After surviving Talladega and advancing to the Eliminator Round of 8, Martin Truex Jr. gave a quick assessment about the next three Chase races, starting with Sunday’s Goody’s 500 at the half-mile Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.
“We’re excited about the next three tracks — Martinsville, Texas and Phoenix,” said Truex, driver of the No. 78 Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Chevrolet. “I feel like we have a good shot at getting to Homestead. That’s what we’re here to do. So the guys are working hard, they’re pumped up, and we’re excited to get going.
“I honestly feel we can do well at all three of them. I think Martinsville was always a track throughout my career I had trouble figuring out. But I feel like the last couple of years I really learned a lot and feel like I’m getting closer. This spring was probably the best race I’ve ever had there.
“We qualified up front (3rd). We had to go to the back because we had to fix a power steering issue. Came through the field and I think we finished fifth or sixth (was sixth). Martinsville is probably the one track that there’s more potential for things to go bad. But all three tracks — feel really good about them speed-wise and what we can do.”
At the three Eliminator Round venues earlier in the year, Truex notched finishes of sixth in Martinsville, ninth in Texas and seventh in Phoenix for an average result of 7.33. His average finish in the six Chase races is 9.5.
“Consistency is what got us here,” said Truex. “That’s obviously what it takes to stay here. Each and every week, when you only have three races in each of these rounds, there’s no room for errors, there’s no room for things to go wrong.
“I don’t think anyone is safe. It doesn’t matter how fast you are, doesn’t matter how good you are, it’s all about just getting it done. I mean if one thing goes wrong any one of us could be doomed after Martinsville. It’s just about taking it one race at a time, racing hard, getting all you can get.”
Truex said he doesn’t listen to the pundits who didn’t expect his single-car team to make it to the third round of the Chase playoffs.
“If people underestimate our chances that’s ok,” said Truex about his single-car team. “But I never underestimate this team because we have plenty of talent and fight. Most people didn’t think we would advance past the first round. Actually, it feels awesome to be in this position.”
Asked if he could win the Sprint Cup Series championship, Truex emphatically stated, “Absolutely, no doubt about it. Honestly, I think throughout the Chase, we’ve probably underachieved. I think just about every race that we’ve had, we ran better than where we’ve finished. Those are the things we’re looking at fixing. Those are the things we have to do better going forward. Our guys are working hard. We’re looking at every avenue on what we can do better. Hopefully we’ll be able to put it all together in the next four races.”
FRR PR
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