Early Race Incident Makes for Long Day at Bristol for the Bass Pro Shops Team

Results from Bristol Motor Speedway
1. Kyle Busch, No. 18 Toyota
21.   Jamie McMurray, No.1 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Chevrolet
24.   Juan Pablo Montoya, No. 42 Target Chevrolet
 

Bristol, Tenn. (March 20, 2011) – For Jamie McMurray and the No.1 Bass Pro Shops team, Bristol Motor Speedway lives up to its reputation of being a track where your fortunes can change quickly.  Just 29 laps into the 500-lap race, the first of 10 caution flags waved and the No.1 car was caught up in a multi-car accident, eventually finishing in 21st-place.

After qualifying in the 24th-position on Friday afternoon at the “World’s Fastest Half-Mile”, the team went to work Saturday during the final two practice sessions to get the car where they felt they would be competitive for Sunday’s Jeff Byrd 500. Following the early accident, the Bass Pro Shops crew worked tirelessly throughout the remainder of the event to make repairs and changes on the damaged race car and pick up as many positions as possible.  With the 21st-place finish the No.1 team was able improve three spots to 26th-place in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points standings after the Bristol race.

McMurray commented following the race, “I hate it for our team that we had to fight from behind all day.  We felt that after our practice yesterday we would have a competitive car today.  Once you get behind at a place like Bristol, it is hard to make up ground.”

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will make the trip out west to Southern California this weekend for the Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway on March 27 at 3pm ET; live coverage will be on FOX, and MRN Radio affiliates.