McMurray Beats Busch To The Line By Inches

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — This victory, the one that came in breathtaking fashion Saturday night, made Jamie McMurray appreciate just how difficult it is to win in Nextel Cup.
“I started beating my fist against the wheel, almost into pain. I was so excited,” McMurray admitted.
McMurray ended a 166-race winless streak, beating Kyle Busch by mere inches in the Pepsi 400 at Daytona Int’l Speedway. He drag raced Busch over the final two laps and surged ahead just before the two crossed the finish line, as McMurray’s .005-second margin of victory was tied for the second closest in history since NASCAR implemented electronic timing and scoring.
The Roush Fenway Racing driver’s first visit to victory lane came Oct. 13, 2002 at Charlotte when he replaced an injured Sterling Marlin. That was start No. 2 of McMurray’s career, and immediate success was expected, especially since McMurray joined Roush’s powerhouse Ford fleet last season.

FANFARE: Jamie McMurray celebrates his second-career Nextel Cup victory Saturday night at Daytona Int’l Speedway. McMurray ended a 166-race winless streak since taking his second-career race in 2002. (John Harrelson/Getty Images)

“I can tell you this is more special to me, and I’ll appreciate this more than Charlotte,” said McMurray, who recovered from a pass-through penalty early in the race to claw his way back into contention. “At Charlotte, it was over, and I went home and went to sleep. I didn’t put much thought into it. Tonight I’ll probably go home and just think about it.”
In typical restrictor-plate fashion, the final seven laps were ridiculously hairy. Busch said he hardly got any drafting help from his Hendrick Motorsports teammates — all were running at the front near the end — which he took as a slap in the face now that he’s out at Hendrick to make room for Dale Earnhardt, Jr. in 2008.
Still, Busch found himself leading the inside line in the closing laps, and had it not been for third-place finisher and brother Kurt Busch, Kyle’s Chevrolet might have ended up far worse than second. Carl Edwards, McMurray’s teammate, finished fourth, with Jeff Gordon rounding out the top five in another Hendrick Chevy.
The bitter Busch was denied a shot at a rare daily double after he won the rain-delayed Busch Series race 12 hours earlier. He blamed the lack of cooperation from his teammates and felt the lead, which he swapped three times with McMurray in the final six laps, was rightfully his had he just had some help.
“Walking down pit road,” Busch said, “I said congratulations to Jeff Gordon and got blown off. I guess I’m the outsider looking in. I probably won’t be at any team meetings next week. I guess the bliss is over at Hendrick Motorsports.”
Big brother offered his advice.

Jamie McMurray

“You’re out there working as an individual,” Kurt Busch said, “that Hendrick is fielding your cars and there’s not much you can do to help the other guys. So therefore, you shouldn’t expect much help from the other guys.”
Joe Gibbs Racing had its own teammate troubles. On lap 15, Tony Stewart made contact with the back of leader Denny Hamlin, sending both cars spinning and out of contention. Like Busch, each had strong words for the other, as Stewart missed out on a Pepsi 400 three-peat.
“My car started to lose its handle, but I didn’t slow up — not any more than I did the lap before,” Hamlin said.
Greg Biffle finished sixth, with Clint Bowyer, Matt Kenseth, Kasey Kahne and Jimmie Johnson completing the top 10.
Once he finally realized who won on the cool-down lap, McMurray released four years of emotion.
“I don’t know that there’s anyone who has gone from the season that I had last year to getting a win at Daytona,” McMurray said. “And that’s an emotional time. It’s hard to explain to somebody that feeling of not only seeing your team work hard, but also you. You work so hard for something and finally get it.”