Notebook : McMurray signs multiyear deal with EGR

McMurray signs multiyear deal with EGR


Jamie McMurray has signed a multiyear contract with Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, McMurray's agent, Rod Moskowitz confirmed Wednesday.
McMurray won three of the biggest races of the season last year in the Daytona 500, Brickyard 400 and Bank of America 500 at Charlotte . He finished 14th in the final Sprint Cup standings but had his best season since leaving team owner Chip Ganassi for Roush Fenway Racing following the 2005 season.
After joining Roush, the next four years were tough for McMurray, who had barely missed the Chase with Ganassi but never was able to run as well at Roush, where he had two wins and a best points finish of 16th in four years.
McMurray returned to drive for Ganassi last year with Bass Pro Shops and McDonald's as sponsors and rejuvenated his career with a career-high three wins.
"We had a really good year on the race track," McMurray said last month. "(I) just look forward to getting back at it. … For me, you're ready to take a break at Homestead .
"You literally get that first weekend off and you're ready to get back again. It's really sick how we want to do this every single weekend, but that's the way you feel."

Three-day test session begins Thursday
NASCAR expects nearly all Sprint Cup teams that plan to participate in the Daytona 500 to attend the three-day session that begins Thursday on the 2.5-mile high-banked tri-oval, which was repaved for the first time in 32 years. Daytona officials were forced to repave the track after a pothole developed in Turn 2, marring last year's Daytona 500.
This is the first time in three years that NASCAR has had preseason testing after eliminating those tests in 2009 and 2010 as a cost-cutting measure. No other NASCAR-sanctioned tests have been announced for 2011.
"I'm excited to get back to the racetrack," Joey Logano said. "I'm pulling my hair out. … It's going to be neat. I'm excited to see what Daytona is going to be like. The asphalt, I'm sure, is going to be good and we'll see how that is."

Steve Wallace to compete in Daytona 500
Rusty Wallace Racing will field a car for Steve Wallace in the 2011 Daytona 500, and he will have a guaranteed spot in the field as the team has secured the rights to the No. 77 owner points of Penske Racing from last year.
The 23-year-old Wallace, who finished 10th in the Nationwide standings last year, will drive a Toyota in his Cup debut. He will have sponsorship from 5-Hour Energy and Aspen Dental.

McDowell to drive No. 66
Prism Motorsports owners Randy Humphrey and Phil Parsons have formed HP Racing, which will have Michael McDowell behind the wheel of the No. 66 car for a part-time Sprint Cup schedule in 2011.
The team has relocated to the JTG Racing shop that used to house that organization's Nationwide Series cars. Veteran crew chief Gene Nead will direct McDowell's program.
HP Racing will compete at Daytona, Bristol , Infineon Raceway and Watkins Glen. More races would depend on sponsorship
Special to Sporting News NASCAR Service