Although he crossed the start finish line in the typical right-side up fashion, Jamie McMurray's victory in the 2007 Pepsi 400 was no less memorable than Clint Bowyer's Daytona 500 finish. McMurray wasn't even sure he was the victor, asking his crew after the checkered flag whether he had, in fact, won. He was greeted with a resounding, "you did!" and the celebration began. Of course a victory at Daytona is always cause for celebration, but McMurray's was even more so, as it ended a four-season, 166-race winless streak.
This past seasons 500 culminated in a win for Kevin Harvick and a dramatic finish for his RCR teammate Clint Bowyer. The No. 07 pilot tangled with Kyle Busch and found himself upside down, in the grass, and sliding down the front stretch, while he earned an 18th-place finish. Fortunately his race car righted itself by the time it stopped moving, and when asked about his spectacular ride, Bowyer replied "actually, it was pretty cool," claiming that the only real problem was the mud that filled his cockpit.
Lost in all of the hub bub about the bout between Juan Montoya and Kevin Harvick was the fact that the mistake made by by Martin Truex Jr. when he bumped Montoya cost Jamie McMurray a chance at a good finish at Watkins Glen as well.
From: JaimieMcMurray.com
Jamie McMurray entered Sunday's race as a pre-race favorite to win – and for good reason; McMurray posted top-four speeds in each practice leading into the race. McMurray and the No. 26 team took a fuel gamble early in the race that looked as if it would play out in their favor as the race wore on. The strategy was working for the No. 26 team and by lap 66, Jamie McMurray had moved into the 10th position. However, following a caution on 68, McMurray restarted in the eighth position.
As the field entered turn one, a wreck occurred ahead of the No. 26 car. McMurray was caught between Juan Pablo Montoya and Kevin Harvick. McMurray turned hard to the right but was unable to avoid the spinning No. 29 car and was clipped hard in the left rear end. The damage was severe and forced McMurray to pull his car into the garage to repair the battered No. 26 machine. After returning to the track in the 37th position, McMurray was able to gain three additional positions before finishing 34th in Sunday's race.
"It just seems that no matter what this Crown Royal team does, we can't seem to buy a break," said McMurray following the race. "It's really hard to believe that we haven't finished better than we have over the last four weeks. I thought we were going to pull out a top-10, maybe a top-5, but again we were caught in a wreck. There was nothing I could do today, and I thought we had made it all the way through, but we were caught in the left side. I really enjoyed racing here today and was really hoping for a better finish. We will have to look forward to next week at Michigan and the week after that in Bristol."
The No. 26 team returns to Michigan International Speedway next weekend for the 3M Performance 400. In their last outing at the two-mile speedway, the Crown Royal team posted a top-10 finish.
Last year Chevy added its 26th NASCAR Manufacturers' Championship and Jimmie Johnson's 2006 NASCAR Driver of the Year and Denny Hamlin's 2006 Rookie of the Year awards to their trophy case. With the best cars on the track, along with the Chevy Monte Carlo SS and the Chevy Impala SS coming to NASCAR, the 2007 race season promises to continue to be exciting. Team Chevy's award winning team of drivers has eight championships among them: Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart and Kevin Harvick. Team Chevy — An American Revolution.
Hendrick Motorsports won its 150th victory and Jimmie Johnson won his third straight race at Las Vegas. Jimmie then made it back-to-back at Atlanta.
At Bristol it was Kyle Bush's turn. It was the eighth victory for Hendrick Motorsports at Bristol and car owner Rick Hendrick's 200th career NASCAR win. Busch's performance marked the 600th win for Chevrolet and it was the first win for any driver with the manufacturer's new Impala SS.
Then today Today at Martinsville Johnson won for the third time in four races when he held off Jeff Gordon in the final laps and prevailed in the Goody's Cool Orange 500 on Sunday at Martinsville. Gordon – Johnson’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate – kept a close eye on Johnson throughout the end of the race and almost beat him to the finish line. On turn four of the last lap, Gordon ducked under Johnson’s No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet and made the finish a drag race to the line. By the slimmest of margins – 0.19 seconds – Johnson won that race.
The win for Johnson was also the fourth straight win for Hendrick Motorsports.
The outhouse is too small to hold all the men that are in the do do now so I am taking them out to the old family farm to clean up the stables in the horse barn. It has plenty of stables. So it aught to hold all the drivers that may eventually wind up in the do do.
Well the four may have qualified for a race, but I told this now part time Nextel team to go Busch a long time ago. Ward. Getouttahheah!
Mikey. Here is the first stable for you. Just shovel the #### and throw it out the window there.
Kevin. Here. This stable right next to Mikey will work for you.
A.J.? Here ya go. Work on this stable right here next to Kevin. Yeah, I see you made the race. But even a blind squirrel finds an acorn every now and then.
Now who else do we have here?
Well, Kenny Wallace. I really hate to do this to you old friend. I mean last year you were my favorite Busch driver. I know Auto Zone screwed you over. They said they weren't going to sponsor anyone and pulled sponsorship from your team leaving you stranded and killing that team. Now they are on Harvick's car in Busch. Liars!
But why are you embarassing yourself running with these Furniture guys? Is the money worth it? Is it just your passion for racing? Learn to let go of the Cup dream man. Find another Busch team. Or run some truck races. But as long as you stick with the Row, well, you'll probably be shoveling #### here. Go on, get in there, and get busy.
"But all this must be suffered by those who profess the stern order of chivalry" Most Interesting Blog, June 16, 2008 and six other occasions. Lisa awarded him Best "breaking news" blogger March 31, 2008. Blog of The Day, Christmas Day, 2007. edhardiman wrote, "Falco's tribute to Rocket Richard reminds us all the stars of today stand on the shoulders of giants..." October 23, 2007. Three Golden Swirrly p00p Awards (Hockey, NASCAR and Use of Graphics), FlyingPig, July 18, 2007. 2007 Memorial Day Weekend Trifecta sponsored by williamwilman . Featured on WFORacingFans April, 2007. "Stylin'" award, Dusty, February 07. "One of ten new bloggers to watch" Dudski, January 2007.
