Phoenix – Season premiere for Truex Jr.

The season advances and the logic continues: a new race and a new winner. After Michael McDowell (Front Row Motorsport), Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing), William Byron and Kyle Larson from Hendrick Motorsports, it was Martin Truex Jr. who scored his first success of the campaign in Phoenix.

Although left behind at the end of the first segment (17th), the 2017 champion managed to catch up with the leading car before finishing only behind Joey Logano (Team Penske). Then began a battle between the two men with 122 laps to cover.

Solid leader since the start of the final segment, Joey Logano saw Martin Truex Jr. reduce the gap until he was overtaken in the middle of the last sector. The Joe Gibbs Racing man then showed great strength to start the final lap in the lead before crossing the finish line at Phoenix Raceway first. All under the clamor of a few thousand spectators authorized to go there despite the health situation.

“Everyone did an incredible job,” reacted the winner of the day. We were very solid even though at the start of the race I thought we were going to be around 15th place. I can't believe it, I don't have the words. It's a very nice feeling. It wasn’t easy for us.”

The next event is scheduled for next week (March 21) in Atlanta.

Ranking Nascar – Phoenix Round 5/36

Final: 1. M. Truex Jr. (Joe Gibbs Racing), 2. J. Logano (Team Penske), 3. D. Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing), 4. B. Kaselowski (Team Penske), 5. C. Elliott (Hendrick Motorsports), 6. K. Harvick (Stewart-Haas Racing), 7. K. Larson (Hendrick Motorsports), 8. W. Byron (Hendrick Motorsports), 9. C. Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing), 10. R. Blaney (Team Penske)

Driver rankings: 1. D. Hamlin 236 pts, 2. B. Kaselowski 197, 3. J. Logano 192, 4. M. Truex Jr. 180, 5. K. Larson 179, 6. C. Elliott 179, 7. K. Harvick 176, 8. C. Bell 167, 9. W. Byron 152, 10. K. Busch 144