The First Reid: McMurray’s All-Star Triumph Was A Group Effort
By Reid Spencer
Never was the concept of NASCAR as a team sport more in evidence that in was in Saturday night’s NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Obviously, it’s impossible to ignore driver Jamie McMurray’s contribution to the No. 1 Chip Ganassi Racing team’s winning performance.
McMurray clearly was determined to take full advantage of a front-row starting position for the final 10-lap sprint, the highlight of the 90-lap event.
Acknowledging that he drove his car harder than ever before in his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career, McMurray out-dueled Carl Edwards to take the lead and held on for the win and the accompanying million-dollar-plus prize.
But it was the varied contributions of others that put McMurray in position to battle Edwards in the first place.
Crew chief Keith Rodden called for an off-sequence pit stop for fresh tires under caution on Lap 26. That gave the team the flexibility to take two tires on later stops or to stay on the track between segments, both of which McMurray did to gain track position.
Ultimately, it was McMurray’s pit crew that dashed off its best stop of the evening when it counted most, between the fourth and final segments. Carl Edwards was first off pit road from the first stall, but McMurray was second.
Had McMurray’s crew been a half-second slower, the No. 1 Chevrolet would have left pit road behind Kevin Harvick’s No. 4 instead of ahead of it, and the outcome of the race likely would have been quite different.
NASCAR Numbers
31: The race-high number of laps led by winner Jamie McMurray in Saturday night’s NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. In seven previous starts in the non-points event, McMurray had never led a lap, but on Saturday night he took the top spot on Lap 41 and led 31 of the final 50 laps.
15: The finishing position of Janet Guthrie in the 1976 World 600 (now Coca-Cola 600) at Charlotte Motor Speedway. That race was Guthrie’s NASCAR debut. She stayed out of harm’s way in what turned out to be a war of attrition and posted what is still the best finish by a female driver in NASCAR’s longest race.
1,100: The number of racing miles completed by Tony Stewart on May 27, 2001, when “Smoke” completed the Indianapolis/Charlotte double for the second time. Stewart ran sixth in the Indianapolis 500 and third (after starting 43rd) in the Coca-Cola 600, to date the best combined result in the same-day double involving those two races.
91: The number of minutes it took Kurt Busch to travel from Indianapolis 500 qualifying to the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race in Charlotte by plane and helicopter on Saturday. Busch hopes to keep the commute that short or shorter next Sunday, as he attempts the Indy/Charlotte double for the first time.
3: Including Saturday night’s NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, the number of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races Jamie McMurray has won at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Subbing for injured Sterling Marlin, McMurray won the 2002 fall race at CMS in his second career start. In his watershed year in 2010, he added another fall Charlotte victory to wins in the Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400.
@nascarcasm
How did Parker Kligerman become Kurt Busch’s backup driver during Kurt’s attempt at the double? Well, one night, Parker walked into the Stewart-Haas racing shop, and…
NASCAR Tweets Of The Week
May 18
Michael Waltrip
@mw55
Good morning @jamiemcmurray Can I borrow some money? And some hair gel? Great job buddy!
May 17
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
@DaleJr
We learned some things for the 600. Bringing a new car also. Tough finish, we surely wanted to win. Congrats to @jamiemcmurray and crew
Kurt Busch
@KurtBusch
Who is ready to see my @Haas_Automation team qualify? #sprintallstar getting to haul A$$ into pit road on purpose is #badass
May 16
NASCAR
@NASCAR
The @reddit / @dogecoin community has spoken! @Josh_Wise has been voted into the #NASCAR#SprintAllStar Race!
Joey Logano
@joeylogano
Congrats to @Josh_Wise. That’s really cool. See ya tomorrow night.
Danica Patrick
@DanicaPatrick
Thank u to my AMAZING fans for ur votes! Y’all helped me have even more votes than last year! Your support blows me away! On to the 600!
Joey Logano
@joeylogano
Hey @MichaelPhelps saw u are in Charlotte. You’ve got 22 medals, I drive the 22 car, u want to join us at tmws NASCAR All-Starrace? #22Crew
Tony Stewart
@TonyStewart
Ok so here it is. I’m doing my part to combat global warming because now that I’m officially tweeting, hell is freezing over!
