Truex To Stay With DEI
Written by Rocky Kitts · July 26, 2008
Well, the house that Dale built is going to have at least one driver next season.
In what I consider to be a mildly surprising move, Martin Truex, Jr. reportedly has agreed to a contract with DEI through 2010. From the four-letter network:
Sources said an official announcement is expected any day, and that details with multiple sponsors remain to be finalized.
Truex, asked if he has an agreement, said: “We’re getting there, yeah. Things are going well right. I’m pretty happy. I just want to think about racing this weekend.” The deal ends speculation that Truex will leave the company he has been with since making the move from Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Nationwide Series team in 2004.
“I’m pretty happy”. “We’re getting there”. Don’t let all that enthusiasm out at once there Martin, I might be knocked down by it. Martin’s a big boy, and I’m not going to question his desire to win, but if this report is true, I just don’t see how this is a good move for him, based on the performance of the DEI team this season. Sitting 17th at this point in the season and not being competitive wouldn’t make me in too much of a hurry to re-sign with DEI, especially if I was being courted by the number of places by which Truex was reportedly being pursued. Maybe Martin feels that DEI is the best place for him; maybe those other offers dried up and Truex found himself with limited choices, maybe he saw it in his Alpha-Bits, I really don’t know.
I do know that Truex had a one year extension remaining on his contract that DEI was likely going to renew. Why not let them renew it, drive for them next year and then see what’s out there in next year’s silly season. The extra year that he signed for is much more to DEI’s advantage than it is for Truex. While it’s true that NASCAR penalties hurt him this season, without the penalties he would still be fourteenth in the standings.
What did DEI v.p. John Story have to say?
“Since Junior left here there has been the perception that we’ve been struggling as a company,” Story recently said. “To a certain extent that’s to be expected.
“Fighting perception is very difficult and probably the most frustrating part of the business.”
So DEI isn’t really struggling?
Wow, I must be really dumb (don’t answer that) because according to my definition of struggling they are pretty right on it. When you look at where that team was, versus where it is now, there is no comparison, and I’m not making any great revelation by saying that.
Truex staying should help DEI with stability, and some with sponsors, but after losing Junior last year, DEI lost Mark Martin this season, and while Martin was just a part-timer, there’s no doubt that he brought some popularity, interest, and a strong, well-known name to DEI, something that they are not likely to have next season.
The mantle will be on Truex next season. If he doesn’t step up, this team is not going to win, and the collapse that many people predicted for DEI after the departure of Junior, could really hit critical mass in 2009. I think that Truex is a good driver, but I don’t know if he’s good enough to stop that collapse from happening; and if he can’t, whether fairly or unfairly he’ll have to share in the blame.
Rocky Kitts trains hard, says his prayers, eats his vitamins, and can be reached at wwwthreestrikesandout@yahoo.com. He also once again is picking Tony Stewart to win this weekend’s race. Sorry Smoke.
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Surprising but then DEI has to stop the bleeding and keeping Truex is definitely a good move in that direction. I’m guessing they had the money with Mark Martin leaving - he didn’t come cheap. DEI has many more fish to fry before they get back to being competitive.
DEI has an organization with great depth and talent. Those people will be the building blocks for the future. There are drivers and sponsers that DEI can and will attract to bring it back to a leadership role in the industry. Martin Truex will be a champion with DEI and be surrounded by the developing talent within a matter of a few years. Don’t write this organization off, it will come roaring back !