With just three races remaining in the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) season, the series made its second stop of the season at Texas Motor Speedway (TMS). Jamie McMurray, driving the No. 1 Cessna/NetJets Chevrolet SS, overcame a disappointing qualifying result to bring home at 10th-place finish in the Lone Star State.
Following a 27th-place qualifying result on Friday afternoon at TMS, the No. 1 team looked to improve the performance of the No. 1 Chevy in the two scheduled practices on Saturday. Unfortunately, those plans were foiled when NASCAR and track officials were unable to have the track prepared for activity, because of water that continued to seep through the asphalt from a saturated ground.
The uncertainty because of limited practice time was quickly put to rest as McMurray powered his way through the field, racing into the top-10 before the halfway mark of the 334-lap race. The No. 1 Cessna/NetJets team raced among the top-15 for 222 laps (66.5%) and finished the race with a 13.7-place average running position. After taking a gamble with a two-tire stop on the race’s final caution, McMurray restarted in the fourth-position with just 18 laps to go. The result netted McMurray with his second consecutive and 10th overall, top-10 of the season.
With his finish, McMurray gained one position and is currently in 12th position in the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup standings.
NOTES OF INTEREST
· Today was McMurray’s 10th top-10 finish of the 2015 season
· McMurray gained 17 positions from start to finish
· Crew Chief Matt McCall was awarded the Moog Problem Solver of the Race Award – for being the eligible team to improve the most positions from the first to second half of the race
· The caution flag was shown nine times for a total of 47 laps
· The lead changed 15 times among eight drivers
CGRFS Quote board:
Jamie McMurray, No. 1 Cessna/NetJets Chevrolet SS – “A really good job by everyone on the Cessna team. The guys did a great job on pit road and knocked-off some really good pit stops. That was one of the better intermediate track races that we have had in a while. Our team has maintained their focus extremely well and have done a great job of getting our cars better throughout the weekend. I’m glad that we were able to overcome the disappointing qualifying result with a top-10 finish. I look forward to finishing out this season really strong.”
NSCS teams will run the Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 at Phoenix International Raceway next Sunday, Nov. 15. NBC, Sirius XM NASCAR Channel 90 and MRN Radio will have live coverage beginning at 2:30 p.m. EST.
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 18 championships and 170 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 http://www.chipganassiracing.com
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