Martin Truex Jr. dominated the Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway to win his third 2017 NASCAR Cup Series race.
Kyle Busch won the Xfinity Series race earlier in the day and started the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race from the pole position. He led most of the laps early in the race. However, Martin Truex Jr. came on strong and won the first stage and second stage of the race. Truex Jr. then continued to dominate the race through the third and final stage of the race.
He had built a lead of more than 15 seconds with just over a lap remaining in the 267 scheduled laps of the Quaker State 400. Kurt Busch’s engine blew before the white flag waived and brought out the final caution period of the race sending it into the first ever green-white-checkered NASCAR overtime period at Kentucky Speedway.
Under that caution the seven other cars on the lead lap pitted for new tires while Truex Jr. remained on the track to ensure he would hold the number one spot on the re-start. Many believed starting on old tires would cost Truex Jr. the race win including Martin Truex Jr. himself.
However, when the green flag waived to restart the race the #78 Toyota was able to not only get back out to the lead heading into turn one, but it remained out front to give Truex Jr. his first win at Kentucky Speedway. The win is the third of the 2017 NASCAR season and the second time Truex Jr. has won every stage in a race this year. He remains the only driver to sweep the stages in a race with the advent of stage racing in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series this season.
Kyle Larson finished the race in second place while Chase Elliott took home the third place finish. Denny Hamlin crossed the finish line in fourth place with Kyle Busch rounding out the top five. See the complete race results for the Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway here.
Following Saturday night’s race Kyle Larson sits atop the point standings with Martin Truex Jr. in second place. Kyle Busch is the third driver in the point standings with Kevin Harvick and Chase Elliott in fourth and fifth places respectively. See the complete Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series point standings here.
The NASCAR drivers and teams head to New Hampshire Motor Speedway (a.k.a. the “Magic Mile”) for the Overton’s 301 Sunday, July 16th next.
By: Buck Stevens
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