2014 Driver Reviews: No. 24 Martin Truex Jr.
After doing exit interviews for Sprint Cup Series drivers in 2013, we're turning the tables. We want the drivers to sell themselves. So here are the resumés for all full-time Sprint Cup Series drivers in 2014. Then, at the end, we'll provide a summation of the driver's season in 150 words or less.
Name: Martin Truex Jr.
NASCAR Experience: Nine full Sprint Cup Series seasons and two wins. The 2004 and 2005 NASCAR Busch (Nationwide) [Xfinity] Series champion.
Most recent team: Furniture Row Racing
Most recent season finish: 24th
2014 accomplishments: Finished fourth at Kansas in the fall and led a lap at Talladega in the fall. Didn't get hit by a meteor at the beginning of the season when on-track performance started out poorly.
Most memorable moment: Simply having a full-time ride after NAPA left Michael Waltrip Racing following the race manipulation thing at Richmond last year. Unrelated to performance on the track, it's having longtime girlfriend Sherry Pollex back at the track following her August cancer diagnosis.
Strengths: Won on a road course and a one-mile track and has shown strength at intermediate tracks.
2015 goals: Try to replicate Furniture Row's 2013 when it made the Chase with Kurt Busch. Get win No. 3.
FTM's Take: While Furniture Row and Truex were meant for each other for 2014 given their situations entering the season, the results weren't what anyone was expecting. And we don't mean that in a good way. It's crazy to think that Truex led just a single lap and had one top-five finish. Of his nine full-time Sprint Cup seasons, 2014 had his fewest top 10s, laps led and his lowest finish in the standings. But all of that was second to Pollex's cancer diagnosis.
Simply put, it was a rough season for Truex. With a crowded field ahead, moving up is easier said than done. But Truex should contend for the top 20 next year.
Previous reviews: No. 25 Tony Stewart, No. 26 Casey Mears, No. 27 Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 28, Danica Patrick, No. 29, Justin Allgaier, No. 30, David Gilliland, No. 31 Cole Whitt, No. 32 David Ragan, No. 33 Michael Annett, No. 34 Reed Sorenson, No. 35 Alex Bowman
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Nick Bromberg is the editor of From The Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
