DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Dec. 9, 2005) Martin Truex Jr., the 2005 NASCAR Busch Series driver champion, will receive a series single-season record payout of $3,123,692. Truex collected over $1.5 million in race winnings ($1,596,404) as well as his share of the series point fund ($1,433,288). The series $7.1 million point fund includes a record $3.7 million contribution from series sponsor Anheuser-Busch. Anheuser-Buschs commitment to the NASCAR Busch Series will increase again for the 2006 season, exceeding $4 million. Truex is the first driver in the 24-year history of the series to total over $3 million, and bettered the previous single-season winnings mark he set last year ($2,537,171). In 84 career series starts, Truex has totaled $5,907,470, the most for a driver with so few starts and seventh all-time. The balance of Truexs total $114,000 comes via various contingency awards which include: the Clevite Engine Builder of the Year Award ($20,000), the Goodys Headache Powder Award ($5,000), the Goodyear Tire Award ($20,000), the Mobil 1 Command Performance Award ($20,000), the MBNA Mid-Race Leader Award ($16,500), the Sunoco Diamond Performance Award ($12,500) and the WIX Filters Lap Leader Award ($20,000).
In addition to Truexs record mark in 2005:
* Series runner-up Clint Bowyer nearly joined Truex in the $3 million club, earning $2,831,236, a record amount for second place.
* A series record 17 drivers exceeded $1 million in winnings this year, including a record three Raybestos Rookies (Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin and Reed Sorenson).
* Jason Kellers total payout of $1,074,447 builds on his title as the NASCAR Busch Series all-time leading money winner with a career total of $10,470,071. He is the first driver in series history to surpass $9 and now $10 million.
* The series largest-ever purse was paid at Daytona last February $2,412,152. (NASCAR PR)(12-10-05)
