Rookie McMurray holds off Labonte like a veteran

CONCORD, N.C. -- During the final, suspenseful laps of Sunday's UAW-GM Quality 500, the No. 40 team's decision-makers sweated not only nuts-and-bolts at Lowe's Motor Speedway, but also the emotional state of the driver behind the wheel.

Yes, 26-year-old Jamie McMurray had been cool in relief of the injured Sterling Marlin. Yes, he'd avoided trouble. Turned tigerish after being half-teased, half-scolded about tentative pit stops.

But a kid who'd never won a NASCAR event -- Truck, Busch or otherwise -- holding off a championship-hardened veteran like Bobby Labonte?

"Keep hitting your marks," ordered spotter Lorin Ranier on lap 304 of the day's 334. "You'll pull away."

"Beautiful job, Jamie," said team manager Tony Glover on lap 306. "Walk in the park, baby."

Remarkably, it was. Guiding the same car that had carried Marlin to victory at Las Vegas and Darlington, McMurray kept Labonte pinned behind him, squeaking by lapped traffic on the two occasions that Labonte could have caught him.

Once clear, all McMurray could do was lose his first Winston Cup race.

"Nine to go," Glover said near the end. "No mistakes, buddy. No mistakes."

With three laps remaining, Ranier reminded McMurray to, "keep your momentum up," as he encountered lapped traffic.

Then, the countdown began.

"Two to go buddy, two to go," Glover said. "Hit all your marks." Less than a minute later, he added, "One to go buddy, one to go. First one back's the winner. One to go."

Sprinting off Turns 3 and 4 a final time, McMurray dodged more lapped traffic. Seeing Labonte's green nose suddenly close on his car's rear bumper, self-confessed worry wart and crew chief Lee McCall yelled, "Come on! Come on! Come on!"

Once McMurray had taken the checkered flag -- and all the screaming, laughing and pit-road pile-on had begun -- McCall reminded the youngster of Marlin's influence and aid in recent days. Then, with a hint of a grin in his voice, McCall said, "Do the biggest damn burnout you've ever done -- but don't jump on the roof!"

The burnout -- the smokiest this season -- earned McCall's "Awesome baby!"

And one of the final "clicks" in McMurray's earpieces came from his boss.

"Jamie, this is Chip," said owner Chip Ganassi. "Great job!"

"Thanks for the opportunity!" McMurray cried in reply.