Martin Truex prepares for a new NASCAR season starting with Sunday’s Daytona 500
Martin Truex Jr. didn't finish in final four of the NASCAR standings for the first time since 2016 last season.
The coronavirus made 2020 an abnormal year for everyone in sports. The pandemic, combined with staff changes and unusual race results, made it even more unfamiliar for New Jersey native Martin Truex.
It was his first season since 2014 without Cole Pearn as his crew chief. Together, they reached NASCAR’s Championship 4 race four times: in 2015, 2017 (Cup Series champion), 2018, and 2019. Truex finished seventh last year and had one win, at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.
“One of the most difficult things about our sports is it’s a constantly changing environment,” said Truex, 40, of Stafford Township. “Once [NASCAR] went to no practice, that really changed the game for everybody. In our good years in ’17, ’18, ’19, probably the thing we were the best at was going through practice, working on our car, figuring out our problems, and making the right adjustments Saturday night going into the race on Sunday.”
As good as Truex was from 2017-19, the Daytona 500 is still a race he’s never won. He was the runner-up in 2016 and placed fourth in 2020. Nothing would signal that Truex is back to form more than a season-opening win on one of the biggest stages in racing.
“I’m hoping to win the thing,” Truex said. “It’s the biggest race in our sport. We’ve been close before, so really just figuring out how to get in victory lane ... would be a heck of a race to add to your resume.”
Things have settled down since the 2020 season. Most of Truex’s time has been spent fishing, training his new puppy, and caring for his longtime girlfriend Sherry Pollex, who has been undergoing treatment for ovarian cancer since 2014.
He also kept tabs on the Eagles and Flyers. Just in case you’re wondering, he doesn’t have a favorite in the Jalen Hurts-Carson Wentz quarterback battle. He wants the best guy to win the job, even if that means trading Wentz.
On Wednesday, Truex signed a contract extension with Joe Gibbs Racing. This will be his third season driving JGR’s No. 19 Toyota Camry. Two-time Cup Series champion Kyle Busch, three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, and second-year Cup driver Christopher Bell are Truex’s Cup teammates.
“It’s a heck of an honor to race for [Joe Gibbs Racing],” Truex said. “It’s a great race team. You want to be with a team that wins races and championships. I’m excited to keep it going.”
Things are falling into place. Truex doesn’t have to worry about a full season of contract talks, and he’ll have crew chief James Small for the second season. Truex described Small as “the closest thing” you could get to Pearn because of the continuity. Pearn left JGR at the end of 2019 to pursue opportunities outside of racing.
“They’re definitely a little bit different, but as far as how they plan and set the cars up, their approach to racing through engineering is very similar,” Truex said.
The 63rd edition of the Daytona 500 is scheduled for Sunday at the Daytona International Speedway (2:30 p.m., Fox29). Truex will be in the 26th position when the green flag drops. merican Race.