When he fell out of the top 35 in the Sprint Cup standings in March, Jamie McMurray went to Martinsville Speedway in Virginia without a guaranteed spot but with a granite pillar of support. Jim McMurray, 60, made a special trip to the track to ensure his son kept his head up and his car in the race. It's a father-son formula that has been working for more than 20 years.
"I could have a horrible day, even when I made it to this level, and he would find something positive to say," say McMurray, 32. "My dad never pressured me. He always found a positive in the worst day."
McMurray started 2008 with five consecutive finishes outside the top 20. However, he enjoyed his best weekend of the year at Martinsville. McMurray started fifth and finished eighth, triggering a steady march upward in the standings. With his dad in attendance at the LifeLock 400, McMurray placed 10th for the second time in three weeks and continued the turnaround. He has climbed 15 spots in 10 races and ranks 21st entering Sunday's Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway.
"We spent virtually every weekend together racing," says the elder McMurray, who is divorced. "But in the last five years, we've probably spent more time together than we did before."
The two live 10 minutes apart in Mooresville, N.C. McMurray's dad keeps his Mondays and Tuesdays open for his son and frequent golfing partner but says he doesn't offer much advice.
"Jamie does his homework about anything he does," his dad says. "If he asks, I say what I think would be best for him. But most of the time we think the same. He's a grown man and needs to make his own decisions."
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