Truex holds off Logano for first short track win

Martin Truex, Jr. checked another box off his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series bucket list by taking his first career short track win at the Toyota Owners 400 at the Richmond Raceway.

The 2017 series champion prevailed in a hot duel with defending series champion Joey Logano in the final four laps of the race. The win is his first was the driver of the No. 19 Auto Owners Toyota Camry in 81 previous short track starts and his series win since Kentucky last July.

Truex began the race’s final 200 lap stage in second place behind Stage 2 winner Joey Logano and ahead of Stewart Haas Racing teammates Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer.

Logano motored ahead on the restart while Truex, Harvick and Keselowski battled for second with Truex coming out ahead.

Logano led until the yellow flew on Lap 242 for Michael McDowell’s crash in Turn 1. Truex’s Joe Gibbs Racing pit crew delivered a pristine stop to overtake Logano on pit as his Team Penske teammate Brad Keselowski moved followed in third.

Truex held a steady lead following the lap 253 restart while Keselowski overtook his teammate for second place and set his sights on the leader.

Keselowski pulled off a pass on the outside in Turn 2 on Lap 266. The lead see-sawed over the next 28 laps before Truex and retook the lead on Lap 294.

Truex built up a lead and made his final pitstop on Lap 318. Fellow front runners Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer pitted as well. Truex cycled back to the lead with Clint Bowyer in second and Logano in third.

Keselowski pitted three laps later which proved to be his undoing as he lost ground to drivers that had fresher tyres.

Truex initially held the upper hand, but Bowyer cut the lead down to just a few car lengths by 30 laps to go. Bowyer closed alongside Truex but was unable to completethe pass.

Bowyer nicked the wall on Lap 387 which brought Logano right back into the fight. Logano dispatched Bowyer without any exertion and inhaled Truex’s lead.

He was unable to mount a strong enough charge but wound up .178 of a second short.

Logano’s second place is his fifth top five of the season. Bowyer ended up third with Stewart Haas Racing teammate Kevin Harvick coming home fourth.

Denny Hamlin rebounded from starting in the rear after failing pre-race inspection to finish fifth. Austin Dillon ended up sixth as Keselowski picked up a few spots in the final stint to finish seventh.

Kyle Busch took the win in Stage 1 and led 101 laps but ended his day eighth. He received a speeding penalty on Lap 128 and bobbled around the top ten for much of the race's final stage.

Ryan Newman took his second straight ninth-place finish, and Paul Menard rounded out the top ten.

The race saw very little attricion as only two drivers failed to finish - Michael McDowell and Kyle Larson. Both drivers retired due to crashes.