Truex family makes history at New Hampshire Motor Speedway


Martin Jr. and Ryan Truex
Photo credit: Genevieve Cadorette
NASCAR has long been a family sport, sons grew up watching their dads race,  waiting patiently until it was their turn to be the star. That very history is being made among the Truex family as Martin Jr. and his little brother Ryan were in the media on Saturday to talk about it.

New Hampshire Motor Speedway is the track where the three Truex men have won a race, they are the only father/sons trio to have won a race at NHMS and in the NASCAR series.

Martin Sr. won here in a 1994 Busch North race (now known as the K&N Pro Series East), Truex Jr. has won here in the Busch (Nationwide) series, and following their lead, Ryan won here twice in K&N Pro Series East.

"Great place for us to come race," said Truex Jr., speaking about New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Reliving his favorite memory of NHMS, Truex spoke on a race he came to back in the early 90s. "We were here for the Chevy Dealers 250 race, that’s what it used to be called. It was a combination race between the Busch North Series and the Busch Series -- they would combine that race. My dad came here to run that. We were in the garage -- it’s the Cup garage now and my dad’s car was parked here and I was of course hanging out with them and helping them work on it and stuff and Dale Earnhardt’s car was parked right across the garage nose-to-nose. He was my favorite driver as a kid so seeing Dale get out of his car, I remember him being up in the fender well working on his carburetor and stuff like that. I just thought it was the coolest thing. That was probably one of my greatest memories and not only because I saw Dale, but I was sitting there thinking that my dad is going to race against Dale Earnhardt. That was a pretty special thing for me."

"This is the only track that all three of us have won at so it’s a cool place to come," Truex Jr. said. "I’m excited to be here. Our NAPA Toyota has been pretty fast all weekend."

The Truex boys grew up here watching the races. Ryan Truex was born in 1992, so he doesn’t remember much but says, "Every time I come here I have fun. My best memory would be winning here two times in the same year. The first time I came here, I led probably the second-half of the race and lost it on the last lap. I was able to come back and just sweep the season - it was really cool." Truex finished yesterday’s F.W Webb 200 in 8th position in the No. 18 Grime Boss Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing.

The younger Truex is working on the status of his 2013 season with Joe Gibbs Racing, "That is my goal is to go full time next year. Just trying to find the funding to do it and put things together. We’re working on it and working towards it." Truex has two more races scheduled for this season.

As for his older brother’s status on his contract with Michael Waltrip Racing, "We’re getting close," says Truex Jr., "we’re kind of finalizing some details but I’ve been obviously extremely happy with the performance of the team this year. It’s been so great to be a part of MWR, not only this year, but the last three seasons."

With the brothers having been raised in racing there’s a different bond between them, "it’s been a lot of fun for me to be a part of Ryan’s career, watching him come up. Obviously, we’re probably closer today than we’ve ever been and that’s because growing up I moved away and I was racing - trying to make a living. He was still a kid living at home."

Because of their busy schedules, the Truex brothers didn’t get to spend much time together, but they are catching up on that now, "He’s staying in my garage because he’s broke, trying to make a living racing." Truex Jr. joked about his younger brother. "I admire his passion for the sport, his passion for he’s doing – he eats, breaths, sleeps racing."

As for what Ryan says about his big brother, "I was always around racing when he was racing Busch North for my dad. I used to come to the shop, he would pick on me the whole time - as would everyone else there," he said laughing with his brother. Though being teased by the big guys, that didn’t scare Truex away from going to the shop. "I was always around paying attention. I never wanted to race until I was 12, then I had another two years of begging my dad to let me drive something. I was able to pick it up right away and be fast."

Truex Jr. admitted that "the coolest part was seeing how much he actually knew about racing when we never even knew he wanted to race."

As cool as it is to race at NHMS, I wondered if Truex Jr., who has a background in the fishing business with his family, ever went sea fishing or went to fish for lobsters on the New England seacoast. "For recreational fishing, I like to go about anywhere. Growing up our family business was commercial clamming so it’s a bit different than recreational stuff. I love to fish for anything, as far as lobsters go, I just buy them at a restaurant."

Next weekend is an off weekend, and Truex Jr. says he’s actually going to Cape Cod for a few days, "and hopefully I’ll get some fishing in there."
Truex family makes history at New Hampshire Motor Speedway Truex family makes history at New Hampshire Motor Speedway Reviewed by Unknown on Sunday, July 15, 2012 Rating: 5