Martin Truex Jr. - Coca-Cola 600 Qualifying Report

 

Martin Truex Jr., No. 56 NAPA Batteries Toyota Camry - Qualified third, Inside Row Two

 

Summary

 

For a short time on Thursday afternoon it looked like it could be an all Michael Waltrip Racing front row to start the Coca-Cola 600, as Martin Truex Jr. and David Reuitmann were sitting one-two after more than half the field had attempted their qualifying laps. But, as the track cooled in the late afternoon some of the later qualifiers were able to drop the pair out of the front row. Both Michael Waltrip Racing Camry’s will start in the top-six.

Martin Truex Jr. paced the Michael Waltrip Racing Camry’s with a time of 28.848 seconds on Thursday afternoon at Charlotte Motor Speedway and will start Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 in the third position. David Reutimann also posted a top-six lap of 28.904 seconds to start Sunday’s race in the sixth position. Sunday night will be the fourth consecutive points race that MWR has a Camry starting from a top-five position. (Truex won the pole award at Dover, Reutimann 2nd at Richmond, 4th at Darlington).

Sunday afternoon’s running of the Coca-Cola 600 gets underway on FOX, PRN Radio and SiriusXM Satellite Radio 128 starting at 5:45 p.m. ET.

Friday Recap

• Ryan Newman won the Coors Light Pole Award for the second straight Coca-Cola 600 with a time of 28.793.
• This is Newman’s first pole and seventh top-10 start in 2010.
• This is Newman’s ninth pole in 19 races at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
• Kurt Busch, Truex Jr., Kasey Kahne and Jimmie Johnson round out the top-five.
• JTG-Daugherty Racing driver Marcos Ambrose qualified the No. 47 Toyota 34th

MARTIN TRUEX JR., No. 56 NAPA BATTERIES Toyota Camry, Qualified Third
Is this qualifying run momentum from the All-Star race? “Business is picking up.  The NAPA Toyota is really good here.  It was good last week, obviously.  It was good to get some momentum through the All-Star race, the Showdown win and all that kind of stuff.  The big thing is that these guys are just doing a phenomenal job.  Pat (Tryson, crew chief) and all these guys bring me good race cars and we’re really starting to click.   I’m starting to have fun again and it’s been cool.”

 

How do you feel your car has been today in practice and qualifying? “It’s been a good day.  We had a good practice, but like we talked about earlier, it was tough to gauge exactly what you had because the track was so hot.  You knew you were going to have to pick up seven or eight tenths of a second.  It was difficult to really know what you had, it was just going out there and looking for that feel and a good balance with your race car.  We were able to get that this afternoon and go out there and lay down a good lap.  I was proud of the team and all their work.  Charlotte has always been a tough track for me, but I’m really starting to come around and warm up to it.”

 

How do you think the Coca-Cola 600 will progress? “I think you’ll see comers and goers.  Fortunately for us we were able to run in the Showdown this past weekend and that started about the same time our race is going to start Sunday.  That will be a little bit of experience for us as far as the conditions and we were pretty good in the Showdown and then went on to be the best we were at the end of the All-Star race.  I think we understand a little bit of what it takes to go through that transition of what our car is going to need.  I think we will have a little more of a heads-up on what the conditions are going to be like and the kind of adjustments we’re going to need to do.  It’s going to be a big help for us having that experience.  It’s going to change drastically for everybody and the guys who can stay on top of it and have a car that is able to be adjusted.  Sometime you have a car that you can try all night long and it doesn’t cooperate with what you are trying to do.  So if you have a car that you’re able to adjust on, which we were able to do last weekend then it will help you.  I’m looking forward to that and I think it will be a good positive for us.”

 

How much progress have you see your team make in recent weeks? “This has been a lot of momentum in progress for us.  We have been constantly chipping away at it and been coming together as a group.  Still an awfully new team.  Pat (Tryson, crew chief) is doing a great job with the cars and we’re just constantly building and getting better each week.  If we continue to do that, we’ll be challenging for race wins every week.”

