Our day began at 9am on Sunday, August 3rd, as we checked in on Jamie McMurray's Chip Ganassi Racing Team, to see how they were preparing for the race ahead. The crew was focused in the garage, and busy fine-tuning the #1 Chevrolet for the "GoBowling.Com 400, but, they still took the time to have a little fun.
When I arrived, I was surprised but delighted to find my bobblehead, bobbing about on the car, as they guys worked around it. The bobblehead then found its way to the pits, where it sat on the pit box for the entire race.
"It's fun, and I would say that 95 percent of (this job) is awesome, and not work-related at all," McMurray told us, this weekend.
His crew chief, Keith Rodden, added, "I think it's about 97 percent fun, probably 2 and a half percent frustration, and a half percent work. We definitely have a job to do, but there's a lot worse ways to make a living."
For Rodden, race day is centered around the car and the crew. He conducts a pre-race team meeting in the hauler, which is a mix of a pep talk and talking shop. Meanwhile, McMurray spends time greeting fans, and attending the mandatory driver meeting.
From the meetings, its time to hit the track. The crew settles in to the pits, while McMurray gets mentally prepared and cozies into the driver's seat of the #1 Chevrolet.
McMurray started eighth in the race, and quickly moved up to sixth. At one point, he was racing third, and in the end, the team finished seventh. Overall, it was a solid weekend for the team, and one that left McMurray very pleased.
A special thanks to the Chip Ganassi Racing Team for allowing our cameras and crew to capture Jamie McMurray with his crew, this weekend at Pocono Raceway!