CORNELIUS, N.C. — No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota driver Martin Truex Jr. plans on doing some good work both on and off the track this week as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series prepares for Saturday night’s race at Darlington Raceway.
The Michael Waltrip Racing driver is sixth in the standings and has historically raced well at the 1.366-mile, egg-shaped oval called the “Track Too Tough to Tame.” Before he races, Truex will make a special trip to the Palmetto State on Wednesday to thank a South Carolina National Guardsman.
Truex will visit Love Automotive, a NAPA AutoCare Center, in Cayce, S.C., and serve as crew chief for Blair Raines whose car has fallen out of repair. He’ll join shop employees as they install new NAPA brakes and make general repairs.
Raines, 27, from Leesville, S.C., returned from a year in Afghanistan with the 1221 South Carolina Engineering and Clearance Company. Raines and his company’s duties were to ensure safe travel in some very tough areas by removing road-side bombs.
TRUEX ON NAPA KNOWS HOW TO CARE PROJECT: “I am really looking forward to this and working with the guys at Love Automotive. I’m going to be tuning up Blair Raines’ car. He’s just returned from serving a year in Afghanistan. He had one of the toughest jobs there. He cleared roads for the troops of things like bombs. For all he has done to serve our country and keep us safe here, I’d like to help get his car running in top condition. I’m putting a new set of brakes on his car. I haven’t done it in a while, but I know how to do it. I look forward to meeting him.”
TRUEX RACING AT DARLINGTON: “The last two weeks have been rough on the NAPA team, but we’re not panicking by any means. I had a fast NAPA Toyota at Talladega and just tried a different strategy by running in the back for most of the race. Obviously that didn’t work. We got wrecked before Chad (Johnston - crew chief) could tell me to pull the trigger and go to the front. It’s unfortunate, but believe it or not, I’m glad to be going to Darlington this weekend. Actually, I’m pretty excited about it because I consider Darlington to be one of my best tracks, especially since they’ve repaved it a few years ago. It’s a place I have been strong at consistently. I just love the place. With the way our cars have been running this year and if I can qualify well, I think we have a really good shot at winning.”
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