Martin Truex Brickyard 400 Report

Martin Truex Jr. Race Summary: No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota driver Martin Truex Jr. saw a sure top-10 finish spoiled in the final quarter of Sunday’s Brickyard 400 in Indianapolis. The Michael Waltrip Racing driver suffered front end damage on a restart that took him out of contention for the victory. A late race pit stop for a loose wheel dropped him off the lead lap. Until then, the No. 56 looked to be the strongest Toyota and one of the strongest of all cars in the race never venturing outside the top 10 except during pit stop cycles. The 26th-place finish keeps Truex 20th in points. The Sprint Cup series returns to action Sunday at Pocono International Raceway.




Martin Truex Jr., No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota

Truex Jr. started 12th and finished 26th.

Truex raced in the top 10 throughout the race as the highest running Toyota.

Raced in seventh when caution fell with 42 laps remaining.

Restarted the race in 13th after a problem with the jack during the pit stop.

Truex fell back to 22nd after making contact with another car on the restart causing extensive front end damage.

After repairs, a loose wheel forced Truex to pit in the final five laps dropping him off the lead lap.



TRUEX QUOTE: “It's a shame. We had a top-five Toyota and got back in traffic after a jack problem on our pit stop with about 40 to go. The restart bit us again when the cars started getting bunched up. We got damage to the nose and right side. The NAPA Know How crew did all they could. It just didn't handle competitively after that and then we had to pit late in the race for a vibration (loose right front wheel). I just hate it that our good runs are being taken away like this. I'm so disappointed.”
RACE NOTES:


Jamie McMurray won the Brickyard 400 (17th Running), his fifth victory in 278 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.

Kevin Harvick, Greg Biffle, Clint Bowyer and Tony Stewart rounded out the top five.

There were 14 lead changes among 10 leaders and six cautions for 25 laps. Twenty five cars finished on lead lap.

Kevin Harvick leads the point standings by 184 points over Jeff Gordon.

Chip Ganassi became the first owner to win the Daytona 500, Brickyard 400 and the Indy 500 in the same year