MARTIN TRUEX JR.
On the Track and Out on the Water
HUNTERSVILLE, North Carolina (July 12, 2022) – As the NASCAR Cup Series heads north to New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon for Sunday’s Ambetter 301, the chance that Martin Truex Jr., will be seen out on the water are almost as good as the chances of seeing him on the racetrack known as the “Magic Mile.”
With boating season in full swing, Interstate Batteries has partnered with the Team Interstate driver and outdoor enthusiast, as the latest stop on the Cup Series tour takes him to the heart of New Hampshire’s lake country. This weekend marks Interstate’s first ever primary sponsorship of Truex and his No. 19 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry TRD for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR).
JGR founding partner Interstate Batteries is in the midst of its 31st season as a sponsor of the championship-winning team, and the company is also celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2022 with a unique promotion that features Truex’s love for time spent fishing out on a lake. He’ll be promoting Interstate’s line of marine batteries and reminding race fans to check their batteries before heading out on the water, or the road.
Also as part of the promotion, Interstate will be giving away a $1,000 Bass Pro Shops gift card and signed gear from Truex on its social channels leading up to the race weekend.
The 1-mile flat oval at New Hampshire has produced some fond memories for Truex over the years. He watched his dad race there in what used to be called the Busch North Series. In fact, the elder Truex won the Busch North race at Loudon in July 1994, and qualified on the pole position there the following year.
As for Truex himself, New Hampshire helped launch his own career to the n ext level. He brought home his first career NASCAR K&N Series victory as a 19-year-old rookie in 2000, when he led all 101 laps of the race. Three years later, he scored another K&N victory at Loudon, leading 108 laps en route to his second win there. Fast forward to 2005, when Truex again found victory lane at Loudon in the NASCAR Xfinity Series driving for Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s team, a year after winning the series championship.
While Truex has accomplished plenty in his career, including the 2017 Cup Series championship and 31 Cup Series race wins, a victory at Loudon in NASCAR’s top series has thus far eluded him. He hopes to cross a win off the list there this weekend in his Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry TRD.
So as Truex goes on his maiden voyage sporting the Interstate Batteries colors that helped get JGR its start in NASCAR, he’ll hope to make it back to the victory lane that he visited with his dad many years ago, and again when he himself was a young driver on the rise.
MARTIN TRUEX JR., Driver of the No. 19 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing:
With Interstate Batteries being a founding partner of JGR dating back to its inception in 1992, what does it mean to have Interstate on your car at New Hampshire knowing what the company has meant to JGR all these years?
“It means a lot to be able to drive the Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry TRD. I’ve been watching Interstate cars go around the racetrack about my whole life. Since JGR started, I’ve been watching NASCAR, and Interstate has been an iconic paint scheme in the series, so it’s an honor to drive for them. I’ve been working with them the last couple of years on appearances and other things. A lot of great people and hard-working people who have treated me well, and it’s exciting to have our first real race together.”
It seems that JGR struggled a bit at the flat track in Phoenix in the spring but, made some pretty big gains at another flat track in St. Louis in June. What can you take away from those two races that you might be able to bring to New Hampshire, even though it’s a completely different track and it’s the first race there with the NextGen car?
“I feel like you can take something from Phoenix and also from St. Louis as far as learning this new car and figuring out what it takes to get around these flatter, shorter tracks. It feels like we are getting closer. Loudon is obviously different, but generally if you have a good short-track package, you can kind of find the setup on all three of those tracks. We’re looking forward to big things in Loudon with our Interstate Batteries Camry.”
What do you enjoy most about racing at New Hampshire and what is the biggest challenge there?
“I think, for me, the coolest part of Loudon is that I’ve been going there for a long time. I got to watch my dad race there when I was growing up in the old Busch North Series. It’s one of those tracks that I really, really want to win at in the Cup Series. I’ve won in every other series I’ve raced there. Loudon was a big part of me growing up in racing and me being able to work my way up through the ranks. Winning there when I was 19 years old really set my career off, so that always makes it special to go back there.”
Event Overview:
● Event: Ambetter 301 (Round 20 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 17
● Location: New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon
● Layout: 1-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 318 laps/318.46 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 70 laps / Stage 2: 115 laps / Final Stage: 116 laps
● TV/Radio: USA Network / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Meet the No. 19 Interstate Batteries / Joe Gibbs Racing Team
Primary Team Members:
Driver: Martin Truex Jr.
Crew Chief: James Small
Car Chief: Chris Jones
Spotter: Drew Herring
Race Engineer: Nick Burton
Race Engineer: Jeff Curtis
Over-The-Wall Crew Members:
Gas Man: Kenneth Purcell
Front Tire Changer: Hunter Masling
Jackman: Joel Bouagnon
Tire Carrier: Dylan Dowell
Rear Tire Changer: Deven Youker
Road Crew Members:
Truck Driver: Kyle Bazell
Truck Driver: Eddie DeGroot
Interior/Tire Specialist: Tom DiBlasi
Undermeath Mechanic: Ryan Martin
Mechanic: Todd Carmichael
Notes of Interest:
● Truex has seven top-five finishes and 13 top-10s and has led a total of 744 laps in 28 career Cup Series starts at New Hampshire. Truex’s average New Hampshire finish is 12.0.
● Helpful Tips: With Truex promoting the marine battery line from Interstate, fans are advised to do the following before they head out on the water:
Make sure your battery has a charge and test it before going out.
Clean off any corrosion around battery terminals and ensure a proper connection.
Check your battery box seal and terminal boots. If you do need a replacement, deep cycle or cranking battery, choose what the pros use and get an Interstate.
● History at New Hampshire: Truex has some history at New Hampshire in the NASCAR K&N Series, having scored two of his five series victories at the mile oval.
● Family Ties: Not only has Truex won at New Hampshire in both the K&N and Xfinity Series, his dad, Martin Truex Sr., won a K&N Series race at the track back in 1994.
