NASCAR Busch Series
Photos and story © 2005 Dwight Drum
Web work by Gary Larsen

Martin Truex Jr.
Driver on the move to the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series
Crew Chief: Kevin Manion

Event: 2005 Busch Series Championship Tour

"I'm kind of quiet, but when I put my helmet on, it's like you flip a switch. I'm ready to go."

"The madder I get, the faster I go."

Zoomster.com has included two quotes from Martin Truex Jr. this interview because he revealed a bit more of his inner self than we have been able to glean in the past. Maybe Truex Jr. let out a little more than he has before because he is getting better at articulating his drive. Maybe too, it's just a little more maturity in this young champion. Maybe too, (we hope) he has become comfortable with our positive questions and he reveals more.

Our initial interviews with Truex Jr. have been very popular with fans. History of his demeanor and honesty has proven much in addition to his great driving skills, his champion results. His calm presence in the face of media attention is much about Martin. At first we thought he was about two or three clicks above hibernation. That's real cool.

Cool isn't always an easy emotion in motorsports. It may be a Truex trait to be all about being unruffled, a still surface on a deep lake, but when the racing happens the sleeping bear in Truex Jr. emerges - well, like a bear.

Don't take our words on that; take Martin Truex Jr's words on that. That's why Zoomster.com goes out to get the real words for you.

Dwight asked Martin Truex Jr.:

"Well, I hope it continues to be a pattern. These last two years have been really great. It's hard to imagine two years ago that I could be in this position right now. So it's been a lot of fun. It seems like it's been five or six years since I started running the Busch Series and it's only been two. It's really been a lot of fun. I've learned a lot. I sure am thankful for all the opportunities I've had."

"It depends. If you look back on it - it really flew. When you are doing it, it seems like it takes forever. It seems like I've been doing it forever and it's only been two years. I'm sure next year will feel even longer with the Cup Schedule being longer. It's a lot of fun and there's nothing I'd rather be doing. "

"I'm low keyed. I'm kind of quiet. I keep to myself most of the time. That kind of person I guess. But when I put my helmet on, it's like you flip a switch. I'm ready to go. As long as I can do that and be me, I'm happy. I'm just kind of quiet."

"Just quiet and low-keyed. I don't like to make a big fuss about anything. I don't like too much tension drawing on me at any one moment. At the racetrack it's one thing, but normally I like to just be alone. I'm kind of a loner sometimes, I guess. I don't know. I'm just a regular guy who likes to hang out and do the regular things that everybody else likes to do."

"It was a cool weekend. I really thought winning that bass tournament Saturday morning was going to be good luck. I end up wrecking in qualifying and then getting a loose wheel in the race so it was an up and down day for us. Kind of like the whole season was. We had a lot to overcome. Fortunately we were able to pull it out when we needed to and show what we are made of. So it was fun."

"Hmmm- a lot. You know, just focus on racing. You need to treat your fans well obviously. They are the only reason why you are doing this. Be yourself. Don't try to be somebody you're not and be respectful. Especially to other drivers on the track, whether you're having a good day or a bad day. "

"I get soo emotional. I mean it's just one of those things will set me off and I'll start screaming and yelling. There are times when I make sure my hand is not near the radio button because I'm yelling so loud inside my helmet. I get really worked up sometimes about little things about the way other people drive around me. It makes me mad. I get pretty mad most of the time. The madder I get, the faster I go. "

"No not any more, because I forget what it's like to not know. I can remember the first time I drove a real race car. I was about two or three tenths lower than I needed to be and it was my first time in a modified so it was at a pretty fast track. The first ten laps I could not believe how much grip the car had and how hard you go through the turns. It's really amazing what these things can do. "

"I don't know. I'm just a nice person. I just try to nice to everybody and hopefully the trees wouldn't hurt me."

"Just trying to stay on top of the game. Things change so fast. It seems like things you were doing two or three weeks ago aren't good enough anymore. You can win a race at a track and go back there three weeks from now and three weeks after you win and you'd be lucky to run third. Things have changed. Everybody is constantly coming up with a better way, a newer way to do things. You need to keep up with the changes. "

"I just thank everybody for their support for the last two years. It's been a lot of fun. I've got a lot of support from a lot of fans. I just look forward to the future. I plan to be around a long time."