Ryan Truex - Martinsville Preview

CORNELIUS, N.C. — Michael Waltrip Racing developmental driver Ryan Truex races at Martinsville Speedway this weekend in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East UNOH Performance 200.

The race marks the 18-year-old’s debut at the historic flat, mile oval. The defending series champion finished 14th in the season-opening race at Greenville-Pickens, third at South Boston and fifth at Iowa speedways. He’s now second in points just 13 points out of the lead. The younger brother of MWR Sprint cup driver Martin Truex Jr., will race in six Nationwide Series races in 2010 beginning July 17 at Gateway International Raceway. He’ll also race at Michigan, Richmond, Kansas, Charlotte and Homestead-Miami.

QUOTES

ON DEFENDING THE SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP: “I’m up to second in points now. Hopefully we can have a good run and get up to first. We just need to keep the car out of the fence. It’s a tough track. Everyone uses their bumpers and the side of their cars there to try and drive by you so hopefully we can run up front and avoid a lot of that.”


ON RACE STRATEGY: “It’s 200 laps, you get two tires and you can come in whenever you want. I don’t really know how we’re going to do it. You can come in halfway and get gas and tires or you can come in later and get just gas and not tires. Track position is a big deal there. You want to be up front, you don’t want to get funneled to the back because then you have to work through and there are always wrecks there. We don’t want to end up with a torn up racecar so strategy is going to be a big deal. We’ll have our work cut out for us, but I’m pretty confident my guys can figure it out.”


ON MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY: ““I’ve never actually been to Martinsville, so I’m excited. It has a lot of history. Hopefully we can get a grandfather clock. That’s a really big deal. We’ve done well at every track we went to last year that was new. I think we’ll be alright, I know we can be up there contending for the win.”
ADDITIONAL NOTES OF INTEREST

• The 18-year-old driver is second in K&N Pro Series East standings, with 456 points. He trails leader Max Gresham by a mere 13 points.

• The Mayetta, N.J. native is the first driver to earn a championship for Michael Waltrip Racing.

• Truex recently participated in Michael Waltrip Racing’s Fan Appreciation Day on May 26, 2010 where he signed autographs for 200 fans at the MWR shop.

• Truex is the third member of his family to compete in the K&N Pro Series East. His father, Martin Truex Sr., and his brother Martin Truex Jr. also competed in the series.

• Truex will make his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut on July 17 at Gateway International Raceway.