Martin Truex Jr. Michigan Race Report

Martin Truex Jr. Race Summary: Martin Truex Jr. and the NAPA racing team finished eighth in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Michigan International Speedway marking the sixth top-10 finish in 2010 for the Michael Waltrip Racing team. The Mayetta, N.J., native started ninth and raced in the top 12 for most of the race. During a caution with about 45 laps to go, Crew chief Pat Tryson kept Truex on the track while most of the frontrunners pitted. The NAPA Toyota restarted second then quickly took the lead on the restart and stayed at the front of the field for five laps. Truex pitted during the following caution and battled his way to eighth when the checkered flag waved. Truex remains 20th in the point standings. The Sprint Cup series returns to action Saturday night at Bristol Motor Speedway.




MARTIN TRUEX JR.: "Overall it was a good day for the NAPA Toyota. Pat (Tryson, crew chief) did a really good job calling the race. We stayed out that one time and got track position and then were able to get our four tires and we were able to stay up there. We had a really good car on the long run. It took us a while to get going on the short run and that hurt us. We were as good as anyone on the long run. It just took us too long. It's something to work with. We were a lot better than we were here last time. The guys are working good and making the cars better and we feel good about that."



Truex Notes:

Truex started ninth and finished eighth—now 20th in points.

The No. 56 climbed from ninth to fifth in the early going.

On lap 83 the No. 56 dropped from ninth to 20th due to a loose handling condition.

The NAPA team tried several adjustments over the next 75 laps to tighten the car.

On lap 154 Truex stayed out under caution and restarted second.

Truex grabbed the lead on the restart then led laps 160-164— upping his total to 13 for the 2010 season.

Owns six top-10 finishes in 23 starts completing 96 percent of the laps.