Truex denies report about a DEI contract extension

Martin Truex Jr. said Saturday after Sprint Cup practice at Indianapolis Motor Speedway that a published report saying he had reached an agreement in principle to remain at Dale Earnhardt Inc. for two years was not true.


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Though Truex may well drive for DEI next season, his immediate reaction when asked about the story that appeared on ESPN.com was: "It's [expletive]. I don't know what the hell [the reporter] is talking about. He doesn't know what he's talking about."

The story said the deal would keep Truex at DEI through 2010, with details of multiple sponsors still to be finalized.

Truex, who drives the No. 1 Chevrolet with sponsorship from Bass Pro Shops, said he has been involved in fruitful negotiations with DEI's management.

"We've been talking a lot," Truex said. "Things have been going well. We're working on some stuff, and that's what I told him."

John Story, DEI's vice president of motorsports operations, indicated he has been involved in every aspect of the negotiations and declined comment on the assertions in the story.

Truex currently is 17th in the Cup championship standings, 233 points behind 12th-place Denny Hamlin. The top 12 drivers after 26 races qualify for the Chase for the Sprint Cup, with the cutoff coming Sept. 6 at Richmond.