For a racer, there's nothing much sweeter than getting your first Cup win at your 'home track.' On Monday, June 4, Martin Truex, Jr. pulled off that feat with a commanding victory at Dover International Speedway, in the "Autism Speaks 400" NASCAR event. Rain postponed the race from the scheduled Sunday start time, but that obviously had no effect on the #1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet, fielded by Dale Earnhardt, Inc. (DEI). Truex, who grew up in New Jersey and raced in the Busch North Series, caught the eye of Dale Earnhardt, Jr., who has been a guiding force in getting Truex into Busch and, subsequently, Cup racing. Truex who has had Busch Series success at Dover , enroute to his two Busch Championships, came to Dover seeking his first NASCAR Cup victory. And, just as the clouds cleared away to a beautiful, breezy day, Truex breezed to a seemingly effortless win in his 58 th Cup start. Leading 216 of the 400 laps, Truex's car was strong all day. A $295,045 payday was an added reward for this 26-year old sophomore racer in the Cup Series.

With all the commotion swirling around the garage about Dale Earnhardt, Jr. leaving DEI, less astute fans might not have noticed the progress that Truex's team has been steadily making this season. Coming off a second at Homestead last year, in the last race of the season, the Bass Pro Shops Chevy team had a lot of momentum going to build on. Strong runs this year has been slowed by bad racing luck, but that has started to turn for this New Jersey born racer. Two weeks ago, Truex won the 'Open' at Charlotte , gaining a starting spot in the All-Star Race. A prestigious non-point win, it was still not the first Cup victory Truex was seeking.

Monday's win definitely took the weight off of a team that has performed well, overall, all season. Amid the turmoil at DEI, Truex's team has stayed focused on racing. Monday, that focus paid off handsomely in the win in the 'car of tomorrow (COT)'-the first time a non-Hendrick team has won a COT race. Teammate Dale Earnhardt, Jr. was quick to come into Victory Lane and congratulate his protégé' and friend. Asked about the win, Dale Jr. stated, "Hell yeah! That's a great deal for Martin and the whole team. Actually, it's a great day for everyone at Dale Earnhardt Inc. Martin's a helluva driver and a good guy. With his talent and the way he and Bono (crew chief Kevin Manion) have been working together, it was only a matter of when they were going to get their first win. He told me after practice Saturday they had a great car, so I think they knew they were going to be one of the cars to beat. They have been having a season a lot like ours: fast every week but just falling victim to bad luck. I'm really happy for him and his family and the Bass Pro team, and I'm sure it's even more special for him to win in front of a lot of friends and family. You can't underestimate what that means."

Asked what the win means for him, Truex said: "Man. I just don't know what to say. I've got to thank all these guys and everyone at DEI for all their hard work in times of change and times when people don't really know what's going on and they need some leadership and some direction, I'm just real happy to be the one here in victory lane. It couldn't come at a better race track for us and for Bass Pro Shops and Chevrolet and everybody involved. This is just unbelievable, man. What an unbelievable race car we had today."

"The Chase is definitely not out of the question for us especially with the momentum we have,'' Truex noted "We have had some great runs as of late. I think the Open helped with confidence and helped get everybody on the same page.''

Certainly this win was a milestone for Martin Truex, Jr. His fans knew it was only a matter of time, though.

Femmefan sat down with Martin Truex to glean a little information about this quiet, focused racer, who seems to prefer to let his driving do his talking.

Last year was your rookie season in Cup. Was there a big learning curve? The learning curve has been huge. People seemed to forget: I was not the only rookie on this team; we were all rookies. That was the first year of NEXTEL Cup racing for all of us, so we had a lot to learn. The cars got better as the season went along and we made of ton of improvements. We didn't have the season that we hoped for, but we could see some light at the end of the tunnel.

Are you and Sherry (Truex's long-time girlfriend) engaged? We get asked that all the time. All I'll say is that I keep my personal life personal. Some things I like to keep to myself because it's so hard to have a private life when you are in the public eye.

What has been the most difficult part of being a NASCAR Cup driver? The level of competition is the biggest on-track thing. All of these guys can drive and they race you hard every lap. The biggest off-track thing is the travel. Between races, practice sessions, media and sponsor appearances, it can get very hectic.

You have quite a fan backing. Has the dedication and enthusiasm of the fans been a surprise? I wouldn't say it's a surprise, but it's definitely flattering.

Do you cook/help out in the kitchen? What's your ideal meal? I do help out with the cooking some. I usually grill steaks or fish. My family is in the fishing business so I really enjoy eating seafood.

Any other racing series plans ahead - Have you considered the 24 Hours of Daytona? I'd love to race the 24 Hours of Daytona. Those cars look like a blast to drive, but right now I'm concentrating on putting the Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet up front.

We appreciate Martin taking the time to talk to www.femmefan.com !

In addition to his hectic race schedule, Martin Truex is in the process of establishing the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation, benefiting needy children. Visit his website at www.martintruexjr.com for more information on Martin.

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