The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) returned to the Irish Hills of Michigan and Michigan International Speedway (MIS) this last weekend. Jamie McMurray started the Pure Michigan 400 from the 17th position in the Cessna/McDonald’s Chevrolet SS and crossed the finish-line with a 16th-place result.
After qualifying 18th on Friday afternoon at MIS, McMurray and the No. 1 Cessna/McDonald’s team turned to logging longer race runs and working on the car in traffic to gain comfort with the high-drag aero package being used for the first time at MIS. McMurray was among the top-10 in best 10-lap consecutive lap average in final practice on Saturday.
From the start of Sunday’s 200-lap race, McMurray experienced a car that was really loose in traffic at the beginning of the race, before making a transition to the opposite and the car becoming very tight. Unfortunately, the No. 1 team had a tough time finding the middle-ground as they worked hard to keep the Cessna/McDonald’s Chevy competitive and ultimately to a 16th-place finish.
With his finish, McMurray dropped one position to 10th-place in the NSCS point standings.
NOTES OF INTEREST
· McMurray remains the highest seeded driver currently without a win in the Chase standings, with just three races left before the cutoff
· The Pure Michigan 400 was slowed by caution eight times for 31 laps
CGRFS Quote board:
Jamie McMurray – No. 1 Cessna/McDonald’s Chevrolet SS: – “Just a tough race for us today. It was really hard to pass with my car and we really battled with the being loose in traffic. Matt (McCall) and the guys did a great job in the pits making changes and working on the changing track conditions. I thought we would be able to pick up a few spots on that last restart, but the car got pretty tight at the end which cost a couple of positions.”
NSCS teams will run the Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway, Aug. 22. NBC Sports Network, Sirius XM NASCAR Channel 90 and PRN Radio will have live coverage at 7:30 p.m. EDT.
About Chip Ganassi Racing Teams
Chip Ganassi has been a fixture in the auto racing industry for over 25 years and is considered one of the most successful as well as innovative owners the sport has anywhere in the world. Today his teams include four cars in the IndyCar Series, two cars in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and one Prototype in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship. Overall his teams have 17 championships and over 160 victories, including four Indianapolis 500s, a Daytona 500, a Brickyard 400 and six Rolex 24 At Daytonas and the 12 Hours of Sebring. Ganassi boasts state-of-the-art race shop facilities in Indianapolis and Brownsburg, Ind. and Concord, N.C., with a corporate office in Pittsburgh, Pa.
For more information log onto chipganassiracing.com
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