A leaked photo also leads us to believe Jamie McMurray isn’t done racing just yet
Jamie mcMurray has been signed by Fox Sports
For 2019, Kurt Busch has been signed to pilot the #1 for Chip Ganassi Racing. That left the 42-year-old veteran driver of Jamie McMurray without a ride for the upcoming Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season.
Chip Ganassi said he offered to field an additional car in the 2019 Daytona 500. However, McMurray was unsure if he would take him up on the opportunity.
Jamie McMurray to Fox Sports
Yesterday, it was announced that McMurray will climb from the cockpit in 2019. Instead, he will switch suits and head to the broadcast side of the industry.
McMurray will join FOX Sports. He’ll serve as an analyst for NASCAR Race Hub, the most-watched daily NASCAR show. In addition, he will sit on the panel for another show, NASCAR Race Day.
“As FOX Sports built the new virtual studio in Charlotte, we were equally invested in hiring the right personalities for our NASCAR programming,” said Steve Craddock, SVP of NASCAR Production, FOX Sports.
“Jamie McMurray brings a fresh-off-the-track perspective and a modest like-ability everyone can relate to. He is a great addition to our team,” Craddock concluded.
In 2018, McMurray dipped his toes in the TV water. June and July he sat in the broadcast booth for the NASCAR Xfinity Series races at Pocono Raceway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway. October and again in November, he served as a special guest analyst on NASCAR Race Hub.
“As my driving career got closer to the end, I thought about doing TV but wasn’t sure until I did a couple of NASCAR RACE HUB shows at the end of this year,” McMurray said.
“I really enjoyed it more than I expected. It’s a whole new world, but that’s what I am most excited about – the new challenge and discomfort that comes with doing something completely out of my element,” McMurray concluded.
Jamie McMurray racing in 2019?
What hasn’t been confirmed is whether or not McMurray will take on the above listed offer by Chip Ganassi to run Daytona.
However, a photo was leaked to Reddit that shows a car with McMurray’s name on it. It’s rumored that McMurray will head to the #40 car shown in 2019.
The car would likely be run in The Clash at Daytona come February. In addition, it would also likely include a running in the 2019 Daytona 500.
That announcement still has yet to be confirmed. However, here’s a photo of the graphic rendering for Jamie McMurray’s #40 machine. It features primary sponsorship from Advent Health.
The photo has since been removed from the NASCAR Reddit page.
Jamie McMurray and Chip Ganassi Racing going forward
McMurray was signed with Ganassi back in 2010 after a departure from Roush Fenway Racing. He’s been with the company through a name change from Earnhardt Ganassi Racing to the current Chip Ganassi Racing.
Beyond the cockpit, Chip Ganassi also detailed a desire for other plans in regards to McMurray. He explained his ideas last week during the announcement for Kurt Busch.
“Well, first of all, I do expect Jamie to stick around, yes,” Ganassi said Tuesday in a joint teleconference with Busch. “And as we talked about, we are going to have some announcements forthcoming on that subject.”
“So, I think, as I’ve said before, I want him to continue on with our organization and I think in the coming weeks you will find that out. I think he is somebody that can take a lot of stock in any of the success that this team has or happens in the future.”
“Jamie can take a lot of stock in that in helping bring a level of maturity to the organization when it was badly needed,” Ganassi stated.
2019 will be Jamie McMurray’s 19th year in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. He has 582 starts recorded. He’s scored 7 wins and collected 158 top-10’s.
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Kurt Busch to Chip Ganassi Racing in 2019
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Jamie McMurray | Fox Sports | Kurt Busch | Chip Ganassi Racing | Monster Energy | NASCAR
