LOUDON, N.H. - Martin Truex Jr. will return to Furniture Row Racing next year, but sponsorship will need to be found to help the team put together a long-term offer, team owner Barney Visser said Sunday.
Truex confirmed Sunday he has a contract with Furniture Row for next season only. That coincides with the team’s move from Chevrolet to Toyota in 2016.
The key for the 35-year-old Truex is what kind of sponsorship Furniture Row can find for beyond 2016. Typically, a percentage of a primary sponsorship deal helps pay for a driver’s salary.
“We’re looking for sponsorship to help us with that,’' Visser said of a long-term contract for Truex. “The kind of contract he deserves we’re not able to do on our own right now. We’re looking for sponsorship to help us pull that together. I do think he’s just peaking in his career, and we don’t want to lose him.’'
Truex, who is in his second year at Furniture Row, admits one year is better than none in terms of security but he’d like to have something longer in the future.
“Everybody knows where I want to be,’’ said Truex, who is in the Chase for the Sprint Cup for the first time with this team. “The hope is to make it long term and make this something that we can take into the future.
“I feel the team I have right now is the best I’ve ever been with. Certainly, as a driver, you’re willing to do a lot of things to keep that going. Right now, I’m looking forward to being able to do it another year, and we’ll see where that takes us.’’