Truex Jr. grabbed his first...
Truex Jr. grabbed his first Busch win at Bristol Motor Speedway, and his boss, Dale Earnhardt Jr., was there to help celebrate.
SCR: What does it mean for you to strap into a Busch car for DEI and Chance 2?
Truex: It's huge. I mean, it's what every driver works for. Every young guy who has never wanted to do anything but race, that's what they look for-an opportunity to drive equipment that you know can win and know you can go out there and kick everybody's butt. To me, it means a lot to be associated with the Earnhardt family and all the things they've done. To drive for Dale Earnhardt Jr., who is the biggest name in the sport right now, and to become friends with him and drive for him and do a good job, that means a lot to me.
SCR: How involved is Teresa Earnhardt in your deal? Do you talk to her often?
Truex: I don't get to see her very often. I don't think anybody does, but she knows what's going on and she is kind of like in a dark room where she can see everybody but you can't see her. She knows everything that's going on and has a say in everything, but you don't get to talk to her very often, it seems.
SCR: Did you follow NASCAR closely growing up? When you were 11, for example, did you know of Dale Earnhardt's place in the sport?
Truex: Yeah, I was always watching the races. I didn't know the behind-the-scenes stuff that I know now, of course, but I always watched the races. I've always loved to sit down on Sundays and watch the race. That's all we would do, is sit there and watch the race all day.
SCR: Who was your favorite Winston Cup driver when you were growing up?
Truex: Yeah. Crazy, isn't it?
SCR: Things sometimes have a way of working out, it seems.
SCR: What driver out there today do you like racing against the least?
Truex: The least? I can tell you that-that's easy. Robby Gordon.
Truex: Well, he's just hard to race with, you know? I mean, real hard to race with. If you're faster and you run him down, then he runs you down low and blocks you.
SCR: Is he aggressive or is he reckless?
Truex: (laughs) A little bit of both, I think. He's a great guy. I mean, I talk to him off the track and he's great. A perfect example: We were at Darlington and it was the end of the race; we kind of struggled with our car all day and we got it real good at the end of the race, and we were flying up through there. I think I was Fifth and he was Fourth when I got to him, Fifth and Sixth or something like that. We ended up Fourth. But I ran him down on the straightaway in about five laps. I got to him and if I ran hard, then he would run hard. If I would run low, then he would run low. If I would get a run on him, then he would block me. So it took me about 10 laps to pass him.
It's just hard to race with him, you know? Usually if somebody is faster, most of these guys won't give you too much trouble if you're faster than them. Of course, at the end of the race it's a little different. Then he was a lap down at Bristol and I was hitting him in the bumper, trying to get by him and he wouldn't let me go. He was a lap down and I was leading. I just rode behind him forever because I couldn't pass him. Then the same thing happened another time at Bristol; I was racing...I think me and Biffle were racing for the lead and I passed Robby Gordon, who was a lap down, got to Biffle, and we got bunched up in some traffic and I went somewhere and he passed me back and wouldn't let me back by him. He always runs hard and doesn't give anybody an inch, which I guess is kind of what you're supposed to do (laughs).