LAS VEGAS — New Jersey native Martin Truex Jr. and his family were lucky.
When hurricane Sandy struck the East Coast in late October, the Truex home avoided major damage, but those living close by weren’t as fortunate.
“My family made out very well for the situation and the area that they are in,” Truex said Thursday before leaving for the NASCAR Victory Lap on the Las Vegas Strip. “They’re a mile from people that lost their homes and had serious flooding and a really bad time with it. We were very fortunate that all of my close friends and family didn’t have any major problems, which is great.
“But, at the same time a lot of people in the community are struggling. Lost houses and things and places where I grew up going to, like the Jersey shore, right there is just in shambles. We’re trying to do all we can to help. My foundation set up a fund, and we’ve raised I think over $150,000 up to this week, and we’re starting to disperse those funds to families and help people that really need it.”
Given his non-stop late-season schedule, Truex hasn’t had a chance to visit his home state since the hurricane, but his charitable work has arrived ahead of him.
“We took a truck load of supplies up there two weeks ago, I think, and we’re getting ready to do another one. Just trying to help as much as we can, giving back and trying to get those people on their feet, because it was a tough time for them.
“No, I haven’t been back, and I won’t be probably until Christmas. That will be really our first time. We’ve been so busy it’s been hard to get away.”
Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.
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