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MTJ Motorsports- 2012

Darlington Review
Martin: "Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda.’ I really wanted to win so bad. Hindsight is 20/20 and we win as a team and we lose as a team.
Chad (Johnston – crew chief) made the call to pit when the rest of the leaders stayed out. We were nine laps short so we pitted there on lap 308 so fuel would not be an issue. Last year, fuel mileage was not on our side and who is to say it would be on our side this time?


Martin Truex Jr. finished fifth in Saturday night’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway. On Friday, the Michael Waltrip Racing driver qualified a career-best sixth at the track "Too Tough To Tame." Throughout most of the 367-lap event on Saturday, Truex battled a loose-handling Toyota. Despite the challenge, he competed comfortably within the top-five. Shortly after the team's green-flag stop on lap 279, the NAPA Toyota claimed the lead and held it for 25 laps. Crew chief Chad Johnston called the driver in for one final time on lap 308 for two tires and much-needed fuel as the NAPA Toyota was nine laps short of making it to the end of the race. By the time the checkered flag waved, Truex raced from 11th to fifth. The team scored its fourth top-five and seven top-10 finish of the year. The result also keeps Truex tied for fifth in the championship standings – 40 points out of the lead. The NAPA team returns to action next Saturday night for NASCAR's Sprint All-Star festivities when the No. 56 team competes in the Sprint Showdown at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

- Truex qualified sixth and finished fifth.
- Battled a loose condition throughout the race.
- Ran as high as first and as low as 11th.
- Led 25 laps, for a season high 303 laps as driver of the No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota.

Martin Truex Jr. Quote
: As the saying goes, ‘Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda.’ I really wanted to win so bad. Hindsight is 20/20 and we win as a team and we lose as a team. Chad (Johnston – crew chief) made the call to pit when the rest of the leaders stayed out. We were nine laps short so we pitted there on lap 308 so fuel would not be an issue. Last year, fuel mileage was not on our side and who is to say it would be on our side this time? I am so proud of my guys. We turned in my best qualifying lap of my career and led 25 laps in the race. We’ve had a good season this year and I cannot thank them enough for everything they have done for me. We’ll get a win … several wins. It is just a matter of time.”

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