DEI to re-sign Truex with 2-year deal

Schwartz Fan · 07-26-2008, 12:57 PM

Dale Earnhardt Inc. to re-sign Truex with 2-year deal, sources say

By David Newton
ESPN.com

INDIANAPOLIS -- Martin Truex Jr., who has been speculated as a candidate for every driver opening in the Sprint Cup garage, isn't going anywhere.

The 28-year-old New Jersey native has agreed in principle to a two-year deal that will keep him at Dale Earnhardt Inc. through the 2010 season, multiple sources close to the situation told ESPN.com on Saturday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

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.

He has been linked most strongly with the No. 12 car at Penske Racing, the No. 4 at Stewart-Haas Racing and the No. 33 at Richard Childress Racing.

The move should strengthen DEI's position in the sport after more than a year of gloom and doom predictions following Earnhardt announcing he was leaving for Hendrick Motorsports.

The organization also is negotiating a long-term deal to keep Paul Menard, who has improved from 34th in the point standings last season to 26th.

Max Siegel, the president of global operations at DEI, would not comment on negotiations. But Siegel has been emphatic that Truex was a driver he wanted to build the company around.

Truex made the championship chase a year ago in only his second full Cup season. The two-time Nationwide champion collected his first Cup win at Dover and finished 11th in the final standings.

He was challenging for one of the 12 playoff spots this season until he received a 150-point penalty after NASCAR officials discovered the roof on his No. 1 Chevrolet was too low during the initial inspection at Daytona.

Without the penalty he would be in 14th place, 83 points out heading into Sunday's race at Indianapolis. Instead he is 17th, 233 out with seven races remaining before the Chase begins.

"It's going to be really tough on me," Truex said two weekends ago at Chicagoland Speedway. "It's going to be tough on all of, but in the end we'll become a stronger race team."

Truex's commitment to the organization came in question when he didn't acknowledge that the option DEI picked up on his contract for next season was valid. Many knowledgeable of the deal insisted he could get out of it.

That increased speculation that Truex would either join Tony Stewart as the second driver at newly formed Stewart-Haas Racing or replace Ryan Newman at Penske Racing.

Siegel and John Story, DEI's vice president of motorsports operation, have spent as much time fighting perception as they have getting Truex re-signed. It didn't help that Mark Martinannounced earlier this month that he was leaving his part-time role in the No. 8 for a fulltime ride in the No. 5 at Hendrick Motorsports.

"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."

ESPN - Dale Earnhardt Inc. to re-sign Truex with 2-year deal, sources say - Racing

Raven · 07-26-2008, 01:04 PM

"Fighting perception is very difficult and probably the most frustrating part of the business."

That is so easy to believe.

snipes · 07-26-2008, 03:00 PM

I really thought Truex was gone.

Schwartz Fan · 07-27-2008, 12:34 PM

Truex denies report about a DEI contract extension
By Reid Spencer, Sporting News Wire Service
July 26, 2008

INDIANAPOLIS -- Martin Truex Jr. said Saturday after Sprint Cup practice at Indianapolis Motor Speedway that a published report saying he had reached an agreement in principle to remain at Dale Earnhardt Inc. for two years was not true.

Though Truex may well drive for DEI next season, his immediate reaction when asked about the story that appeared on ESPN.com was: "It's [expletive]. I don't know what the hell [the reporter] is talking about. He doesn't know what he's talking about."

The story said the deal would keep Truex at DEI through 2010, with details of multiple sponsors still to be finalized.

Truex, who drives the No. 1 Chevrolet with sponsorship from Bass Pro Shops, said he has been involved in fruitful negotiations with DEI's management.

"We've been talking a lot," Truex said. "Things have been going well. We're working on some stuff, and that's what I told him."

John Story, DEI's vice president of motorsports operations, indicated he has been involved in every aspect of the negotiations and declined comment on the assertions in the story.

Truex currently is 17th in the Cup championship standings, 233 points behind 12th-place Denny Hamlin. The top 12 drivers after 26 races qualify for the Chase for the Sprint Cup, with the cutoff coming Sept. 6 at Richmond.

