New Jersey's most famous racecar driver finally checked out the state's biggest racetrack for the first time Thursday.
NASCAR Sprint Cup star Martin Truex Jr. visited New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville along with his younger brother, NASCAR Nationwide series driver Ryan Truex.
The brothers took part in a private go-karting event for the elder one's sponsor, NAPA. Local NAPA store owners and frequent NAPA customers also took part.
"We just went out there to have some fun, racce some go-karts, and that was it," Truex Jr. said in a phone interview Friday afternoon from Dover, Del., where both brothers are racing this weekend.
The Truexes grew up in the Mayetta section of Stafford Township and did most of their amateur racing at Wall Stadium Speedway in Wall.
By the time the $150 million, 700-acre NJMP facility opened in 2008, Truex Jr. had been living in North Carolina for several years. Ryan moved there in 2009.
The park has tentative plans to possibly build a NASCAR-style oval track in the future, and the NASCAR-owner Grand-Am series races every year on one of NJMP's two road courses, but until Thursday, Truex had never had a reason to make the trip to Millville.
"It was really neat to be able to go there," he said. "What a beautiful facility they have there."
