Truex wins at Dover as four drivers are eliminated from the Chase
Martin Truex Jr. has put the remaining 11 Chasers on notice.
Race winner Martin Truex Jr., Furniture Row Racing Toyota
Action Sports Photography
For the second time in the last three weeks — and in three of the last five races — Truex has trampled the competition. This time he was victorious at Dover International Speedway, Treux’s home track.
“It’s unbelievable,” Truex said. “It’s been a long time coming for me here. I appreciate it”
Truex led six times for 187 laps en route to his fourth win in 2016. He finished 7.5-seconds ahead of his Toyota teammate Kyle Busch — and lapped 34 of the 40 cars in the field.
Chase Elliott, Brad Keselowski, Matt Kenseth and Joey Logano rounded out the top-six finishers — the only cars remaining on the lead lap.
Truex started Sunday’s Citizen Soldier 400 from the front row. He passed polesitter Keselowski to lead his first circuit on Lap five. Although both Kyle Busch and Johnson challenged Truex throughout the afternoon and led 192 laps between them, the No. 78 Furniture Row Toyota would not be denied.
After Truex took the lead on Lap 287 — with the exception of pitting on Lap 364 then cycling back to the front 10 laps later — the No. 78 Toyota was untouchable.
Johnson, who endured problems on pit road on Lap 277, dropped to 16th — one lap down — before recovering to finish seventh. Also one-lap down where Austin Dillon, who finished eighth, followed by Denny Hamlin, Jeff Gordon, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Kasey Kahne, Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards. Kurt Busch, who finished 15th, was the first car two laps down.
Last week’s winner Kevin Harvick popped a tire when his track bar broke on Lap 33. He drove straight to the garage and finished 37th, 46 laps off the pace. With his win, Harvick was able to transfer to the Chase.
The unlucky four
The four drivers not advancing to the Round of 12 were Stewart, Chris Buescher (23rd), Kyle Larson (25th) and Jamie McMurray, who finished 40th following an engine failure on Lap 193.
“I’m pretty excited about our day," said Stewart. "We were much better than we were yesterday. Really proud of our team. We kept making it better all day. That is good as we had.”
For Truex, it was his seventh career win and his second at Dover. The Mayetta, N.J.-native moves to the top of the standings with two wins in the first round.
“We’re not messing around," Truex said. "I don’t know -- what else can you say? We are here to get it done and golly I’m telling you just the best bunch of guys you could ever ask for. It’s just amazing to drive their race cars and do what we were able to do. I’m just ecstatic. So many people to thank again. I mean, this is just unbelievable.
"Especially here. I love this race track. It’s been considered a home track for me for a long time. It’s been since ’07 since I won here. Have a lot of heartbreaks here, but all in all just a phenomenal race car again today and Furniture Row, Denver Mattress, Bass Pro Shops, Auto Owners Insurance, Oakley, everybody that makes this thing happen for us. Barney (Visser, owner) thank you...Everybody back in Denver for Furniture Row. Golly, man, it’s just – I’ve got to pinch myself. It’s unbelievable. Thank you to Sprint and the fans and everybody. What an awesome race today. We’re ready to go to Charlotte.”
Harvick sits second in the Chase standings for the Round of 12 followed by Kyle Busch, Kenseth, Logano, Elliott, Keselowski, Kurt Busch, Hamlin, Edwards, Johnson and Austin Dillon.
Cla | # | Driver | Manufacturer | Laps | Time | Laps Led |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 78 | Martin Truex Jr. | Toyota | 400 | 187 | |
2 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Toyota | 400 | 7.527 | 102 |
3 | 24 | Chase Elliott | Chevrolet | 400 | 12.381 | |
4 | 2 | Brad Keselowski | Ford | 400 | 12.741 | 7 |
5 | 20 | Matt Kenseth | Toyota | 400 | 17.501 | |
6 | 22 | Joey Logano | Ford | 400 | 24.116 | |
7 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Chevrolet | 399 | 1 lap | 90 |
8 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Chevrolet | 399 | 1 lap | |
9 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Toyota | 399 | 1 lap | |
10 | 88 | Jeff Gordon | Chevrolet | 399 | 1 lap | 7 |
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