KANSAS CITY, KS – As dominate as Martin Truex Jr. was in Saturday night’s Go Bowling 400 at Kansas Speedway, you were left to wonder whether something bad was going to strike and deny him his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory of the season.
As flawless as the night went for 212 laps – you didn’t think anything could happen.
Then it did.
While pitting from the lead for his final planned pit stop of the night, Truex exited pit road and immediately informed his Furniture Row Racing team that he had a serious vibration – one clearly identified as a loose wheel. Feeling it out for a lap or two, Truex brought his No. 78 Bass Pro Shops / TRACKER Toyota Camry back to pit road on Lap 215 where the team changed four tires and sent their driver back into battle.
Rolling back onto the track, Truex was informed by his crew chief Cole Pearn that a lug nut became jammed in the wheel and ultimately would be the culprit of likely allowing the Denver, Colorado-based team to clinch their first victory of the season – but ultimately all but assured spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup.
After pit stops cycled through Truex found himself one lap down in 22nd. Praying for a caution, the yellow would wave on Lap 234 but after NASCAR initially declared Truex the free pass, the decision was rescinded handing the free pass to Tony Stewart.
Still clinging onto the top-20, Truex received the free pass when leaders Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano and Kyle Larson wrecked in Turn 4 on Lap 241. The free pass put the Mayetta, New Jersey native back in contention – but far behind.
Restarting at the tail end of the longest line, the beneficiary of the free pass – Truex clawed his way through the field and found himself in torrid two and three wide battles – clinging to every spot necessary to move forward. Unlike when we as in command at the front, Truex struggled with his car in dirty air slowing his one-track progress.
While no caution waved from above, Truex through a relentless effort muscled his way to 14th in a race where he led 172 of the 267 laps.
Afterwards, Truex was told by car owner Joe Gibbs that the head of the bolt for the bracket that holds the brake rotor to the hub is what broke and essentially caused loose wheel for Truex.
“I couldn’t believe it. Went around (turns) one and two and I was like, ‘Wheels loose’,” Truex said after the race. “I kept telling myself that maybe it’s not me, maybe it’s just shaking because it has tape on it or something stupid. It was loose and I knew it right away. Frustrating, but that’s how it goes.”
Saturday’s race marked the seventh time in his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career where the 36-year-old led more than 100 laps during the course of an event but failed to turn that domination into triumphs for one reason or another.
Despite the heartbreak, Truex remained relatively upbeat – hoping that the racing Gods will eventually come to aide – but most of all pointed out that as strong as his team was in the Go Bowling 400 – they will be contending for wins this season.
“We’re going to win races for sure – if we keep bringing cars like that, we’re going to win some,” added Truex. “It’s frustrating when you’ve had it happen so many times in your career. I swear, you watch guys win races that don’t have the fastest car or on fuel mileage and all this stuff and it’s like, damn. Someday I’m going to get on one of those or on the other side of one of them. Usually, you can dominate and win, but it’s tough and it happens. It’s part of racing.”
Truex heads home next weekend at Dover (Del.) International Speedway where redemption will be key and that home turf advantage just might be the magic that Truex needs to combat any hiccups that stand in his way.
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
