MARTIN TRUEX JR.
No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota
CORNELIUS, N.C. — You’ll have to be lucky and good to win Sunday’s Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway. No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota driver Martin Truex Jr. has been good of late recording back-to-back top-five finishes at Texas and Kansas and nearly repeating that feat at Richmond last week before contact with another car battling for second ruined those chances.
After a week of the “Get Lucky with Martin Truex” contest, Truex has an arsenal of “lucky” items sent in by fans. Truex chose a seashell found on the beach of Spring Lake, N.J., to help him get to victory lane at Talladega. Bill Truex, coincidence yes but he’s not related, sent in the seashell he found on the beach after Hurricane Sandy just 45 minutes from the driver’s hometown of Mayetta, N.J. If the No. 56 wins Sunday, Truex, the fan, will receive an exclusive VIP experience to a race of his choice and meet Truex the driver.
“What are the odds of selecting the lucky item from a guy named Truex from Jersey,” said the Mayetta, N.J. native. “He’s not a relative of mine. But if I win, he wins so he’ll just be one of many Truexes rooting for me on Sunday.”
Racing at Talladega: “Talladega is a tough track to finish. Our plan of attack is to go there and race hard all day long. I will not be dropping to the back and riding around for the first half of the race. I have tried that and have been wrecked. I’ve pretty much been wrecked at every position possible. We are going to run hard and lead as many laps as possible just like we did at Daytona this year. All we can do is hope for the best. Our NAPA Toyota was fast at Daytona so there is no reason why we cannot do the same at Talladega. I need to be at the end of the race when it counts.”
· HONORARY PIT CREW MEMBER: Ret. Army Sgt. Noah Galloway is this week’s NAPA HPCM. He’s from Birmingham, Ala. On Dec. 19, 2005, he lost his left arm above the elbow and left leg above the knee in an Improvised Explosive Device attack in Yusafiah, Iraq. Since his injury, Galloway has participated in two Warrior Dash events and a Barbarian Challenge. As a member of TEAM X-T.R.E.M.E, he has completed three Tough Mudder competitions and the Bataan Memorial Death March.
· Truex at Talladega: Click Here.
· SOCIAL STOP: Make Michael Waltrip Racing’s “Social Stop” your second screen on Sunday to follow all the racing and social media action when the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Talladega Superspeedway in the Aaron’s 499. MWR’s “Social Stop” goes live race morning allowing fans to view information from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube all on one page. Twitter feeds from MWR drivers, media members and NASCAR fans will populate the page. Visitors can also interact with fellow race fans and answer poll questions on the page. Visit www.facebook.com/michaelwaltripracing or click www.MichaelWaltripRacing.com/socialstop.
· NAPA Brakes: Throughout May, stop in and save at a participating NAPA AUTO PARTS Store or AutoCare Center. NAPA is offering up to a $50 Visa rebate card with the purchase of qualifying brake products. For details, visit napaonline.com.
· CATWALK FOR A CAUSE PRESENTED BY TOYOTA: ONLINE AUCTION!
Starting today, fans can go online and bid for items donated by Truex and other NASCAR drivers like Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson, Clint Bowyer, Mark Martin, Michael Waltrip and Danica Patrick. 100% of proceeds go to the Martin Truex Jr. Special Needs Fund at Levine Children’s Hospital. Go to NascarFoundation.org and look for the ‘Take Action’ tab or visit: .
