Next Gen car will determine Truex Jr.’s fate
Martin Truex Jr. isn’t your most vocal driver. He lets his driving do the talking. However, this weekend the 2017 NASCAR Cup Series champion made a surprising comment about his future in NASCAR that flew under the radar. According to the 41-year-old, his decision on whether or not he continues racing beyond next season all comes down to the Next Gen car, which debuts in 2022.
Martin Truex Jr. will one day be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. He’s put up those kinds of numbers.
In 18 years on the Cup Series, Truex has made his way to victory lane on 30 occasions, including three times in 2021 at Phoenix, Martinsville, and Darlington.
Over the last five seasons, Truex has undeniably been one of the best drivers in the series.
Since 2017, Truex has impressively won 23 races, including eight during his titlewinning season.
While Martin Truex Jr. turned 41 in June, his three wins this season prove age is not a factor as he’s not just been competitive but elite-level competitive. Truex told RacinBoys in an interview this weekend that the possibility of him walking away from the sport in the near future has nothing to do with age or desire, but unknowns. And with the Next
Gen car, there are plenty.
When asked whether or not the Next Gen car might affect his longevity, the New Jersey-born driver offered a candid and surprising answer.
“I would say, yes it would. It will, I think, and that’s a fair question. I think, look at the new car, see what it’s like, go racing, hopefully, it’s fun,” Truex said. “Hopefully, I have as much fun as I have driving these things. I love working with my team. I still love racing, but for sure, that’s going to be a big deal. If it’s not fun, I won’t hang around too long. I don’t have to do this anymore. I’m still around because I really want to do this and continue winning races and hopefully more championships.”
“Our sport has really changed over the last handful of years, since I started Cup racing in ’06. And then it was all the veteran guys. We had a crop of young guys. I was part of that, but we weren’t as young as these kids are today. I think I was 26 when I went Cup racing, and I was considered fairly young at that point to go Cup racing. And now we’re racing with 18-yearold, 19-year-old, 20-yearold kids, and they’re really good. It’s been interesting how it’s changed. Really the last couple of years, we’ve got a lot of new young guys in there, making a name for themselves, and doing a good job. It’s been fun to race with them and carry the veteran cap around, I suppose.”
Just how much longer he is willing to carry around that veteran cap will be determined by the Next Gen car.
The Champion Racing Oil World of Outlaws Sprint Cars Series Summer Nationals is just a couple days away at Williams Grove Speedway, slated for Friday and Saturday, July 23 and 24 at 7:30 pm.
The modern-day, consecutive-year history of the Summer Nationals dates back to 2002 when the show was a three-day event with Danny Lasoski, Joey Saldana and Greg Hodnett taking wins.
However events dubbed “Summer Nationals” were first contested at the oval back in 1972 with Jan Opperman and Bobbie Adamson recorded as the victors.
Both nights of this year’s Summer Nationals shows will include full programs of time trials, heats and feature events.
The July 23 outlaws-posse match will feature a 25-lap main paying $10,000 to win while the July 24 Saturday finale Champion Racing Oil Summer Nationals feature will offer $20,000 to the winner.
Last year, Shane Stewart and David Gravel split Summer Nationals winning laurels with Gravel scoring the big 20K in the Saturday finale.
California’s Brad Sweet is the current outlaws point leader over Gravel.
Sweet has already put up 13 wins to date this season on the tour while Gravel has posted six.
Williams Grove has been one of Gravel’s strengths in recent seasons and he is sure to be on top of his game for the Summer Nationals.
Lance Dewease is the current Williams Grove Speedway point leader and is still the only driver to repeat in action at the historic venue this year.
USA Network has announced it has greenlit “Race for the Championship (WT),” an exhilarating new eight-part docuseries about the elite drivers and teams competing in this year’s NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. It is set to premiere in 2022.
With the backdrop and high stakes of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs and Championship, “Race for the Championship” will take viewers inside the lives of NASCAR’s top drivers and teams on and off the track. Across eight thrilling episodes, the all-access series will chronicle the sports’ best as they balance their personal lives with the passion, pressure and perils of racing, all for a chance to make history.
The 10-week NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs begin at Darlington Raceway on September 5, 2021 at 6pm ET on NBCSN.
Mark this date on your calendar.
The 2021 ARDC Reunion will be held on Saturday September 11 at the Eastern Museum Of Motor Racing located at 100 Baltimore Rd York Springs, Pa. 17372.
The museum will be open that weekend from 10am till 4 pm on Friday Saturday and Sunday with all the reunion festivities all day Saturday.
As always there is no admission charge to enter the museum and you can stay all day if you like.
There will be plenty of restored midgets and other race cars on display outside and all the great things to see inside the museum also.
From 1pm to 3pm there will be a round table discussion on “Midgets to Indy” with driver interviews and question and answer times hosted by Dave Hare.
If you have questions about camping on the grounds please call Judy at 717-580-6083.
If you have a race car you would like to be part of the display please call Ken Brenn at 732-469-1701.
Any questions about EMMR please call Lynn Paxton at 717-321-3484.
This event will take place rain or shine.