Pro Staff Blog

Interview with NASCAR Driver Martin Truex, Jr.

NASCAR Driver Martin Truex, Jr.I have been pretty lucky this year, my passion for hunting, conservation and NASCAR all melted into the opportunity to attend a race as a guest of NASCAR and getting the opportunity to interview folks for HuntingLife.com and share our stories through our social networks.  Last week we got the chance to interview Richard Childress as my son Tristan filmed the interview, what a thrill and this week I just got off the phone with Martin Truex, Jr.

Martin Truex, Jr. started his career in racing riding go-karts and Northeastern Modifieds and he earned his way to each lap hoisting nets full of clams from his father’s seafood business in New Jersey.  Success led him to NASCAR where he won back-to-back Nationwide Series Championships and now his goal is to bring home a Sprint Cup Championship.

In our conversation, I asked Martin about how different it was to drive a race in the Race for the Chase versus the rest of the year and while he said there is a feeling of more pressure he takes every race the same regardless of when and where the race is, his goal is to win every single race driving the No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry.

Martin is 31 years old and in the last four years the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation has raised more than $750,000 for community programs and initiatives such as the Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina’s Backpack Program and building the Martin Truex Jr. Pediatric Unit at Southern Ocean County Hospital in N.J.  With Martin’s determination, I expect those numbers will climb dramatically over the next several years

This week Truex will be racing in Texas where he has won the pole in the past and it is a track he is excited to be racing.  With a 2nd place in Kansas and 23rd in Martinsville, I am sure this week is going to be an exciting week for Martin.

2012 is shaping out to be his best year yet. Truex raced his way into his second Chase for the Sprint Cup and is currently ranked seventh in the championship point standings on the heels of seven top-five and 18 top-10 finishes in the 33 starts. With just three races remaining in the Chase, Truex is 63 points behind current point leader Jimmie Johnson.

Now besides racing Martin has a strong passion for bowhunting and when I asked him how he kept balance between his passion for hunting and his pursuits in racing he explained that while he may not get the time to enjoy the outdoors nearly as much as some others, when he does get time he makes the most of it.  Martin regularly talks hunting and fishing with Ryan Newman and they hunt and fish together regularly.  Once the Texas race is over Martin is headed to Kansas to spend a few days in the tree waiting on an old monarch whitetail and we wish him luck!!

Martin Truex Jr on Facebook
Martin Truex Jr. on Twitter
http://www.mtjauthentics.com/
http://www.martintruexjrfoundation.org/

Kevin Paulson

Kevin Paulson is the Founder and CEO of HuntingLife.com. His passion for Hunting began at the age of 5 hunting alongside of his father. Kevin has followed his dreams through outfitting, conservation work, videography and hunting trips around the world.

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