James Christopher McMurray
Born	(1976-06-03) June 3, 1976 (age 36) Joplin, Missouri, United States
Achievements	2010 Daytona 500 Winner 2010 Brickyard 400 Winner
Awards	2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Rookie of the Year
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career
342 race(s) run over 11 year(s)
Car no., team	No. 1 (Earnhardt Ganassi Racing)
2011 position	27th
Best finish	11th – 2004
First race	2002 EA Sports 500 (Talladega)
Last race	2012 Coca-Cola 600 (Charlotte)
First win	2002 UAW-GM Quality 500 (Charlotte)
Last win	2010 Bank of America 500 (Charlotte)
Wins Top tens Poles 6 98 8
NASCAR Nationwide Series career
185 race(s) run over 11 year(s)
2011 position	110th
Best finish	6th – 2002
First race	2000 Sam's Town 250 (Memphis)
Last race	2011 OneMain Financial 200 (Dover)
First win	2002 Aaron's 312 (Atlanta)
Last win	2010 Great Clips 300 (Atlanta)
Wins Top tens Poles 8 66 3
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career
25 race(s) run over 4 year(s)
Best finish	22nd – 2000
First race	1999 O'Reilly Auto Parts 200 (I-70)
Last race	2008 Kroger 200 (Martinsville)
First win	2004 Kroger 200 (Martinsville)
Wins Top tens Poles 1 6 3
Statistics current as of May 24, 2012.

James Christopher "Jamie" McMurray (born June 3, 1976) is a NASCAR driver. He is best known for winning the 2002 UAW-GM Quality 500 as a substitute driver in his second Cup start, and is one of only three drivers to win both the Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 in the same year. He currently drives the #1 Bass Pro Shops/McDonald's Chevrolet Impala in the Sprint Cup Series for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with crew chief Kevin Manion.

Racing career[link]

Early career[link]

In 1999, McMurray made four starts in the Craftsman Truck Series. In 2000, he ran 15 Truck races and posted one top-five and four top-ten finishes. During 2001 and 2002, he competed full-time in the Busch Series; driving the #27 Williams Travel Centers Chevrolet Monte Carlo for Brewco Motorsports. The latter year was better for McMurray, as he won two races and finished sixth in the overall points standings.

Before the fall race at Richmond in 2002, Chip Ganassi announced McMurray would be the driver of a Texaco-Havoline Dodge in 2003. Ganassi planned to have Jamie drive the #42 Dodge for seven races in 2002.

2002 win at Lowe's Motor Speedway[link]

McMurray substituted for an injured Sterling Marlin, who fractured a vertebra at the Winston Cup race at Kansas Speedway.^[1] He made his Cup debut, filling in the #40 Coors Light Dodge at Talladega. One week later, in just his second career NASCAR Winston Cup start, McMurray outraced Bobby Labonte to win the UAW-GM Quality 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. McMurray had been consistent the entire night, and led 96 of the final 100 laps to score the win.^[2] It is considered one of the biggest upsets in NASCAR history.^[3] This win set a modern era record for fewest starts before a win (which has since been recently tied by Trevor Bayne in the 2011 Daytona 500), and it was also the first time a driver won in their first start at a 1.5 mile track; the most common type of track used in the sport. McMurray drove a total of six races in the #40.

2003–2006[link]

In 2003, McMurray joined the Cup Series full-time. He won Rookie of the Year honors by 37 points over Greg Biffle.^[4] McMurray had five top-5 finishes for the year and finished 13th overall. He began competing part-time in the Busch Series.

In 2004, McMurray and his team were penalized 25 points^[5][6] after the Food City 500 for an incorrect "x-measurement," a method of comparing the center of the roof with the center of the chassis,^[7] which proved costly when later in the year, McMurray missed the Chase for the Cup by 15 points. He had 23 top-10s during the season, including 12 in the last 14 races, and finished eleventh in the points standings, which earned him a $1 million bonus. In the same year, he won a Truck Series race; joining 20 other drivers that have won a race in all three of NASCAR's top touring series.

