Jamie McMurray had a special relationship with Rockingham Speedway. Of all the tracks he raced on during his NASCAR career – both Cup and Xfinity – he won more at The Rock than anywhere else. In fact, he won the last four Xfinity Series races at the track from 2002 through 2004.
On Saturday’s return to the historic venue, McMurray’s success on the mile-long track was naturally a storyline throughout the weekend and talked about multiple times during The CW’s broadcast, where he has worked as an analyst all season.
Interestingly, late in that first stage, the 48-year-old found himself inadvertently involved in another storyline, oddly enough coming back from a commercial break.
It happened with eight laps to go in the stage when Katherine Legge was part of an accident that started when William Sawalich drove into the rear of the lapped No. 53 car, which got sideways and slid down the track directly into the path of Kasey Kahne before ricocheting off the HMS car and slamming nose-first into the outside wall.
The television viewing audience at home saw it all happen in a side-by-side box while the broadcast was in a commercial break. However, when the commercial ended and returned to the track, McMurray didn’t realize he was back on the air.
“She bought her way in,” he said.
After Katherine Legge was involved in a Stage 1 accident at Rockingham, @jamiemcmurray and @pkligerman talked about the unfortunate situation the driver was put in before the race. pic.twitter.com/ns5Pbi4LPZ
— Kyle Dalton (@kdsportswriter) April 19, 2025
Immediately after McMurray’s remarks, play-by-play announcer Adam Alexander provided an update to fans on the accident and who was involved.
The 2010 Daytona 500 winner’s comments were a reaction to what had happened earlier in the day when Legge failed to qualify driving the No. 32 for Jordan Anderson Racing. However, she managed to work out an arrangement with Joey Gase Motorsports and replaced JJ Yeley, who had qualified in the No. 53 car.
On the telecast, Parker Kligerman offered additional details on the car-swapping situation.
“She’s been put in a really tough position here being in this car,” Kligerman pointed out.
“Totally,” McMurray agreed.
“After obviously not practicing in this car,” Kligerman continued. “Jumping in it for the race. Obviously a lot of sponsorship behind her there that wanted to be in this race after they missed it. And it’s just an unfamiliar race car already trying to learn the Xfinity Series at a really tough race track. And to be put in this position with the leaders trying to go by – really unfortunate.”
Legge finished last in 38th.
Related: Jamie McMurray Shuts Down Fans’ Argument That Xfinity Series Racing Is Better Than Cup
