There aren’t many particular person seasons a driver has had which might be regarded again on with the type of awe and amazement that Jamie McMurray and his 2010 season are checked out with. In any case, it’s the one season with the huge highs and lows of profitable at Daytona and Indianapolis all whereas having the lows of not ending high ten in factors.
No One Had A 2010 Season As Historic
All issues that made Jamie McMurray’s 2010 one of the memorable by anybody driver. Earlier than the 2010 season, McMurray was going from Roush to his previous stomping floor at CGR, along with his time at Roush being thought of a failure.
He left CGR in 2005 as a result of the workforce was in a pointy decline and went to Roush. One of the best workforce in NASCAR on the time, profitable back-to-back championships in 2003 and 2004. However to at the present time these are the one titles Roush has ever gained.
There are numerous causes for that, and no one sensible would blame McMurray alone. However them opening a fifth automobile to place McMurray in was an element. Consequently, Roush couldn’t give him the identical sources as his teammates. Making his type go on a pointy decline.
In his 4 seasons with Ford’s greatest workforce, he earned solely two plate-track wins and by no means completed high 15 within the last factors. From the hype he earned from profitable his second-ever race within the Cup Collection, many have been calling him the perfect as he went into his eighth Cup Collection season. However no one was saying that after 2010.
Jamie McMurray’s Daytona 500 Triumph
Jamie McMurray’s season began off as nice as any season may have, with a victory within the largest race in America. With two laps to go on the ultimate restart. McMurray restarted second, and he had his ex-teammate Greg Biffle pushing him.
Whereas the person within the lead, Kevin Harvick, the 2007 Daytona 500 winner, had one other Roush driver pushing him, Carl Edwards. Till the backstretch, it was a useless warmth, however midway by means of the lengthy stretch between turns two and three, Carl Edwards determined to undergo the center and go for the win now, whereas Biffle determined to push McMurray as his life relied on it.
So the quantity one in all Jamie McMurray had pulled forward of the sector as he led the sector to the white flag. Yet another time round to crown himself as a Daytona 500 winner. Biffle handed him heading into flip one, giving him the lead. However his aspect drafting saved him alongside and saved him within the working for the win.
Bowyer’s Push To The End Line
That’s when Bowyer, who made his manner as much as third, determined he didn’t need to push Biffle anymore and determined to push Jamie McMurray as an alternative. Bowyer thought he was going for the win, however then Dale Jr., out of nowhere, determined to separate the center, nearly wrecking himself whereas he killed Bowyer’s momentum, all to get second.
After that, no one had something for him, and within the blink of a watch, child Jamie went from fortunate to nonetheless have a trip to a Daytona 500 winner. He was so overcome with shock that he fell to his knees, kissed the emblem within the infield, and, in victory lane, buried his face in his towel as he cried.
It was one of many biggest moments of his life, and I’m positive it felt like time stopped in that second for McMurray. However the present should go on, which means his 2010 season continued because it all the time would’ve.
McMurray’s Inconsistency And Eventual Indy Triumph
Within the subsequent seven races after his Daytona 500 triumph, McMurray solely had one high ten. An eighth place at Bristol. It regarded like enterprise as standard till Talladega, when he had one other probability to win at Talladega.
Mockingly, the person main the ultimate restart within the Daytona 500 was second behind McMurray, pushing him forward of the pack to take him on one-on-one: future champion Kevin Harvick. Trying to get again the win he stole from him.
And coming to the beginning/end line, Harvick bumped him out of the best way, a transfer he did in follow heading into this weekend. That’s precisely what he did, beating McMurray to the road in one of many closest finishes in the entire historical past of the collection.
After the Talladega heartbreaker, second place could be one thing Jamie McMurray would get used to. Ending second twice within the subsequent 4 races. However these runner-ups would’ve been completely unnotable if it weren’t for the races themselves being the Coke 600 and the Southern 500, two of essentially the most historic and largest races in NASCAR.
Prime-Two and Profitable Streak
He’s already completed within the high 2 in two of the most important races this season and gained one in all them. Although in the summertime stretch there weren’t any main occasions for some time, and this seemingly zapped away his complete type. He wouldn’t earn a single high ten end within the subsequent 5 races.
You assume that streak would’ve been snapped on the summer season Daytona race. One of many largest races of the summer season and of the entire yr at a monitor the place he was the defending winner. However he really received by far his worst end throughout this stretch. Being concerned in a late crash with the likes of Ragan and MTJ, completed thirty ninth.
Brickyard 400 Success
Daytona giveth and Daytona taketh away; that’s all the time been the rule. It was really the very subsequent race at Chicagoland Speedway, the place he earned the pole and completed in fifth place. Making it one of many few common races, he received a fantastic lead to 2010. Then got here the most important race of the summer season: the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis, essentially the most historic monitor in all of racing.
Regardless of qualifying fourth, he didn’t lead any laps until late within the working. Main 5 laps till Kevin Harvick took again the lead on lap 145. However with eleven laps to go, McMurray received again the lead and didn’t let go, profitable his second crown jewel race and making the rating 2-1 on Harvick for the yr.
Jamie McMurray’s Season End And Final Victory At Charlotte
It regarded like McMurray was this time going to show his second win of the season into momentum to climb up the standings. As within the subsequent seven races, he would get three high tens and two completely different high tens.
One in every of which was, after all, a 3rd place on the Bristol evening race, one other main and historic race in NASCAR. However as spring turned to fall, McMurray as soon as once more missed the chase regardless of all his wins. However his inconsistency was too nice to be a high 12 driver on the finish of the common season.
And his inconsistency would come again, not getting a single high ten within the subsequent three races. However then would come his final hurrah on the second Charlotte race. Whereas the 600 is the a lot greater occasion, being the longest race of the yr, and on the Memorial Day weekend.
Why Charlotte Was Main
However each race at Charlotte is main, particularly for the drivers and groups, as a result of NASCAR is predicated in Charlotte; that’s most drivers’ and groups’ yard. Plus, being in the course of the Chase. And it was there even after beginning in the course of the sector in twenty seventh. He handed Kyle Busch for the lead on the ultimate restart and took his third and last win of the season.
Beating all of the Chasers on that evening. However after he and his workforce drove away from victory lane, they started making ready for the subsequent week. No one knew it might be his final high 5 of the season. McMurray solely had a tenth at Phoenix for his final high ten of 2010. Displaying how essential it was again then to carry out at these main races. Thanks a bunch for studying!