McMurray left the #42 team after the 2005 season to drive for Roush Racing. Owner Chip Ganassi was initially adamant that McMurray would be held to his contract, but on November 7, 2005, McMurray was released. McMurray was originally to go to the #6 Ford in 2006, but since Mark Martin announced he would race for another year, McMurray instead took over for Kurt Busch in the #97 Crown Royal/IRWIN Tools Ford (which was then renumbered #26).^[8]

In April 2006, Jack Roush moved Jimmy Fennig from crew chief of the #26 Ford to head Roush's Busch operations. Bob Osbourne, who had been crew chief for Carl Edwards, moved to head the crew for McMurray. McMurray's best finish of the 2006 season came at Dover International Speedway, where he finished second after leading the most laps.^[9]

McMurray's Roush car on display during the 2007 Ford Championship Weekend at the Homestead-Miami Speedway

2007[link]

McMurray began the 2007 season with crew chief Larry Carter. On June 22, 2007, he won his third career Cup pole, for the Toyota Save/Mart 350. On July 7, 2007, McMurray won the Pepsi 400 by .005 of a second over Kyle Busch for his second career Cup win.^[10] The photo finish was the closest in Daytona International Speedway history and tied for the second closest finish (1993 DieHard 500) since the advent of electronic scoring in 1993. McMurray finished the year 17th in the point standings.

2008[link]

In the beginning of the 2008 season, McMurray encountered a string of poor finishes that relegated him to 36th in points^[11] and thus not guaranteed a spot^[12] when NASCAR reached the spring Martinsville race. When the current points went into effect to determine those who were locked in the race, McMurray was required to qualify for the race based on his time around the track.^[13] He qualified 5th; locking himself into the field as the fastest of the teams not locked into the race.^[14] He earned an 8th place finish in the race; securing himself a spot in the top 35 in points and thus a guaranteed starting position for the next race. Throughout the remainder of the season, he steadily climbed in the standings and reached the top 20 in points. On October 11, 2008, McMurray rallied to finish fifth in the Bank of America 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. It was his first top five finish since his victory at Daytona in July of the previous year. McMurray finished 16th in the standings.^[15]

2009[link]

McMurray reunited with former crew chief Donnie Wingo in 2009. Crew chief Larry Carter moved to Yates Racing to be crew chief for Paul Menard.^[16] McMurray started the 2009 season by dominating the final stages of the Budweiser Shootout, but finished second when he lost the lead to Kevin Harvick on the last lap. McMurray had a excellent Speedweeks; finishing 9th in his Gatorade Duel. In the Daytona 500, McMurray ran up front and was a contender, but was involved in the big one. Later in the year, Roush Fenway Racing informed McMurray he would be allowed to leave the team as they needed to cut their teams down to the NASCAR-mandated four. On November 1, 2009, McMurray won the AMP Energy 500 at Talladega after leading over 20 laps and passing David Stremme with 8 laps to go. He then survived a green-white checkered finish to earn his second restrictor-plate win. Roush released him and the #26 team at the end of the season due to NASCAR's four team limit and the expiration of Roush Fenway Racing's exemption that allowed a 5th team.

2010[link]

In 2010, McMurray moved over to Earnhardt Ganassi Racing in the #1 car; replacing Martin Truex, Jr.^[17] McMurray reunited with Chip Ganassi when he participated in the 2010 24 Hours of Daytona; it was the first time he has been with Ganassi since 2005. On February 14, McMurray won the Daytona 500. He led for only two laps; the least in Daytona 500 history. McMurray led the final stage of the Aaron's 499, but was passed in a scramble to the finish by Kevin Harvick, who beat him to the line by just .011 seconds. McMurray led 27 laps. It was speculated by McMurray's car owner Felix Sabates that Harvick went below the yellow line when he made the pass but this was denied by NASCAR.^[18]

In July, McMurray held off Harvick to win the Brickyard 400, which made him one of only three drivers to win the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400 in the same year. Chip Ganassi became the first owner to win both races and the Indianapolis 500 in the same year; Dario Franchitti previously won the Indy 500 earlier that year. In September, McMurray held off Kyle Busch to win the Great Clips 300 in the Nationwide Series at Atlanta.^[19] In October, McMurray won the Bank of America 500 at the site of his first win: Charlotte Motor Speedway. McMurray finished 14th in the standings with three wins and nine top 5's.

2011[link]

McMurray's car for the 2011 Coca-Cola 600; run in support of his hometown of Joplin, Missouri

On January 19, 2011, McMurray signed a multi-year extension with Earnhardt Ganassi Racing to continue driving the #1 Chevrolet. He won the pole for the Goody's Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville, where he finished 7th. McMurray's second season with Earnardt Ganassi Racing was a disappointment compared to his first. He earned just 4 top 10's that year, and finished the season 27th in points.

