NASCAR's Martin Truex, Jr - From Boy to Superstar

Martin Truex Jr. was born in Mayetta, New Jersey onhis uncle. One of Martin Jr's fondest gift as a child
June 29, 1980. He is a second generation racer in hiswas a fourteen shotgun for Christmas when he was
family. His father, Martin Truex Sr. was a winner in6. The Truex family have always been huntsmen
the Busch North Series and was heralded as awith the tradition spanning beyond his grandfather.
successful modified driver. Martin Sr. was already aMartin Jr's dream kill would be an elk with a bow
successful racer in the Northeast by the time Truexafter he was bitten by the bow hunting bug when he
Jr. was ready to take up racing. As young as he was,was in his later teens.
Martin Jr. always knew that the race tracks wereMartin Truex Jr. and Martin Truex Sr. have proven to
made for him. He was already racing go-karts at thebe a tight knit group with formidable strengths. In
tender age of 11. By the time Martin Jr. was 14, he2003, the both of them had to deal with the task of
had won the Junior Championship and the Newfielding a financially challenged single-car team in the
Jersey Championship Series at the New EgyptBusch Series. It was a difficult time but the sweat
Speedway. He then proved this to be the startingand blood paid off when Truex Jr. was made an
point for what would turn out to be a very lucrativeoffer by Dale Earnhardt Jr. to drive for Chance 2
stock car racing career.Motorsports. Chance 2 Motorsports is the team that
When Truex Jr. reached 18, he entered and won hisis operated under the Dale Earnhardt Inc family and
first feature Modified event. Martin Jr. then followedwith his debut in that car at the Richmond
closely in his father footsteps when he began racingInternational Raceway for the Hardees 250, Truex Jr.
in the Busch North Series in 2000. With 3 winningwould have been in the lead eleven laps before he
races under his belt in fewer than 3 years with hishad to give way to a transmission malfunction which
family owned team, it's clear that Truex Jr. is headedlead to his car being brought into the garage earlier.
to glory as well. In his first season on the BuschAlthough he finished 31st in that race, he did get the
North Series ride, he won the event at the Newattention of many people.
Hampshire International Speedway in Loudon, NewThe next couple of years following that incident
Hampshirebrought along various winnings for Truex Jr. and with
Martin Truex Jr. enjoys hunting with his sponsors andthat, sponsorships. Martin Jr's dominance in the Busch
team mates during his time off from the tracks. As aSeries propelled him and his team the ticket to
child, he used to join his father and his uncle oncompete at NASCAR's highest level of competition
hunting trips which was made into a family tradition.with Dale Earnhardt Inc. It was interesting to note
They would go on a trip out West for a week or sohow the same group that Martin Jr. had defeated for
as a family. A regular woodsman, Martin Jr. grew uphis previous wins in the Busch Series championships
around a lot of land and even when he wasn't oldwould be the same group he was against for the
enough to hunt, he would sit in the deer stand withRaybestos' Rookie of the Year.