 

Do you have a top-five car for Sunday? “I think we do.  It seemed like in race trim, we weren’t the quickest car.  We were right up there with the good cars.  It just seemed like on the longer runs we were really good.  That’s where we were pretty good the other night.  Obviously, the best we were all night were in the last 10 (lap) segment, but we did some adjusting for the short run.  It seemed like for most of the night, actually the long run is where we were our best.  I think we do.  I think we got a car that can run in the top-five all night, hopefully.  It’s just about being around at the end when it’s time to go.  With the pit crew I have on pit road and Pat (Tryson, crew chief) calling the race.  He does a super job with that.  And the guys on pit road are flawless.  Hopefully, we’ll just hang around the top-five all night, lead some laps, have some fun and when it comes time to race, we’ll be there with them.”

Martin Truex Jr. Coke 600 Preview

CORNELIUS, N.C. — So far Charlotte Speedweeks has been very good for NAPA Racing’s

Martin Truex Jr. He’s coming off a Sprint Showdown victory and a runner-up finish in the All-Star Race. This weekend all eyes will continue to be on the Michael Waltrip Racing driver. He’s good with the attention especially since his NAPA ride will sport a special look for the Coca-Cola 600. The well-known NAPA shield will be joined by NAPA Batteries. The high-energy paint scheme kicks off a great promotion for consumers. In June, visit a NAPA Auto Parts Store or a NAPA AutoCare Center, and get the following mail-in rebates— $20 rebate on the NAPA Optima Heavy-Duty batteries, $15 rebate on NAPA Legend 84-month battery and $10 rebate on all NAPA LEGEND 75-month batteries.

QUOTES

Truex Jr. on momentum heading into Coca-Cola 600: “We felt good coming into last week’s events a Charlotte because of the test we had and what we learned. The last few weeks we seemed to be getting better and better. We thought we were going to be real good coming here, so it wasn't unexpected. It wasn't like we just came out of the blue and won the Showdown. We've been competitive. But momentum is a big thing in this sport. You see it all the time. It worked for us a couple years ago. It seemed to just give us that confidence in each other and know that we can get it done. Hopefully it will do the same thing. But time will tell. I am looking forward to the 600 this week. I think we'll have a good car. The NAPA guys will obviously work on it and work on the issues we had during the All-Star Race. We’ll get it better. We'll come back and try to do what we can do. It should be fun.”

Truex on the challenges of the event: “The Coca-Cola 600 is different in that it is so long. It starts in the daytime and ends at night. Charlotte is one of the most notorious tracks for changing with the weather conditions and even throughout the day. There are so many changes. You almost get to the end and forget about the beginning of the race. It feels like it’s just a night race because it is so long. You just go out there and try and stay on the race track. Just keeping up with its changes are what makes it one of the most difficult tracks on the circuit.”

Truex on the Charlotte track: “I got my best finish at Charlotte last weekend. It’s not been one of my better tracks. The last couple of years we have had some really good runs. I feel with Pat Tryson and the guys on the NAPA team, they have been giving me great cars – but really, Charlotte is just different. It is very fast and I enjoy the challenge. Turns 3 and 4 and Turns 1 and 2 are completely different. That’s what I think is the biggest challenge with it besides the fact that it changes more than anywhere we go.”

ADDITIONAL NOTES OF INTEREST

• The driver of the No. 56 NAPA Batteries Toyota will be competing in his 165th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday at Charlotte.

• Truex has nine starts at Charlotte Motor Speedway. His best start is 12th (Oct. 17, 2009) and best finish is seventh (May 29, 2005). He’s earned two top-10 and seven top-25 finishes. His average start is 25th and average finish is 19th. He has run 3,041 of 3,166 laps of competition (96.1%) and has led a total of eight laps.

• Truex has scored the seventh most points of all drivers in the last five NASCAR Sprint Cup races. As driver of the No. 56 NAPA Toyota in 2010, he has earned one pole, one top-five, four top-10, and 10 top-20 finishes.

• MEDIA AVAILABILITY: Truex will be stopping by the media center at 5:10 p.m. on Thursday as part of NASCAR’s Top-12 driver press conferences.

Martin Truex Jr. Sprint All-Star Preview

CORNELIUS, N.C. — It’s a no-holds-barred race weekend for Martin Truex Jr. and his NAPA Know How Crew as it’s finally time for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series All-Star Race. Truex has not been shy about campaigning for the Fan Vote as he’s made it known he’s not watching the event from his couch. Truex likes his chances of racing his way in through the Showdown after coming off his first Coors Light Pole Award at Dover as well as two top-10 and four top-15 finishes in the last five races.

