Outsiders, we’ve got The Marty Smith Podcast down at the Daytona 500. Marty and Wes talked with Martin Truex Jr. about another NASCAR Junior.
While Martin Truex Jr. is still zipping around the track, his good friend, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was recently inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. With a new year upon us, the 21st anniversary of Dale Sr.’s death, and Next Gen cars on the track, it’s a big season. And, it’s a big Daytona 500.
So, Truex Jr. spoke with Marty and Wes and got to the point. Dale Jr. and his importance to NASCAR, especially in this year, 2022. With his Hall of Fame induction, it’s a good time to reflect on what he means to the sport. He still has a lot to give to the sport in his retirement, as well.
“Just a lot of everything. I think a lot of pressure. I think it affected his racing some, to some extent. [At] the end of the day he still loved to race. It was just all the outside stuff. I think once he got in the car he was his happiest,” Martin Truex Jr. said on the podcast. “And outside the car, he was just always pulled in a hundred different directions. That had to be tough to deal with. I think that he dealt with it really well… He did a hell of a job with it. I can’t imagine the pressure he felt, and how much he was hiding in there.”
What Dale Jr. did for NASCAR was save it. Don’t ask me, just ask guys like Truex Jr. and Marty Smith. They will set you straight if you need settin’. No one carried more weight on their shoulders in the sport than Dale Jr. after his father’s death.
Martin Truex Jr. Talks Dream Hunting Trip with Marty and Wes
Martin Truex Jr. is just four years away from his Cup Series win in 2017. This year is going to be big for a lot of reasons. So, Truex will have his mind on the playoffs and once again claim the Cup Series title. However, when he isn’t racing around at high speeds, he enjoys hunting. While he talked to The Marty Smith Podcast, the driver revealed what his dream trip would be.
“My dream hunt is to travel up to the Yukon,” the No.19 driver said. “I wan to hunt moose with a bow and arrow. That’s literally on my bucket list, and when I retire, it’s going to happen.”
Truex Jr. has even studied what it would take.
“I’ve watched guys do it on TV and videos. I kind of know a little bit what it entails. And obviously, it definitely looks hard. But I think it would be a hell of a challenge,” he lamented. “The only thing I’m worried about is the grizzly bears. That could be a little dicey. We’re gonna have to have a big sidepiece on.”
Martin Truex Jr. sounds like a man with a plan, that’s for sure.
