Truex Jr. scores convincing, long-awaited win at Pocono
Martin Truex Jr. broke a 69-race winless streak with a hugely emotional and popular victory in Sunday's Axalta "We Paint Winners" 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway.
Truex came into the Pocono weekend winless since capturing a road-course victory at Sonoma Raceway in June of 2013. The New Jersey native posted top 10 finishes in 12 of the first 13 races of this season and led the most laps in the three races before Pocono, but until now couldn't seal the deal.
Sunday, though, it all came good for Truex, who gave Furniture Row Racing only its second victory in 285 races since the Denver-based team began racing in 2005. In the process, Truex became the 10th different winner of the season and all but guaranteed himself a spot in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.
It was a dominating performance for Truex -- he led the most laps again -- in what so far has been the best season of his career. Kevin Harvick, the 2014 series champion finished second, his 10th top-two finish in 14 races this season. Third was Jimmie Johnson, last week's winner at Dover. Joey Logano and Kurt Busch completed the top five.
The victory was especially joyous for Truex, who last year saw his longtime girlfriend, Sherry Pollex, battle through cancer while he endured a horrible season on track.
"It feels unbelievable," said Truex, during an emotional Victory Lane celebration. "I can't thank all these guys enough on the Furniture Row Chevrolet. What a great group of guys. I knew we were going to get one. Everybody kept asking, 'When are going to win? When are you going to win? What's going on?' I knew we had the team. I knew we had what it took. We just needed things to play out the way we needed them to. I feel like we're on cloud nine right now."
And then, behind dark sunglasses, Truex added, "The last year and a half has been tough. This feels pretty dang good."
Truex's victory was enormously popular, as he, crew chief Cole Pearn and team general manager Joe Garone were greeted by a number of other drivers, crew chiefs and owners.
"I'm really happy for Martin," said Harvick. "I know he went through a lot, and for him and Sherry. If you're going to lose to somebody today, that's a great person to lose to."
Kurt Busch started from the pole, with Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Harvick fastest in all three practices on Friday and Saturday. But it was Carl Edwards who took the lead on the opening lap ahead of Jeff Gordon.
Truex passed Edwards on Lap 15, with Harvick moving right up on his tail, dropping Edwards to third. After the first round of green-flag pits stops cycled through on Lap 32, Harvick was out front ahead of Truex and Gordon.
At the halfway point, Harvick led the Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolets of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Johnson, followed by Matt Kenseth and Truex.
But Johnson lost a left-front tire on Lap 87, sending the track yellow. Five drivers didn't pit, with Austin Dillon and Gordon taking over the top two spots. Truex took two tires and restarted sixth, while Harvick took four fresh tires and came out 12th.
On the restart on Lap 93, Gordon took the lead, only to see Alex Bowman spin out the following lap after contact with Brett Moffitt and cause another caution.
Under yellow, Gordon pitted and gave up the lead to Truex. Once in clean air, Truex broke to a huge lead over Harvick and Earnhardt.
At one point, Truex led by about 3.5 seconds, but by Lap 115, Harvick had the margin cut down to 1.400 seconds and falling. Four laps later, the gap was less than one second.
Sam Hornish Jr. hit the wall on Lap 121, sending the field down pit road. Again, Truex held the lead and pulled out front on the Lap 126 restart.
Two laps later, Harvick was back up to second, and then one lap after that, Moffitt got turned by Brad Keselowski and the caution came out again.
And again, Truex led on the restart.
On Lap 135, Danica Patrick and Kasey Kahne made contact at the exit of Turn 1, flattening Patrick's tire and sending her SHR Chevrolet into the Turn 1 wall.
This time, Truex pulled out ahead of Joey Logano and Harvick.
But they weren't done wrecking yet, as AJ Allmendinger and Ryan Newman crashed in Turn 1 while racing for seventh place.
The field restarted with 17 laps to go, Truex comfortably in the lead, as Harvick's car was bogging down on restarts.
"We just couldn't go on restarts," said Harvick. "We would lug really bad in third gear and just kind of have to go in defense mode."
With 13 laps to go, Harvick passed Johnson for second, but by then Truex was 2.4 seconds ahead.
Still, Harvick started cutting into Truex's lead, reducing the lead to 1.76 seconds with five laps to go. But Harvick ran out of time, and Truex went to Victory Lane.
