Truex Jr tops NASCAR race
CONCORD, NC, May 30, (AP): Martin Truex Jr led a Sprint Cup-record 588 of 600 miles to win the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday night, racing away from his badluck past at NASCAR’s longest race.
Truex Jr started from the pole, moved quickly out front and led all but eight of 400 laps for his first win in 34 events since June 2015 at Pocono Raceway.
Truex ran strong enough the past year to grab a bunch more checkered flags, but something always went awry. He led 141 laps at Texas, yet got strung up by poor pit strategy and finished sixth. In Kansas this month, he was out front for 172 laps until a loose wheel knocked him back to 14th.
A year ago here, Truex led the most laps at 131, but fell to fifth when he pitted for fuel late and four cars, including winner
Truex Jr
Carl Edwards, stayed out. Truex never let it get to him. “I had confidence. I had faith,” Truex said. There were no black cats or cracked mirrors this time, just a dominating, prime-time show by Truex to cap racing’s biggest day.
Kevin Harvick was second, followed by Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski and Kurt Busch.
Truex’s win finished Memorial Day weekend’s mega-day of high-end racing that began with Lewis Hamilton’s win at the Monaco Grand Prix and continued with American rookie Alexander Rossi’s surprise triumph in the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500.
Truex took the surprise out of this one early and was barely touched by the field. He was passed by Johnson on a restart 55 laps from the end, but Truex went back in front a lap later and was not pushed again. 500 winner, in fourth.
Rossi was ninth on the final restart and fearful he would not have enough fuel to reach the checkered flag.
But as rivals ahead of him went back to the pits for a splash in the tank, Rossi drained the final drops long enough to win, his car running out of fuel seconds later and rolling to a stop in the fourth turn.
“I’m just so thankful for doing this on the 100th running,” Rossi said. “We rolled the dice and made it happen. I’m at a loss for words. It will change my life.”
Rossi became the ninth Indy 500 rookie to win, the first since Helio Castroneves in 2001.
It was the second Indy 500 triumph for car owner Bryan Herta, who merged his team with that of Michael Andretti this year. Herta won in 2011 with the late British racer Dan Wheldon and felt his former driver’s spirit as he looked and pointed to the heavens.
“I want to thank DW,” Herta said. “Man, it was so close at the end and for a rookie to drive with the poise (Rossi) did in that situation, it was incredible.”