NASCAR.COM - Truex denies report about a DEI*contract extension - Jul 26, 2008

jonesi · 08-06-2008, 04:45 PM

As NascarNow was signing off they said that DEI just announced signing Truex to an extension.

Schwartz Fan · 08-07-2008, 10:40 AM

Truex Jr. will be back in DEI's No. 1 Chevrolet for 2009
By Bob Pockrass - Associate Editor
Wednesday, August 06, 2008

Martin Truex Jr. has re-signed with Dale Earnhardt Inc. for next season, multiple sources confirmed Wednesday.

DEI picked up the option on Truex, who is in his third year competing in Cup for DEI, but both sides had to agree to terms of the extension. Truex has said in the last couple of months that he was having good discussions with DEI, but the 28-year-old was still considered one of the top free agents available until he signed.

Truex made the Chase For The NASCAR Sprint Cup last year but is 17th in the standings, 248 points out of 12th with five races remaining until the Chase field is determined. A 150-point penalty for an infraction last month at Daytona International Speedway severely hindered Truex’s chance to make the Chase.

Truex has one career win, coming at Dover in June 2007. He won back-to-back Busch Series titles in 2004 and 2005 driving for Chance 2 Motorsports, which was owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and DEI.

His decision to remain at DEI should help stabilize a team that faced the prospect of losing both of its top drivers for next season. Mark Martin, who is driving a partial schedule in the No. 8 car, is leaving to drive for Hendrick Motorsports. Aric Almirola, who is driving the No. 8 car when Martin isn’t in the seat, will drive full time in that car next season. That team has been sponsored by the U.S. Army this year but the Army has yet to re-sign for next season.

DEI also must re-sign Paul Menard, who brings with him the family’s Menards sponsorship to the team. The fourth DEI car, driven by Regan Smith, has had partial sponsorship this year.

DEI officials said there would be no news release on his re-signing today.

Truex Jr. will be back in DEI's No. 1 Chevrolet for 2009 - Sprint Cup Series | SceneDaily.com - NASCAR News

Schwartz Fan · 08-08-2008, 04:44 PM

Truex confirms one-year contract extension with DEI
By SceneDaily Staff
Friday, August 08, 2008

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. – Martin Truex Jr. confirmed today that he has signed one-year contract extension with Dale Earnhardt Inc.

"We're very excited to have Martin back for 2009 and end the speculation," said Max Siegel, DEI president of global operations. "He's a very important part of our program."

Truex joined DEI full time in the Cup series in 2006. A two-time champion in what is now known as the Nationwide Series, he made the Cup championship field last season, took his first Cup win and finished 11th in the series standings.

"I'm excited. I'm glad to put an end to all the rumors," Truex said.

Truex said that he felt that the DEI team had been unjustly criticized this season and that he sees improvement in the organization, which also fields the No. 01 of Regan Smith, the No. 8 shared by Mark Martin and Aric Almirola and the No. 15 of Paul Menard. He said that he believes in the people the organization has and their ability to return to top form.

"I know what we did last year," he said. "I know what we're capable of. That is a big part of what led me to this decision."

Truex is currently 17th in the series standings, in part because of a 150-point penalty levied against his team for a rule infraction in July at Daytona, where his car failed to reach NASCAR's roof template during inspection.

Truex now becomes the senior member of the organization for 2009. He was already the driver who had been with the group the longest, but with Martin departing to join Hendrick Motorsports next season, Truex's role could increase even more.

"Martin has moved into a leadership role in our company very seamlessly," Siegel said of Truex.

Financial terms of Truex’s new contract with DEI were not released.

Truex confirms one-year contract extension with DEI - Sprint Cup Series | SceneDaily.com - NASCAR News

admin · 08-08-2008, 04:58 PM

I am glad the rumor's are now at rest, I really didn't see this one coming, I thought he would have left out on DEI for a different team, they must have offered him more money to get him to stay.

