Martin Truex Jr.’s girlfriend continues cancer fight

As his girlfriend, Sherry Pollex, underwent chemotherapy treatment for ovarian cancer, Martin Truex Jr. was given the option by Furniture Row Racing to stay home. But Truex declined for the simple reason that being at the track provided some peace of mind, calling it “therapeutic.”

“There were days it sucked to be at the racetrack, especially at the end of the season when she was going through her thing, but there was never a time where I didn’t want to be there or didn’t feel that I should be there,” Truex said Thursday. “I needed to get to the racetrack and take out some frustration and get with the guys and be a part of the team even though it wasn’t going good.”

In his first season with Furniture Row, Truex labored through a tough year with just five top-10s and a career-low 24th-place finish in points. As if the season couldn’t have been worse, it took on another dimension when Pollex was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in August.

Shortly after, when Truex was officially ineligible to make the Chase for the Sprint Cup, team owner Barney Visser told him to take the final three months of the season off. The only time Truex missed was a practice and qualifying session for the August race at Michigan International Speedway, right after Pollex’s initial diagnosis when she had to undergo surgery.

“When Sherry got diagnosed, (Visser) called me and said, ‘You don’t have to race. You can take off the next 10 races and the car will be there for you next year,’” Truex said. “That’s the kind of guy he is.
“To have somebody like that stand behind you and say, ‘We’re here for you and we’ll do whatever it takes,’ it means the world to me. And I’m going to do my best this year to make that up to him.”

Pollex’s final primary chemotherapy treatment was this week. To celebrate, Truex, along with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his girlfriend, took Pollex out. Pollex will continue undergoing chemotherapy once a month for a year, which won’t make her ill and will allow her to lead a more normal life. Truex called Pollex’s improved health a “huge weight” off both of their shoulders.

“Doing the things that we enjoy together and traveling, it will be a lot easier to be at the racetrack and not be worried about her and what’s going on,” Truex said.

“She won’t grow her hair back while she’s doing it, but she doesn’t care. She’s got some cool wigs, and they look pretty good.”

Seeing his girlfriend fight cancer has given Truex a different perspective and altered his outlook.

“We all get inspired by people at some point,” Truex said. “But when you see somebody go through something like that and it’s the person you love more than anyone in the world, it takes it to a level.

“For me, it’s been a crazy, wild ride, but I don’t think I would change it for anything.”