Personal life[link]

McMurray was born in Joplin, Missouri.^[3] He grew up racing go-karts and competed in nearly every form of karting around the country before moving to late-model stock cars. In 2007, McMurray returned to the karting ranks and still competes in World Karting Association races on many of his open weekends.^[20] He races annually at the World Karting Association's Daytona KartWeek in late December.

McMurray married Christy Futrell in July 2009.^[21] Their first child Carter Scott McMurray was born Thanksgiving morning, November 25, 2010.^[22]

Through his trouble-filled 2009, and the contrasting current year, McMurray found the power of prayer.^[23] Following his win at Charlotte in 2010, McMurray said in his post race interview, "As those laps were winding down, I was thinking about Daytona and why I cry and the power of prayer. I had a tough year last year. I found out the power of prayer and what that can do for you. When you get to victory lane, and you get to experience this, it just makes you a believer."^[23]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Jamie McMurray at Racing Reference

Mike Rowe
Born	(1962-03-18) March 18, 1962 (age 50) Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Residence	San Francisco, California
Occupation	Television host Narrator, actor, voice over actor, opera singer, activist
Website
http://www.mikeroweWORKS.com

Michael Gregory "Mike" Rowe ( /ˈroʊ/; born March 18, 1962)^[1] is an American media personality best known as the host of the Discovery Channel series Dirty Jobs. He can also be heard as narrator on a variety of series and has appeared in recurring commercials for Ford Motor Company.

Early life[link]

Rowe was born in Baltimore, Maryland to parents John and Peggy Rowe. Rowe has said in commercials for Dirty Jobs that the show is a tribute to his father and grandfather. Rowe became an Eagle Scout on January 2, 1979 in Troop 16 in Baltimore.^[2] During his service project for Eagle Scout at the Maryland School for the Blind, he read aloud to students, and he cites this as one of the reasons he became interested in narrating and writing.^[2][3] On being an Eagle Scout he said "The Eagle Award is not really meant for people who need to be dragged across the finish line. It's meant for a select few... ."'^[2]

Rowe attended Kenwood Presbyterian Church in Baltimore when he was younger; his parents still regularly attend. Rowe attended Overlea High School, where he excelled in both theater and singing under the tutelage of choir director Freddie King, whom Rowe credits for first interesting him in performing.^[4] An early stutterer, Rowe was able to overcome the handicap while in school.^[5] After graduation from high school, he attended Essex Community College,^[4] and briefly sang with the Chorus of the Chesapeake, which at the time was directed by King. He later graduated from Towson University^[6] with a degree in Communication Studies.^[7]

Rowe sang professionally with the Baltimore Opera.^[8][9] He says about this job:

I joined the opera to get my union card and meet girls. I was a saloon singer, so I went down to the Baltimore Opera and learned an aria and auditioned. I figured I'd do one show and quit. But the girls were everywhere and the truth is, the music was really decent.^[10]

Television career[link]

As host[link]

In the early 1990s Rowe was an on-air host for the shop-at-home TV channel QVC. When interviewed, Rowe relates how he got the job at QVC:

I was in the opera at the time. I walked across the street with a buddy of mine (during a performance) - we're dressed as Vikings and we have a drink. The TV is turned to QVC. ... My buddy bets me $100 I can't get a call back. So ... I crashed the audition and got a job on the spot. I basically turned the whole thing into my own stupid David Letterman show - I made fun of the callers and made fun of the products.^[10]

Rowe claims that QVC fired him three times.^[10] When told in a 2008 episode of Dirty Jobs that the gourds he was working on would be sold via QVC, he stated he was familiar with the corporation and proceeded to ad-lib a sales pitch for them.^[11]

Rowe has hosted Your New Home for WJZ in Baltimore, Worst Case Scenarios for TBS, On-Air TV for American Airlines, The Most for The History Channel, No Relation for FX,^[12] New York Expeditions for PBS, Channel 999 instructional guide for the now defunct PrimeStar satellite television service, and the CD-ROM music trivia game Radio Active (as "Bobby Arpeggio") for now-defunct Sanctuary Woods.

