So, the Daytona 500. It’s a big deal, right? And for me, watching Martin Truex Jr. try to win that thing has become… well, a bit of a tradition. Like clockwork, every February.
It started years ago. I don’t even remember exactly when, but I noticed this guy, Truex, seemed to run well there sometimes, but just couldn’t seal the deal. You start watching a guy, you kinda root for him, you know?
My yearly watch ‘practice’
My whole process is pretty simple. Get comfy, grab some snacks, turn on the race. But when Truex is running near the front, especially late in the race, things get tense. I’m leaning in, maybe talking to the TV a little bit. Silly, I know.
You track his position. You see him making moves. You think, “Maybe this is the year.” He’s had some fast cars there, no doubt about it.
Then came 2016. Man, I remember that one clear as day. He was right there, side-by-side with Denny Hamlin. Coming to the line, I swear I thought he had it. Leaning forward, holding my breath. It was that close. Inches. They said it was the closest finish ever. Seeing him lose like that… it was rough. You felt that one.
- Watching the start, feeling hopeful.
- Tracking his car through the pack.
- Getting excited during the final laps.
- The absolute gut punch of that 2016 finish.
And he still hasn’t won it. I read somewhere he’s tried like, 20 times now? Zero wins in the biggest race. That’s something else. It’s like this story that just won’t end the way you expect.
Every year I think, okay, maybe this time. The odds folks sometimes list him, sometimes not really high up. Doesn’t matter much to my routine. I still watch. Still kinda hope he breaks that streak. It’s become part of my Daytona 500 experience, watching Truex chase that win he came so agonizingly close to getting.
It’s weird, right? Getting invested in something like that. But hey, that’s racing, I guess. You find your stories, your drivers, and you follow along. My Truex-Daytona watch continues.
