Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images |
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| 2005 Season |
| Final Points Standing | 12th
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| After First 26 Races | 13th
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| Earnings | $4,639,303
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| Starts | 36
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| Poles | 1
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| Wins | 0
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| Top 5 | 4
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| 6-10 | 6
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| Laps Led | 39
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| Lead Lap Finishes | 24
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| Bonus Points | 10
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| Races Led | 2 |
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| 2005 Performance |
| Below is the ranking of the team on each type of track along with the driver's best finish. |
| Track Type | Ranking |
| Flat Tracks | 19th
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| Best Finish | 10th, Pocono
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| Intermediate Tracks | 9th
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| Best Finish | 2nd, Texas
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| Plate Tracks | 4th
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| Best Finish | 2nd, Daytona
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| Road Courses | 10th
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| Best Finish | 13th, Infineon, Watkins Glen
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| Short Tracks | 24th
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| Best Finish | 7th, Martinsville |
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2006 Spin
The jury is still out on Jamie McMurray. He has struggled to meet expectations while driving sub-par equipment at Ganassi Racing. The much-ballyhooed move to Roush Racing will give the young Missourian the equipment, support and personnel needed to become a weekly contender in the Nextel Cup Series.
McMurray's strong suit is finishing races and not making mistakes. He has the ability to adjust the car to fit his driving style during a race, which has enabled him to salvage decent finishes in second-class cars over the past two years.
Crew chief Jimmy Fennig will undoubtedly make an impression on McMurray. Fennig took a raw, young wheelman named Kurt Busch and turned him into a champion. If McMurray and Fennig jell, expect big things out of the duo.
Team chemistry across the board could be an issue as well. McMurray and new Roush teammate Matt Kenseth feuded on the track on more than one occasion last year. Kenseth was quick to voice his displeasure when he learned of the McMurray hire via the media. Can these two coexist? Probably. Is it worth keeping an eye on? Absolutely.
Expect the change of scenery to benefit both McMurray and Fennig. McMurray made the jump to Roush to win races. By this time next year, the jury will be in.
2006 Recap
Jamie McMurray and crew chief Donnie Wingo just couldn't get going in 2005. Blame the Dodge Charger, the lackluster equipment, the contract dispute. Whatever the reason, 2005 was an exercise in frustration. And in the end, they still finished a respectable 12th.
With four top 10 runs in the season's first 10 races, the Texaco/Havoline team found itself a racy eighth in the standings. A rough stretch leading up to the July Daytona event found McMurray right on the bubble, but a strong runner-up finish in the event moved him back into seventh in the standings. Then the bomb hit.
McMurray announced he would leave Ganassi Racing at the end of the '06 season and drive for Jack Roush, and the team never recovered, as an ugly contract dispute ensued.
When the dust settled, McMurray was released from his contract and was free to join Roush upon the conclusion of the '05 season. To their credit, McMurray and the team hung together throughout the ordeal and finished just 44 points out of 11th place.
• The Good: McMurray never bad-mouthed his owner despite the adverse circumstances he was dealing with. He and the team kept their enthusiasm high, even though McMurray was a lame-duck driver.
• The Bad: McMurray led in only two races for 39 laps. The large chunk of that was at Talladega for 38 circuits. This is unacceptable for a fully funded team.
• The Ugly: McMurray lost control of his car in the fall race at Lowe's, eliminating a strong Michael Waltrip machine and Dale Jarrett in the process. Mental miscues like that cost drivers respect points.
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