QUOTES

 

Truex Jr. on the Sprint Showdown: “I think the Showdown will be an awesome race for fans to watch. The drivers in the Showdown over the last few years have made it tough to earn one of the two transfer spots. There are drivers who have won multiple races in a season, but for some reason, they haven’t won in awhile. To earn a spot this year will certainly be an accomplishment in itself. It just shows you how hard it is to win a Sprint Cup race. I am really looking forward to it.

 

“I really want to be in the Sprint All-Star race. The reason why I want to be in it so bad is I think we can win it. The NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota has been really fast lately. We had a really good test at Charlotte (March 23 & 24). The performance of my NAPA Know How Pit Crew has been excellent and they are getting recognized for it so I like our chances.”

 

Truex on the Fan Vote: “I think for an event like this, it really is important to get the fans involved. It’s cool how they’ve gotten into it. The amount of votes that have come in already is pretty astonishing. I’ve even had a lot of fun this year campaigning for the Fan Vote. Kyle Petty and Rutledge Wood helped me when Pat Tryson and I were contestants on NASCAR Smarts. Then we did a bunch of You Tube Fan Vote videos and they’ve gotten a lot of play on the internet and television. The fans even Twittered about it and that’s the whole point of why we do this. I know some drivers want race their way in and not lobby for the Fan Vote, but heck, if the fans want to vote me in, I would be proud to represent them. It’s great what Sprint and the fans do for us so the Fan Vote should be a part of the All-Star deal.”

ADDITIONAL NOTES OF INTEREST

• The driver of the No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota has earned starting positions in the Sprint All-Star race all three ways — The Fan Vote (2006), the Sprint Showdown (2007) and a Sprint Cup victory (2008, Dover 2007).

• Truex has scored the seventh most points of all drivers in the last five NASCAR Sprint Cup races. As driver of the No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota in 2010, he has earned one pole, one top-five, four top-10, and 10 top-20 finishes.

 

• The NAPA Know How Pit Crew will be competing in Wednesday night’s NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge at the Time Warner Arena in uptown Charlotte. It will be broadcasted on SPEED starting at 9 p.m. ET

 

• MEDIA AVAILABILITY: Truex will be stopping by the media center at 2:10 p.m. on Friday as part of NASCAR’s Top-12 driver press conferences.

Martin Truex Jr. Dover Preview

CORNELIUS, N.C. — The “Monster Mile” of Dover International Speedway doesn’t scare nearby Mayetta, N.J. native Martin Truex Jr. who earned his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory as well as two Nationwide wins on the concrete oval. The No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota driver carries the momentum of four straight weeks of impressive runs with his new Michael Waltrip Racing team. Truex wouldn’t be surprised if this weekend produces another solid run bumping him up from 13th-place in the championship point standings.

QUOTES

Truex Jr. on Dover: “I have always enjoyed going to Dover. I usually run well and I love it. I have been fortunate enough to have visited victory lane there in the Cup and Nationwide Series. It is just a special place for me. I am hoping this weekend will be a great one. I think it’s one of the toughest tracks we race. I think that’s why there are so many mixed feelings from the drivers about Dover. It’s one of those places where if you have a bad day, it’s usually really, really, bad and difficult. At most tracks, if you are having a difficult time and are a little off, you can usually work through it. That’s not the case with Dover. It’s a place where if the car is just not right, it’s really, really difficult to fix it. When your stuff is right, it is a lot of fun and you can do a lot with it. It’s also one of those places where it is hard to get a feel for what you need, but at the same time, even when you know what you need, sometimes it is very hard to get it. Hopefully we will be able to get it because if we do, we’ll race for the win.”

Crew chief Pat Tryson on the No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS team: “The biggest thing about this NAPA AUTO PARTS team is we continue to make progress. We had one of the fastest cars at Darlington and didn’t quite get the finish we deserved after having a transmission problem. But we left Darlington with enough points to continue to move up in the standings. If we keep running like we’ve been, I believe we will be in really good shape. Now we’re off to Dover, a track that both Martin and I enjoy. It’s a place where we both know how to win and I am expecting another good run from this NAPA AUTO PARTS team. I think we’ve got a real good shot at a win if everything falls into place.”

ADDITIONAL NOTES OF INTEREST

• The driver of the No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota will be competing in his 164th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday at Dover. This will be Truex’s ninth race at the one-mile concrete oval. His best start is fifth (Sept. 23, 2007) and best finish is first (June 4, 2007). During his career, Truex has earned one top–five, three top-10 and seven top-25 finishes. His average start is 21st and his average finish is 15th. He has led 216 laps in competition.

