Bass Pro driver takes Brickyard 400

Bass Pro Shops-sponsored driver and Joplin native Jamie McMurray won the Brickyard 400 on Sunday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The NASCAR victory is McMurray’s second this year in the No. 1 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Marine Chevrolet. McMurray grabbed the checkered flag during the Daytona 500 in February, just months after joining Earnhardt Ganassi Racing and sliding into Bass Pro driver’s seat.

"This is a proud day for all of us at Bass Pro Shops, Tracker Marine, our Tracker dealers across America and our associates," Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris said in a news release by the Springfield-based outdoor retailer. "We are very proud of Jamie and the importance of this win at this historic track."

The finish puts McMurray in good company as one of three drivers to take the Daytona and Brickyard crowns in the same year, according to the release. Jimmie Johnson won both races in 2006, and Dale Jarrett completed the sweep in 1996.

“It is a popular item in the Cup garage for sure right now,” McMurray said of the trophy during post-race interviews. “Exciting day for us, for Bass Pro Shops, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola – everybody that is a part of our organization. … It is unbelievable and the greatest racing year of my life.”

The Brickyard 400 is the 34-year-old McMurray’s fifth Sprint Cup win in 278 career starts. An eight-year NASCAR veteran, McMurray joined the Bass Pro Shops team in November, effectively replacing Martin Truex Jr., who joined Michael Waltrip Racing.

This is the fifth year Springfield-based Bass Pro Shops has been a primary NASCAR sponsor.[[In-content Ad]]