MARTIN TRUEX, JR.: NO. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS TOYOTA DRIVER

Martin Truex, Jr. traded in working on a clam boat for his father’s family-owned seafood business (Sea Watch International) to race professionally. Fast forward to today and Truex is ready to take his next voyage in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) as driver of the No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry for Michael Waltrip Racing in 2010.

The 2009 NSCS season marked Truex’s fourth-consecutive season of full-time competition in the premier division as he currently pilots the No. 1 car for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. His first entrance into uncharted waters came when he made his debut as a relief driver for Dale Earnhardt, Jr. on October 31, 2004.

Since then Truex has accomplished several goals, but his biggest feat was winning his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points race at his home track of Dover International Speedway on June 24, 2007. He led over half the race and finished seven seconds ahead of Ryan Newman. That win helped push him into his first Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Earlier in the season, Truex caught everyone’s attention when he won the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Open at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, which earned him a coveted spot in the All-Star Challenge in May. Six months later, he posted the quickest time at Texas Motor Speedway to win his first pole award. In addition, Truex finished out the season 11th in the championship point standings with a win, seven top- five and 17 top-10 finishes.

Last season, bad luck plagued Truex and his Bass Pro Shops team. They persevered to earn three top-five and 11 top-10 finishes to end the season in 19th place in the championship points standings.

Truex’s road to the Cup Series was paved with successes when he won two NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) championships in the No. 8 Dale Earnhardt Inc. entry. His first championship came in 2004 at the young age of 24. He recorded six wins, seven pole awards, 17 top-five and 26 top-10 finishes en route to his first NNS championship. The next season Truex did not disappoint in delivering another championship after visiting victory lane a total of six times. He also racked up three pole awards, 15 top-five and 22 top-10 finishes.

With two championships to his credit, it was a natural progression for Truex to be named driver of the No. 1 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats entry for the 2006 NSCS season for DEI. During his rookie year, he finished in the top-five twice and also earned five top-10 finishes.

Reflecting back onto Truex’s childhood, he started racing at age 11 when he first climbed behind the wheel of a go-kart. The New Jersey- native captured several race wins and championships at New Egypt Speedway over the next seven years. Days following his 18th birthday, Truex followed in his father’s foot steps and sat behind the wheel of his first modified at Wall Stadium Speedway. The highlight of his young career came later that season when he won the prestigious Wall Stadium Turkey Derby, a race his father won years earlier.

Truex’s earlier successes enabled him to make the transition into the NASCAR by running in the Camping World Series (NCWS) with support from his family-owned race team, Truex Motorsports in 2000. He caught the attention of the racing community – including Richie Gilmore, director of the engine shop at Dale Earnhardt Inc. (DEI) at the time -- when he collected five wins and 13 poles over the course of three years. Gilmore alerted Dale Earnhardt, Jr. of Truex’s talent. As fate would have it Earnhardt, Jr. was looking for a driver for Chance 2, a NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) team jointly operated by Dale Earnhardt Inc. Truex made his first start for the team in 2003 at Richmond International Raceway and the rest is now history. 

Martin Truex, Jr. Career Stats (as of Daytona International Speedway):

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
135 Starts
1 Win – June Dover 2007
12 Top-Five Finishes
34 Top-10 Finishes
2 Poles – Fall Texas Race 2007 / Daytona 500 2009
Chase for the Sprint Cup – 2007
*Also won the 2007 All-Star Open at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in May

NASCAR Nationwide Series
95 Starts
2 Championships (2004 & 2005)
13 Wins
37 Top-Five Finishes
57 Top-10 Finishes
10 Poles
* First full-time Nationwide schedule was in 2004 with DEI- the same year he won his first Championship. In 2004 he scored his first career victory at Bristol and went all to collect five more wins.

 IROC Series
 8 Starts (4 in 2005 and 4 in 2006)
 2 Wins (Atlanta in 2005 and 2006)
 8 Top-10 Finishes

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
2 starts for Billy Ballew

Notables
* Site of first go-kart race when he was 11 years old – New Egypt Speedway
* Raced go-karts until he was 18 – That is when he was old enough to drive a modified
* First Busch North race (now the Camping World East Series) in 2000 – Lee Speedway and he finished 13.
* Raced Busch North until 2002 and was discovered by Richie Gilmore of DEI
 
Hobbies  
Fishing, hunting, building RC boats and racing his former car owner Dale Jr. online in his spare time.