(Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Jamie McMurray, whose contract expires at the end of the season, will not return to Roush Fenway Racing in 2010, according to Racer Magazine.
With Roush having to downsize to meet NASCAR's four teams per organization rule, much debate was to who would be the odd man out. Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle, and Carl Edwards all signed contract extensions and it came down to McMurray and David Regan.
In the past weeks, many saw this coming. With DeWalt announcing it will not sponsor Kenseth's No. 17 car next season, McMurray's sponsor Crown Royal announced they'll be on the No. 17 car starting in 2010 and Regan's sponsor, UPS, announced it had signed a contract extension with Roush.
McMurray joined Roush in 2006 and has found little success. He finished 25th in 2006, 17th in 2007, and 16th in 2008 in the Sprint Cup standing and is currently 20th this season.
However, he did record a win at Daytona in July 2007. McMurray has an average finish of 20.2 this season with only three top-10 finishes and no top-fives.
“I’m happy that the [No.] 17 has a sponsor for half of the season next year so they only have another half season to sell, but I’m disappointed for Jamie and whatever he’s got going on,” Kenseth said to Racer.
“I think he knew for a while that he was the team and driver that would be moving to Yates, if they could keep that team funded, but we still haven’t brought another new sponsor into the organization, so it’s still a concern for the organization.”
Many rumors are going around that the No. 26 will become a part of Yates Racing, which is a satellite team for Roush.
Yates originally started the season with two cars, but is down to one due to lack of sponsorship for Travis Kvapil's No. 28 ride. Yates currently fields the No. 98 Menards Ford for Paul Menard.
However, rumors are also swirling that McMurray is the top driver for the No. 1 ride at Earnhardt Ganassi, which will be vacated by Martin Truex Jr. at the of the season. Truex has signed a contract to drive for Michael Waltrip Racing starting in 2010.
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