• Truex has scored the ninth most points of all drivers in the last eight Dover Sprint Cup races.

• TRUEX BUYS DOVER TICKETS FOR KIDS: Truex and his foundation are hosting over 50 kids and family members on Sunday at Dover. The kids are from Ocean County, N.J. and are representing organizations such as Oceans of Love and Big Brothers Big Sisters. Truex will be meeting his guests prior to the Autism Speaks 400. They will be sitting together in the Family Section of the grandstands cheering Martin on to a victory!

• TUNE IN TO TRUEX: Martin will be a guest on Friday night’s edition of Trackside on SPEED. It airs at 7 p.m. and will be broadcasting live from the SPEED stage at Dover International Speedway.

• HELP MARTIN: The first annual Catwalk for a Cause: A Celebration of Fashion benefiting the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation takes place May 18 at River Run Country Club in Davidson, N.C.

For more information on Truex’s foundation: http://www.martintruexjrfoundation.org/

Martin Truex Jr. Darlington Preview

CORNELIUS, N.C. — Martin Truex Jr. heads to his favorite track for this weekend’s running of the Showtime Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. A win at the Lady in Black would lead to a huge payoff for Michael Waltrip Racing’s new driver. The obvious reward is a win for his new team and sponsor NAPA, a cool $285,000 for his Martin Truex Jr. Foundation thanks to the DIRECTV Head2Head Knockout competition and a guaranteed starting spot in the Sprint All-Star race.

QUOTES

Truex Jr. on Darlington: “Darlington is a special place because of the history and the things that have happened there over the years. Especially when you think about all the guys that have won. It’s also a special place to me because I clinched my first championship there in the Nationwide Series. I think there were two or three races to go in the season and we had the Wrangler colors and the Dale Earnhardt paint scheme on my car. It was a very cool day to have won the championship. I have a lot of pictures from that day hanging in my shop.

“What I like about Darlington — it’s one of the most challenging tracks on the circuit. I really, really like it. It is really a fun place to race. I have had some great runs there. I haven’t won there, but I feel like some of my best performances as a driver have come at that track. It really challenges you as a driver. You really have to be up on the wheel and concentrate all day and all night long.”

Truex Jr. on DIRECTV Promotion: “I am so excited to have made it to the final four. Thanks to DIRECTV, I have already won over $30,000 for the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation. That means a lot to my foundation as it will help many children in need. This weekend, if all goes well, we could walk away with an additional $250,000. That money will go a long way as we’ve got a lot of projects going on now so I want to thank DIRECTV for making this promotion possible.”

Truex Jr. on Mother’s Day Activities at Dover: “My parents have been a huge part of my racing career. It’s going to be nice to bring my mother out to the pre-race festivities. She’ll get to see what it’s like to be out there as a driver with all the fans watching. She’ll probably get a little bit nervous, but I look forward to taking her out there and ride around the truck with me before the race.”

ADDITIONAL NOTES OF INTEREST

The driver of the No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota will be competing in his 163rd NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Saturday night at Darlington. This will be Truex’s fifth race at the 1.366-mile oval. His best start is 16th and best finish is ninth. Both occurred last year on May 9. During his career, Truex has earned one top–five and four top-15 finishes. His average start is 26th and his average finish is 11th.

In the last four races, Truex ranks ninth in NASCAR Sprint Cup Drivers’ Statistics at Darlington Raceway. And just out today, the ESPN Power Rankings rates Truex 13th heading into Darlington.

The DIRECTV Head2Head Knockout promotion enters the Fastest Four round. Truex will now compete for the final prize of $250,000 against Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer and Denny Hamlin. Truex is competing to raise money for the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation. The head-to-head “races within the races” launched at Texas and concludes this weekend at Darlington. In classic “bracket-tournament” fashion, fans entered their own bracket predictions at www.DIRECTV.com/NASCAR for the chance to win $1 million or a car.

HELP MARTIN: The first annual Catwalk for a Cause: A Celebration of Fashion Benefiting the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation takes place May 18 at River Run Country Club in Davidson, N.C.

For more information on Truex’s foundation: http://www.martintruexjrfoundation.org/ .

Martin Truex Jr. Talks About Racing For His Foundation in Darlington