DENVER, Colo. (June 3, 2015) – Martin Truex Jr. will have a new Furniture Row Chevrolet for Sunday’s Axalta “We Paint Winners” 400 at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa.
The new chassis that will tackle the tricky 2.5-mile triangular track is the second car in less than a month to make its debut for Furniture Row Racing. According to crew chief Cole Pearn another new car is currently being built at the team’s shop in Denver, Colorado and could run as soon as the Michigan race on June 14.
Though Truex has not scored a win, he has demonstrated that his No. 78 Chevrolet can be a contender. He led the most laps in the past three races – Kansas (95), Charlotte (131) and Dover (131), bringing his season total to 389.
The 389 laps led in the first 13 races is one of the clearest indications of how much the single-car team has improved. Truex led only one lap in 2014, his first season with Furniture Row Racing.
Truex currently sits second in the driver point standings, thanks to 12 top-10 finishes. His lowest point standing of the year was eighth after the season-opening Daytona 500.
“It’s been a team effort all around,” said Truex. “From our crew chief Cole Pearn, to his engineering staff to the road crew and to all the guys back at the Denver shop. They keep bringing me fast race cars week in and week out and that’s why we’ve been on a competitive roll.”
While Truex calls Dover International Speedway his home track, Pocono Raceway also has home roots for the 34-year-old native of Mayetta, N.J.
“If Dover is considered my home track then Pocono is my second home track,” stated Truex. “I have fond memories of Pocono, dating back as a youngster to watch my father (Martin Truex Sr.) race modifieds there.”
Even though he has a fondness for Pocono Raceway, Truex is well aware of the challenges the Pennsylvania track presents.
“We have run well at all different types of tracks this year and hopefully we can continue that momentum in Pocono,” said Truex. “They call Pocono the tricky triangle and that’s exactly what it is — tricky. If there were a track you would change the track bar setting on every turn it would most likely be at Pocono.
“The hardest thing about Pocono is the tunnel turn, which is a very sharp and flat corner. The racetrack is narrow and when you’re coming down that Long Pond straightaway you’re looking straight at the wall going the other way and you’re running 200 miles per hour and there’s not a lot of banking. It’s just an intimidating turn.”
Truex has had strong runs at Pocono with a pair of third-place finishes and a total of six top-10s. He has completed 99.5 percent of the laps in 18 career starts at Pocono – 3,191 out of 3,208.
Furniture Row Racing Traveling Crew, 2015
No. 78 Over-the-Wall Crew
Front-tire changer
Dave Collins, Hayden Lake, Idaho
Front-tire carrier
Craig Curione, Sanborn, N.Y.
Rear-tire changer
Kyle Turner, Yorktown, Va.
Rear-tire carrier
Adam Mosher, Fort Mill, S.C.
Jackman
Carey Wimbish, Granite Falls, N.C.
Gasman
Brian Dheel, Akron, Ohio
No. 78 Road Crew
General Manager
Joe Garone, Denver, Colo.
Crew Chief
Cole Pearn, London, Ontario, Canada
Car Chief
Blake Harris, Maypearl, Texas
Engineers
Jeff Curtis, Fairfax Station, Va.
Pete Craik, Melbourne, Australia
Spotter
Clayton Hughes, Thomasville, N.C.
Engine Specialist
Craig Griffitts, Thomasville, N.C.
Engine Builder
Earnhardt-Childress Racing
Shock Specialist
Nick Kerlin, Old Fort, Ohio
Tire Specialist
Tommy DiBlasi, Annapolis, Md.
Mechanic
Gary Frost, Romeo, Mich.,
Nino Venezia, Philadelphia
Technical Support
Ryan Kelly, London, Ontario
Transportation
Chuck Lemay, DeKalb, IL, Chris Burton, Cincinnati, Barry Huston, Bloomingdale, Mich., Roy Miller, Elkridge, Md., Henry Benfield, Statesville, N.C.
