Support » SCENE-please remove inappropriate photos of the dead/horrific
Meg, I liked the flowers, too! Especially the gold/yellow one. I would much much rather look at those than the wrecks. I opened one of the wrecks and ignored...
Final race looms for teammates Truex, Earnhardt Jr.
By SceneDaily Staff Report
Saturday, November 17, 2007
HOMESTEAD, Fla. - Martin Truex Jr. is ready for 2008 but says that it will be strange heading to Daytona International Speedway without Dale Earnhardt Jr. as his teammate next season.
The two are close friends away from the track and have worked together to help build Dale Earnhardt Inc. back to prominence. This season, Truex is in the Chase For The Nextel Cup while Earnhardt Jr. just missed the cut for the 12-driver championship showdown.
Sunday's Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway marks the final outing for the pair as teammates, though. Earnhardt Jr. will be one of four drivers competing for Hendrick Motorsports in 2008, joining Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Casey Mears.
"I still hate to see him go," Truex said Friday at Homestead-Miami Speedway. "I'm sure it won't all sink in until Speedweeks [in Daytona], we get down there testing. I'll miss having him as a teammate, he's been awesome for me. He's been great. But we'll still be great friends. A few of the hunting trips we're going on this year I'm trying to lure him along.
"We'll have some fun this winter, we'll hang out a few times here and there, but it'll definitely sink in next year when we get to Daytona."
With the loss of Earnhardt Jr., Truex will gain a higher profile within the organization, especially if his team continues to build on its performance of this season. He made the Chase and won his first Cup race in this, his second full season with DEI, and is hoping to build on that with another title-contending effort in 2008.
Truex doesn't expect any changes to be made in his team, further boosting that effort. So as he prepares to become the main driver for the organization, he doesn't flinch from the additional attention that will bring to his team.
"I'm comfortable doing what I'm doing," he said. "I think it's going to be an exciting time for me and my team to kind of get some more of the spotlight, a little more credit, a little more focus, attention. I don't think a lot is going to change for me, I'm going to go out and do my job the best I can do every week, just like I do now, just like I've always done, so I don't think a lot of that will change. I might get a little bit busier, other than that it's business as usual."
Besides, he plans to still be friends with Earnhardt Jr., and thinks most of the team will as well.
"I think he's excited, obviously, about what he's going to do next year," Truex said. "I know he's going to miss all these guys. He's been with most of these guys since he won his first Busch championship [in 1998], a lot of those guys are still the same, so I'm sure he's going to miss them.
"It's going to be a lot different for him going over there next year, but he's ... going to be right here [in the garage]. ... He's still going to be friends with all those guys."
Mentioned Drivers: Casey Mears
2009 Sprint Cup Race for the Chase Standings
Driver Standings after the AMP Energy 500
| 1 | Jimmie Johnson | 6248 |
| 2 | Mark Martin | -184 |
| 3 | Jeff Gordon | -192 |
| 4 | Juan Pablo Montoya | -239 |
| 5 | Tony Stewart | -279 |
| 6 | Kurt Busch | -312 |
| 7 | Greg Biffle | -340 |
| 8 | Ryan Newman | -402 |
| 9 | Kasey Kahne | -414 |
| 10 | Carl Edwards | -437 |
| 11 | Denny Hamlin | -448 |
| 12 | Brian Vickers | -556 |
Popular News
-
Hendrick Motorsports' Dale Earnhardt Jr. eager for return to Texas Motor Speedway
Comments (138) -
Richard Petty Motorsports' AJ Allmendinger charged with driving while impaired
Comments (73) -
JR Motorsports continues work on bringing Danica Patrick to NASCAR
Comments (69) -
NASCAR says bump-drafting rules not to blame for single-file Talladega racing
Comments (67) -
Dave Rogers to become Kyle Busch's new Cup crew chief at Joe Gibbs Racing
Comments (64)
Recent Headlines
-
Nationwide penalty likely for opening-day violation by Kyle Busch team
Comments (6) -
Kyle Busch pulls off Texas two-step by winning Nationwide race
Comments (9) -
Oklahoma teacher named Dickies American Worker of the Year
Post Comment -
Roush Fenway Racing's Donnie Wingo set to return to organization for 2010 NASCAR season
Post Comment -
Toyota executive addresses Formula One decision, Earnhardt Ganassi possibility
Comments (6)
Poll PositionView All
Which NASCAR Sprint Cup race winner from the past two seasons is most likely to earn his first victory of 2009 in the next three races?
Promotions
-
Play "WIX Filters' Pick 3" stock car fantasy and win prizes. Season 2 is now in session!
-
Tweet your thoughts about each race and join the conversation with other fans.
-
Drive an authentic NASCAR Sprint Cup car at the NASCAR Racing Experience.
-
Cast your vote for the NASCAR Illustrated 2009 Person of the Year, presented by Old Spice.
-
Make weekly pics for the Chase and be entered to win weekly SPEED Merchandise.
