Skilled racecar driver Martin Truex Sr., patriarch of a legendary Jersey Shore NASCAR racing household, died Saturday, the household introduced in an announcement.
Truex Sr., 66, was a local and longtime resident of Stafford, the place he raised his daughter, Marsha McVey, and sons Martin Truex Jr., and Ryan Truex, each of whom grew as much as develop into skilled NASCAR racers, as nicely.
Particulars about Truex Sr.’s demise weren’t instantly disclosed.
“We’re devastated by the lack of our father,” Truex Sr.’s kids stated in an announcement. “Merely put, he was our hero and a terrific man. We recognize everybody’s ideas and prayers and ask for privateness right now.”
Truex Sr. made 135 begins on the Busch North Collection circuit from 1989 to 1998 and 15 begins within the Busch Grand Nationwide Collection. He gained on the New Hampshire Motor Speedway on the Busch North circuit, and his finest end was twelfth place on the Nazareth Speedway in Pennsylvania, on the Busch Grand Nationwide circuit, each in 1994.
“He was a gentleman racer, enjoyable to race with,” . “I don’t bear in mind all my races, however I do keep in mind that Martin Sr. beat me at New Hampshire in, I feel, ’94 and I completed second, and I used to be as blissful for him as I used to be to complete second — and I don’t suppose I’d gained a race at that time.”
“(Truex Sr.) was a terrific racer himself,” former Busch North champion Mike Olsen instructed NASCAR.com. “Positively the apple didn’t fall removed from the tree, and Martin Sr. did a terrific job in bringing Martin Jr. into the ranks.”
The elder Truex eased into retirement within the late Nineteen Nineties as Martin Truex Jr.’s profession started taking off. For a short time, they each competed on the NASCAR Busch North tour after Truex Jr. graduated from Southern Regional Excessive Faculty.
Truex Jr., 44, gained the NASCAR Cup Collection in 2017 and , with 34 victories beneath his belt. On Thursday, introduced he’d with Tricon Storage and technical help from Joe Gibbs Racing. Tricon is a non-chartered racing crew, so Truex Jr. should qualify for the race by way of pole qualifying or a Feb. 13 qualifying race.
From 2017:
Truex Jr. completed in second place within the 2016 Daytona 500, shedding by simply 0.01 seconds, the closest end within the race’s 67-year historical past.
Truex Sr.’s youthful son, Ryan, is a reserve and growth driver for Joe Gibbs Racing.
