NASCAR Cup Series

Likely to miss the Chase, McMurray is focusing on the big picture

Published Sep. 10, 2010 3:00 p.m. ET

foxsports

Despite snapping a 77-race winless streak in the Nationwide Series, Jamie McMurray still seemed a bit forlorn Saturday night after the race.

McMurray had another trophy, but his wife, Christy, wasn't at Atlanta Motor Speedway to share the moment.

"It means so much more when you have someone you love to enjoy the good times," McMurray said.

And McMurray has had his share of good times this season. After reuniting with Chip Ganassi at the start of this year, McMurray won the season opening Daytona 500 in his No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet debut. The 34-year-old racer then backed that up with a victory in NASCAR's second most prestigious race -- the Brickyard 400.

Still, inconsistencies, coupled with misfortunes -- including a cut tire last Sunday on Lap 179 when McMurray was running sixth -- likely sealed his Chase for the Championship fate for 2010.

McMurray is currently 14th in points, 128 markers behind Clint Bowyer in 12th place, following his 15th-place finish in the Atlanta Cup race.

McMurray admits, "The bad results haven't necessarily been because we didn't have a fast car, rather, we've just been in the wrong place at the wrong time."

McMurray had narrowed the gap between he and Bowyer to 100 points in the previous race at Bristol Motor Speedway with a third-place run. Even then, McMurray had adopted a "que sera" attitude. He was resigned to letting his crew chief Kevin "Bono" Manion "worry about" making the Chase. For McMurray, who is expecting his first child in December, there's now a bigger picture to consider.

"I remember the stress that goes along with that, and I'm really fortunate this year that we were able to win those two big races because if we don't make the Chase, it's not going to be devastating," McMurray said following Bristol. "I want to make the Chase, but there's nothing you can do. We drove as hard as we could … and I don't think we really gained any points."

What the team has gained is momentum. His relationship with Manion continues to grow on and off the track. McMurray's qualifying effort has been stellar. He's posted a career-best two wins, three poles and an average qualifying performance of 13.3 this season.

It's a stark improvement over his tenure at Roush Fenway Racing, where McMurray scored just two wins and two poles in four years. McMurray doesn't regret his time at RFR, he's just grateful to have a second chance with Ganassi. And if everything goes as planned, McMurray will have a new contract shortly.

"It's not done, but it's all but done," McMurray said. "It's really close to being finished. I can't believe that McDonald's and Bass Pro Shop wouldn't want to come back. I'm in such a different situation than I was in a year ago. With this deal people want to be a part of it, so I just haven't let myself worry about it. I don't want to go anywhere else. It wouldn't matter who offered me a job, I wouldn't leave where I am. I really like where I am.

"I really like Jack (Roush). I really liked everyone that was there. But it wasn't the right environment for me. It was tough from the start, and it never got better. It was the same from Jack's point of view. It wasn't good for him, either. It's really nice what's going on now. I'm really happy. It just couldn't get much better."