May 13
Clint Bowyer
@Clint Bowyer
Oh someday I pray I’ll find me a redneck girl….gemme gemme gemme a redneck girl!!!!
NASCAR Notes
NASCAR Fantasy – Streak to the Finish: A brand new segment of Streak to the Finish begins this weekend with the Coca-Cola 600. This is a free NASCAR Fantasy game where players pick the driver they think will finish in the top 10 of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races each week. If a correct pick is made, “the streak” begins and the player may no longer choose that driver until the streak is broken. Players earn points towards prizes by their pick’s finishing position each week and by maintaining long streaks. Fans can play the game by visiting http://fantasygames.nascar.com/streak. … The NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is Wednesday, May 21 and the announcement of the five new Hall of Famers as well as the inaugural winner of the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR will be at 4 p.m. ET. Fans can vote on this year’s class at www.nascar.com/halloffame … Danica Patrick is coming off her best-career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series finish (seventh) two weeks ago at Kansas. She has made three starts at CMS posting an average finish of 26.3.
Tune-In: NASCAR On Television, May 19-25
Monday, May 19
4:30 p.m., NASCAR’s The List: Memorable Moments (re-air), NBC Sports Net
5 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
5 p.m., NASCAR America, NBC Sports Net
6:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FOX Sports 2
7 p.m., FOX Sports 1 on 1: Jimmie Johnson (re-air), FOX Sports 1
7:30 p.m., NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (re-air), FOX Sports 1
2:30 a.m. (Tue), NASCAR Now, ESPN2
Tuesday, May 20
5 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
5 p.m., NASCAR America, NBC Sports Net
6:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FOX Sports 2
2:30 a.m. (Wed.), NASCAR Now, ESPN2
2:30 a.m. (Wed.), NASCAR’s The List: Fights & Feuds (re-air), NBC Sports Net
Wednesday, May 21
10 a.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Race at Charlotte (re-air), FOX Sports 1
Noon, NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FOX Sports 1
1 p.m., FOX Sports 1 on 1: Jimmie Johnson (re-air), FOX Sports 1
1:30 p.m., NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (re-air), FOX Sports 1
4 p.m., NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Day, FOX Sports 1
4:30 p.m., NASCAR’s The List: Greatest Finishes (re-air), NBC Sports Net
5 p.m., NASCAR America Live From the NASCAR Hall of Fame, NBC Sports Net
5 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FOX Sports 2
7 p.m., NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (re-air), FOX Sports 2
2:30 a.m. (Thu.), NASCAR Now, ESPN2
Thursday, May 22
10 a.m., NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (re-air), FOX Sports 2
12:30 p.m., FOX Sports 1 on 1: Jimmie Johnson (re-air), FOX Sports 2
1:30 p.m., NASCAR K&N Pro Series Race at Stockton (re-air), FOX Sports 1
2:30 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Practice, FOX Sports 1
4 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Practice, FOX Sports 1
5 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
5 p.m., NASCAR America, NBC Sports Net
5:30 p.m., NASCAR Nationwide Final Practice, FOX Sports 1
7 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Coors Light Pole Qualifying, FOX Sports 1
8:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
9:30 p.m., 100,000 Cameras: NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, FOX Sports 1
3 a.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Practice (re-air), FOX Sports 1
4:30 a.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying (re-air), FOX Sports 1
Friday, May 23
10 a.m., 100,000 Cameras: NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (re-air),
FOX Sports 1
10:30 a.m., NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FOX Sports 1
11:30 a.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying (re-air), FOX Sports 1
5 p.m., NASCAR America, NBC Sports Net
