Thursday, November 19, 2015

Martin Truex Jr.: 'This is what you dream about as a kid'

Martin Truex Jr. is the 3/1 long shot to win the title this week.
DENVER, Colo. (Nov. 18, 2015) – Martin Truex Jr. couldn’t be happier about the race venue that will determine the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion.

Homestead-Miami Speedway, site of Sunday’s final Chase race, has been Truex’s best performing track in NASCAR’s elite series. In 10 starts at the 1.5-mile oval, he has achieved three top fives, seven top 10s and an average finish of 10.0. His best finishes include a runner-up, third and fourth.

He also enters Sunday’s Ford 400 with the best driver rating at Homestead among the four finalists. The driver ratings for the four finalists at Homestead, tabulated by a NASCAR formula, are as follows: Truex (106.6), Kevin Harvick (102.5), Jeff Gordon (100.7) and Kyle Busch (91.5).

“Homestead is for all the marbles and I can’t think of a better place I would want to compete at for the overall title,” said Truex, driver of the No. 78 Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Chevrolet. “Not only has Homestead-Miami Speedway been my best track over the past 10 years, but the 1.5-mile tracks have also been strong for our team.”

The highest finishing driver among the four finalists in the 400-lap race will win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship.

“This is what you dream about as a kid — the opportunity to win the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship,” said the 35-year-old Truex. “It’s been an incredible year and I am so proud of all of our guys back at the shop in Denver and to our road crew for giving me fast cars week in and week out.”

Truex, who has been labeled the underdog because of Furniture Row Racing being a single car team feels the Denver, Colorado-based team has what it takes to bring the Sprint Cup trophy to the Mile High City.

“We’re going into Homestead as the underdogs as we’ve been throughout the Chase,” noted Truex. “The competition is fierce and it’s going to take basically a mistake-free race to accomplish the ultimate goal. I know we can do it and the team, led by (rookie) crew chief Cole Pearn, feels the same way.”

The last time a driver won the NASCAR Cup title with a single-car team was Alan Kulwicki in 1992.

The only thing certain for Truex and Furniture Row Racing is that both will end the season with their best ranking. Truex, who can’t finish lower than fourth in the final standings, has never finished in the top 10. His best season finish was 11th in 2007 and 2012. The best season finish for Furniture Row Racing was 10th in 2013.

Facing the final-race pressure for a championship is nothing new for Truex. His second NASCAR Xfinity Series championship (2005) was captured at Homestead in the final race of the season.

“We’re confident that we can complete what has already been a successful season for our single-car team,” said Truex. “Going into the final race of the season with a shot of winning the championship is an awesome feeling.”

Truex’s average finish in the first nine Chase races is 9.44. He’s had one top five and five top 10s in those nine races.

Truex’s Career Record at Homestead-Miami Speedway
YearStartFinishStatus/LapsLaps LedEarnings
20043532Tire,
251/271
050,750
2006202Running,
268/268
27260,458
2007156Running,
267/267
3126,720
20081010Running,
267/267
0107,158
2009149Running,
267/267
0116,465
20102511Running,
267/267
6279,250
201123Running,
267/267
5189,450
201276Running,
267/267
11131,199
201384Running,
267/267
0179,435
20141017Running,
267/267
0107,873
Homestead-Miami Speedway Totals
RacesWinT5T10PoleLaps LedLaps CompletedAvgStAvgFnDNFMoney
1003701082655 of 2675
99.3%
14.610.01$1,348,758
Truex’s 2015 Sprint Cup Series Results
 No.DateEventStFnLapsLedStatusMoneyPointsStanding
12/22Daytona 500108203/2031Running489,772378
23/1Atlanta146325/3250Running150,61538/755
33/8Las Vegas82267/2673Running268,95043/1184
43/15Phoenix157312/3120Running121,02537/1553
53/22Fontana128209/2095Running136,24037/1923
63/29Martinsville36500/50023Running118,66539/2313
74/11Fort Worth159334/3340Running163,38035/2663
84/19Bristol1629504/5110Running120,12015/2813
94/26Richmond610400/4000Running114,71034/3153
105/3Talladega365188/1880Running159,60039/3542
115/9Kansas49267/26795Running122,06037/3912
125/24Charlotte95600/600131Running187,35041/4322
135/31Dover26405/405131Running148,81540/4722
146/7Pocono31160/16097Running201,81048/5202
156/14Michigan93138/1380Running137,58041/5612
166/28Sonoma124231/1100Crash88,1952/5632
177/5Daytona1938105/1100Crash115,6486/5695
187/11Kentucky517267/2670Running111,03527/5965
197/19Loudon1512301/3010Running117,48532/6285
207/26Indianapolis134164/1640Running283,17040/6685
218/2Pocono1319160/1606Running106,01526/6945
228/9Watkins Glen22590/905Running102,33520/7146
238/16Michigan223200/2000Running137,13041/7554
248/22Bristol2328495/5000Running127,17516/7716
259/6Darlington79367/3670Running129,66035/8066
269/12Richmond1632394/4000Running102,83512/8187
279/20Chicagoland413267/26739Running131,67032/203511
289/27Loudon218300/3000Running121,21036/20719
2910/4Dover911400/4000Running116,28533/21045
3010/11Charlotte153334/3340Running172,32041/30413
3110/18Kansas715269/2690Running130,39529/30198
3210/25Talladega437196/1960Running123,66537/30566
3311/1Martinsville26500/50027Running121,98539/4039T2
3411/8Fort Worth238334/3341Running160,91037/40764
3511/15Phoenix514219/2190Running111,36030/41064
Top 5s: 8   Top 10s: 22   Laps Led: 564   Avg. St: 12.5  Avg. Fn: 12.2   Money: $5,251,175

Source: DMF Communications for Furniture Row Racing

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