Both Chip Ganassi cars make the Chase: "I’ve never felt like this before"

Larson had locked himself into the 16-driver field weeks ago with a win at Michigan but McMurray’s entry based on points wasn’t secure until the final laps of Saturday night’s Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway.

It’s people on a team making the team bigger than themselves. That is when you have success like this.

Chip Ganassi

It’s the first time Ganassi has gotten all of his NASCAR drivers in the Chase in the same season.

“I don’t know how to feel, I’ve never felt like this before,” Ganassi said as he walked pit road congratulating his team members. “Usually at this point we’re the first team not to make the Chase, now we’re the last ones in.

“When there were 10 (in the Chase), we were 11th. When there was 12, I was 13th. When there was 16, I was 17th.”

McMurray takes the 16th and final Chase seed

More often than not in those instances, it was McMurray who was the odd man out.

“This is huge for the organization. I really feel the cars we plan to take to Chicago (next week) are even better than what we’ve had the last few weeks,” McMurray said. “We had a great test there.

“We truly are peaking at the right time. Kyle winning at Michigan and both of our cars have honestly been top-five cars the last three or four weeks. That’s huge. I think the Gibbs cars are still strongest but we’re not far away from them.

“This should be a lot of fun.”

Larson will begin the Chase as the 10th seed, while McMurray begins at 16th. After the first three races of the Chase, the three lowest drivers in points will be eliminated – making each race from here on out that much more important.

“To have two cars in the Chase, both Chip Ganassi Racing cars in the Chase, it’s awesome,” Larson said. “It’s great for our little team. I think we are probably considered underdogs, but for Jamie and I, there are some really good tracks for us.”

Becoming a real threat

Ganassi’s success in recent months has not come without a lot of work. Changes have been made to their cars, on their pit crews and the organization has been relying deeply on Hendrick Motorsports’ engine support.

People, though, are the key – a fact Ganassi has emphasized over and over in recent months.

“We have been really lucky to have some great people and that is what it’s all about these days. You know everybody has all the stuff,” he said. “It’s on to your people, it’s pit stops, it’s the guys that work Monday through Friday.

“It’s the guys that bust their ass on the weekends here. It’s the wives of all the guys and the girlfriends and the significant others that put up with everything and get us in this spot. It’s people on a team making the team bigger than themselves. That is when you have success like this.”

Make no mistake, however. As much as Ganassi has accomplished on the NASCAR side this season, he is not satisfied “just getting to this point.”

“We’ve worked hard to get in this position, but let’s face it, the real work starts now,” he said. “And we seem to have some momentum at the right time.”