Rookie of the Year: Jamie McMurray

Sporting News, The, Dec 8, 2003 by Lee Spencer

Jamie McMurray put the 2003 freshman class on notice in 2002, when he got his first Cup win in his second start, at Charlotte.

Yes, he accomplished that feat with the help of Sterling Marlin's championship-caliber team, but somebody had to wheel the No. 40 Dodge to the finish line.

McMurray, driving the No. 42 in 2003, was the top-finishing rookie in the standings at 13th and was voted TSN Rookie of the Year by fellow drivers. He posted five top fives and 13 top 10s and won the pole for the season finale at Homestead.

"I'm sure I made some people mad, and that's all part of it, but I tried to do my best to respect all those guys and race them when I needed to," says McMurray, 27. "And when I didn't have a car that was capable of racing them, I tried not to do something stupid to cause a wreck or hold someone up."

Mark Martin offered encouragement to McMurray throughout the year, repeatedly telling him he was "doing the right thing."

"I had two or three other drivers tell me the same thing," McMurray says. "The champion said that. That meant a lot to me. So it's cool to have them vote you as Rookie of the Year."