07-26-2008, 12:57 PM	#1 (permalink)
Schwartz Fan Co-Administrator Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: The flatlands...Where dirt is for farming, clay is for racin' and asphalt is for gettin there!!! Posts: 7,444	DEI to re-sign Truex with 2-year deal Dale Earnhardt Inc. to re-sign Truex with 2-year deal, sources say By David Newton ESPN.com INDIANAPOLIS -- Martin Truex Jr., who has been speculated as a candidate for every driver opening in the Sprint Cup garage, isn't going anywhere. The 28-year-old New Jersey native has agreed in principle to a two-year deal that will keep him at Dale Earnhardt Inc. through the 2010 season, multiple sources close to the situation told ESPN.com on Saturday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 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. He has been linked most strongly with the No. 12 car at Penske Racing, the No. 4 at Stewart-Haas Racing and the No. 33 at Richard Childress Racing. The move should strengthen DEI's position in the sport after more than a year of gloom and doom predictions following Earnhardt announcing he was leaving for Hendrick Motorsports. The organization also is negotiating a long-term deal to keep Paul Menard, who has improved from 34th in the point standings last season to 26th. Max Siegel, the president of global operations at DEI, would not comment on negotiations. But Siegel has been emphatic that Truex was a driver he wanted to build the company around. Truex made the championship chase a year ago in only his second full Cup season. The two-time Nationwide champion collected his first Cup win at Dover and finished 11th in the final standings. He was challenging for one of the 12 playoff spots this season until he received a 150-point penalty after NASCAR officials discovered the roof on his No. 1 Chevrolet was too low during the initial inspection at Daytona. Without the penalty he would be in 14th place, 83 points out heading into Sunday's race at Indianapolis. Instead he is 17th, 233 out with seven races remaining before the Chase begins. "It's going to be really tough on me," Truex said two weekends ago at Chicagoland Speedway. "It's going to be tough on all of, but in the end we'll become a stronger race team." Truex's commitment to the organization came in question when he didn't acknowledge that the option DEI picked up on his contract for next season was valid. Many knowledgeable of the deal insisted he could get out of it. That increased speculation that Truex would either join Tony Stewart as the second driver at newly formed Stewart-Haas Racing or replace Ryan Newman at Penske Racing. Siegel and John Story, DEI's vice president of motorsports operation, have spent as much time fighting perception as they have getting Truex re-signed. It didn't help that Mark Martinannounced earlier this month that he was leaving his part-time role in the No. 8 for a fulltime ride in the No. 5 at Hendrick Motorsports. "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." ESPN - Dale Earnhardt Inc. to re-sign Truex with 2-year deal, sources say - Racing __________________

07-27-2008, 12:34 PM	#4 (permalink)
Schwartz Fan Co-Administrator Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: The flatlands...Where dirt is for farming, clay is for racin' and asphalt is for gettin there!!! Posts: 7,444	Truex denies report about a DEI contract extension By Reid Spencer, Sporting News Wire Service July 26, 2008 INDIANAPOLIS -- Martin Truex Jr. said Saturday after Sprint Cup practice at Indianapolis Motor Speedway that a published report saying he had reached an agreement in principle to remain at Dale Earnhardt Inc. for two years was not true. Though Truex may well drive for DEI next season, his immediate reaction when asked about the story that appeared on ESPN.com was: "It's [expletive]. I don't know what the hell [the reporter] is talking about. He doesn't know what he's talking about." The story said the deal would keep Truex at DEI through 2010, with details of multiple sponsors still to be finalized. Truex, who drives the No. 1 Chevrolet with sponsorship from Bass Pro Shops, said he has been involved in fruitful negotiations with DEI's management. "We've been talking a lot," Truex said. "Things have been going well. We're working on some stuff, and that's what I told him." John Story, DEI's vice president of motorsports operations, indicated he has been involved in every aspect of the negotiations and declined comment on the assertions in the story. Truex currently is 17th in the Cup championship standings, 233 points behind 12th-place Denny Hamlin. The top 12 drivers after 26 races qualify for the Chase for the Sprint Cup, with the cutoff coming Sept. 6 at Richmond. NASCAR.COM - Truex denies report about a DEI*contract extension - Jul 26, 2008 __________________

