McMurray takes a ride back in time at North Wilkesboro Speedway

McMurray pedaled his way to North Wilkesboro Speedway, the abandoned .625-mile oval that enjoyed a 48-year run on NASCAR’s top tour from 1949 to 1996.

McMurray, 40, who made his NASCAR debut in the truck series with fellow Missourian Mike Mittler in 1999, never had the opportunity to compete at the once iconic track.

“That was my first ride up to the mountains,” McMurray said. “It was cool to go to Wilkesboro and check out the track.”

McMurray joined his friend and fellow racer Matt Kenseth. Initially, there was a pack of four or five guys from Joe Gibbs Racing planning to ride. Then Jimmie Johnson and his trainer decided to come along for the four-hour adventure.

“I’ve only done maybe 10 outdoor rides so far,” McMurray said. “Last year, I bought a Peloton indoor, spin-type bike. I started doing that every day, and then the kind of progression would be to get outside. I was pretty scared to get on a road bike. But once I got out on the road with the guys, it was just a lot of fun.

“It’s a great way to get out and have conversations with other people — and not talk about racing — just kind of talk about life and what you see.”

The Joplin, Mo., native is embarking on his 16th Monster Energy Cup season and his 12th with Chip Ganassi Racing. While McMurray isn’t a die-hard exercise buff in the same vein as a Jimmie Johnson or Carl Edwards, he made a concerted effort in the offseason to get back in the groove.

“There is no regular routine,” said McMurray, who starts seventh in Sunday’s QuikTrip 500. “Like a typical American, I go through spells where there are times you really want to get fit. Then there are times when you get lazy. After Homestead (the Cup Season Finale), I just dedicated myself to getting back into the best shape that I could.

“I was doing that Peloton bike, and I had friends that were running outdoor bikes, and I tried it and I fell in love with it.”