Getty Martin Truex Jr. stands on the grid during the national anthem at Indianapolis.
Martin Truex Jr. will continue a longstanding relationship during the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season. Joe Gibbs Racing revealed that Auto-Owners Insurance has signed a contract extension that will keep the company as a primary sponsor of Truex for another year.
JGR dropped the news on Thursday, Aug. 19, with a short video of Truex on Twitter. The clip showed the 2017 Cup Series champion shaking up and opening what appeared to be a bottle of champagne. However, the bottle shot out a considerable amount of confetti while the person behind the camera burst out in laughter.
It’s a celebration 🎉
@AutoOwnersIns has signed a contract extension to continue serving as a primary sponsor of @MartinTruex_Jr’s #TeamToyota Camry 🤝
“I’m so thankful for Auto-Owners and what they have meant to me both on and off the track,” Truex said in a press release, per NBC Sports. “Everyone at Auto-Owners has treated me like family since day one and they continue to be a huge part of what we do at JGR and also with the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation.
“We’ve been able to do a lot of cool things with Auto-Owners over the years – whether it be the fundraisers or showcasing our foundation on the car and this year, they helped me check the Truck Series win off my bucket list. I’m excited to keep that going and hopefully bring them a lot more wins in the future.”
Truex First Worked With Auto-Owners Prior to Joining JGR
GettyMartin Truex Jr. celebrates a victory at Darlington in 2016.
The veteran NASCAR driver first began working with Auto-Owners Insurance during the 2016 season when was a member of Furniture Row Racing. The company became a key partner of the No. 78 Toyota as Truex raced to Victory Lane four times. The list of victories includes the Bojangles’ Southern 500 on Sept. 4, 2016, when Auto-Owners took over as the primary sponsor.
Since joining forces with the company, Truex has locked up seven Cup Series wins, as well as his first in the Truck Series, with the special paint scheme on his stock cars. Auto-Owners Insurance has celebrated with Truex at multiple tracks, including the iconic Charlotte Motor Speedway and Darlington Raceway.
“Since we signed on in 2016, Martin has been an outstanding driver on the track, a tireless advocate for his foundation and a fantastic ambassador for the Auto-Owners brand,” added Jeff Tagsold, Auto-Owners’ chairman and CEO, per “Jayski.” “His hard work, character and integrity exemplify our core values and we couldn’t be more proud to continue our partnership with him.”
Truex Previously Signed Another Extension for 2022
The deal with Auto-Owners Insurance is not the first that Truex signed in advance of the 2022 season. He also secured his future with Joe Gibbs Racing prior to the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway.
NBC Sports reported in February 2021 that Truex and JGR had agreed to a deal that would keep him in the No. 19 through the 2022 season. He previously raced on a contract set to expire at the end of 2021. Truex signed his deal mere days after Denny Hamlin extended his contract with JGR.
“I’m happy to get this news out there so we can focus on this season and the future with Joe Gibbs Racing,” Truex said in a statement, per NBC Sports. “This is where I wanted to be and to continue building on the success we have had together the past two years.
“I appreciate (Gibbs), my team, everyone at JGR, and all of our partners like Bass Pro Shops, Auto-Owners Insurance, Reser’s Fine Foods, Stanley Black & Decker, and Toyota for making this possible and I look forward to continuing those relationships as we move forward.”
With a contract extension in hand and Auto-Owners Insurance’s support, Truex is ready to take on the 2022 season and pursue even more wins in the No. 19 Toyota Camry. Though he will first enter the 2021 playoffs as a three-race winner and strive to add even more to his total.
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