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Bob PockrassNASCAR
HOMESTEAD, Fla. – Barney Visser smiled after his pilot, Martin Truex Jr., finished one place ahead of a second consecutive NASCAR Cup Series title.
Visser said it was even easy to smile after the 2018 season finale on Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, knowing that his 14-year NASCAR Cup series as owner of his team at Furniture Row Racing were over, as Visser had announced in September the team after the 2018 season.
Truex, who seemed to have the best long-lived car, was in contention to win the race (and title) before a caution with 20 laps remaining, then he took the lead with a restart 15 laps from the end. But Joey Logano, with the best short race car, took the lead with 12 laps to go.
"[My emotions] are everywhere, again, "says Visser. We had this thing. We won it and lost it. But that's the race. That's what we committed to doing 14 years ago, right?
"Dude, it's been fun, what a group of great people, it's a sport that's the biggest show on earth, and I'm glad I could have been part of it for as long as I've had it." it's my microphone, I guess. "
For Truex, it was difficult to smile moments after the race and not be far.
"I'm really proud of all the members of our team who fought hard this year to get to where we were – without this last warning, I think it was in the bag," Truex said. who joined the team in 2014. "[It] It hurts a bit and I will miss all the guys, and I spent five good years with this team. "
The race was the last for Furniture Row Racing, as the team learned in July that Energy of 5 Hour would not return for its sponsorship of 14 races and that the team could not raise the funds needed to cover these costs, nor increase the costs incurred to continue renting. Joe Gibbs Racing cars as part of a technical alliance.
Winning 17 races, including 16 in three years, in five seasons at Furniture Row, it was by far the most successful race with a Truex career organization. With Crew Captain Cole Pearn and several members of Team # 78, he will join JGR next year. Truex, 38, will replace Daniel Suarez in car number 19.
"Passing from a two-race winner to a 19-race winner, a championship, a fourth in points, a second in points, that's amazing," said Truex about his career in Furniture Row . "Everything was great, everything was the best thing I was part of.
"I'm happy with my future and going to a great place, and I know we'll be more successful, but it will be different, it will be a different team, different characters, and these guys were a special group, and I I am very grateful to be able to work with everyone. "
The team tried to keep things as normal as possible and did not make much time to commemorate the last race except taking a picture of the team.
"It's hard to lose this way," said Pearn. "But I'm still incredibly proud of this effort.
"Everyone said we could not do it and we were done, coming here and having the best long-term car and getting close to the championship is pretty incredible … I've tried to keep telling everyone, we'll keep the stuff sweaty until after the race and we'll focus on everything [race-wise] before."
Visser put into service his first Coupe car in 2005 and won his first race with Regan Smith in 2011. Kurt Busch has qualified for the team's playoffs in 2013 and Truex has arrived there. 39 year after being left without a track when NAPA Auto Parts withdrew its support. Michael Waltrip Racing following the race manipulation scandal in Richmond.
Over the course of many training seasons, Visser paid for the team through his Furniture Row Racing brand.
"There is a lot of pressure – we are investing a lot of money over the years and I will not have to do it in the future," Visser said. "This is the only good I can draw from [closing] he.
"I will miss the guys, I will miss people, we have been able to build a team as good as anyone else."
The Visser team was a rarity – it was based in Denver, Colorado, far from Charlotte's NASCAR hub.
"I have no regrets," said Visser. "If someone told me tomorrow that you were going to embark on such an adventure, even if it was more expensive than expected and you were going to win a championship and finish second of your last outing, I would do it a heartbeat. . "
It was an interesting choice of words. Visser suffered a heart attack last year and was unable to join the team when she won her title. Visser was able to attend the race on Sunday for the final race and the championship celebration.
"My health is excellent," said Visser. "It feels good, I can smile about it, and last year I did not know how it was going to be.
"It's good, life is beautiful."
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