Aug 1, 2008 - Since 1971, at least 26 NASCAR drivers have been killed at racetracks. Everywhere in between—in the quiet presence of born-again drivers.
Peter Casey, USA TODAY Sports DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Our series of weekly NASCAR driver interviews takes the green flag today with Martin Truex Jr., the Furniture Row Racing driver who finished eighth in the Daytona 500. Q: If NASCAR allowed you to listen to music while you were racing, would you want to? A: Absolutely not. One time when we were down somewhere testing and it was really boring for a couple days, I tried listening to a little mp3 player. And it was so distracting!
When you'd go on the racetrack with that thing playing, it was like you were in outer space. So you'd just have to turn it off. It was fine in the garage, but when you were on the racetrack, it was drowning out the noise of the race car and you just couldn't hear it. It felt like you were completely disconnected from the car. Q: Where did your first paycheck come from? A: First real paycheck or like cash money? Because I worked for cash for a long time when I was a kid.
Like for your dad (who owned clam boats and raced)? Yeah, whatever I could do. Sweeping the floor in the shop or going down to the boat docks and painting stuff. Whatever I could do to make some money to go race with, that's what I was doing. When I first started getting an actual paycheck, I think it wasn't until I started going out on the clam boats and fishing, you know? Up until then it was just cash.
How old were you when you started fishing on the clam boats? I was about 16. But I was younger than 10 when I'd start going down to the docks and painting stuff and cleaning. You probably don't understand what the bilge of an old clam boat is like, right? Well, I remember one time, me and my cousin had to go clean it when we were 8 or 10. We probably cleaned it all day long and got paid like $20. (Laughs) It was horrible!
But it was worth the money when we were done. Q: Who is an autograph you got as a kid that seemed to be a big deal to you at the time? A: Honestly, I've never been a big autograph person — even when I was little, for some reason. The only one I can actually remember getting was Dale Earnhardt.
I can't remember exactly where it was. I think we were at Pocono when I was a kid — I can't even remember if it was Pocono, it was so long ago — but we were walking by a souvenir hauler or a race hauler and we'd asked them if they had anything autographed. And somebody brought a card out that was signed. So I don't even know if it was real, and I don't remember if it was a real race hauler.
But that's the only time I've ever gotten an autograph in my whole life. Q: Where's a place you've never been that you'd like to go visit? A: I really want to go to Alaska and do some fishing.
You hear how nice it is and everything, so I'd love to go there and check it out. Q: Do people ever accuse you of being addicted to your phone?
Sherry (Pollex, his girlfriend) does, but she only says that when she's not on hers. (Laughs) Do you agree you're addicted? I mean, you go to a restaurant nowadays and everyone is sitting there like this (imitates someone with their head down, typing) waiting for their food. So absolutely, I can't go anywhere without it.
Download pokemon bianco ita nds r4 sdhc. Q: If a genie promised you a championship in exchange for never being able to do your favorite hobby again, would you accept that offer? A: I don't think so. My hobbies are going to be here the rest of my life. Those are the things I want to do when I retire. Those are the things that are going to keep me sane when I'm not racing. So I would say no.
Q: What's your preferred method of dealing with an angry driver after a race? A: I'm not confrontational, so I like to sweep it under the rug.
(Laughs) And just hope it doesn't come up again. Q: Do you ever get mistaken for another driver or celebrity? The only time I got mistaken for somebody is one time, years ago, somebody thought I was Tony Stewart. But that was back when he was thinner. (Laughs) Q: If you had a time machine and you could travel to any year and race, where would you go?