Jamie McMurray Diary: Nice change of pace

Well, I made it through my first road course as a Winston Cup driver. All in all, I thought the weekend went very well for the Havoline team. We qualified 26th and finished 20th, and I managed to keep the car on course the entire weekend. I have to say I enjoyed running on a road course. Now, I don't want to race on one every weekend, but it was a nice change from how we usually race.

	Jamie McMurray says he's a lot busier since moving up to Winston Cup. Credit: Autostock

Last week was a busy one for me. We got into San Francisco last Tuesday and I spent most of Wednesday on a media tour in the Bay Area. I was on a local morning show, and then I attended a media luncheon and then it was off to do some radio interviews.

Thursday was sponsor day for me. My sponsor, ChevronTexaco, is based in nearby San Ramon, Calif., so they held a Havoline Racing Employee Day for everyone at headquarters. The souvenir trailer was there, along with the Havoline showcar. It was a chance to meet all the employees that support my racing efforts, and I had a nice surprise as well. ChevronTexaco presented me with a crystal plaque commemorating the day as "Jamie McMurray Day." That meant so much to me. Trophies and plaques are hard to come by these days, and that was a special gift that I'll remember for a long time.

There were a few more dinners and sponsor functions, and then it was time for the race. Like I said, I was very pleased with our effort in the race, and look forward to going back to Sonoma next year.

I flew the red-eye home Sunday night and spent most of Monday just relaxing. We're off this weekend, and this is the last weekend off until the season is over. I don't have any exciting plans other than relaxing and working on my house.

Daytona will be another busy weekend for me as I'll be running both the Winston Cup and Busch Series cars, and we're running the special Terminator 3 paint scheme on the Havoline Dodge. We've got a movie premiere with some Havoline guests next Wednesday in Daytona and then the action starts at the track.

Here's to a weekend off...

Is your first season in Winston Cup everything you have expected? How is it driving for Chip Ganassi?

-- Raymond Sanchez, Las Vegas, New Mexico

ALSO  •  SI.com archive

Raymond, my first season as a Winston Cup driver is going well. I don't know that I had a set, perceived idea about how it was going to be. Obviously, I wish our performance was a little stronger and that we were more consistent, but I really feel like we're making gains each week and I'm excited to be a part of Chip Ganassi Racing. Chip is car owner that expects the best and gives you what you need to achieve your goals.

Now that you're running full-time in Winston Cup, how much more of your time is taken up, compared to the Busch Series?

-- Mike Morris, Longview, Texas

Mike, I think that has been the hardest thing to get adjusted to is the loss of personal time. In the Busch Series, I'd get back home from a race on Saturday or Sunday, and then pretty much have Monday through Thursday to myself. In Winston Cup, it seems like we're always busy with something. If we're not testing somewhere, there's a sponsor appearance or media interviews to do. Don't get me wrong; I'm not complaining about it, it's just that it is harder to find some time to yourself. But I've got people around me that look after my schedule to make sure there is some down time.

Whenever the camera is on you, you always have a smile on your face. What do you do to keep your spirits up when something hasn't gone your way?

-- Teresa, Enon, Ohio

Well, let me first say that I'm not always a happy person. Just ask my girlfriend Cielo or my P.R. guy Jason. They're around me when I'm not always in the best mood. But for the most part, I always try to make the most out of every situation. I'm getting to live my dream right now, and I can't imagine life getting any better. So I'm glad to hear that my happiness comes through on the camera.

Jamie McMurray drives the No. 42 Texaco Havoline Dodge for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. His diary appears weekly on SI.com.

Each week Jamie will devote a portion of his diary to answering questions from SI.com users.