Jamie McMurray returns for Daytona 500 effort in Spire’s No. 77

Spire Motorsports announced Tuesday that Jamie McMurray will return to NASCAR Cup Series competition next month, driving the No. 77 Chevrolet in the Daytona 500.

McMurray last competed in NASCAR’s top division in 2019, also in a one-off start with Spire in The Great American Race. McMurray — who joined FOX Sports as a NASCAR analyst after his full-time driving days — has seven Cup Series victories, including a triumph in the 2010 Daytona 500.

Sponsorship for the No. 77 effort will be provided by AdventHealth, which was a primary backer for Spire in two races last year and is a current team partner with Chip Ganassi Racing.

“It doesn’t get any better than the Daytona 500, and I am so excited to have the opportunity, thanks to AdventHealth, to run this race one more time. I have enjoyed my time out of the car as an analyst covering NASCAR, but nothing can replace the feeling of actually racing,” McMurray said in a release announcing the news.

McMurray will be teammates with Corey LaJoie, who joins the organization for a full-season schedule this year in Spire’s No. 7 Chevy. The team expands to a two-car effort for 2021.