“Last year was just huge for me”: Martin Truex Jr. looks back on his only New Hampshire win

Ahead of the New Hampshire Motor Speedway race slated at 2.30 PM ET today, Martin Truex Jr. reminisced on his only win at the 1.058-mile oval. During the pre-race presser, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver outlined the venue's significance in his family.

Truex Jr. entered the Cup Series scene decades ago in the 2004 Bass Pro Shops 500 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. Ever since then, he has amassed 34 wins and 287 top-10s. Moreover, after emerging as the Cup champion in 2017, the #19 Toyota driver bagged two consecutive runner-ups in the championship standings. Nonetheless, he couldn't reign supreme in Loudon, until last year.

The NHMS holds a special place in Martin Truex Jr.'s household as both his brother Ryan Truex, and their father Martin Truex Sr. have emerged victorious on that asphalt. Last year, the JGR driver also joined his family after sealing a win on his 30th attempt.

Ahead of the USA 301 dash, the #19 Toyota driver looked back at his only win at the track and highlighted the significance of his "huge" victory. Speaking via "CupScene" on YouTube, he said

"I think winning here in general is a really big deal. Last year was just huge for me personally. My family, what this place has meant to us over the years, it was a frustrating thing to come here year after year after year and feel 'man', like it got away again. So many times we were in position to win, or we were right there leading laps and things." (at 1:27).

"It was a really, really big one last year and I think to be able to go back-to-back would be awesome," Truex Jr. added.

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"One that I wanted so bad"- Martin Truex Jr. after bagging his career-first win at New Hampshire

Last year at Loudon, Truex Jr.'s teammate Christopher Bell set the stage after leading the qualifying round, while the former stood second. However, after the race was green-flagged, the #19 Toyota overtook the #20 Toyota on the next lap and dominated a total of 254 laps before etching the Crayon 301 race win to his name.

Despite three restarts during the remaining 24 laps, which snatched the supremacy savored over the rivals by Martin Truex Jr., he didn't let his guard down and after 29 years of "frustration," the New Jersey native finally came home with a win at New Hampshire.

Shortly after his triumph, Truex Jr. revealed the degree to which he desired the victory.

“I think it’s no secret that I’ve been after this one for a long time, it’s always been one that I wanted so bad, and maybe I think too bad at times," the race winner said via NASCAR.

Martin Truex Jr.'s career-first at Loudon placed him first in the Cup Series standings as the JGR driver cherished a 17-point lead over the dethroned leader, William Byron.