Truex Jr.'s Move Comes a Year Late

The water invading the hull of the Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing sinking ship finally got to be too much for the talented Martin Truex Jr.

"I've given them everything that I could," said Truex on Tuesday after announcing he'd take over a ride at Michael Waltrip Racing. "There got to be too many questions, too many things that were uncertain."

Which is why, as we guessed a year ago, his one-year contract extension with the Teresa Earnhardt-run operation would be all for naught thanks to a nasty set of decisions and circumstances that have left a once proud team in survival mode, and might have left Truex settling for a team he might not have otherwise gone to.

And so, Truex made his move Tuesday to a team that certainly has its nose pointed towards to the peaks of NASCAR Sprint Cup competition, rather than towards the dark valleys of bad finishes and desperation. The New Jersey driver will, in effect, take over the reigns for team co-owner Michael Waltrip in 2010.

Waltrip, in fact, will stay to true to his somewhat shocking words from the beginning of the 2009 campaign that this season's performance will sway whether or not he remains a full-time driver in 2010. He won't and will drive his No. 55 NAPA Toyota in a partial schedule, while Truex will drive full-time in the No. 56 NAPA car that has new multi-year sponsorship from the auto parts chain.

And while some might question Truex's jump to MWR, it's important to realize that the team is not even close to the ill-performing package it was in 2007.

David Reutimann has been the brightest light for the organization, picking up a win in the Coca-Cola 600 and battling for Chase competition. Marcos Ambrose, while not an official team car, has his cars built in the MWR shop thanks to his JTG Daughtery Racing team's alliance and has been impressive in his first full Sprint Cup season.

Had Truex not been smitten with his past at EGR (then, it was still DEI) and the promises that they were putting on the table -- he said Tuesday that the Ganassi merger, while extremely helpful, was a complete shock -- he may have landed up the the ladder quite a bit for 2009.

Joe Gibbs Racing, Stewart-Haas Racing, Penske Racing and Richard Childress Racing all made driver changes for 2009, and you'd have to be out of your mind to not think Truex wouldn't have been a top candidate for any of those jobs.

Instead, he opted to return to EGR with longtime-sponsor Bass Pro Shops for a one-year deal that obviously hasn't worked out as planned -- despite tremendous gains in his now-teammate's car of Juan Pablo Montoya. The biggest difference between the two top dogs at EGR in 2009? Montoya has been able to finish races.

This move by Truex is certainly a good one, and he's now teamed up with an organization that has shown a dedication to not only race but to compete. He's got a great sponsor behind him and, most importantly, a knowledge of stability in the organization.

It's good to see for NASCAR because Truex is a talented driver and has a nice following from the northeast, but even with all the positives you see in him getting free of a struggling company, you have to wonder what the difference a year would have made.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

7-07-2009 @ 7:21PM

nzcr14 said...

YEAP I JUST READ THE NEWS ON YAHOO SPORTS couple HOURS AGO and was going to post here about but JEFFERY
got here first.
Although i think TRUEX move should been to a higher performance team, he will be better of at M walmart racing now than with TEI nd el cheapo' CHEAP INSANASSI.
works for me...

7-07-2009 @ 8:13PM

gregsachiko said...

Toyota and Waltrip is lucky to have you Truex.
Good luck and stay in shape, not like most of these arm chair racers that post on here. Waltrip may be a better business man than a driver in my opinion.

Gre-san

7-07-2009 @ 10:59PM

Kim said...

I actually think Truex has made a very smart move. Like the article states above, MWR is having huge success this year in comparisson to last. David R. and Marcus Ambrose are becoming shining stars in the field and Truex will definitely be a third. I love Michael Waltrip but agree that he is better suited as an owner, a commentator, and a spokesman for funny NAPA commercials. Congratulations to Martin Truex and to MWR for landing him! Truex just couldn't be expected to stay with Earnhardt/Gnassi any longer as it is very clear they are slumping more and more. It's a shame really, but it appears the way it is going to stay.

Kim

7-08-2009 @ 7:50AM

illsell4u said...

Kim, we both know why DEI is on its way out as viable Nascar team. (actually now EGR) Teresa needs to sell what is left of the team while there is something left to sell.
There is talk of Jr moving his nationwide team up to Sprint Cup next year as way to keep Keslowski moving forward. Now that the walls are crumbling it may be the time for Jr to make an offer to buy what is left of his fathers company. Maybe the guy would make a good owner. He would certainly have the ability to bring back the money that left when he walked out the door.
Teresa could keep a 10% interest in the company and be ahead of where she is today. 10% of a profitable company is more than 50% of a money loser that has its drivers fleeing as their contracts run out. Yes, Jr would also have to buy out Gnassi but the same math applies. They can either sell it while it has SOME value or fold it up and sell off the pieces when they can no longer field a car.
mbl

7-08-2009 @ 9:33AM

Hey Mike!

I completely agree with your comments. In fact, I said the very same thing in another file about Jr. about a week ago. He seems to love watching his Nationwide Series team race. He always seems relaxed when atop the pit box and I believe being an owner just might be Jr.'s niche. And you are correct, now would be the time for him to make his move and try to buy the company again. Teresa has proven her only intention or capability was to run the company into the ground. So sad that the empire that Sr. built is in this state of affairs. I am fairly certain this is not what he would have wanted for his company in the least. I am sure Dale Jr. would be a much better owner for DEI than Teresa is or ever could be.

