WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. — Martin Truex Jr. is on the outside looking in as the Chase for the championship looms in five races, but he was smiling nonetheless after Sprint Cup qualifying was rained out Friday at Watkins Glen International.
Two days after he signed a contract extension with Dale Earnhardt Inc., he confirmed he would race for the company for at least one more season.
“I’m excited to put an end to all of the rumors,” Truex said. “I’m looking forward to doing great things with the company and moving forward.”
Truex has made 102 NASCAR Cup starts for DEI, scoring one victory and 26 top-10 finishes. In 2007, he qualified for the Chase and finished 11th in the point standings. He began racing full-time for DEI in 2006 and finished 19th in points.
“It was good for him,” said Dale Earnhardt Jr., who left his father’s company to drive for Hendrick Motorsports after 2007, his first full-time season without a win. “It gives DEI time to further negotiate with him for the future and align their key sponsors for the next several years.”
Truex’s sponsor, Bass Pro Shops, will remain on the No. 1 Chevrolet through 2010.
Truex won the spring race at Dover last year. He also won back-to-back championships in the Nationwide Series in 2004-05.
“We’re very excited to have Martin back for 2009,” Max Siegel, DEI president of global operations, said. “He’s a very important part of our program.”
Truex sits 17th in the Cup standings. His chances of making the Chase were dashed when he was docked 150 points last month at Daytona after NASCAR officials discovered the roof of his car did not conform to the sanctioning body’s specifications.
“This season has been kind of up-and-down for us,” Truex said. “But I really believe in our race team.”
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