Martin Truex Jr. Driver #1 Bass Pro Shop Tracker Chevrolet... Fan or not?

[hoghelmet14]

OK... we pick on each others drivers... lets pick a driver or two a week and discuss them...

In numerical order... (I skipped Reut cuz ... well he aint much... )

Martin Truex Jr. stayed with DEI when it looked like a sinking ship.... says something for loyalty...

We has won races.....

He seems to not be controversial....

I like his sponsor.....

... but he dont excite me as a driver... because I dont think he is champ material... he has talent but not enough to compete with the Johnsons, Gordons, Stewarts and such..

on a scale of 1 - 10

he is about a 6 IMHO

What say you?

[Buff]

I give him a 7 (solid, not spectacular, but doesn't suck), just because he has a better pedigree than most when it comes to restrictor plate racing.  He was at DEI when they were still one of the top programs on those tracks, and he got to learn from Dale Jr.  He's a good driver to have in your stable, outgoing and marketable to sponsors (esp. Bass Pro), but hasn't shown he has "it" to be a consistent front-runner.  That last fact may have a lot to do with the DEI (let's face it, it's still DEI because Ganassi couldn't have brought much to the table)
cars he's driving.  Put him in a Gibbs, Roush, or Hendrick car and the result may be different, who knows?

He's got talent, but I don't see him winning any championships any time soon, if ever. 

[hoghelmet14]

all good comments... and I agree

[Buff]

and I agree

smart choice

[Racinray]

He was always in Juniors shadow when he was at DEI. I will give him credit for one thing though, he stays out of controversy. I don't think he will ever win a championship with any team. I'll give him a 6....

[Doyle Hograves]

I think the jury is still out on Truex. Not a bad driver, but he doesn't have top grade equipment either. I agree with about a 7, though we don't know how well he'd run in a Roush or Hendrick car.

[hoghelmet14]

Will this mean that ruet is no longer the "franchise"?

[pharm]

I would give Truex a 6 right now (It would be a 7 if he would have actually thrown his helmet at Kyle Busch at Daytona) I think Truex with the right team could be a guy who could get 2 or 3 wins a year, and could consistently be in the chase given the right circumstances.

[hoghelmet14]

Due to the fact I could care lessa bout mikey.... but am interested in one thing.... did he say he would only run the restrictor plate races next year in the 55?  and Truex is going to run full in 54?

[hoghelmet14]

Are they both gonna be napa toyotas the same color and all?

[hoghelmet14]

Mikey has a 310 point lead over 36th... so he should be locked in the first 5 races.... but who will get those owner points him or Truex? 

[pioneerhog]

Mikey has a 310 point lead over 36th... so he should be locked in the first 5 races.... but who will get those owner points him or Truex? 

The owner points are going to Truex. Here is some info on it from Jayski that might help.


MWR to make announcement on July 7th?   Truex: On Friday Rowdy.com visited Michael Waltrip Racing [Cornelius, NC] which offers an amazing tour of the facility, including the fabricating shop. Even more interesting than the tour itself was this tidbit...someone in our group was asking how Ryan and Martin Truex Jr. (brothers) were related. Somehow this led to our tour guide telling us that Michael Waltrip Racing would be making a MAJOR announcement on July 7th.(Rowdy.com)(6-27-2009)


UPDATE: Earnhardt Ganassi Racing President Steve Lauletta said no matter what happens with Martin Truex Jr., he expects Bass Pro Shops will remain with the organization for 2010. Truex, who drives for EGR, is expected to be announced as the 2010 full-time replacement for Michael Waltrip at Michael Waltrip Racing on July 7.(SceneDaily)(6-28-2009)


UPDATE 2: Martin Truex Jr. will be named on Tuesday the newest addition to Michael Waltrip Racing, multiple sources confirmed on Saturday at Daytona. A press conference including sponsor NAPA is scheduled for noon at the team's Cornelius, N.C., shop. Truex is in the final year of his contract with Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. NAPA, the long-time sponsor of team owner Michael Waltrip, will be become his primary sponsor. Waltrip will move from a full-time to part-time schedule that will include the Daytona 500 in February. He could remain in his familiar #55 with Truex taking another number, possibly the #56.(ESPN.com)(7-5-2009)


UPDATE 3: A driving career that has spanned a quarter of a century, defined by two emotional winning performances on NASCAR's biggest stage, will be celebrated during the 2010 Daytona 500. Michael Waltrip, a two-time Daytona 500 champion, announced that he will drive a limited schedule beginning next season as he begins to focus on being one of the youngest multi-team owners in the history of NASCAR.(MWR PR)(7-7-2009)


AND: Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) announced that NAPA Auto Parts has signed a multi-year contract to continue its primary sponsorship with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series organization, and has named two-time Nationwide Series champion and 2007 Chase participant Martin Truex, Jr. as its driver. Starting in 2010, the car number on the NAPA Auto Parts Toyota will be the #56, a number that has been in the Truex racing family for three generations. MWR co-owner Michael Waltrip, the only full-time driver NAPA has had since joining the Sprint Cup division in 2001, will drive a limited schedule, to include the 2010 Daytona 500 driving the #55 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota - an event in which Waltrip and NAPA have shared two memorable victories. Waltrip will retain the number 55. The owner points earned during the 2009 Sprint Cup campaign will be transferred to Truex's full-time effort.(MWR PR)(7-7-2009)



AND: Some notes from the press conference: Truex says he is committed to Earnhart Ganassi for the rest of the 2009 season; NAPA's contract extension is only described as "multi-year"; Waltrip will run a minimum of 4-5 races and as many as 10-12; Waltrip could run some races in the #66 PRISM Motorsports car, owned by Phil Parsons (who gets some assistance this year from Michael Waltrip Racing); no decisons have been made on crew swaps or crew chiefs.(7-7-2009)

[hoghelmet14]

somebody readers digest that for us.... What?

LOL

[pioneerhog]

I split it up some, see if that makes it any easier. If not you can just go to the below link and scroll down to the story about a MWR announcment.


http://www.jayski.com/teams/1.htm

[10thPlanet]

6, I'm neutral on Truex. I bet it's been hard to be at DEI lately.

[hoghelmet14]

What are the odds that Bass Pro stays at DEI or whatever they are called now?

[hoghelmet14]

I cant see any way that Bass Pro Shops stays with a loser team.... there is no Return on Investment for them....

I wonder if Teresa would rather own 49% of DEI with Jr as majority owner or 100% of nothing.. now?

[hoghelmet14]

EGR is claiming they will, but who is going to be driving for them?  McMurray has to go somewhere.

EGR is a dead end street now and most legit drivers know it....

[berryhog]

What are the odds that Bass Pro stays at DEI or whatever they are called now?

Any chance they wind up with SHR for a third team ?