Martin Truex Jr: Disappointed in finale but proud of season
HOMESTEAD, Fla. — In the hectic crush of cameras and microphones following Sunday’s disappointing finish, Martin Truex Jr. remained calm and positive.
Truex, one of the four contenders for the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship, finished 12th in the Ford EcoBoost 400 and a career-best fourth in the final standings behind champion Kyle Busch, runner-up Kevin Harvick and Jeff Gordon.
Despite the setback, Truex smiled as he removed his helmet, joked with television reporters waiting to interview him, then expressed his gratitude toward his team, Furniture Row Racing, and owner Barney Visser.
“I was disappointed in the run we had, but really proud of the effort we put forth all year long,” Truex said on pit road as fireworks went off overhead. “The guys worked really hard coming in here to try to make something happen. We just missed it.”
Truex encountered several obstacles during NASCAR's season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, most notably a lack of grip. At one point, he described his No. 78 Chevrolet as “terrible” in radio transmissions with his crew.
“We struggled all night long with the car,” Truex said. “We never could find anything that made it any better than a ninth-, 10th-, 12th-place car. We couldn’t find any grip. The thing wouldn’t turn at all. I could get the gas down at all. It was a nightmare to drive.”
The team’s underdog story had captured the attention of fans. Underfunded by Cup standards and based in Denver — far from NASCAR’s hub in the Charlotte area — Furniture Row Racing fought through several issues to reach the final four.
PHOTOS: Behind the wheel with Martin Truex Jr.
As the team prepared to haul the car from Colorado to Florida before the race, it was hampered by a snowstorm. As if that wasn’t enough, the car caught fire briefly during a pit stop when fuel ignited. The flames went out when Truex left the pits, and the crew extinguished what was left of the fire In the pits without injury.
“We were definitely up against a lot here,” Truex said. “The odds were against us for sure. Obviously (I’m) really proud of everybody. We didn't come here saying we were going to be OK finishing fourth. We came here and really tried everything in our power, everything we knew how to do, to put together our best performance. It just wasn't in the cards for us.”
Wtih a strong finish behind him and the team prepared to switch to Toyota — which won its first NASCAR championship as Kyle Busch took the checkered flag — next year, Truex said he’s enthusiastic about returning to FRR.
Last year, Truex didn’t make it into the 16-driver Chase. This year, he made it to the final round.
“I’m really excited about next year, obviously,” Truex said. “It’s a big deal for Barney to get that factory support and get that backing. We’re excited about the future together. With how far this team went from last year to this year, I can’t wait to see what we can do with another year together.”
But first, a few weeks of peace and quiet.
“Right now I’m looking forward to spending a week or so down here relaxing and having a few beers, catching a few fish, and really just letting it all soak in what we've been able to accomplish,” Truex said. “(I’m) really proud of everybody on our team.”
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