Jamie McMurray's previous career-best point standings position was eighth, after Darlington on May 7. Credit: Autostock

McMurray vaults to 7th after second-place finish

Dodge charger has moved from 13th at Dover, picking up 557 points

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- As hard as it is to believe, Jamie McMurray's runner-up finish in the Pepsi 400 sent him to a career-high points position. He is now seventh, up one spot and 22 points behind sixth-place Ryan Newman.

McMurray never thought Daytona would be the track that jump-started his stale season. He has been searching for the consistency he enjoyed in 2004, and he's finally found it.

"This is really big for us. The speedway races are the ones we thought we'd struggle at," McMurray said. "Bristol [and] Martinsville, where we run top five usually, we ran 30th, so we got it back here."

Results Pepsi 400 at Daytona Pos. Driver Make 1. T. Stewart Chevrolet 2. J. McMurray Dodge 3. D. Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet 4. R. Wallace Ford 5. D. Jarrett Ford • Complete results, click here • Standings, click here Victory LaneTony Stewart celebrates his Pepsi 400 win at Daytona Multi-car wreckThe Big One strikes on Lap 35 at Daytona Pepsi 400Get all the highlights from under the lights at Daytona Sign up for TrackPass now BUY YOUR NEXTEL DRIVER PHONE COKE TRACK ACCESS Interactive race highlights and instant win game

McMurray barely missed the Chase for the Nextel Cup last season, and when it was all said and done, it was the restrictor-plate races that did him in. It wasn't that McMurray ran badly in those events, but something would break or he'd get caught up in an accident.

Chip Ganassi Racing -- like virtually every Dodge program in 2005 -- has struggled with the Dodge Charger, but their engine program has helped relieve some of the struggles that have come with the new body style.

But the Charger has performed well on the superspeedway races, and Dodge placed two cars in the top five at Daytona, including Rusty Wallace's fourth-place effort.

"You hear a lot of guys talk about what a good speedway driver is, but unless you have a really good handling car and a good engine, it doesn't matter what kind of driver you are," McMurray said. "We had a good car and a good motor."

However, McMurray's finish didn't come without some close calls.

On Lap 35, he was running immediately ahead of Scott Riggs on the track when McMurray dove low to begin his approach to pit road.

Riggs nearly turned McMurray before slamming on his brakes, which sent Riggs into Mark Martin. A nine-car accident ensued, and Riggs said that he didn't see McMurray signal that he was about to pit.

"I was on the bottom and the 24 [Jeff Gordon] pitted," McMurray said. "I don't know, you do what you can.

"I didn't know I was the guilty victim of that deal. I waved going down the backstretch that I was going to pit and when I saw the 24 go in, I waved."

McMurray nearly got caught up in a wreck on pit road during his final stop.

"I saw [Vickers] turn and I got into the grass and it's really wet," McMurray said. "I saw him just get hammered, killed his car."

One key was the No. 42 team's decision to stay out with Tony Stewart on Lap 115, which helped McMurray retain track position.

"The guys on pit road see the perspective of the entire race," McMurray said.