MCDONALD'S TEAM GETS TOP-20 AT MIS

Results (with starting pos.) from Michigan International Speedway
1.     (10) Denny Hamlin  No. 11 Toyota
19.   (14) Jamie McMurray, No. 1 McDonald’s Chevrolet
30.   (25) Juan Pablo Montoya, No. 42 Cars 2 Chevrolet

No. 1 MCDONALD’S TEAM SCORES TOP-20 FINISH AT MICHIGAN

Brooklyn, Mich. (June 19, 2011) – The No. 1 McDonald’s team began the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 from the 14th-position and battled with a tight race car most of the event. With solid pit stops throughout the race the team worked to find the right balance on the car and managed to keep McMurray running among the top 25 all afternoon to bring home a 19th-place finish.

Kevin “Bono” Manion and crew unloaded the McDonald’s Chevrolet on Friday morning and started the weekend with two solid practices, posting the 14th and 21st fastest times respectively.  The team worked diligently on a long run set up to make the No. 1 car competitive in what usually turns out to be a fuel mileage race at the 2-mile Michigan track. 

The McDonald’s crew worked hard throughout the event to make necessary changes and quick pit stops with the end strategy of gaining track position in the closing laps on fuel mileage.  A late race caution nullified that effort as the other lead lap cars were able to benefit by pitting for fuel to make it to the finish.

McMurray commented after the race, “I am actually pleased to have a top-20 finish.  I know that we as a team are not satisfied with 19th-place, but after the last couple of weeks it is a start in the right direction.  Sometimes all you need is just a little momentum swing to get things in the right direction.  Now we need to focus on making it happen.  There is no lack of effort from anyone in this organization.  We just need to have everything fall into place”.

NOTES
- McMurray is currently 28th -position in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point standings, 50 points out of 20th-place
- McMurray ranked fourth for positions improved in the last 20 laps, moving up five spots from 24th to 19th
- McMurray ranked third among all drivers for most green flag passes with 135

Next weekend the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will move to the Infineon Raceway for the Toyota/Save Mart 350, Sunday June 26 at 3:00 p.m. (EDT), the event will be covered live on TNT and PRN radio affiliated stations.