5 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FOX Sports 1
7 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
8 p.m., Empty Cup: Quest for the 1992 NASCAR Championship,
FOX Sports 1
8:30 p.m., 100,000 Cameras: NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (re-air), FOX Sports 1
9 p.m., The 600: History of NASCAR’s Toughest Race, FOX Sports 1
3 a.m. (Sat.), NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (re-air), FOX Sports 1
Saturday, May 24
8:00 am, 100,000 Cameras: NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (re-air),
FOX Sports 1
8:30 a.m., NASCAR K&N Pro Series Race at Iowa, FOX Sports 1
9:30 a.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Practice, FOX Sports 1
10:30 a.m., NASCAR Nationwide Coors Light Pole Qualifying, ESPN2
Noon, 100,000 Cameras: NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (re-air), FOX Sports 1
12:30 p.m., Empty Cup: Quest for the 1992 NASCAR Championship (re-air), FOX Sports 1
1 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Final Practice, FOX Sports 1
2:30 p.m., NNS Countdown, ABC
2:45 p.m., NASCAR Nationwide Series Race at Charlotte, ABC
7:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FOX Sports 2
8:30 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying (re-air), FOX Sports 2
10 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
Midnight (Sun.), The 600: History of NASCAR’s Toughest Race (re-air), FOX Sports 1
2 a.m. (Sun.), NASCAR Nationwide Race at Charlotte (re-air), ESPN2
Sunday, May 25
10 a.m., The 600: History of NASCAR’s Toughest Race (re-air),
FOX Sports 1
11 a.m., NASCAR K&N Pro Series Race at Iowa (re-air), FOX Sports 1
4:30 p.m., NASCAR RaceDay, FOX Sports 1
5:30 p.m., NSCS Pre-Race Show, FOX
6 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race at Charlotte, 6 p.m.
Midnight (Mon.), NASCAR Victory Lane, FOX Sports 1
2 a.m. (Mon.) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race at Charlotte,
FOX Deportes
This Week
NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
The Next Race:
Coca-Cola 600
The Place:
Charlotte Motor Speedway
The Date/Time:
Sunday, May 25, 6 p.m. (ET)
TV: FOX
Radio: PRN,
Sirius XM Channel 90
_______________________
NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES
The Next Race:
History 300
The Place:
Charlotte Motor Speedway
The Date/Time:
Saturday, May 24, 2:45 p.m. (ET)
TV: ESPN
Radio: PRN,
Sirius XM Channel 90
_____________________
NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES
The Next Race:
Lucas Oil 200
The Place:
Dover International Speedway
The Date/Time:
Friday, May 30, 5:30 p.m. (ET)
TV: FOX Sports 1
Radio: MRN,
Sirius XM Channel 90
NASCAR National Series Standings
This year, wins matter more than in any season in the 65-year history of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
Essentially, a win locks a driver into the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.
2014 Winners
Pos Driver Wins
1. Kevin Harvick 2
2. Joey Logano 2
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 1
4. Brad Keselowski 1
5. Carl Edwards 1
6. Kyle Busch 1
7. Kurt Busch 1
8. Denny Hamlin 1
9. Jeff Gordon 1
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Pos Driver Points
1 Jeff Gordon 394
2 Matt Kenseth 379
3 Kyle Busch 373
4 Dale Earnhardt Jr 368
5 Carl Edwards 367
6 Joey Logano 346
7 Jimmie Johnson 340
8 Ryan Newman 332
9 Greg Biffle 328
10 Brian Vickers 327
11 Brad Keselowski 326
12 Denny Hamlin 318
13 Kyle Larson # 318
14 Austin Dillon # 306
15 Kevin Harvick 302
16 Kasey Kahne 294
NASCAR Nationwide Series
Pos Driver Points
1 Chase Elliott # 379
2 Elliott Sadler 377
3 Regan Smith 377
4 Ty Dillon# 344
5 Trevor Bayne 343
6 Brian Scott 315
7 Brendan Gaughan 282
8 James Buescher 269
9 Chris Buescher # 260
10 Landon Cassill 258
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Pos Driver Points
1 Matt Crafton 162
2 Timothy Peters 151
3 German Quiroga 144
4 Johnny Sauter 143
5 Ron Hornaday Jr. 137
6 Ben Kennedy# 132
7 John Wes Townley 127
8 Jeb Burton 127
9 Ryan Blaney 123
10 Darrell Wallace Jr. 108
Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.
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