2010 Daytona 500: Jamie McMurray Victorious By Keeping Doors Open

Jamie McMurray reunited himself with Chip Ganassi in perfect fashion as he took the No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet back to the victory lane in the 2010 Daytona 500.

McMurray began his Sprint Cup career at Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing (then Chip Ganassi Racing) in 2002. It was announced at Richmond that he’d drive the No. 42 Dodge for the 2003 season full-time, although after Sterling Marlin was injured at Kansas, those plans were accelerated. McMurray began driving the car at Talladega in 2002.

In his second-ever start, he led 96 of the final 100 laps to win the UAW-GM Quality 500.

The following seasons produced positive final standings finishes as he finished 13th, 11th and 12th in points, despite zero wins. During this time, he accumulated 18 top fives and 46 top 10 finishes.

At the end of the 2005 season, McMurray left Chip Ganassi Racing to drive the No. 26 Roush-Fenway Ford, hoping for bigger results. Though in return, the point finishes weren’t there: He finished 25th 17th, 16th and 22nd over the next four years with a total of 11 top fives and 42 top 10s.

He did manage to win two races (2007 Coke Zero 400 and 2009 Amp Energy 500), but for the most part, the expected success wasn’t there.

In 2010 when it came time for Roush to collapse to four teams, McMurray was left without a ride as Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth, and Carl Edwards had all experienced success and David Ragan looked like to have the most potential.

At the end of the 2009 season, Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing had a spot open when Martin Truex Jr. moved over to Michael Waltrip Racing. Chip Ganassi pinned McMurray to drive their car.

They opened up their new chapter together in the best way possible as on the second-attempt at a green-white-checkered finish, McMurray used a huge push from Biffle to pass Kevin Harvick for the lead.

McMurray never looked back as he took the win over Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Greg Biffle.

"Unbelievable,” McMurray said in victory lane in tears. “Unbelievable. I told my wife today, she was like if you win tonight....oh I am going to cry...it is so unreal. I thought if I made it without seeing my Dad or my wife, I'd be ok. It is unbelievable really. I can't explain it. It is a dream. I mean it really it is.

"Where I was last year...and for Johnny Morris (Bass Pro Shops) and Chip (Ganassi) and Felix (Sabates), Bass Pro Shops to take a chance on me and let me come back, it means a lot to me. What a way to pay them back. Happy Valentines Day to my wife. My Dad is here, it is just very emotional.

"After we won Talladega, we went to McDonald's. I think tonight we will have a Big Mac."

McMurray said earlier in the weekend that he was glad that he kept a good relationship with Ganassi and Sabates since he was able to get this chance again.

With the Daytona 500 victory, he certainly proved he was worthy of a second chance and with the stats in his favor and how Montoya ran last year, look for McMurray to have a chase-worthy year.