FONTANA, Calif. — Two quick pit stops and a very fast race car carried Martin Truex Jr. to his third stage win of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season on Sunday at Auto Club Speedway.
Truex won the race off pit road during the first stage break and led every competitive lap during stage two, only ceding the top spot during green flag pit stops at lap 90 before ultimately winning the stage by 7.608 seconds over stage one winner Kyle Larson.
The effort now gives Truex 30 bonus points towards the regular season championship battle, and his three stage wins are the most among Cup Series drivers.
“If we could go to victory lane, this day would be even better than it already is, but we’re happy,” Truex said after pit stops at the end of stage two. “It ain’t over yet, though. Anything can happen. Obviously proud of everyone at Furniture Row Racing and Toyota … this engine is unbelievable today. We’ll keep our heads down here for these next 80 laps, but it’s pretty fun out here.”
Chase Elliott drove around the inside of Clint Bowyer going down the frontstretch on the final lap of stage two to claim third, with Bowyer and rookie Erik Jones completing the top five.
Jamie McMurray, Kyle Busch, Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski — who rallied through the field after a spin on lap four — also scored stage points at the second mid-race break.
Among those still trapped a lap or more down with 80 to go in the Auto Club 400 are six-time and defending Fontana winner Jimmie Johnson, who rides 21st, as well as 2011 event winner Kevin Harvick, running 24th.
About the Writer
Jacob Seelman is the Managing Editor of Race Chaser Online and creator of the Motorsports Madness radio show, airing at 7 p.m. Eastern every Monday on the Performance Motorsports Network.
Seelman grew up in the sport, watching his grandparents co-own the RaDiUs Motorsports NASCAR Cup Series team in the 1990s.
The 22-year-old is currently studying Broadcast Journalism at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., and is also serving as the full-time tour announcer for the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series.
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