NASCAR’s Truex enjoys every aspect of time at top

CONCORD, N.C. - As Martin Truex Jr. leads lap after lap, week after week, in this season of rare dominance, it is easy to forget that he was once a journeyman driver in fear of losing his job in NASCAR.

That was just four years ago. Truex was an unwitting participant in one of the biggest cheating scandals in NASCAR history. His Michael Waltrip Racing team deliberately caused a caution that set in motion Truex winning a race that would have put him in the playoffs. As the deception unraveled, Truex was kicked out of the playoffs and MWR received crippling sanctions. Truex’s team was shut down by the end of the year, one-third of the MWR organization was laid off and the team was out of business two years later.

“When all that first happened, I didn’t know if I’d ever be able to race in the series again competitively,” Truex said. “I didn’t know if I’d ever have a chance at winning again.”

Look at him now, fresh off a seriesbest sixth win of the season and the unquestioned favorite to win the Cup title next month. His victory Sunday at Charlotte Motor Speedway was the second out of four playoff races, and it automatically earned him a slot in the next round.

Truex leads the series in victories, top-five finishes, top-10s, laps led, stages won and playoff points. Not a race goes by in which Truex can’t figure out a way to get his No. 78 Toyota to the front of the field.

By his estimation, had cautions not fallen the way they did or had luck been on his side, Truex believes he should have at least 10 victories this season.