Monday 30 May 2016

Martin Truex Jr. wins Coca-Cola 600 in record-setting fashion



CONCORD, N.C. — A look at all the results and action from Sunday night’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway:

WINNER: Martin Truex Jr. finally outran his bad luck, finishing off an absolutely dominating performance to score his first victory of the season. Truex entered the Coke 600 ranked fourth in laps led this season, but had only one top-five finish to show for it due to repeated misfortune. This time, Truex was able to lead almost the entire race and drove to victory lane for the first time since last June at Pocono Raceway. The win is the fourth of Truex’s career and puts him into the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

"It's just kind of sinking in now that we won the 600," Truex said in victory lane. "It's a big day. We've got the troops on the cars. It's a special weekend. Just a lot of emotion right now. It's a weekend you dream about.

"I had confidence; I had faith. We have a lot of great people behind us. Sherry and I, we know how to fight."

Truex's girlfriend Sherry Pollex was diagnosed with Stage 3 ovarian cancer nearly two years ago, but she was by Truex's side in victory lane for the emotional celebration.

"It's amazing," Pollex said, while wiping away tears. "He had to lose all those races to win a big one. We've been through so much. This is just icing on the cake."

NEW RECORD: Truex broke Jim Paschal’s record for the most laps led in the 600 (335). The previous record was set in 1967. Truex led 392 of 400 laps — or 588 miles — in one of the most dominating performances in the history of NASCAR.

IN THE WALL: Jeffrey Earnhardt broke up a lengthy green-flag sequence by hitting the wall between Turns 3 and 4, causing the third caution of the race just past the halfway point of the event.

LOST CONTROL: Brian Scott went for a spin on lap 114, losing control out of Turn 2 during a long green-flag run. He didn’t hit anything, however, and was able to continue in the race after causing the second caution of the evening.

COMPETITION CAUTION: NASCAR called for a yellow flag on lap 25 to allow teams to check tire wear after a rainy morning washed rubber off the track.

DROPPING TO THE REAR: Tony Stewart was supposed to start 21st but had to fall to the back of the field prior to the green flag for unapproved body modifications. Stewart didn’t have a good night after that, either. At one point, he told his team he felt like a “C-grade driver” and noted the pit crew was getting beaten by “C-grade teams.”

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Coca-Cola 600

Sunday's results from the 1.5-mile Charlotte Motor Speedway (starting position in parentheses):

1. (1) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 400.

2. (8) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 400.

3. (7) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 400.

4. (4) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 400.

5. (5) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 400.

6. (13) Kurt Busch, Chevrolet, 400.

7. (27) Matt Kenseth, Toyota, 400.

8. (12) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 400.

9. (2) Joey Logano, Ford, 400.

10. (14) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 400.

11. (6) Greg Biffle, Ford, 400.

12. (28) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 400.

13. (24) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 400.

14. (25) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 400.

15. (3) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ford, 400.

16. (15) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 399.

17. (11) Paul Menard, Chevrolet, 399.

18. (9) Carl Edwards, Toyota, 399.

19. (23) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 399.

20. (18) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 397.

21. (19) Danica Patrick, Chevrolet, 396.

22. (29) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 395.

23. (26) Clint Bowyer, Chevrolet, 395.

24. (21) Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 395.

25. (10) Trevor Bayne, Ford, 395.

26. (20) Aric Almirola, Ford, 395.

27. (33) Landon Cassill, Ford, 395.

28. (31) Regan Smith, Chevrolet, 395.

29. (30) Brian Scott, Ford, 394.

30. (17) Casey Mears, Chevrolet, 394.

31. (35) David Ragan, Toyota, 393.

32. (34) Matt DiBenedetto, Toyota, 393.

33. (16) Kyle Busch, Toyota, Accident, 392.

34. (32) Michael McDowell, Chevrolet, 391.

35. (36) Cole Whitt, Chevrolet, 391.

36. (38) Michael Annett, Chevrolet, 390.

37. (22) Chris Buescher, Ford, 388.

38. (37) Josh Wise, Chevrolet, 387.

39. (39) Jeffrey Earnhardt, Ford, 382.

40. (40) Reed Sorenson, Chevrolet, Clutch, 200.

———

Race Statistics

Average Speed of Race Winner: 160.655 mph.

Time of Race: 3 Hours, 44 Minutes, 5 Seconds.

Margin of Victory: 2.572 Seconds.

Caution Flags: 4 for 19 laps.

Lead Changes: 9 among 4 drivers.

Lap Leaders: M. Truex Jr. 1-77; J. Johnson 78-79; M. Truex Jr. 80-164; J. Johnson 165; J. Logano 166; M. Truex Jr. 167-298; P. Menard 299-300; M. Truex Jr. 301-343; J. Johnson 344-345; M. Truex Jr. 346-400.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): M. Truex Jr. 5 times for 392 laps; J. Johnson 3 times for 5 laps; P. Menard 1 time for 2 laps; J. Logano 1 time for 1 lap.

Top 16 in Points: K. Harvick - 457; Kurt Busch - 421; J. Johnson - 409; Kyle Busch - 405; C. Edwards - 404; B. Keselowski - 404; M. Truex Jr. - 381; C. Elliott - 374; J. Logano - 373; M. Kenseth - 347; D. Hamlin - 345; A. Dillon - 344; D. Earnhardt Jr. - 341; J. Mcmurray - 318; . Blaney - 309; R. Newman - 309.

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