Earnhardt Ganassi's Martin Truex Jr. notches first top-five of 2009 at Phoenix
Earnhardt Ganassi Racing's Martin Truex Jr. finished fifth in Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Phoenix International Raceway. // Mark Sluder, NASCAR Scene
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AVONDALE, Ariz. - It's hard to believe that Earnhardt Ganassi Racing's Martin Truex Jr. ran 34 NASCAR Sprint Cup races without a top-five finish this season. But it wasn't until Sunday's Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International Raceway that Truex broke through with a top-five, finishing fifth from the pole position.
That marked Truex's first top-five since last year at Watkins Glen International.
As he looked over the race weekend, Truex said that it was just a weekend where the team got all the little things right - and nothing went awry.
"We didn't have any problems in the pits," he said. "Nothing fell off the car. The tires held air. You know all that good stuff. We just had a good race. Nothing bad happened and we didn't have any bad luck and we had a good car."
He said that crew chief Kevin Manion and his group made the car better on every pit stop. In the last couple of runs, Truex felt that he had one of the best cars on the track.
That hasn't been a feeling he's enjoyed all that much this season. Truex, who is leaving for Michael Waltrip Racing following next weekend's season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, said that made this all that much sweeter.
"We've had a rough season, so it feels good," he said.
He heads to Homestead with mixed emotions, too. Truex has been with this group since his rookie season of 2006, starting out with it as Dale Earnhardt Inc. then being part of the offseason merger with Chip Ganassi Racing that created Earnhardt Ganassi Racing.
Now, he has just one race remaining with the group. Running well Sunday at Phoenix, and hopefully again next week at Homestead, would help make leaving easier for all of them.
"It's huge to me because those guys are just like brothers to me," said Truex, who gained three spots to 23rd in the standings. "We're just like a family. I wanted it so bad all year. I've been trying all year. I think sometimes we try too hard and that's what gets us in trouble and causes problems. It feels great and I'm really proud of their efforts.
"To keep digging all year after the year we've had and not give up and come out here and get a top-five, I'm just real proud of their efforts. Just hope we can get a little closer next week."
