McMurray looks forward to next career chapter

The 61st running of the Daytona 500 is “most likely” Jamie McMurray’s final NASCAR race.

The 42-year-old does not have a full-time ride this season in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series but will compete Sunday in the No. 40 Chevrolet. His final run will be in a car listed under Spire Motorsports in a partnership with his former team, Chip Ganassi Racing.

“I don't know if an opportunity comes up -- I have talked to Chip about if I would do like Sonoma or Watkins Glen, the road courses really interest me,” said McMurray. “Or maybe doing something in a sports car. I don’t know. I don’t have anything planned."

McMurray is the 2010 winner of the Daytona 500. Post-driving life will consist of television work for Fox Sports, which brought a smile to McMurray’s face as he talked about serving as an analyst for “NASCAR Race Hub” and other programs.

“I’m really looking forward to the TV side of things,” McMurray said. “It’s such a different perspective than when you’re driving every week, and your emotions are so much different. There’s no anxiety when the race is over about heading into the next week or what you need to do different or better.

“I’m excited this is my last race. This has been a pretty fun few weeks leading up to it, and I’m looking forward to being in the studio next Friday, Saturday and Sunday (for Atlanta race weekend) with my next team.”

A full-time Cup Series competitor for the last 16 years, McMurray has seven career wins. Asked to sum up his career, he deferred.

“Oh, I’ll let you do that,” he said. “I don’t know.”