Martin Truex, Jr. - photo by Brendon D. Miller - Bluegrass Sports Nation
It was just a Matter of Time for Truex, Jr., as he rebounded from an early pit penalty to drive away from Ryan Blaney Wednesday night at the Paperclip.
MARTINSVILLE, Va. – June 10, 2020 – ANTHONY HOLBROOK
The NASCAR Cup Series abbreviated Race schedule traveled to Martinsville Speedway. Wednesday June 11, 2020 for the Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500.
Continuing cooperation with CVC, no spectators and limited essential personnel will be allowed.
As Qualifying and Practice dismissed, Teams would random draw for Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500 grid position. Penske Driver Ryan Blaney had the hot hand drawing the post for his No. 12 Ford Mustang.
It was a historic first race under the lights on the 0.526-mile shaped Martinsville Speedway, and it came on a day when NASCAR made a monumental announcement to ban the Confederate flag. Martinsville Speedway has hosted venues since the existence of NASCAR in 1949.
Martin Truex Jr., the 2017 Cup champion, has failed to find victory lane for Joe Gibbs Racing over the first 10 races of this season. A grandfather clock await Truex Jr. at Martinsville Speedway.
In order to collect Back to Back wins at the famed half-mile, Truex Jr. must overcome a commitment-line pit violation penalty on Lap 115, forcing the front runner to start in the back of the field.
Ryan Blaney who led the field to green, lost a lap early in the race, got his lap back, drove all the way back up to first and then seemed to be dialed in to capture the win. An unplanned pit-infraction penalty during a caution on Lap 175 would show dividends as Blaney’s Ford was recycled to back of the pack.
Martin Truex Jr. proved to be the dormant car over the race’s final segment. The JGR Toyota sustained damage early in race and was attended by his pit team. Martin Truex Jr. diced his way through lapped traffic over the final 100 green-flag laps, tracking down and overtaking Ryan Blaney to the checkers.
The win is Martin Truex Jr. first of season and in additionally also the first for crew chief James Small. He replaced Cole Pearn as Truex’s crew chief at the end of the 2019 season.
Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500 – Stage 1 Results:
1. Joey Logano
2. Clint Bowyer
3. Jimmie Johnson
4. Martin Truex Jr;
5. Bubba Wallace
6. Chase Elliott
7. Kurt Busch
8. Kevin Harvick
9. Matt DiBenedetto
10. William Byron
Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500 – Stage 2 Results:
1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Ryan Blaney
3. Joey Logano
4. Alex Bowman
5. Kevin Harvick
6. Bubba Wallace
7. William Byron
8. Chase Elliott
9. Kurt Busch
10. Tyler Reddick
Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500 Final Stage Results
Kevin Harvick’s 15th place finish was still good enough to retain the championship series lead – 28 points over Joey Logano and 47 points on Chase Elliott in 3rd. Martinsville completed a stretch of seven straight Cup races since it resumed without fans at the track. That streak ends Sunday when 1,000 Florida service members, representing the Homestead Air Reserve Base and U.S. Southern Command in Doral, are allowed to attend the Cup race at Homestead-Miami Speedway as honorary guest.
The NASCAR Cup Series locates to Homestead, Fla. Sunday June 14th for the Dixie Vodka 400 (3:30 p.m. ET on Fox, MRN and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio)
