush Fenway Racing. It’s the same car that I was driving when we were third this year at the Daytona 500 before getting wrecked, and the same car I drove to a fifth-place finish in Talladega a couple months ago. Needless to say, I really enjoy the car we are taking and think we have a really good shot at a strong finish this weekend in Daytona.”
Crew Chief Larry Carter on racing at Daytona International Speedway:
“It’s hard to believe that we are already at the midpoint of the season. I’m really pleased with how far this team has come along. It didn’t take the team very long to start clicking. We have a really good group of guys that are really focused on getting Jamie into the NEXTEL Cup Chase. I know the guys are really excited with going to Daytona this weekend. They know how well Jamie runs at the restrictor-plate tracks, so if we can avoid the wrecks out there, I know we’ll have a good finish. The guys at the Roush-Yates engine shop have come a long way with their restrictor-plate program, and I know they are looking forward to heading down to Daytona with us. It should be a great weekend for the No. 26 IRWIN Tools team.”
