Truex locked in tight NASCAR chase

Martin Truex Jr. remembers the hours of boredom watching television and the rain in Texas, then coming so close to another championship chance when that playoff race last fall finally ended three days after it began. The forecast is much better this time, both weather-wise and for Truex’s playoff push, though things are tight and there are some changes in Texas. Instead of being the middle race in the round of eight like Texas was in the past, Sunday is the first of the three races (Kansas and Martinsville to follow) that will determine the drivers that make up the championship four in the season finale at Phoenix. “The round of eight is really as tough as it gets,” said Truex, the 2017 Cup champ who finished second in both 2018 and 2019. Kyle Larson, who won the NASCAR All-Star race at Texas four months ago, is the points leader. While the Hendrick Motorsports driver has a significant edge over Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Denny Hamlin and Truex, only eight points separate second-place Hamlin and defending champion Chase Elliott in sixth place.