NASCAR honors Martin Truex Jr., Dale Earnhardt Jr. at 2017 awards ceremony

The newly crowned Cup Series champion along with NASCAR’s most popular driver were celebrated Thursday night in Las Vegas.

A pair of Juniors -- Martin Truex Jr. and Dale Earnhardt Jr., the newly crowned Monster Energy Cup Series champion and NASCAR’s overwhelmingly most popular driver -- were the central focus during NASCAR’s yearend awards ceremony Thursday night at the Wynn in Las Vegas.

Truex was honored for winning the 2017 championship, the first for both himself and Furniture Row Racing. Earnhardt, who won the Most Popular Driver Award for a 15th consecutive year, was feted following the completion of his final season as a full-time driver after announcing in April he would partially retire at the end of year.

Underscoring the celebration is that Truex and Earnhardt are close friends, with Truex crediting Earnhardt for providing his first big break in NASCAR. Fittingly, it was Earnhardt who introduced Truex prior to the champion’s speech.

“Tonight we celebrate our championship driver,” Earnhardt said. “But to me and many who know him, he’s a champion in so many ways. Like when his professional career turned challenging, his options limited, he blamed no one. He kept his head high, he persevered because he’s a champion person. While the love of his life battles the most evil of diseases and he stands with her to make her fight his fight, he’s a champion partner.

“When he’s away from the track, perhaps enjoying his true passion for hunting or fishing, you realize this, he’s a champion friend. He’s the man. The champion in so many ways and no one [is] more deserving of this night.”

In turn, Truex emphatically thanked Earnhardt for all he did to further his career. Not only did Earnhardt once sign Truex, then largely unknown, to drive full-time for the Xfinity Series team he co-owned, NASCAR’s most popular driver also offered Truex his guest bedroom.

Truex capitalized on the opportunity Earnhardt provided by winning consecutive Xfinity championships (2004-05), which propelled him into Cup full-time in 2006. He’s been in NASCAR’s top division ever since.

“I wouldn’t be here without Dale,” Truex said. “He gave me my first break in NASCAR. I’m damn sure going to miss racing with him on the racetrack but we are going to spend a lot of time together away from the racetrack, and I look forward to that. Congratulations on an amazing career.”

Truex’s first Cup title came amidst season where Furniture Row dominated on the track -- Truex led the series in almost every major statistical category -- but also experienced several moments of sorrow away from it.

Team owner Barney Visser suffered a heart attack earlier this month that required bypass surgery, causing him to the final two races of the season and the awards ceremony. That followed Truex’s longtime girlfriend, Sherry Pollex, having a recurrence of ovarian cancer in May, a close friend of crew chief Cole Pearn dying unexpectedly in August, and crew member James Watson suffering a fatal heart attack after a team outing during the race weekend at Kansas Speedway in October.

The rollercoaster ride of emotions he and his team felt throughout the year was top of mind for Truex Thursday night. During his speech he paid homage to Visser, who is recovering in Denver after successful surgery, and then had the room hold their glasses up to toast Watson.

But it was Pollex who Truex spoke about most poignantly. Pollex, 38, was initially diagnosed with Stage 3 ovarian cancer in 2014, requiring intensive chemotherapy treatment. After the reoccurrence this spring, Pollex is again undergoing chemotherapy treatment and her continued battle has served as an inspiration throughout the sport.

“The 78 race team has carried the same motto throughout the season and that’s, ‘Never give up,’” Truex said. “No one has lived that out more than my life partner Sherry. As we all know, Sherry was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2014. Today, she is still fighting her disease with tenacity and a never-give-up attitude that inspires millions of people to do the same. She is the true champion.

“Babe, I love you and thank you for the change you’ve caused in my life. You’re an inspiration to all of us in this room. And winning is a great feeling, but spending my life with you is the real victory.”