Three's company

Joining Allison and Irwin as Rookies of the Year in Havoline car an honor

Jamie McMurray leads a pack of cars at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Robert Laberge/Getty Images

Well, the season has finally come to a close. I must say for the most part it flew by very quickly. We ended the season on a very high note with the Havoline team. We won the pole for the Homestead race, and that was a really cool feeling. I started thinking about it and realized that I will be the last driver to win a Winston Cup Bud Pole Award since Nextel will be the Series' sponsor next season. That means we get to be in the Bud Shootout next February in Daytona.

We struggled in the race with the Havoline Dodge, but managed to finish ninth, and while I was disappointed with the result, I felt relieved we were able to get a top-10 finish with a top-20 car.

They came on the radio towards the end of the race and told me it was official that we had won the Raybestos Rookie of the Year award. I remember thinking that I was so mad that the car was running poorly, I don't know that it even hit me until we did the media interviews after the race. That's a very cool feeling to look back at all the guys that have won the Rookie of the Year. And for Havoline, it's a really neat goal that we achieved because I've become the third Havoline driver to win that title. Davey Allison (1987) and Kenny Irwin (1998) both earned Rookie of the Year titles in the Havoline car.

We participated in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year press conference this week in Charlotte and I think it began to sink in what an honor it is. With that award, I join a very impressive group of drivers who have been Rookie of the Year.

We also managed to move up in the final point standings to 13th position, and that's a great feeling as well. While we didn't win a race this year, I feel like we met our goals for season. We improved throughout the season and I truly feel like we're a top-10 team heading into 2004. While I'm looking forward to some time off, part of me is ready to get back in a racecar. I'm really pumped up about the 2004 season.

I'm looking forward to getting to go to New York City for the banquet. That will be my first time in New York, so it should be a pretty cool experience.

I'll have one more diary that I'll write for you the week of Dec. 8th after I return from my first Winston Cup Awards Banquet and my first trip to New York City.

I hope everyone has a very enjoyable Thanksgiving and spends some time with family and friends.

I'll talk you after the Winston Cup Awards banquet.

Jamie McMurray drives the No. 42 Texaco Havoline Dodge for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. His diary appears weekly on SI.com.