Martin Truex Jr. gave team owner Joe Gibbs another reason to celebrate at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Martin Truex Jr. poses with the trophy in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C.“What was Wednesday?” Gibbs responded when asked if the race victory was bigger than the Hall of Fame. “I thought, ‘We’re done. How we going to fix this thing?’” Truex said. “I didn’t know how bad it was, the guys worked hard, fixed it up.”
Truex held off defending series champion and Team Penske driver Joey Logano — and again prevent owner Roger Penske from becoming the first to helm winners at the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on motorsports biggest day. Penske driver Brad Keselowski won the first two stages and appeared to have the strongest car. But he slipped to the middle of the pack during the third 100-lap segment and never challenged for the victory. He finished 19th.Logano said Truex had the faster car in the race. If Logano had gotten to Truex’s outside, he may have a chance to move in front, he said. Truex “knew the same thing,” Logano said. “He did a good job defending his position.