Jamie McMurray facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jamie McMurray |
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McMurray in 2025
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| Born | James Christopher McMurray June 3, 1976 Joplin, Missouri, U.S. |
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| Weight | 150 lb (68 kg) | ||||||
| Achievements | 2003 NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year 2010 Daytona 500 Winner 2010 Brickyard 400 Winner 2013 Sprint Showdown Winner 2014 Sprint All-Star Race Winner 2015 Rolex 24 at Daytona Overall Winner |
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| NASCAR Cup Series career | |||||||
| 584 races run over 19 years | |||||||
| 2021 position | 33rd | ||||||
| Best finish | 11th (2004) | ||||||
| First race | 2002 EA Sports 500 (Talladega) | ||||||
| Last race | 2021 Daytona 500 (Daytona) | ||||||
| First win | 2002 UAW-GM Quality 500 (Charlotte) | ||||||
| Last win | 2013 Camping World RV Sales 500 (Talladega) | ||||||
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| NASCAR Xfinity Series career | |||||||
| 190 races run over 14 years | |||||||
| 2018 position | 96th | ||||||
| Best finish | 6th (2002) | ||||||
| First race | 2000 Sam's Town 250 (Memphis) | ||||||
| Last race | 2018 Alsco 300 (Charlotte) | ||||||
| First win | 2002 Aaron's 312 (Atlanta) | ||||||
| Last win | 2010 Great Clips 300 (Atlanta) | ||||||
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| NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series career | |||||||
| 25 races run over 4 years | |||||||
| 2008 position | 81st | ||||||
| Best finish | 22nd (2000) | ||||||
| First race | 1999 O'Reilly Auto Parts 200 (I-70) | ||||||
| Last race | 2008 Kroger 200 (Martinsville) | ||||||
| First win | 2004 Kroger 200 (Martinsville) | ||||||
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| Statistics current as of December 25, 2021. | |||||||
James Christopher McMurray (born June 3, 1976), known as "Jamie Mac", is a former professional stock car racing driver from America. He now works as an analyst for Fox NASCAR and CW. Jamie raced full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series from 2003 to 2018. After that, he only competed in the Daytona 500 in 2019 and 2021.
McMurray achieved his first big win very early in his career, in October 2002. He is famous for winning the 2010 Daytona 500 for Chip Ganassi Racing. He is also one of only three drivers to win both the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400 in the same year.
Jamie McMurray's Racing Journey
Early Racing Days
Jamie McMurray started his racing career in 1999. He competed in five races in the Craftsman Truck Series. In 2000, he raced in 16 Truck Series events. He earned one top-five and four top-ten finishes that year.
From 2001 to 2002, he raced full-time in the Busch Series. He drove the No. 27 Chevrolet for Brewco Motorsports. The year 2002 was very successful for McMurray. He won two races and finished sixth in the overall points standings.
He got his first NASCAR Busch Series win at the Aaron's 312 race in Atlanta. He beat Joe Nemechek and Michael Waltrip by saving fuel. McMurray led only one lap in that race. He became the 100th different driver to win in the Grand National Series. The next weekend, he won again at the Sam's Club 200 in North Carolina. He led only the last two laps after other leaders crashed.
First Time in the Cup Series
Jamie McMurray's entry into the Cup Series was unexpected. He was supposed to race part-time in 2002. However, he became a temporary replacement for injured driver Sterling Marlin. Marlin had broken a bone in a crash.
McMurray made his Cup debut at Talladega. Just one week later, at Charlotte, he won the UAW-GM Quality 500. This was only his second Cup Series race. He led 96 of the final 100 laps to secure the victory. This win was a huge surprise in NASCAR history. It set a record for the fewest starts before a win in the modern era.
In 2003, McMurray began racing full-time in the Cup Series. He earned the Rookie of the Year award. He had five top-five finishes and 13 top-ten finishes. He ended the year 13th in the overall standings.
In 2004, McMurray had a strong season. He finished in the top ten 23 times. He also won a Truck Series race that year. This made him one of the few drivers to win a race in all three of NASCAR's top series. In 2005, he finished 12th in points.
Time with Roush Fenway Racing
After the 2005 season, McMurray moved to Roush Racing. His first year in 2006 was tough. His best finish was second place at Dover International Speedway. He ended the season 25th in points.
In 2007, McMurray won his third career Cup pole position. This was for the Toyota Save/Mart 350. On July 7, he won the Pepsi 400. He barely beat Kyle Busch by 0.005 seconds. This was one of the closest finishes in Daytona history. He finished 17th in points that year.
