Jamie McMurray proved that Danica Patrick is not the only big name Irish American racer on their way to the top.

McMurray won the Dayton 500 after a race so charged with emotion that he broke down in floods of tears after his victory and just kept on crying through the subsequent press conference.
McMurray only led for two of the last laps in the second overtime, the lowest leader in laps in the history of Daytona 500 races.

McMurray is the comeback story to end all comebacks. He was cut by the Rush Fenway Racing team last year but came back to do Chip Ganassi, Felix Sabates and Teresa Earnhardt the team he joined proud this year.

This was a race that seemed like it would never end with potholes on the track causing huge delays. McMurray however lasted through it all and came out on top. Along the way at one point he got a friendly push from competitor Greg Bifle to get him back on track.

In the process he beat off a last second charge by legend Dale Earnhardt Jr and kept him in second place in the process.

Describing the moment McMurray said "I got a big run down the backstretch again, and then saw the 88 [Earnhardt], and to be honest, I was like, 'Crap!' I'm like, 'This guy has won a lot of races here and his family has an incredible history here.' "

"I didn't know where I was until I got done almost wrecking down the back straightaway," Earnhardt said. "Then I looked up, and was like, 'Who's this [No.] 1 car in front of me? Jamie's gonna win this damn race!' I was happy for him. He deserves it."

Earnhardt said that "it's frustrating to come that close, but, hell, we were running 22nd at the beginning of the first green-white-checkered."

Asked to describe his last second charge Earnhardt said, "I don't really remember much about it. It was just a blur. I was just going where they weren't. I don't really enjoy being that aggressive, but if there was enough room for the radiator to fit, you just kind of held your gas down and prayed for the best."