Martin Truex Jr. pulled away following a restart with just seven laps remaining to win the Pocono 400 on Sunday, claiming his second NASCAR Cup Series title of the season.
Truex, the defending Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion, finished about 2.5 seconds ahead of runner up Kyle Larson to claim the checkered flag.
Staying on Course
The win was also the second of Truex’s career at Pocono Raceway, known to the NASCAR world as the Tricky Triangle. Perhaps more importantly for the 37-year-old veteran, however, it put him back in the mix in a season that has so far been dominated by two drivers: Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch.
“It’s always fun to win, but especially when you beat the best guys out there,” Truex said after the race. “[Busch and Harvick] were so fast today. Honestly, we were all really equal. It was a matter of who could get out front.”
Truex won the first stage of the race, but fell back to 14th place following a slow pit stop. He managed to work himself back up to second behind Busch when NASCAR called a caution due to debris on Lap 139 of 160.
That led to a pivotal decision for the leaders. While Busch decided to take on new tires, Truex and Harvick stayed out on the course. Even without new wheels, Truex managed to hold onto the lead, holding off Kyle Larson down the stretch. Busch finished third, with Harvick ending the race in fourth place.
For Busch, the decision mirrors one he faced last season at Pocono. In that case, he stayed out on his old tires and couldn’t hold onto a lead; this year, the opposite approach proved just as fatal.
“The four tires just didn’t do anything today,” Busch told reporters following the race. “It was certainly all about being out front.”
Big Three Dominate NASCAR
With Truex picking up his second win, 10 of the 14 races held so far have been won by the trio of Harvick (five wins), Busch (four), and Truex (two).
“I think three of those guys are definitely head-over-heels better than the rest of us,” Larson said after the race.
That domination has come at the expense of some other drivers who came into the year with high hopes. Jimmie Johnson finished the race in eighth place, but led two laps – incredibly, the first two laps the seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion has led this entire season.
Truex now stands in fourth place in the NASCAR Cup Series standings. Busch holds the lead by 87 points ahead of Harvick, with Joey Logano sitting in third place.
But it’s the big three that have emerged as the clear favorites in the race for the series championship. Harvick (9/4) is the top choice at William Hill, while Busch (3/1) and Truex (9/2) make for a clear group of favorites ahead of Larson (7/1).
The NASCAR Cup Series schedule continues in June 10, with the Firekeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway.