by Caleb Whisler, Staff Writer
As September begins, the second annual “Driver for Teal & Gold” campaign kicks off for the Martin Truex Jr. (MTJ) Foundation. The goal of the campaign is to raise funds and awareness for those who have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
This cause is important to Truex and his longtime girlfriend, Sherry Pollex. In 2014, Pollex was diagnosed with stage three ovarian cancer and survived. The foundation was rebranded in 2015 to focus on supporting childhood and ovarian cancers.
Through the month of September, 28 drivers across all three NASCAR national divisions will sport teal and gold steering wheels customized from Max Papis Innovations (MPI). MPI will in turn donate 25 percent of each steering wheel purpose to the MTJ Foundation. Ryan Newman, one of the drivers participating in the campaign, will use customized gloves in addition to the steering wheel. When the month ends, all the steering wheels will be auctioned off to benefit the MTJ foundation.
“Yeah, for our foundation in general, it’s been amazing and 28 steering wheels out there this month and here at Darlington, so can’t thank everybody enough for their support. I know everybody that’s met Sherry in the garage and everybody that knows her, she’s a big part of the reason why everybody is willing to do it,” said Truex at Darlington. “They know what kind of person she is and that she would do it for them as well. It just so happens my name is on our foundation and I think it makes this special for me as well, but I know in my heart it’s for her and that’s a really cool thing for me.”
Here is the list of drivers participating:
Cup
1. Clint Bowyer
2. Ty Dillon
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
4. Chase Elliott
5. Kevin Harvick
6. Jimmie Johnson
7. Erik Jones
8. Kasey Kahne
9. Matt Kenseth
10. Brad Keslowski
11. Joey Logano
12. Michael McDowell
13. Jamie McMurray
14. Paul Menard
15. Ryan Newman
16. Danica Patrick
17. David Ragan
18. Ricky Stenhouse
19. Daniel Suarez
20. Martin Truex Jr.
21. Cole Whitt
XFINITY
1. Justin Allgaier
2. William Byron
CAMPING WORLD TRUCK
1. Todd Gilliland
2. John Hunter Nemechek
3. Ben Rhodes
4. Myatt Snider
5. Ryan Truex
We are also extremely honored to support @MartinTruex_Jr @SherryPollex and the @MTJFoundation all this month! pic.twitter.com/RmiaB62o7d
— Daniel Suárez (@Daniel_SuarezG) September 1, 2017
Excited to run this wheel in September for @MTJFoundation @SherryPollex. It looks great pic.twitter.com/uOfNWens4L
— William Byron (@WilliamByron) August 30, 2017
Proud to be using the @MPI_INNOVATIONS @MTJFoundation steering wheel this weekend @CanadianTire pic.twitter.com/3OATuySMkp
— Todd Gilliland (@ToddGilliland_) August 29, 2017