Martin Truex Jr. has been running strong all season long in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series and he finally scored his first win of the year in the Axalta ‘We Paint Winners’ 400 at Pocono.
The track called the “Tricky Triangle,” because it only has three turns and none of the three are the same as another on the track, was the location for NASCAR’s 14th Sprint Cup race of the 2015 season Sunday, June 7th. The track didn’t appear to be too tricky at first as the first caution was not issued until lap 51 of the 160 lap race, and that was for debris on the track not a wreck. However, there would be a total of eight cautions in the race and six of those would be for on track incidents that indicated there is still a “trick” to getting around the triangle shaped 2.5-mile track.
When the green flag was waived to start the race the drivers got right to racing hard as they fanned out on the wide front stretch trying to gain positions on the track. It would be Carl Edwards that would get past pole sitter Kurt Busch to lead the first lap of the race. Carl would be one of six drivers to find their way to the front of the field to exchange the lead of the race 12 different times.
Leading up to the start of the race the word in the NASCAR garage area was that Kevin Harvick would be the car to beat at Pocono. Kevin appeared to be living up to that talk as he found his way to the lead and was able to stay in the front for a total of 39 laps of the Axalta 400.
However, it was Martin Truex Jr. who would challenge Kevin throughout the race and best him often. Martin again made a statement that the single-car Furniture Row/Denver Mattress racing team is a top team in the Sprint Cup series as he led a race high 97 laps in the #78 Chevrolet. In fact, Martin had led the most laps in the last three races leading up to Pocono, but was not able to transform the strength through those races to a win at the end of the race. He would change that trend on the “Tricky Triangle.”
Martin took the lead for the final time on lap 134 of the Axalta 400. He would hold that lead for the final 27 laps of the race including through two re-starts following caution periods. When the checkered waived this time it was Martin Truex Jr. crossing under it first to break a 69 race winless streak and capture his first win of the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup season … FINALLY.
The garage talk did ultimately prove to be right that Kevin Harvick had the car to beat as that is who came in second place. Jimmie Johnson grabbed third place with Joey Logano in fourth and Kurt Busch rounding out the top five. See the complete race results for the Axalta ‘We Paint Winners’ 400 here.
Following Sunday’s race the top five in the point standings remained unchanged with Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr., Jimmie Johnson, Joey Logano and Dale Earnhardt Jr. in first through fifth respectively. See the complete NASCAR Sprint Cup point standings here.
With Martin Truex Jr. winning at Pocono, he vaults up to the third seed on the Chase Grid behind Jimmie Johnson at #1 with four wins and Kevin Harvick at #2 with two wins. The Chase Grid now has then of the 16 spots filled with drivers with at least one win for the 2015 season. See the complete 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase Grid following the race at Pocono here.
The NASCAR Sprint Cup series heads to Michigan International Speedway next for the Quicken Loans 400 Sunday, June 14th.
By: Buck Stevens