Kim

7-08-2009 @ 6:09AM

obamaizamarxist said...

Good move for Truex. MW is a terrible driver, but seems like he'd be a very cool owner to drive for. Shame Martin was stuck in hell for so long..

7-08-2009 @ 9:35AM

tremblay413 said...

congrats to martin truex,although Im a chevy fan I will kinda root for him in the toy car. keep in mind Im a big 88 fan and would not mind if he bought out egr. later

7-08-2009 @ 12:47PM

CJ said...

Well, let me say first off, that the same reasons Truex gave for leaving are the same that was the reason Bobby Labonte did not sign on in the offseason and opted to go with HOF Racing instead. According to Bobby, there were too many questions unresolved and obviously EGR is an unstable organization and it will implode and fail to exist in the near future. Truex, as of right now, will be the first Toyota driver i have to pull for and like, that is unless RPM switches to Toyotas from Dodge which i think is likely to happen and if Sadler and Reed is still with the team next season, then they also will become a couple of my fav Toyota drivers. Even though i thought that Gibbs, RCR, Hendrick, or even Penske would've been a better option, i'm glad he's left the EGR organization.

7-08-2009 @ 1:41PM

mgarnt said...

Don't think Jr. will try and buy the team--he needs to bring Brad up to Sprint racing. Terese is not a bad business person, she was in charge of Dale Sr. merchandising, but her dislike of JR. clouded her judgement on selling DEI to him, now the #8 car sits in the garage, all the merchandising money she thought she was going to get (her reason for not letting Jr. have #8) off the car---gone with the wind. Can't say as I'm unhappy about that. It hurts my heart that Dale Sr. had so much love for a person who could treat his son the way she did. This is a true story of what goes around-comes around. Martin I am very happy for. Am not sure he is up for those NAPA commercials---what a hoot they have been over the years.

7-08-2009 @ 5:56PM

YES THAT WOULD BE NICE EGR owned by DEJ.
However, what makes ya all think that THERESA will sell to junior when she did not before?
Remember theresa can be a spitefull bitch too and choose not to sell even though there is nothing left to sell.

OH and MARGARET? THE # 8 seats in the garage waiting for JEFFERY EARNHARDT ( SON OF KERRY E.)
a star in the nazcar eastern minor series.

7-08-2009 @ 5:58PM

i meant to say;EVEN THOUGH THERE WILL BE NOTHING LEFT TO SELL.

7-08-2009 @ 6:01PM

I meant to say; even though there will be nothing left to sell.

7-08-2009 @ 6:48PM

Anna, two years ago Teresa had no incentive to work with Jr on handing him the company. I have no idea if Jr even offered her any money for the company at that time. And not to rehash old news, the company was left to her in her husbands will. While Teresa may have been great at marketing while her husband was alive and in control, she may not have realized how hard it is to keep the company running.
Now that more time has passed and she sees that she is not up to the task the timimg may be right if Jr were to be willing to get involved in a PURCHASE of what is left of the company. Sometimes people have to fail before they can succeed.
Jr has nothing to lose and everything to gain by simply making a phone call. The worst thing she could possibly say is "no, thank you". She could say it in a more colorful way but it would still amount to "no". Wow, big deal. he would still be in the same place he is today AT THE WORST. And quite possibly end up owning his fathers company.
Try to remember I have some experience in negotiating. Sometimes the hardest part is to get the two sides to realize how stupid their positions are. Once you get past that barrier the rest is much easier.
Maybe Jr needs outside council on this issue instead of his sister. Maybe she is the one that screwed it up last time he tried. I would gladly offer my services for 10% Does anyone have his or Teresa'a email address?
mbl

7-09-2009 @ 1:00AM

WELL YES YOU GOT A GOOD POINT there mike.
what are ya saying is by now she might be getting sick and tired of all the mind and phisical work involved to keep the company going and the FACT that she is failing may be AN INCENTVE TO SELL.
RIGHT??? Great point and if she is smart enough she will sell.BUT,THIS IS A FAMILY ISSUE, not a case of me for example watching my auto business failing and dump it on somebody else, no matter who outside the family.
IT'S LITTLE DEFFERENT because family issues are sometimes like rocks against rocks both the same strenght. NEITHER ONE GIVES AN INCH.THE GET BULL HEAD AND DECIDE TO STICK IT TO EACH OTHER AND NOTHING CAN CHANGE THAT.
I think you know what i mean by now;yes it's possible what you are saying but it depends; HOW MUCH BAD BLOOD THERE IS BETWEEN TERESA AND DALE J.

YOU KNOW, you took the words out of my mouth.
On the next post i was ready to say; ya should go there and "BUILD SOME BRIDGES" between the 2 partys.
After all, ya are a realtor and there will be plenty of real estate there to sell plus cars and machines, not a all big deal of defference in sales
format.
You may be able to contac junior on MY SPACE.
I hear kkkk ,brian vickers, marco andretti, danica patrick,joey lognuts, and some others have a profile there. I do not know the email of any driver
but STEWART HAS HIS OWN WEB SITE. JUNIOR JJ, JG, etc may have 1 too.@ nascar.com
the question remaining now is; BECAUSE YOU ARE OFFERING THE SERVICE, ARE YA INTERESTED JUST IN THE SALE OF TEI/EGR or are ya interested in selling theresa feelings and body also to you ???.
GOT YA,LOL.