McMurray Makes Rockingham History

Jamie McMurray used the latest scrape between Kevin Harvick and Robby Gordon to drive into the North Carolina Speedway record books.

McMurray won his fourth consecutive Busch series race at Rockingham, N.C., on Saturday, passing Harvick for the lead with 20 laps to go when Harvick got tied up with Gordon.

The victory in the Goody’s Headache Powder 200 tied McMurray with Mark Martin, who swept the Busch races here in 1996 and 1997.

“I remember watching Mark win here before I was even racing stock cars,” McMurray said. “I am not big on milestones, but I’ll take it.”

McMurray earned his first win here in 2002, then swept both events last year. He’s within one win of the Busch record of five consecutive victories at any track held by Dale Earnhardt at Daytona and Jack Ingram at South Boston.

After taking the lead, McMurray had to hold off a hard-charging Martin Truex Jr. over the final five laps. McMurray’s Dodge beat Truex’s Chevrolet to the finish line by about two car lengths.

“Just like last year, we needed about five more laps and just ran out of time,” said Truex, who led 68 laps in a car partially owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr.

The fourth and final caution of the race set up the ending, and began when Aaron Fike crashed into the Turn 3 wall. As Fike’s car idled on the track, Hermie Sadler came around and drove into Fike’s driver side door. Fike was taken to a nearby hospital for precautionary reasons.

When the field resumed racing, Harvick was the leader, McMurray was second and Gordon, Harvick’s Nextel Cup teammate at Richard Childress Racing, was a lap down.

Harvick tried to pass him, Gordon tried to hold him off, and McMurray pounced as the two weren’t paying attention. He went low on the track and passed Harvick for the lead.

Harvick, who drives the Busch series car for RCR, ended up third. Gordon, who owns his own Busch team, finished 14th.

Despite being teammates, the two have a history of feuding.

“That was a lapped-down car sliding into a leader,” Harvick said when asked about it. “You’ll have to ask the guy holding the steering wheel. I haven’t talked to him, it’s a waste of air.”

Gordon said there was no postrace discussion between the two, just a nonfriendly gesture from Harvick.

“He told me I was No. 1,” Gordon said. “But he does that every week.”

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Kawasaki’s James Stewart won his second THQ AMA Supercross Series Eastern Regional race to tie Jeremy McGrath on the all-time 125cc victory list with 13.