From 2001 to 2005 Rowe hosted Evening Magazine on KPIX-TV in San Francisco. During this time, he appeared in a news segment called "Somebody's Gotta Do It", profiling a number of unpleasant professions; this concept later grew into Dirty Jobs. Rowe's first work with Discovery included a trip to the Valley of the Golden Mummies to host Egypt Week Live!, where he explored ancient tombs live on air with Dr. Zahi Hawass, an Egyptian archaeologist.

As narrator[link]

In addition to hosting programs, Rowe has an extensive background as a narrator. His work with Discovery Channel includes narrating American Chopper, American Hot Rod, Deadliest Catch, Wild Pacific, and Ghost Lab, as well as other Discovery specials and series such as How the Universe Works, and Syfy's Ghost Hunters. Rowe has hosted the Discovery Channel's annual "Shark Week" in 2006 and 2008, along with hosting the special You Spoof Discovery, an amateur parody video special which poked fun at some of the popular series on the Discovery Channel's lineup.^[13]

On Dirty Jobs, Rowe frequently mocks his seeming omnipresence on Discovery Channel; when a segment on firefighting and salvage was unable to be completed in a single day, he assured his firefighter host that he would "send over the MythBusters ... maybe the American Chopper boys ... [to finish the job]".

Mike Rowe poses for a photo during filming at Skulls Unlimited International.

Rowe was originally tapped to be the on-screen host of the Discovery Channel's Deadliest Catch, a show about crab fishing in the Bering Sea, and shot footage aboard several crab boats in addition to narrating the series. When Dirty Jobs was picked up by Discovery, he was told to choose which show he wanted to appear in on-screen. Rowe claims he was told by Discovery that the shows would air back-to-back on the same night: "We can't have you telling us stories about six dead fishermen on camera and making a fart joke with your arm in a cow's ass".^[14] Rowe chose to host Dirty Jobs and narrate Deadliest Catch; the footage of him on the boats was not used in the series, although he did appear in a season finale of Deadliest Catch, interviewing the boat captains. Rowe hosted a related show about life on the Bering Sea, a 2007 miniseries, After the Catch.

Other narration work by Rowe includes Mystery Diagnosis, Drydock: A Cruise Ship Reborn, Southern Steel, Powertool Drag Racing, Scavengers Rock (Animal Planet), and the opening of Ghost Hunters, a Syfy series from the producers of American Chopper. Additionally, Rowe has done voiceover work for the reality television show The Ultimate Fighter and the NASCAR pre-race show for The 2009 Chase on ESPN.^[15]

On December 21, 2009, Rowe became the announcer on ABC World News with Diane Sawyer.^[16]

Additional appearances[link]

On October 7, 2007 Rowe appeared on Fox's American Dad! as the voice of a meter maid.^[17]

Rowe appeared on an episode of Sesame Street (Season 39) in a segment called "Dirtiest Jobs With Mike Rowe", which aired on October 13, 2008. Rowe visits Sesame Street to find the dirtiest job, which happens to belong to Oscar. Rowe must do all the things Oscar does. His tasks include finding and counting stinky cheese, sorting trash, and giving his pet pig, Spot, a mud bath. To Oscar's chagrin, Rowe does not want to stop, as he is having too much fun.^[18]

Mike Rowe spoke to over 70,000 scouts, leaders, and visitors at the 2010 National Scout Jamboree in Fort AP Hill, Virginia. Rowe, an Eagle Scout, spoke to the crowd about the importance of being physically and mentally clean, but emphasized the need for all scouts to get dirty.^[19]

In 2012, Rowe appeared in an episode of the ABC sitcom Last Man Standing playing the role of Jim Baxter, the brother of Tim Allen's character.

As pitchman[link]

In 1998, Rowe was the television spokesperson for Epic Pharmacy, a Baltimore-area association of independent pharmacies.

Beginning in March 2007, he was featured in several Ford Motor Company F-Series truck commercials, presented in a style similar to Dirty Jobs, including one for Ford Sync.^[20][21] In the summer of 2009, he appeared in advertisements for Ford and Lincoln-Mercury vehicles that used the tagline: "Why Ford. Why Now."^[22]

In 2008, Rowe partnered with W. W. Grainger, a Chicago-based Fortune 500 industrial supply company.

In 2010, Rowe appeared in internet spots for Motorola iDEN combined radios/mobile phones, explaining that the phones were used "by real people, for real work" as they were used for Dirty Jobs-type applications.