Leading the race with a remarkable 228 laps, Truex seemed poised for his first victory of the 2024 season in March when a late caution forced the race into overtime, sending the field to pit road for fresh tires.
Denny Hamlin managed to beat Truex off pit road for the lead, quickly getting around him on the restart and fending off Joey Logano to secure the win. Truex raised concerns about whether Hamlin had jumped the start, but NASCAR deemed it valid.
Truex, competing in his final full-time NASCAR season, has yet to secure a win this year but remains in a strong position to qualify for the playoffs based on points, with four regular-season races still ahead.
“Richmond has always been a fantastic track and a lot of fun,” Truex shared. “We had a strong performance in the spring and thought victory was within reach, but we found ourselves down a set of tires, and the cautions didn’t favor us.
“I believe we’ve made significant strides in our program and have been entertaining fans at short tracks like Richmond. I hope for my team and me to return to Victory Lane there as we have in the past.
“We had such a commanding lead in the spring until the caution came out, and everything unraveled from there. I’m eager to get back in front and maintain that position on Sunday.”
Martin Truex Jr, Joe Gibbs Racing, Auto-Owners Insurance Toyota Camry
Photo by: David Rosenblum / NKP / Motorsport Images
Truex boasts three career victories along with 10 top-five and 18 top-10 finishes at the Virginia track. He has led 1,587 laps at Richmond, marking the highest number at any current track on the Cup circuit.
All three of his wins have occurred within his last 11 races, while he has driven for Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 19 Toyota.
“Since my first race there in 2003, I’ve always cherished the track,” he shared. “There was a long stretch where my stats there weren’t great, but my love for the track remained, and I consistently performed well despite experiencing many unpredictable moments throughout my career there.
“After joining Furniture Row (Racing), we started to lead a significant number of laps. We faced a few disappointing finishes where we believed we should have won, leaving me to wonder if victory would ever come.”
This Sunday night’s race will bring a new challenge for Truex and all Cup teams.
To enhance the quality of racing, NASCAR has permitted Goodyear to provide teams with a softer “option” tire for the 400-lap race.
Similar to the rules in this year’s NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway, teams will have three sets of the “option” tire available: one set for practice and two for the race.
Recent success at Richmond has heavily relied on tire management, and utilizing the option tire—or wet weather tires, if needed—could significantly impact race strategies.
Managing tire wear … and tire options
“Richmond is a unique, old-school track,” Truex noted. “Tire management plays a crucial role in our performance, which aligns with my strengths.
“This race will differ from the spring due to the new tire combination. We will need to determine how to regain our previous success and come up with strategies that have worked in the past.”
“There’s a specific set of circumstances under which we would consider using the soft tire. It could introduce some intriguing dynamics; however, it largely depends on how the race unfolds.”