08-07-2008, 10:40 AM	#6 (permalink)
Schwartz Fan Co-Administrator Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: The flatlands...Where dirt is for farming, clay is for racin' and asphalt is for gettin there!!! Posts: 7,444	Truex Jr. will be back in DEI's No. 1 Chevrolet for 2009 By Bob Pockrass - Associate Editor Wednesday, August 06, 2008 Martin Truex Jr. has re-signed with Dale Earnhardt Inc. for next season, multiple sources confirmed Wednesday. DEI picked up the option on Truex, who is in his third year competing in Cup for DEI, but both sides had to agree to terms of the extension. Truex has said in the last couple of months that he was having good discussions with DEI, but the 28-year-old was still considered one of the top free agents available until he signed. Truex made the Chase For The NASCAR Sprint Cup last year but is 17th in the standings, 248 points out of 12th with five races remaining until the Chase field is determined. A 150-point penalty for an infraction last month at Daytona International Speedway severely hindered Truex’s chance to make the Chase. Truex has one career win, coming at Dover in June 2007. He won back-to-back Busch Series titles in 2004 and 2005 driving for Chance 2 Motorsports, which was owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and DEI. His decision to remain at DEI should help stabilize a team that faced the prospect of losing both of its top drivers for next season. Mark Martin, who is driving a partial schedule in the No. 8 car, is leaving to drive for Hendrick Motorsports. Aric Almirola, who is driving the No. 8 car when Martin isn’t in the seat, will drive full time in that car next season. That team has been sponsored by the U.S. Army this year but the Army has yet to re-sign for next season. DEI also must re-sign Paul Menard, who brings with him the family’s Menards sponsorship to the team. The fourth DEI car, driven by Regan Smith, has had partial sponsorship this year. DEI officials said there would be no news release on his re-signing today. Truex Jr. will be back in DEI's No. 1 Chevrolet for 2009 - Sprint Cup Series \| SceneDaily.com - NASCAR News __________________

08-08-2008, 04:44 PM	#7 (permalink)
Schwartz Fan Co-Administrator Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: The flatlands...Where dirt is for farming, clay is for racin' and asphalt is for gettin there!!! Posts: 7,444	Truex confirms one-year contract extension with DEI By SceneDaily Staff Friday, August 08, 2008 WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. – Martin Truex Jr. confirmed today that he has signed one-year contract extension with Dale Earnhardt Inc. "We're very excited to have Martin back for 2009 and end the speculation," said Max Siegel, DEI president of global operations. "He's a very important part of our program." Truex joined DEI full time in the Cup series in 2006. A two-time champion in what is now known as the Nationwide Series, he made the Cup championship field last season, took his first Cup win and finished 11th in the series standings. "I'm excited. I'm glad to put an end to all the rumors," Truex said. Truex said that he felt that the DEI team had been unjustly criticized this season and that he sees improvement in the organization, which also fields the No. 01 of Regan Smith, the No. 8 shared by Mark Martin and Aric Almirola and the No. 15 of Paul Menard. He said that he believes in the people the organization has and their ability to return to top form. "I know what we did last year," he said. "I know what we're capable of. That is a big part of what led me to this decision." Truex is currently 17th in the series standings, in part because of a 150-point penalty levied against his team for a rule infraction in July at Daytona, where his car failed to reach NASCAR's roof template during inspection. Truex now becomes the senior member of the organization for 2009. He was already the driver who had been with the group the longest, but with Martin departing to join Hendrick Motorsports next season, Truex's role could increase even more. "Martin has moved into a leadership role in our company very seamlessly," Siegel said of Truex. Financial terms of Truex’s new contract with DEI were not released. Truex confirms one-year contract extension with DEI - Sprint Cup Series \| SceneDaily.com - NASCAR News __________________

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07-26-2008, 01:04 PM	#2 (permalink)
Raven Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Georgia Posts: 387	"Fighting perception is very difficult and probably the most frustrating part of the business." That is so easy to believe.

08-06-2008, 04:45 PM	#5 (permalink)
jonesi Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 391	As NascarNow was signing off they said that DEI just announced signing Truex to an extension.

08-08-2008, 04:58 PM	#8 (permalink)
admin Administrator Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 4,364	I am glad the rumor's are now at rest, I really didn't see this one coming, I thought he would have left out on DEI for a different team, they must have offered him more money to get him to stay.

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