Race React: An Underdog Becomes Top Dog

This is what makes sports great; every now and then a “Cinderella story” plays out on the field of competition. In the 52nd running of NASCAR’s greatest racing event, a man who was just let go by his old team at the end of the 2009, has won his first race working for the owner he started with.

Jamie Mc Murray may not go down in history with the likes of Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt. He may not have his named even breathed in the same breath with Alan Kulwicki or Bobby Labonte; at the same time, the mild-mannered Missourian has a flair for the dramatic.

Remember- this is the same guy who got his first career win as a substitute for the injured Sterling Marlin in 2002 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in his second ever Cup start. After not quite being able to crack the upper echelon at Chip Ganassi Racing, Jamie Mac makes the move to Jack Roush. There, Mc Murray wins a heart stopping race under the lights of Daytona in the 2007 Pepsi 400 over Kyle Busch.

Even you newbies know how the rest of this story plays out. After just missing the ‘07 Chase, Mc Murray languishes through a non-descript 2008 and then Roush face a difficult choice: NASCAR mandates no owner may own more than four teams, and Roush has five. There’s no way Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth or Greg Biffle are going anywhere. So do you cut young David Ragan- a driver the jury is still out on? Or do you let go the affable, marketable, arguably underperforming Jamie Mac? Roush keeps Ragan.

While Mc Murray picks up an unlikely win at Talladega, there are questions about whether or not the 33-year-old will have a place to go. Enter (or should I say “re-enter”) Chip Ganassi. The owner who has succeeded in racing nearly everywhere BUT NASCAR taps Mc Murray to take over the ride being vacated by Martin Truex, Jr.

All during Speed Weeks, the “1” ride has looked stout. Mc Murray accounted well for himself in the Shootout and the Duels, prompting this observer to select him as a “dark horse” pick for this race.

They say timing is everything. What has hurt Jamie Mc Murray throughout his career, is running well for stretches, but a bobble here, a bad pit call there, a dash of bad luck, and he’s come up short. Not on this day. In this race, the dark horse had a little yellow red thrown in for good measure. He managed to run with this days big dogs: Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer, Greg Biffle and ironically, Martin Truex, Jr. he put himself in a position to get a win.

With a little push from Biffle, a well-timed deal with Harvick, and with hard-charging Dale Earnhardt, Jr. at his back, Jamie Mc Murray becomes the 34th winner of the Daytona 500. It took what seemed too long to get there, but it was worth the wait.

Curmudgeonly baseball manager Leo Durocher once said, “Nice guys finish last.” Sometimes it’s true, but not on this day. One of racing’s class acts, one of the guys you never heard a bad word about just won the Great American Race.

Jamie Mc Murray- you raced hard, and you raced smart. With a different kind of reputation, perhaps you don’t get the good dance partners. This win is yours…..enjoy it. I know I did.