Conversation With Jamie McMurray

I could take this time to say "I told you so," or I could explain
why Jamie McMurray and his Williams TravelCenters No. 27 team have been one of
the biggest breakthrough stories of the season.

After only the second race of the season, I said it right here,
"Jamie McMurray is one to watch throughout 2002." Did I call that or
what? McMurray’s what you could call mediocre rookie season had left him 16th in
points with only three top-10s.

When the Busch Series rolled in to Michigan a few weeks back, I was able to
sit down and grill McMurray on his rookie year, his season so far and his
future. Aside from being courteous on the racetrack, he is also courteous with
the constant requests for interviews this season has brought him. Although, a
few weeks back we did see the usual "courteous’ McMurray get a little
aggressive with fellow competitor Kenny Wallace.

At IRP, Wallace rammed McMurray’s Chevy from behind and took over the spot
they were so fiercely battling over. All of a sudden, something very rare
happened. McMurray retaliated. "I don’t ever do that. I would never hit
someone intentionally."

"I just feel like if you let someone do that to you and maybe just let
them know you didn’t appreciate it, they won’t do it again."

"You would think since we’re both from Missouri that we’d be good ole
pals," McMurray added with a smirk.

With the IRP incident between himself and the 48 long behind him, the
26-year-old so far this season has pulled out nine top-10s and two top fives,
compared to only his three top-10s last season. What has made this year so much
different from the way the team ran last year, McMurray says, is all in a year’s
experience.

"Last year I was somewhat timid about going to racetracks I’d never been
to and this year you just totally take that out of the equation. When we go to
the racetrack, I already know what happens and not only know the racetrack, but
know the characteristics of what happened last year during the race. Racetracks
change and maybe the way the line goes. People can tell you that and you can
watch race tapes but until you get in a car and you experience it for yourself,
it doesn’t sink it."

After knocking out numerous consistent runs this season and sitting ninth in
the points, what else would be next on the agenda but to win a race. "I
would love to win a race before the year is over. That would be huge for us, to
be able to come away with a win."

With a full season of experience behind him and a current season in which top
ten tallies keep piling up, what could possibly go wrong for the Joplin, Mo.
driver? Plenty. McMurray’s sponsor, Williams TravelCenters, announced they will
not be back as the primary sponsor in 2003. For a team whose worst finishes
consist of two 32nd place runs after eerily similar wrecks at Dover and this
past weekend at Darlington, the lack of sponsorship is by far the worst thing to
happen to the #27 crew this season.

Without sponsorship, what are the second year Busch Series driver’s plans?
"I don’t really know right now. I’m really happy where I am. But I think
you just have to leave all of your options open. I don’t want to leave a good
situation. I’m really happy with the crew chief and all the guys I have right
now so I really don’t want to go anywhere. But if you don’t have a sponsor it’s
hard to keep a race team going. So it’s just, really, wait and see what options
come around."

With uncertainty leading McMurray through the final nine-race stretch, he
says he’s doing his best to put his name on the table, even in the Winston Cup
series. "I’ve talked to some teams. I think teams are just like drivers.
Teams talk to numerous drivers. You might be 20th on the list, but I think that
a lot of teams talk to a lot of drivers just to keep their options open. The
same thing a driver does is talk to a lot of teams, maybe not even considering
going there, but you have to keep all of your options open and you can never
have too many friends."

Before he decides to make the jump to Winston Cup, McMurray says the smartest
thing to do is to "make sure that when you do that, you do it with a good
team, with someone you feel like you could stay there with a long time. I think
it’s really hard to make it to Cup and I think it’s even harder to stay there
once you get there. I just want to wait until I feel like the right opportunity
comes along."

While McMurray may not have a set plan for next season, he does have a solid
plan for the remainder of 2002. "Really, to be consistent is big. I feel
like we have that right now. I feel like we’ve improved as a team and I think
our goal for the remainder of the year is to get in the top five in
points."