Jamie McMurray looking forward to next season at Earnhardt Ganassi Racing
Jamie McMurray will compete for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series next season. // Jim Fluharty, NASCAR Scene
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HOMESTEAD, Fla. – Jamie McMurray said Friday at Homestead-Miami Speedway that moving from one of the biggest NASCAR Sprint Cup organizations to a two-car team doesn’t mean he expects to suffer any drop-off in performance next year.
McMurray is leaving the five-car Roush Fenway Racing team after Sunday’s Ford 400 to drive Earnhardt Ganassi Racing’s No. 1 Chevrolet. Instead of having four teammates as at Roush Fenway, McMurray will have only one, Juan Pablo Montoya, as he returns to the team co-owned by Chip Ganassi.
“There are a lot of advantages being with an organization as large as Roush,” McMurray said. “When things are going well, things are really good. … The downside to that is when things aren’t going well, it’s a big ship, and it takes a long time to get it turned around.”
NASCAR has mandated a four-team cap for 2010, so Roush Fenway had to cut one if its teams and chose McMurray’s. That will end a four-year run together.
McMurray joined the team formerly known as Roush Racing in 2006 but has not finished higher than 16th in the point standings. He’s 22nd this season heading into the final race of the year.
McMurray said he thought he was making the right decision to leave Chip Ganassi Racing three years ago, and Ganassi even told him it was, too.
“I was expecting him to put up a fight, and he honestly said, ‘That’s probably what’s best for you right now,’” McMurray said.
Team co-owner Felix Sabates wasn’t quite as diplomatic, telling McMurray the “grass wasn’t always greener.” Sabates turned out to be right.
McMurray said that when he got to his new team and saw what that organization had, he realized there was no “magic button” for why that team ran well, that because you have five cars doesn’t automatically equate to more speed.
“I hope our team has shown this year that maybe you don’t need to have that to do well,” Ganassi said.
Montoya, driving EGR’s No. 42 Chevrolet, made the Chase For The Sprint Cup this season and has run well the second half of the year.
“It’s a great time to go back to Chip’s program,” said McMurray, who will work with crew chief Kevin Manion.
McMurray finished 11th and 12th in the first two years of the Chase with Ganassi’s team – but the Chase at that time included only 10 drivers instead of the current 12.
“I forgot that,” Ganassi said. “It seemed at the time that wasn’t that big of a deal to do. We have all found out since it is a big deal to do. I’m really happy to have Jamie back.
“You never say never about somebody coming back into your organization. At the same time, I don’t think coming back here is going to be a layup for Jamie. This is a lot of hard work. You have to want to be in this business.”