The 2008 season started with some struggles. But McMurray steadily improved. He finished 16th in the standings. In 2009, McMurray started strong at the Budweiser Shootout, finishing second. Later that year, he won the AMP Energy 500 at Talladega. This was his second win on a restrictor-plate track. Roush Fenway Racing had to reduce their teams, so McMurray left. He then rejoined Chip Ganassi's team.
Back with Ganassi: Big Wins and Challenges
A Milestone Season
In 2010, McMurray returned to Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. He started the year with a huge win. On February 14, 2010, he won the Daytona 500. He led only two laps, which was a record for the fewest laps led by a winner at Daytona at the time. He held off Greg Biffle and Dale Earnhardt Jr. for the victory.
Later in 2010, McMurray won the Brickyard 400. This made him one of only three drivers to win both the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400 in the same year. His team owner, Chip Ganassi, also made history. Ganassi became the first owner to win both races and the Indianapolis 500 in the same year. McMurray also won a Nationwide Series race that September. He finished 14th in the Cup Series standings with three wins.
Contract Extension and Later Years
In 2011, McMurray signed a new contract with Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. He won the pole position at Martinsville. After a tornado hit his hometown of Joplin, Missouri, McMurray showed support by listing Joplin as a sponsor on his car. His 2011 season was not as strong as 2010, with only four top-ten finishes.
The 2012 season was also challenging for McMurray. He had a few good finishes but no wins. In 2013, he won the non-points Sprint Showdown at Charlotte. This was his first win since 2010. In October, he won at Talladega, ending a long winless streak. This was his seventh career victory.
In 2014, McMurray won the Sprint All-Star Race. He led 40% of the race and earned a large prize. He also won the pole for the Toyota/Save Mart 350. He finished 18th in the overall standings.
2015 to 2018 Seasons
McMurray started 2015 with a new crew chief. He had a strong start to the season, with several top-ten finishes. For the first time in his career, he made it into the Chase for the Cup (now called the Playoffs). He finished 13th in the standings.
In 2016, McMurray continued to show consistency. He earned several top-ten finishes. He again clinched a spot in the Playoffs. However, his hopes ended at Dover due to an engine problem.
The 2017 season was strong for McMurray. He had nine top-ten finishes in the first 16 races. He made the Playoffs for the third year in a row. He even advanced past the first round for the first time. He finished 12th in the standings with 17 top-ten finishes.
The 2018 season was McMurray's last full-time year. He had two top-five finishes and eight top-tens. He missed the Playoffs that year. At the end of the season, it was announced that Kurt Busch would take over his No. 1 car.
Daytona 500 Appearances (2019, 2021)
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After 2018, McMurray retired from full-time racing. He signed a contract with Fox Sports to become a NASCAR analyst. He also took on a leadership role with Chip Ganassi Racing.
In 2019, he returned to race in the 2019 Daytona 500 with Spire Motorsports. He led a few laps and finished 22nd. He raced in the Daytona 500 again in 2021, driving the No. 77 car. He finished 8th, which was his second top-ten finish in the Daytona 500.
Other Racing Adventures
Jamie McMurray also enjoyed racing in other series. In 2014, he raced in the 24 Hours of Daytona for Chip Ganassi Racing. He called it "the most fun race I get to run all year long."
In 2015, McMurray's team won the 24 Hours of Daytona. This made him one of only a few drivers to win both the Daytona 500 and the 24 Hours of Daytona. He also raced in the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2016.
Life Outside the Track
Broadcast Career
After his full-time racing career ended in 2018, McMurray joined Fox Sports. He became an analyst for their Fox NASCAR broadcast team. He appears on shows like NASCAR RaceDay and NASCAR Race Hub. Starting in 2025, McMurray will also be a commentator for CW Sports' NASCAR broadcasts.
Personal Life and Hobbies
Jamie McMurray was born in Joplin, Missouri. He started racing go-karts at a young age. He competed in many karting events across the country. Even today, he still enjoys racing in World Karting Association races.
McMurray married Christy Futrell in 2009. They have two children. Their son, Carter Scott McMurray, was born in 2010. Their daughter, Hazel, was born in 2013. Carter McMurray now races full-time in the SMART Modified Tour.
Jamie McMurray has also become active in running and cycling. He completed a challenging bike ride called the Assault on Mt. Mitchell. In December, he finished his first marathon.
See also
In Spanish: Jamie McMurray para niños
